- Oyster farming has a deep history in Wakulla County.
- Some even say it's home to the best oysters in the world.
- Some worry the industry is dying, so I spoke to oyster farmers; watch the video to hear what they say.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"It's difficult to know where the future's going, but we're resilient and we plan on sticking it out and making it happen." That's Reid Tilley. He's an oyster farmer with eight years of experience.
He owns Oyster Boss and Oyster Shack on 98. "People that are in the industry are overcoming and learning to overcome adversities that are that have been popping up throughout the industry."
Florida ranks second in the United States behind Louisiana in number of aquaculture farms.
"It is a lot of work."
And ninth in sales value. That's according to the USDA.
Though the state ranks highly, Tilley says farmers in Wakulla County face challenges.
"Whether it be the high salinity in high temperatures in the summertime, or or the storms that didn't come through. That's the biggest curve ball out of all of it."
While it's hard work, there are some perks to the job.
"Whenever I put my waders on and I hop in the water and it's low tide and I'm walking around the bags it's kind of the most peaceful thing in the world."
About 10 years ago, the first ever oyster Aquaculture program began at Wakulla Environmental Institute. Bob Ballard started this program and teaches his students how to become oyster farmers.
I asked him about the farmers' concerns.
"The industry is not dying, but every year we have some issues that the farmers have to deal with sometimes it's weather. Sometimes it's either too hard or we have a hurricane come through that that destroys some of their equipment wanna another other years we have trouble getting seed."
In fact, he's working to get more people into the industry. He says over the 10 years they've offered the program, they've had 200 students total. He added that those students created 350 new businesses in the industry.
Ballard says he gets more older age groups pursuing oyster farming careers than younger students which he believes contributes to the decline.
"Really what I would like to do is get the young people out there that are young strong, and have a long long future for the oyster industry."
Luckily for Ballard, Tilley says he doesn't plan on leaving the industry anytime soon.
"I plan on farming for as long as I can I plan on being a retiring from this industry."
Keep in mind, Florida Fish and Wildlife says in Wakulla, Dixie and Levy counties, wild oyster harvest is prohibited from June 1 - Aug. 31. Learn more here.
