Marine & Freshwater Aquaculture

Pioneering Marine Aquaponics systems

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) that filter and reuse water are environmentally compatible, conserve precious water resources, provide biosecurity to protect farmed animals from disease, and ensure good water quality conditions for farmed species. Mote research is directed at designing and testing filtration systems that utilize nutrients to produce multiple crops, while cleaning the water. Marine aquaponic systems produce multiple species (such as fish, edible sea vegetables, wetland plants, periphyton), utilize excess nutrients to provide additional saleable products, and improve the economic feasibility of RAS and marine aquaponic systems.

In 2014, Mote initiated a project to develop a small-scale marine aquaponics system based on the established technology for freshwater aquaponics in collaboration with the University of South Florida and Morningstar Fishermen. The goal is to provide expanded opportunities for local, community-based food production. A low-salinity, brackish water system will be used to produce red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and edible sea vegetables (sea purselane and saltwort). Solid fish waste produced by the aquaponics system will be used to fertilize wetland plants for coastal restoration projects with  Aquatic Plants of Florida.

Replenishing snook and red drum

For more than 25 years, Mote has partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to grow high-quality eggs, larvae and juvenile common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) to restore wild populations. Mote was the first to mature and spawn this species in captivity in 2006. Larval research today is focused on optimizing conditions for larval and juvenile fish growth and survival, including identifying ways to reduce juvenile fish cannibalism and to improve swimbladder inflation during early larval development. Snook produced by Mote’s Aquaculture team are used by Mote’s Fisheries Ecology and Enhancement Program to advance stock enhancement research. Prior to release, snook are marked (e.g., with tags) to identify optimal release strategies.

In 2023, Mote’s Aquaculture and Fisheries Ecology & Enhancement Programs worked together to successfully raise and release 20,000 red drum fish in Sarasota and Charlotte counties with the goal of replenishing red drum populations that have been negatively affected by events such as cold stuns and Florida red tide.

Advancing hatchery technologies

Spawning and/or rearing technologies for marine fishes and invertebrates have been investigated for a wide range of species, including Common snook, Grey Mullet, Pacific snook, Florida pompano, Atlantic tripletail, southern flounder, greater amberjack, Almaco jack, red drum, red snapper, zebrafish, abalone, shrimp, hard corals and long-spined sea urchins.

Industry driven research

An applied research project was recently completed to investigate aquaculture solutions to help shellfish farmers address red tide challenges. The shellfish farming industry has declined significantly in recent decades along Florida’s Gulf Coast, facing challenges including severe Florida red tides caused by toxin-producing Karenia brevis algae. Shellfish in red tide areas accumulate the toxins and cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning if eaten. For this reason, shellfish farmers are required by law to close their harvest areas when red tide cell counts reach a specific threshold. Closures due to red tide can cause devastating economic impacts to some of the largest shellfish fisheries in the United States.  Utilizing funding awarded from the Mote-FWC Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative, USDA AFRI, and Saltonstall-Kennedy competitive grants programs, Mote scientists are working hard to provide shellfish growers with new tools and systems technologies which help producers better manage their seafood crops during red tide blooms.

Mote’s aquaculture scientists have worked with private companies to develop technology for farming emerging aquaculture species sustainably: Red Drum, Florida stone crabs, and Grey Mullet are examples of species that are in development. These collaborations exemplify how Mote scientists translate and transfer our discoveries to support eco-friendly aquaculture growth.

Georgia Aquarium

Mote is partnered with the Georgia aquarium to produce sustainable sources of food (red drum and mullet) for animals.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

FWC, stakeholder communities and local anglers are using tech we’ve developed together for over 30 years to support fisheries enhancement as a rapid response to changing environments (wild red drum and snook population recovery). 

Salt Strong

With Salt Strong, Mote raised and released the largest number of hatchery-reared red drum in its history, boosting survival of the stocked fish, enabling monitoring their post-release behavior, and helping promote sustainable fisheries.