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Enhancing Marine Aquaculture in the Tropical U.S.: Methods for sustainable commercial co-cultivation of shellfish and seaweed in Florida Mark your calendars for an upcoming online workshop focused on the potential of seaweed production in Florida, to be held online via Zoom on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Are you interested in the potential for a seaweed market in Florida? Are you a regulator, buyer, grower, or researcher with an interest in this product for the southern US? Register today! What: A workshop to provide an overview of a recently funded Saltonstall-Kennedy award that is exploring methods for sustainable commercial co-cultivation of

Seaweed aquaculture is an emerging industry in the United States. Several states are actively cultivating seaweed at commercial or research/investigative scale. Potential benefits of this new industry include job creation, increased revenue, diversification of products, and less reliance on imports. Despite three decades of research into developing the framework for domestic seaweed aquaculture, there are challenges preventing the industry’s expansion. This presentation will provide a brief overview on how seaweed (specifically sugar kelp) is cultivated, current challenges affecting the industry’s expansion, current efforts to address these challenges and current and investigative uses for seaweed. Date: August 26, 2022 Time: 1:00

The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) can provide shellfish growers with catastrophic coverage for losses due to natural disasters. NAP is sold and serviced by your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. To find your county office, go to https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Florida/index. The basic catastrophic policy (CAT) provides coverage at 50% of the value of your inventory at 55% of the FSA established price. NAP is affordable at $325 administrative fee for a CAT policy and FSA will waive this fee for beginning, veteran, historically underserved and limited resource farmers. Growers can purchase additional coverage at 50%, 55%, 60% and

ATTENTION FLORIDA SHELLFISH GROWERS Matthew Ajemian with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at FAU is studying LARGE PREDATOR INTERACTIONS WITH SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE and would like shellfish growers to participate in a research study. The purpose of the study is to better understand interactions between large predators (fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles) and the shellfish industry in Florida. A survey, completed by shellfish growers, will help to identify the extent and types of interactions being observed around the state, and guide experiments to explore mitigation methods, should they be deemed necessary. It should take no more than 10 minutes to complete

An exciting new “soup-to-nuts” online training program will allow entry-level farm workers to gain the skills and knowledge they need to be successful farm hands. The online program is tailored to Rhode Island but includes broad information that can be used across the region. The course provides visually appealing info-rich video modules, with contributions from knowledgeable and seasoned instructors within the aquaculture industry. Modules include instruction on knot-tying, boating safety, basic shellfish biology, distribution and food safety, marketing, shucking, safe-lifting practices and much more. “Much of the training is devoted to teaching folks how to avoid the many ways you