FELLSMERE — A rumor that the Florida Organic Aquaculture operation west of Fellsmere is in trouble and slated to be sold couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, says founder and CEO Clifford Morris, the operation, not quite two years old, is a huge success, exceeding the most optimistic projections.
The demand for the shrimp it produces “has exceeded our wildest expectations,” and now greatly outpaces the supply.
“I lie in bed thinking how to ramp up production,” says Morris, who is putting together a $35-million expansion plan. The current market for these “happy healthy crustaceans” includes large Florida distributors as well as local restaurants and, once a week, individual consumers.
The state-of-the-art facility, located on 120 acres leased from Fellsmere Farms, produces one million pounds of shrimp annually, raising them from “babies” in a healthy, protected environment, totally enclosed and temperature controlled.
The shrimp are raised in a huge, 4.2-acre building called a pod, which houses 20 giant oval “raceways.”
Each raceway contains 220,000 gallons of water and a half-million shrimp, sustained by colonies of bacteria called bioflocs, which occur naturally in the water and remove any pollutants, converting them to protein, which the shrimp then consume.
The original plan for the facility includes a second pod, which is scheduled for groundbreaking in January. This, however, won’t meet the ever-increasing demand.
“I am actively, aggressively, unrelentingly pursuing more capital in order to build additional pods,” Morris says.
Within the next 36 months, he hopes to raise $35 million to build six more pods, each producing one million pounds of shrimp annually.
How’s it going so far?
Good, says Morris. Very good.
He’s been in talks with some of the biggest retailers and distributors in the state. When promoting the concept a few years ago, Morris would show plans and drawings.
Now, he smiles, “the whole dynamic has changed. Instead of me sitting with a piece of paper, I can say, ‘come, have a look.’”
When people tour the facility, says Morris, “so far, without exception, their jaws will drop, even the hardcore cynics.”
Always dedicated to sharing the technology, Morris frequently emphasizes that “we do not want to displace local fishermen. We want to displace imports.”
To that end, he plans an educational facility and has established a 501(c)3 foundation to help provide education and opportunities in aquaculture and hydroponics.
Morris says he is excited and energized as he anticipates the growth of Florida Organic Aquaculture and its positive impact on the community he has grown to love.
“Every business has its risks and challenges, and we’re not blind to them. For the longest time I was running on fear, now we’re running on excitement. We’ve turned the corner. We sincerely believe we’re at the cutting edge of an aquaculture revolution in the U.S.”
