Each year, consumers eat millions of oysters worldwide, with a significant number of the mollusks grown in the Gulf of Mexico. While illness from eating oysters is rare, it can be fatal. Here, Razieh Farzad, a UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant seafood ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Food Safety, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS ExtensionCaption at bottom. Click here for high-resolution image. GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- As Floridians brace for more crude oil on the state’s coasts, University of Florida researchers are racing to complete several newly funded projects that will ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS Research
The world’s oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which does not bode well for Florida’s 825 miles of coastline. Carbon dioxide can contribute to ocean acidification -- a reduction in the pH of the ocean -- which ... READ MORE
Category: UF/IFASHighlights · A recent UF/IFAS research project identified opportunities for Florida Gulf oyster farmers to market their products for an increased price. · The findings noted logistical and volume ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Highlights · The Florida oyster aquaculture industry is rapidly growing but growers have experienced unexplainable mortality events in recent years. · A new UF/IFAS program monitored oyster ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Florida’s oyster population has declined during the past 15 years because of overharvest, hurricanes, changing environmental conditions and more. In particular, Apalachicola Bay has seen a pronounced reduction. “Oyster farming has been ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & MarineBig Bend Shellfish Trail Florida's Big Bend is one of the last places in Florida with wide swaths of undeveloped coastline. Here, natural shorelines mix with abundant wildlife and clean water to produce amazing visitor experiences. But, many ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation
There is a lot of interest in residents and communities installing vertical oyster gardens (VOGs). This blog post discusses the process to get free VOGs through the UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Program. If you want to learn more about ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, WildlifeVertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) VOGS are oyster restoration structures composed of recycled oyster shells strung together and suspended in coastal intertidal zones. The VOGs recruit new oyster growth, expanding oyster reef habitats and promoting ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
VOGs are recycled oyster shells from local restaurants strung together on a rope or wire and suspended from a dock or seawall to create surfaces for juvenile oysters (also known as spat or oyster larvae) to attach and develop. We hear ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources