Florida Clam Growers Receive Federal Funding

The University of Florida received $206,496 for its shellfish aquaculture research program as part of the fiscal 2008 agriculture appropriations bill, U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida announced yesterday.

Approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the funding will be used to help the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association reduce stress and thus increase survival rates among native clam breeding stocks during the warm summer months.

"This is exciting news for the Cedar Key aquaculture industry," said Brown-Waite in a press release. "With nearly half of the certified growers in the state, Cedar Key really deserves its reputation as the home of Florida clammers."

"Stock improvement of cultured clams has been ongoing in [University of Florida] laboratories for the past two years with hybrid clams being grown in test field plots in the Gulf of Mexico," added Mike Hodges, chairman of the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association. "New funding will allow the next phase of the research to be implemented, in which back crosses of the hybrid clams will be tested in both a laboratory setting and under culture conditions."

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