Florida’s EarthCare Aquaculture Brings Sustainable Tilapia From Farm to Table

This article first appeared in Florida Farm & Family.

In the warm, sunny climate of southern Florida, a unique product is growing. At EarthCare Aquaculture in Clewiston, farm-raised tilapia thrive in tanks where their natural environment is meticulously re-created, resulting in tastier, healthier fish for customers local to Florida and across North America.

See more: Why Florida’s Aquaculture Industry is So Impressive

A Healthier Fish

Michael Mogollon, CEO of SunCoast Aquafarms, started EarthCare as a saltwater shrimp operation in 2007. Mogollon, whose background is in biology, received a master’s degree in aquaculture and has been working in the industry for 35 years. He brings this expertise to his business, which prioritizes the health of the planet as well as the customer.

“We aim to supply a clean and healthy seafood product to the U.S. market that people can really trust,” Mogollon says. “There’s no chemicals; there’s nothing hidden in it. It’s produced right here in the U.S. under the watchful eye of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.”

When EarthCare transitioned to a freshwater operation in 2013, Mogollon shifted the operation’s focus to tilapia. According to Mogollon, all fresh whitefish fillets in stores across the U.S. are imported. As the country’s only domestic supplier of fresh tilapia, EarthCare distributed to markets across Florida as well as New York, Atlanta and even Toronto.

Aquaculture Science

The farms at EarthCare abide by a unique system developed by Mogollon known as the BEAST method: biologically efficient aquaculture system technology. The tanks in which the tilapia live are meant to re-create their natural environment, bolstering the health of the fish by allowing them to carry out natural biological processes in a balanced ecosystem.

“The tilapia end up incredibly healthy because all their needs are met,” Mogollon says. “That healthiness gets expressed on a husbandry scale with high survival rates, no disease occurrence, excellent taste and a fish that grows very quickly.”

See more: Florida Seafood Specialties From Coast to Coast

The tanks are housed in greenhouses, which allow the farm to be environmentally sustainable. The climate of south Florida, with warm temperatures and sunny days throughout the year, is perfect for the greenhouse system. The sun warms water in the greenhouses, while shade protects the fish from excessive heat or solar radiation. With no need to warm the water artificially, the farm can rely on nature rather than electricity.

“We’re in a microclimate that’s very conducive to growing a warm water fish,” Mogollon says. “You can benefit from all of these natural processes.”

While SunCoast Aquafarms aims to distribute fresh tilapia domestically, EarthCare is where the magic happens. The fish, whose scales give off an iridescent sheen, are available year-round, giving customers the opportunity to see the tilapia in their habitats and learn how the BEAST method is implemented on the farm.

A Healthier Customer

For Mogollon, aquaculture farms are vital to the planet’s health as well as seafood consumers. There are many environmental uncertainties in imported seafood products, from water quality to the use of chemicals and hormones.

As fish stocks in the ocean continue to be depleted or face contaminants, aquaculture farms like EarthCare can provide responsibly raised fish without the threat of unknown chemicals.

“This notion that wild fish is higher quality no longer applies,” Mogollon says.

A trend toward aquaculture would help the depleted ocean stocks to recover, Mogollon says. Farms can implement natural methods in their own operations with proven results. EarthCare stands as an example of what can be done when aquaculture farms are responsibly managed.

“There is a science to responsible fish husbandry, and we’re an example of that,” he says.

As SunCoast continues to expand its market, Florida customers can still purchase fresh fish directly from EarthCare while investing in a delicious product that is free from contaminants.

“We believe that not only can we save the oceans by supplying a white fillet, but we can also save the health of many people,” Mogollon says. “We’re interested not just in the health of the planet but the health of our customers.”

Learn More

Learn more about EarthCare Aquaculture at earthcareaquaculture.com, and check out out more about SunCoast Aquafarms at suncoast.fish.