Wild caught Florida oysters used to be plentiful and inexpensive. But Florida fisheries have seen a massive decline in production in the last 15 years, leading to the birth of many oyster farms.
On today’s Speaking Of, we’re featuring a segment about oyster aquaculture from our sister podcast Coast to Canopy.
While Florida's off-bottom oyster aquaculture started as a result of the Apalachicola Bay fishery crash, farmed oysters are not a replacement for wild-caught oysters.
Host Rob Diaz de Villages explains how farmed oysters complement wild-caught oysters in the marketplace, and how they fit into the ecosystems where they're located.
We hear from Cainnon Gregg, owner of Pelican Oyster Company, which operates out of Oyster Bay near Panacea. Then, Leslie Sturmer offers some expertise as the Shellfish Aquaculture Extension specialist for the University of Florida/ IFAS.
Click LISTEN to hear the segment.
