As Red Tide continues to wreak havoc on the west coast of Florida, the Mote Aquaculture Research Park had a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday to celebrate the opening of the facility. This is much-needed and with what happened at Piney Point earlier this year, we are dealing with a red tide bloom that we haven’t seen in a few years.
This is great news and the researchers will be focusing on how to mitigate future red tide blooms.
Mote President and CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby added, “An important part of the Initiative was the development of an incredible technology development and testing facility with dedicated laboratories that include massive Karenia brevis production capabilities, chemical analytics and seawater mesocosms that mimic coastal ecosystems — all strategically designed to safely test mitigation and control techniques, compounds, and technologies in a controlled setting away from the coast.”
Let’s root for these scientists and researchers to find ways to mitigate and possibly prevent future red tide blooms. Good luck!