Aquaculture 2022

February 28 - March 4, 2022

San Diego, California

SEA VEGETABLES GROWN IN AN INTEGRATED MULTI-TROPHIC AQUACULTURE SYSTEM IN FLORIDA

Megan Davis*, Ikuko Fujisaki, Richard Baptiste, Obby Tapley, Jordon Beckler, M. Dennis Hanisak, Paul S. Wills

 

Florida Atlantic University

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

5600 US 1 North

Fort Pierce, Florida, USA

mdavi105@fau.edu

 



Halophyte plants also known as sea vegetables have historically been foraged along many coasts for consumption and are now grown as crops, in places such as the Netherlands, Israel, Hawaii, and South Carolina. Sea vegetables are a desirable, environmentally sustainable crop since they are a carbon sequestering plant, remove excess nutrients from coastal ecosystems or aquaculture systems, can handle extreme conditions, require zero freshwater, and their salt content makes them more resistant to pests and diseases. FAU Harbor Branch has been growing sea vegetables for human consumption in studies since 2014. The plants utilize dissolved nutrients from the production of fish and shrimp in an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. In the past three years  we have investigated the  growth and nutritional value of three cultured sea vegetables: sea asparagus ( Salicornia bigelovii), sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum), and saltwort (Batis maritima) (Fig. 1) . The studies are focused on ways to optimize the culture of the species and the trials have included growing these species in different substrates (sand, clay pebbles, and raft) and during three seasons (winter, spring and summer). Results show that the preferred substrate depends on the plant species and all species  can be grown year round in central Florida . They  are  also  low in caloric value; fat-free; and provide a natural source of protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and iodine. Sea vegetables grown in Florida have the potential to be introduced into the domestic food industry, targeting restaurants as well as households. This will generate a market for this new aquaculture crop with economic and nutritional benefits.