Aquatic Plants of Florida

The Bradenton Herald
The Bradenton Herald (www.heraldtoday.com) today reported in an article titled “Circle of Life” on a recently announced agreement between Aquatic Plants of Florida, Inc. and Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc., which runs and administers Mote Aquaculture Park, to conduct a pilot program, funded by the Sarasota County Economic Development Corp., that will use the lab’s wastewater to grow various native aquatic plants.

The pilot program seeks to evaluate integrating aquaculture conducted at the Mote Aquaculture Park with aquatic agriculture production, a specialty of Aquatic Plants of Florida. The project partners will utilize high volume production techniques pioneered by Aquatic Plants of Florida over 12-years ago. The system includes a network of laser-graded ponds, built at different elevations, to make use of gravity versus pumps to move water in a daisy chain fashion throughout the linked ponds.

The new system will submerge aquatic plants in nutrient rich water pumped out of the commercial sized fish tanks at the park. The fresh water herbaceous plants, including giant bulrush, water lilies and arrowhead, planted in the effluent ponds will utilize the wastewater for growth and recruitment, while helping clean the water through the absorption of nitrogen, phosphorous, ammonia, chlorides and suspended solids.

Throughout the project, Mote Marine will sample water in the various ponds to evaluate water quality parameters. Upon completion of the tanks, Aquatic Plants will provide plant material, installation, and regular site maintenance.

If successful, the project could serve as model throughout Florida for initiatives to stem fertilizer run-off and other nutrient related impacts to the State’s water systems.