Mote's Center for Aquaculture Research and Development is developing new and innovative technologies to advance aquaculture industry development and support and expand stock enhancement research. By the year 2025, the world population is projected to reach 8.5 billion people and the demand for seafood is estimated to be 120 million metric tons (MMT). Capture fisheries reached the maximum sustainable yield of 100 MMT more than ten years ago and has not increased since then. Meanwhile, the demand for seafood continues to increase. These statistics make clear the need to develop hatchery, nursery and growout technologies for high-value marine fishes and shellfish.

This new research center was established in May 2001 and Dr. Kevan Main was appointed Director. Four new aquaculture scientists were hired in June and July, increasing the aquaculture staff to a total of ten. Construction began on the Mote Aquaculture Park in June 2001. This state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture facility is located on 200 acres in eastern Sarasota County. The Park will provide the facilities to house Mote's salt and freshwater aquaculture research and demonstration projects.

Improvements in live food culture systems resulted in the consistent production of large numbers of rotifers (tiny planktonic crustaceans) for larval snook production trials. More than 5,000 snook are being raised for stock enhancement trials that will be carried out by Mote's Center for Fisheries Enhancement in the spring of 2002.

Collaborative projects involving red snapper and queen conch have been initiated. The Center is working with the University of Southern Mississippi Institute of Marine Sciences in Mississippi and the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii to develop the techniques to produce juvenile red snapper for stock enhancement experiments in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2001, aquaculture and fisheries scientists from Mote Marine Laboratory, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission formed the Conch Heritage Network. The goal for the Network is to work with the communities of south Florida and the Caribbean to help restore and preserve the commercially threatened queen conch (Strombus gigas). In July 2002, Mote Marine Laboratory acquired the old Conch Farm in the center of Key West for conch aquaculture. The facilities were renovated and the raceway systems to grow out juvenile conch for enhancement trials are being conditioned for experimental trials that will begin this fall. This project is supported by a grant from the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund that was awarded to Harbor Branch Oceanographic and Mote Marine Laboratory in June of this year. For more information on the Conch Heritage Network, visit the web site at: www.savetheconch.org

The need has never been greater for new technologies that will produce seafood for a hungry world. Mote's aquaculture center is ready for the challenge and will do its part.