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Aquaculture Programs
Aquaculture is the process of farming or growing animals and plants in a controlled water environment. Florida’s five main farm-raised aquatic products are tropical fish, aquatic plants, food fish, shellfish and alligators. Florida plays an important role in the production of tropical fish and aquatic plants. It is the number one producer of aquarium fish in the United States. The world wide aquaculture industry is continually exploring the feasibility of farming many other marine and freshwater organisms.
Due to the increasing global demand, edible farm-raised aquatic products are the fastest growing sector in world food production. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) projects that the world will need 40 million tons of farm-raised products per year by 2030 to meet the increasing demand for seafood. Fish farming supplements the wild seafood harvests and plays an important role in meeting the dietary needs of an increasingly health conscious and growing population.
In 2005, the United States fish and aquatic product farms sales reached $1.1 billion. Florida aquaculture is ranked high in the United States with over $75 million in sales and over 3,000 water acres dedicated to production in 2005. Aquaculture has a number of business advantages. Growers can control a uniform size and quantity of their product. The supply of the product can be easier to maintain to help achieve a desirable price structure. Selective breeding and feeding can be used to increase disease resistance and growth rates.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is committed to the development and promotion of Florida’s aquaculture commodities. Two of the Department’s divisions -- the Division of Marketing and Development and the Division of Aquaculture -- have been charged with the implementation and promotion of quality Florida aquaculture programs.
Division of Marketing and Development Programs
Within the Division of Marketing and Development is the Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing. The bureau’s role is to develop marketing and educational programs to increase sales by educating consumers and potential buyers about the Florida seafood and aquaculture industry.
The bureau provides public relations to the media on behalf of the seafood and aquaculture industry. It produces educational materials for consumers, including commodity specific recipe brochures for farm-raised clams, alligator, hybrid-striped bass and others as funding permits. It also provides listings of Florida aquaculture suppliers to potential buyers.
One of the goals of a recent “Discover Florida Aquaculture” initiative, funded by the Florida Aquaculture Review Council grant, is to increase awareness of the Florida aquaculture commodities and programs by targeting consumers, middle and high school students and teachers, and the media.
- Download the Discover Florida Aquaculture Booklet (PDF)
- Download the Discover Florida Aquaculture Poster (PDF)
- Watch the Discover Florida Aquaculture Video
- Watch Aerial Video Footage of Florida Clam Farming
- View Photos of Florida Clam Farming
Division of Aquaculture Programs
The Division of Aquaculture was created in 1999 by the Florida Legislature. Florida has been progressive in its support of aquaculture development and the division is responsible for overseeing numerous programs. These programs include regulatory, administrative, advisory, technical assistance and leasing programs.
Aquaculture Certification Program
The Florida Aquaculture Policy Act Chapter 597, F.S., established the Aquaculture Certificate of Registration to identify aquaculture producers/farmers and products. Aquaculture businesses in Florida are required to be certified annually and to attest that they will comply with the Best Management Practices provided in Chapter 5L 3, Florida Administrative Code. The Aquaculture Certificate of Registration is used to identify aquaculture producers as members of Florida's agricultural community and to identify aquacultural products produced in the state. Site inspections are conducted at aquaculture facilities to ensure compliance.
Sovereignty Submerged Lands Leasing Program
Florida’s Aquaculture Lease Program for sovereignty submerged state lands and the overlying water column is administered by the Division of Aquaculture’s Bureau of Aquaculture Development. Sovereign submerged lands are state waters in the Atlantic Ocean three nautical miles seaward from shore and in the Gulf of Mexico nine nautical miles seaward from shore. In accordance to its statutory mandate, FDACS identifies tracts of submerged lands throughout the state that are suitable for aquacultural development. Twenty-one Aquaculture Use Areas have been identified by FDACS and authorized by the Board of Trustees in nine coastal counties, including Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, Dixie, Franklin, Indian River, Lee, Levy and Volusia.
Oyster Culture and Shellfish Resource Development Program
Under the mandate to improve, enlarge and protect the oyster and clam resources of the state, FDACS is actively engaged in enhancing shellfish resources and restoring oyster reefs on public submerged lands.
Conserving Public Oyster Reefs
FDACS is involved in a unique project applying its expertise and equipment to mitigate potential impacts on oyster resources in Apalachicola Bay. FDACS is in a joint project with the Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection to enhance and restore public oyster reefs that may be adversely affected during the St. George Island Bridge Replacement Project. The mitigation plan involves the restoration of oyster reef habitat by placing processed oyster shell and live oysters on designated reefs.
Shellfish Harvesting Area Classification and Management Program
This program seeks to classify and manage Florida coastal waters for maximum use of shellfish resource, protection of public health, and promotion of a healthy coastal environment. The program is audited each year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure compliance with the provisions of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.
Shellfish Processing Facility Program
The Shellfish Processing Facility Program seeks to ensure wholesome shellfish products through inspection, education and enforcement of state regulations and national guidelines. The program is audited each year by the FDA to ensure compliance with the provisions of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.
Technical Support Programs
The Division of Aquaculture provides substantial technical and administrative support for aquaculture and shellfish operations. Staff provides and participates in workshops, seminars and problem solving activities to help provide information to Florida farmers. In addition, staff manages contracts with researchers for legislative appropriation to provide quick answers to industry issues.
Links To Related Web Sites
- Visit the FDACS Division of Aquaculture Web Site
- Visit the FDACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy Web Site
- Visit the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service Web Site
- Visit the Northwest Florida Water Management District Web Site
- Visit the South Florida Water Management District Web Site
- Visit the Southwest Florida Water Management District Web Site
- Visit the St. Johns River Water Management District Web Site
- Visit the Suwannee River Water Management District Web Site
- Visit the IFAS Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Web Site
- Visit the IFAS Soil and Water Science Department Web Site
- Visit the IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants Web Site
- Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Compliance and Enforcement Web Site
- Visit the America’s Heartland Web Site and Watch “Working the Water”
