Sunscreen may be harming Florida’s oyster reefs, and with the help of Florida Sea Grant’s legal specialist, Madison Toonder is finding ways to let the public know about it.
The UF/IFAS Extension Shellfish Aquaculture Program and Florida Sea Grant are sponsoring a pair of free workshops focused on harvesting and marketing cultured oysters.
Cruising down the channels and canals of Florida’s expansive Indian River Lagoon, many coastal boaters and fishermen appear unaware their onboard habits may be threatening what lies beneath — the oyster reefs, seagrass beds and sensitive shorelines that provide homes, nurseries and meals for the waterway’s fish and wildlife. That kind of knowledge now fits right in the palm…
Free workshop on selecting gear and suppliers for culturing oysters will be given Dec. 4 in St. Teresa, repeated Dec. 5 in Cedar Key.
Apalachicola, home of world-famous oysters and producer of about 10 percent of the U.S. oyster supply, is once again making headlines, but this time it’s for all the wrong reasons. A steep decline in the oyster harvest has hundreds of fishermen, local leaders and seafood producers wondering if their unique fishery and way of life…
Oysters are loved by seafood connoisseurs around the world, but these briny mollusks are much more than a taste treat. They also provide important benefits to a healthy coastal environment. Oyster reefs act as natural filters to improve water quality, stabilize shoreline and provide habitat for young fish and other marine life. Unfortunately, oyster populations…
This report summarizes efforts conducted through the University of Florida Oyster Recovery Team, in collaboration with various stakeholders, to describe conditions in Apalachicola Bay prior to and after a historic collapse of the oyster fishery. The report characterizes conditions in the bay, reviews possible causes for the fishery collapse, and outlines a plan for future…
Responding to the oyster fishery collapse in Apalachicola Bay, experts with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Florida Sea Grant are joining forces with local seafood producers to find ways of restoring sustainable populations of the area’s world-famous oysters. Apalachicola, a heritage fishing community in the Big Bend region off…