Wakulla County based oyster aquaculture companies receives needed start-up funding

An oyster aquaculture group in Wakulla County recently received some much needed funding that will help it expand its efforts.

The Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research announced this week that it has finalized a funding agreement with Panacea Oyster Co-Op Corporation, a Crawfordville-based company with technology developed at the Tallahassee Community College Wakulla Environmental Institute.

The Florida Institute supports new company creation based on publicly-funded research, and bridges early funding gaps for companies spinning out of Florida-based universities and research institutions.

Panacea Oyster Co-Op Corporation was founded by a group of oyster farmers to cultivate a new full water column oyster farming community.

The full water column aquaculture method keeps oysters safe from bottom-dwelling predators while taking advantage of the nutrient-rich water surface which is free from the pollutants that settle at the bottom.

The US is the second largest seafood consumer and oysters are in high demand, but 85% of all natural US and global oyster beds are gone.

Panacea Oyster Co-Op Corporation hopes to resurrect the oyster industry in Wakulla County that will not only provide more oysters but also help re-establish all Gulf flora and fauna to its full vibrancy.

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