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It is about to go down this Saturday in St. Simons Island in Georgia! Southern Soul Barbeque will be hosting an oyster-themed food truck brunch. Get over there and enjoy some of Pelican Oyster Co.'s Salty Birds! We personally know these guys and can't say enough about what they are doing for the industry. Get out there and get your oyster brunch on! ... See more

Historians and local old-timers say that once, Tampa Bay was overflowing with delicious oysters! Have a listen to the talk about seafood on this week's edition of Florida Matters. Check in at the 16:00 minute mark for a shout out from the Lost Coast Oyster Company, LLC ... See more

Historians and local old-timers say that once, Tampa Bay was overflowing with delicious oysters. And that some rivers, like the Manatee River, were once so

Oysters are also pretty good for you. Molecular nutritionist Dr Emma Beckett says that one medium, uncooked oyster has about 173 kilojoules (the energy equivalent of a cup of raw carrots), is low in carbohydrates, high in vitamins C and B12, and a good source of iodine. And a single oyster will give you close to 15 per cent of your daily iron requirement. ... See more

Everything you need to know to enjoy this salty treasure of a mollusc – including why you should never swallow them whole.

Florida Matters will be producing an upcoming show about seafood in our state. They want to hear from you so send in your stories!

Did you know Tampa Bay was once filled with oysters you could actually eat? Or that people used to turn their noses up at grouper?

"It is time to stop pointing fingers and making enemies. Let’s craft a “tent” big enough to get everybody inside, regardless of political persuasions. Let’s make everybody leave their hand grenades outside the door of the tent. Florida’s future is at stake; we have a Lot of water quality issues to master, from one end of the state to the other."

Jeff Tilley of Oyster Boss ... See more

Is there hope for restoring Apalachicola Bay?There is agreement in a fragmented community of regulators, academics, bureaucrats, environmentalists,

It is great to see shellfish restoration projects in Manatee County! We applaud the initiative by Sarasota Bay Watch, Two Docks Shellfish, Ed Chiles and all of the other folks that have helped make this a reality. 30,000 clams closer to the goal of 200,000 clams deployed! ... See more

About 200,000 clams will be dropped around the Bradenton Beach Bridge Street Pier to help mitigate future red tide blooms.

Aquaculture is the solution to transitioning traditional oystermen to a new way of life that allows them to preserve their rich heritage. Let’s have our grief around the “collapse” of Apalachicola Bay, get out of denial that the old ways will continue to work, and get busy producing shellfish and improving water quality with aquaculture. The evidence is in. ... See more

Really? The county commissioners are throwing $8 million more dollars at FSU to develop a plan to restore the Apalachicola Bay ecosystem and its oyster

Lenders and traditional sources of funding may not be available for oyster farm startups. Think outside the box! Grants, contests, Kickstarters, and fund raisers are all great ways to raise money to follow the dream! ... See more

We recently entered the Fedex Small Business Grant Contest where the top prize is $50,000. Voting is open until April 1st so check it out and show us some support.

http://bit.ly/locosfedex

Congratulations to the Lost Coast Oyster Company, LLC! Today they were awarded their submerged land lease to start their farm in Manatee County.

Never give up! After 5 failed applications and 2 years of hard work the state has finally awarded us our submerged land lease. We will be farming oysters in Lower Tampa Bay! Now, who wants to give us a loan? (Sorry about the background noise from the fish tank)

#aquaculture #oysters #sustainable #freshfromflorida #governordesantis #tampabay #oyster #shellfish #hardwork #yes ... See more

How will the private hatcheries in the region that do not have the luxury of an $8 million handout be able to compete?

Florida State's marine science lab gets nearly $8 million to try to rebuild Apalachicola's beleaguered industry

Restoration efforts in Alabama have been futile. Deployments of shell and other cultch material have not yielded the anticipated results. What are your thoughts on a spat-on-shell restoration plan?

https://wbhm.org/feature/2019/despite-restoration-efforts-alabama-oysters-are-at-a-historic-low/ ... See more

With Alabama oysters at a historic low, scientists involved in restoration efforts are finding that what has worked before is no longer working. Now, state biologists are trying something new.

This what it is all about. Growers helping fellow growers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/claudiaalarcon/2019/02/20/preserving-the-future-of-gulf-oysters-one-shuck-at-a-time/#43d681b04f60

From Alabama to Texas, oyster farmers, retailers, and researchers are joining forces to keep this precious Gulf Coast resource alive and thriving.

About Apalachicola "It is the last vestige of Old Florida, a Florida that does not exist anywhere else – no high rise hotels, no traffic congestion making it the ideal place to relax, kick back, and do whatever tickles your fancy."

We are in the midst of losing one of Florida's last true working waterfronts. Will "Old Florida" be around for your children to enjoy one day? ... See more

If you think, “Florida is not for me,” then check out the Apalachicola area. It touts itself as “what Florida used to be like.” The area south of Tallahassee on the Florida Panhandle is eighty-seve… ... See more

"One of the goals of the steering committee was to increase price points for locally-produced oysters, thereby enhancing profitability for growers and benefitting the local economy."

-Sea Grant

First you need a good product. Then you need a good marketing strategy. Sussex County will now be home to “Inland Bays Oysters: A Southern Delaware delicacy” — an official brand to help with marketing and sales of the area’s oyster aquaculture products. It’s the same idea as Wisconsin chee... ... See more

Proactive, scientific based management is the best way to ensure future generations are afforded the opportunity to enjoy our state's vast natural resources.

With development pressure increasing and environmental impacts mounting, Florida needs to take a more comprehensive approach to growth management.

With regards to the floating oyster cages in the water, the yacht club president claimed "it is the taking of a public resource for the benefit of a private individual." My question to the yacht club president would be.....

What makes you think your right to sail the bay takes precedence over this person's right to grow food? ... See more

Boaters and residents of Amagansett last week pleaded with officials from Suffolk County to put new limits on the types of equipment

Very proud of our governor for requesting resignations from all 9 SFWMD directors. The road to restoration begins here!

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is following up on a campaign promise to make the environment a priority by signing an executive order to address problems with algae that have plagued the state.

On the newly built up rocks at Lone Cabbage there are already encouraging signs. Researchers say young oysters are beginning to show up on the reef.

Oyster harvests in the Gulf of Mexico have declined dramatically. Now scientists are working to rebuild oyster reefs, helped by settlement money from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

"The report emphasizes the growing role of aquaculture in the US, a country with a smaller aquaculture sector than many other major economic players. It further states that the US is not a major aquaculture producer, ranking 16th worldwide in production, although more than half of the seafood that the country imports and consumes is farmed."

The tides are turning; aquaculture in the US is primed to climb the ladder! ... See more

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — U.S. commercial fishing generated more than $144 billion in sales in 2016, buoyed by growth in key species such as sea scallops and American lobsters, the