Support Florida Sportfish

Mosquito Lagoon Marine Enhancement Center Awarded ECHO Grant

March 10, 2010

The Volusia County ECHO Board approved a $600,000 grant that will enable work to begin on the hatchery property. Along with $130,000 in match from the City of New Smyrna Beach, $10,000 from the Artist's Workshop and $10,000 from the Marine Discovery Center, the Wildlife Foundation of Florida provided $150,000 for demolition of substandard structures and the restoration of one building for use as an education and outreach center.

The Artist's Workshop and Marine Discovery Center will provide the education and outreach to over 25,000 children and visitors on the site through innovative programs designed to directly engage visitors in the marine environment.  A classroom and wet lab on site will enable Volusia schools to provide hands on marine science and educational programs.  In addition, an additional wet lab will be available for use by marine researchers in the area.

The master plan for the site is under development, but an early draft rendition shows the a possible future site with new facilities and extensive public access.

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute Plans New Hatchery on IRL

March 2, 2010

Last Thursday a planning meeting was held to discuss the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute's (HSWRI) proposed hatchery and research facility on Indian River Lagoon.  The meeting included staff from notable elected officials, state and local government representatives, partners from FIT, CCA, FWC and FWS.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the long-term strategy for the Florida Marine Fisheries Enhancement Initiative at IRL and the Atlantic Coast.  

The day began with a site visit to HSWRI's new Coconut Point research facility and a visit to FIT's Hog Point research facility.  The participants traveled south to the visit HSWRI's property across the street from the Barrier Island Management and Education Center, where the meeting was held.  

The group received presentations from the engineering firm HDR on possible design configurations that would work for the property. 

The key issue addressed involved the narrowness of the three HSWRI sites on the IRL and the intervening/adjacent FWS properties.  Like piano keys, the sites are fragmented into long, narrow strips.  FWS has properties between the three HSWRI properties that the Service in interested in restoring.  The group agreed to explore the feasibility of a land swap between HSWRI and FWS that would provide for a contiguous shoreline restoration area for FWS and an upland parcel for the joint HSWRI/FWC research facilities with hatchery.  The group agreed that the land swap could provide a win-win outcome, with the FWS receiving valuable contiguous shoreline wetlands, and HSWRI receiving a wider upland footprint.

Next steps involve surveying the property to establish boundaries, value and any other issues necessary for the proposed swap and then determining the feasibility of swapping the parcels.

As designed, the HSWRI Hatchery would be the largest in N. America.