Mote scientists to participate in panel discussion after premiere of mullet documentary

The public is invited to attend a free premiere of Mullet: A Tale of Two Fish 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 at the Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in St. James City, Florida. 
 
The one-hour TV documentary is a production of WGCU Public Media and tells the long and storied history of one of Florida’s most underappreciated fish including its importance as a food source for Native Americans, Spanish explorers and early Florida pioneers. The program also explores the rise and fall of Florida’s commercial mullet fishing industry in the 20th century.
 
The May 11 premiere will include a reception featuring mullet-based light hors d ‘oeuvres courtesy of Blue Dog Bar and Grill beginning at 6 p.m. The documentary will premiere at 6:30 p.m. followed by a one-hour panel discussion.
 
Panelists will include Dr. Kenneth Leber, associate vice president for research and program manager of Mote's Fisheries Ecology and Enhancement; and Dr. Kevan Main, program manager of Mote's Marine & Freshwater Aquaculture Research Program.
 
Leber occupies the Charles M. Breder Chair, which was established at Mote to support the study of the biology, behavior and conservation of fishes. He is directing a multi-disciplinary research center that includes studies of fish population ecology, marine stock enhancement, marine aquaculture, fish dispersal, age and growth patterns, habitat requirements, habitat selection and current problems in fisheries management.
 
“Mullet is a viable, sustainable commercial fishery and also an important source of food for other ecologically important species and especially sport fishes,” Leber said. “Mullet really is a key aspect of the ecosystem that is worthy of protecting.”
 
Main directs research at Mote Aquaculture Park, the Lab’s 200-acre sustainable fish farming research facility in eastern Sarasota County. There, scientists are developing innovative ways to farm marine fish for food and stock enhancement. Main and her colleagues have worked to develop sustainable spawning and/or rearing technologies for numerous species, including common snook, Pacific snook, Florida pompano, southern flounder, greater amberjack, red drum, red snapper, freshwater sturgeon and more.
 
Now, through a grant provided by Gulf Coast Community Foundation and a project led by Healthy Earth, Main and others aim to build a thriving, local seafood industry based on the production of value-added, sustainable seafood products while emphasizing both environmental and cultural preservation.
 
Project partners aim to enhance the sustainability and economic impact of the heritage fishery for grey striped mullet based in Cortez, Fla. Partners are working to enable this fishery to become certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, to support U.S.-based production of the valuable bottarga (prepared mullet roe), and maximize the benefits of under-used or unused parts of the mullet, including fillets for market and fish meal to feed sustainably farmed fish.
 
Mote’s aquaculture research team will examine how well the mullet-byproduct fish chow can nourish saltwater red drum and pompano raised by Mote and freshwater sturgeon farmed by Healthy Earth, compared with traditional, commercial fish feeds.
 
“Today, over 90 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported and it really is important that we start producing the food we’re eating,” Main said. “If we could tap into our local resources of mullet that is being harvested out of Cortez that are central to this project led by Healthy Earth, and utilize the parts of this fish that are currently underutilized, that would benefit both aquaculture and our local fishery.”
 
Other panelists include: Mike Dooley and Shane Dooley, Pine Island seafood producers; Jessie Tincher, owner and chef, Blue Dog Bar and Grill; and Jim Goin, WGCU’s senior TV producer who wrote and produced Mullet: A Tale of Two Fish.
 
Seating is limited for this free event.  To reserve a seat visit wgcu.org/events or call 239.590.2316. Fishers of Men Lutheran Church is located at 10360 Stringfellow Road, St. James City, FL 33956.
 
Mullet: A Tale of Two Fish is a production of WGCU Public Media with support from West Island Coast Navigation District, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel, and the estate of Patrick and Rosalie LaSala.  The documentary will premiere on WGCU HDTV at 10 p.m. Monday, May 16.