William C. Walton
Auburn University
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Focus Area(s):
Summary
This project will support attendance and enhance the learning opportunities for commercial oyster farmers at the annual Oyster South Symposium in 2018 and 2019 and wiolll provide additional peer-to-peer learning opportunities for oyster farmers in the Southern United States to both attend industry conferences and visit peers in other parts of the country. It will increase the knowledge of commercial oyster farmers in the Southern United States, lead to adoption of new techniques and methods and increase profit and/or production by these commercial oyster farmers.
Project Leaders
Sea Grant Funds: 100,218
Matching Funds: 50,522
Project Date Range: 09-01-2017 to 08-31-2019
Keywords: aquaculture, oyster farming, industry, Oyster South
Objectives
- By 2019, at least 200 individuals engaged in commercial oyster farming in the southern US will have measurably increased their knowledge of oyster farming, based on post-workshop surveys.
- By 2019, at least 100 individuals engaged in commercial oyster farming in the southern US will have implemented changes in practices in their businesses, based on follow-up interviews.
- By 2019, at least 50 individuals engaged in commercial oyster farming in the southern US will have implemented changes in practices in their businesses that resulted in increased profit and/or production, based on follow-up interviews.
Rationale
Within the last 5-8 years, a number of commercial off-bottom oyster farms have been established in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina, with significant interest in Mississippi, Georgia and Texas.