NOAA Fish Fry gets taste of Mote-raised seafood

The 38th Annual National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fish Fry, held June 5, in Washington, D.C., featured Mote Marine Laboratory’s farm-raised caviar and Siberian sturgeon produced at Mote’s 200-acre Aquaculture Park in eastern Sarasota County.

Mote partnered with the Chiles Restaurant Group, Anna Maria Fish Co. and Lola Wines for the event. The group’s booth also featured bottarga, a delicacy made from locally caught striped mullet and wine varietals from Lola Wines.

Dr. Michael Crosby, president and CEO of Mote, Ed Chiles, owner of the Chiles Restaurant Group, and Ed Cripe, majority owner of Lola Wines in which Chiles is also a partner, attended the event. Both Chiles and Cripe own and operate the Anna Maria Fish Co.

By serving sustainable seafood produced in Mote’s Aquaculture Park, Mote demonstrated that unlimited water access isn’t needed, nor environmentally sustainable or desirable, for large-scale production of food or growing marine fish species to replenish depleted wild stocks.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].