Preventing Escape of Non-Native Species from Aquaculture Facilities in Florida, Part 1: General Considerations and Regulations

certified aquaculture facility in Hillsborough County

Aquaculture is an important and diverse segment of the agricultural economy in Florida. Ornamental, live bait, food finfish, and other segments of this industry culture and trade in non-native species. Escape or release of these non-native cultured organisms is an environmental and legal concern in Florida and therefore a key consideration in aquaculture farm construction and operation. This 7-page fact sheet is the first in a four-part series devoted to educating industry and other stakeholders on the importance of preventing the escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities as well as strategies for non-native species containment and regulatory compliance. Written by Quenton M. Tuckett, Carlos V. Martinez, Jared L. Ritch, Katelyn M. Lawson, and Jeffrey E. Hill and published by the School of Forest Resources and Conservation Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, it introduces the series, explains why non-native species containment is important, provides information on regulations, including the Florida Aquaculture Best Management Practices rule, describes the BMP inspection process, and provides advice on achieving compliance with these important regulations.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa195

Preventing Escape of Non-Native Species from Aquaculture Facilities in Florida, Part 2: Facility Evaluation Strategies

Typical fish farm layout

Understanding how non-native species escape or are accidentally released helps producers better design and operate aquaculture facilities to reduce or prevent escape. Active management of critical points where escape is possible will help achieve regulatory compliance. This 6-page fact sheet written by Jeffrey E. Hill, Quenton M. Tuckett, Carlos V. Martinez, Jared L. Ritch, and Katelyn M. Lawson and published by the School of Forest Resources and Conservation Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences is the second in a four-part series devoted to educating industry and other stakeholders on the importance of preventing the escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities as well as strategies for non-native species containment and regulatory compliance. It describes farm layouts, explains how fish escape, and outlines a process that aquaculturists can complete to identify potential escape points on their farms.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa196

Preventing Escape of Non-Native Species from Aquaculture Facilities in Florida, Part 3: Structural Strategies

Bird netting over a production pond

Non-native species sometimes escape from aquaculture facilities, but producers can prevent these potentially harmful escapes by placing barriers like screens, covers, control structures, and ponds at vulnerable points. Aquaculture producers use these structures to prevent release of non-native species in compliance with Florida Aquaculture Best Management Practices. Further, many of the structures discussed in this 9-page fact sheet are also effective in addressing and maintaining compliance with the discharge requirements of those Best Management Practices. Written by Quenton M. Tuckett, Carlos V. Martinez, Jared L. Ritch, Katelyn M. Lawson, and Jeffrey E. Hill and published by the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the fact sheet provides escape prevention strategies and advice for building structures and barriers that can keep potentially harmful non-native species safely contained on aquaculture facilities.
edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa197

Preventing Escape of Non-Native Species from Aquaculture Facilities in Florida, Part 4: Operational Strategies

A screened basket on the intake hose prevents escape

Structural strategies to prevent the escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities have numerous environmental benefits, and research at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory has shown that structural strategies also reduce non-compliance with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Best Management Practices. Operational and management strategies, however, are also very important. The strategies discussed in this 6-page fact sheet, the management of water, facilities, and employees, must not be overlooked. Operational strategies are easy, inexpensive, and, when used alongside structural strategies, highly effective, offering an impressive return on a minimal investment in the overall effort to minimize the escape of non-native species.

Written by Quenton M. Tuckett, Carlos V. Martinez, Jared L. Ritch, Katelyn M. Lawson, and Jeffrey E. Hill and published by the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, this fact sheet is the fourth in a four-part series devoted to educating industry and other stakeholders on the importance of preventing escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities as well as strategies for non-native species containment and regulatory compliance.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa198

FA174 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Spawning and Rearing Bivalve Molluscs–Spawning

FA174, a 9-page activity by R. Leroy Creswell, Cortney L. Ohs, Craig S. Kasper, Elisa J. Livengood, Amber L. Garr, Brian E. Myers, Carlos V. Martinez, and Frank A. Chapman, is activity 12 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 9-12, students will learn methods for spawning bivalve molluscs like clams or oysters using temperature manipulation. Students will use an ocular micrometer to measure the diameter of bivalve eggs and the length of bivalve larvae. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, May 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa174

FA172 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: What Makes a Good Fish Food?

FA172, a 5-page activity by Craig S. Kasper, Cortney L. Ohs, Brian E. Myers, Frank A. Chapman, Amber L. Garr, R. Leroy Creswell, Carlos V. Martinez, and Elisa J. Livengood, is activity 22 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 9-12, students will learn the common ingredients in fish food, design their own fish food, and discover how water stability relates to fish nutrition, production and the environment. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa172

FA173 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Anatomy of a Fish

FA173, a 5-page activity by Amber L. Garr, Cortney L. Ohs, Craig S. Kasper, R. Leroy Creswell, Frank A. Chapman, Brian E. Myers, Elisa J. Livengood, and Carlos V. Martinez, is activity 1 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 5-12, students categorize types of fish, describe the basic biology of fish species, and identify the primary functions of anatomical features common to aquaculture. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa173

FA175 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Spawning and Rearing Bivalve Molluscs — Larval Culture

FA175, a 4-page activity by R. Leroy Creswell, Cortney L. Ohs, Craig S. Kasper, Carlos V. Martinez, Elisa J. Livengood, Amber L. Garr, Frank A. Chapman, and Brian E. Myers, is activity 13 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 9-12, students learn to describe the reproductive biology and spawning of bivalve molluscs, leading to an understanding of the conditions used in hatcheries for commercial production of bivalve molluscs. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa175

FA176 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Dancing with Brine Shrimp

FA176, a 7-page activity by Elisa J. Livengood, Cortney L. Ohs, Amber L. Garr, R. Leroy Creswell, Carlos V. Martinez, Craig S. Kasper, Brian E. Myers, and Frank A. Chapman, is activity 14 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 5-12, students will hatch and culture brine shrimp to observe the behavior and the different development stages of the organisms. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa176

FA177 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Introduction

FA177, a 2-page fact sheet by Cortney L. Ohs, R. Leroy Creswell, Amber L. Garr, Carlos V. Martinez, Brian E. Myers, Elisa J. Livengood, Craig S. Kasper, and Frank A. Chapman, introduces the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. The curriculum is designed to engage students in aquaculture and the aquatic sciences through a series of hands-on activities involving all the sciences, mathematics, reading, and writing. Each activity in the series includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa177