October 16, 2022 is World Food Day! Molluscan shellfish aquaculture is Florida’s largest food-use aquaculture industry. Shellfish provide benefits for water quality and marine environmental habitats, plus they taste great! IFAS is celebrating Food Week from October 17 to October 21st. To celebrate, we have provided a couple of resources to learn more about Florida’s shellfish aquaculture industry.

Big Bend Shellfish Trail

The Big Bend offers an interactive Shellfish Trail map that will guide you to local communities where you can eat fresh shellfish. To learn more, check out https://floridashellfishtrail.org/.

Environmental Benefits of Hard Clam Aquaculture in Florida

UF conducted a study back in 2015 where they found out that shellfish can enhance the sustainability of the environment they are raised in. To read the study, check out https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/environmental-benefits/.

Stats About Hard Clam Culture in Florida

Florida’s hard clam culture has grown into a bustling industry with over 300 growers in 10+ coastal counties and a variety of projects backed by UF/IFAS along with other institutions to manage the growing industry. To learn more about the hard clam industry, check out https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/hard-clam-culture/.

Economic Impact Studies

The hard clam industry has contributed to the growth of the local economy and overall Florida economy through its many touchpoints in day-to-day lives of those in the business. To learn more about the industry’s economic impact, check out https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/industry/economic-impact-studies/.

Molluscan Shellfish Aquaculture and Production

Aquaculture has grown not just locally, but globally as well as the shellfish industry continues to rapidly grow. To learn more about the growth of molluscan shellfish aquaculture, check out https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA191.

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