Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute CEO Don Kents wrote Inweekly to say the institute was cut out of the fish hatchery project proposed for Pensacola not by its choice.
He said, “HSWRI was never formally dismissed from the program, but we were not allowed to be involved in planning or designing the facility and were only shown diagrams of the proposed facility many months after they had been developed by others.”
“I feel it is important to let you know that HSWRI’s lack of involvement in the Pensacola hatchery project was outside our control and not what we wanted. “
Don Kenet
Kent added that the HSWRI is still willing to assist Florida with the development of marine hatchery facilities but not without assurances ” that our involvement would not be dismissed out of hand after so much effort had been expended. “
Letter from Don Kent
In your March 6th Opinion Section concerning accomplishments of Pensacola mayors within their first 100 days in office (Outtakes – First 100 Days ), you stated that Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute “dropped out†of the marine hatchery project.Â
The Institute was invited by Mayor Hayward to help develop the proposed marine fish hatchery, and we had been working directly with the Florida Wildlife Research Institute as members of Florida’s Marine Fisheries Enhancement Initiative (FMFEI) to develop, design and operate the hatchery. HSWRI’s removal from the proposed Pensacola marine hatchery program was not our choice. Â
HSWRI has worked in California with our Department of Fish and Wildlife and the recreational and commercial fishing communities to develop a hatchery replenishment program for several species of marine fish important to the economy of the state and to the quality of life of its citizens. This multi-decadal long effort has been recognized by researchers from around the nation as a model for how marine fisheries replenishment programs should be conducted.
Our 22,000 sq. ft. replenishment hatchery was first visited by members of the Florida chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, who had been pushing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to develop its FMFEI program and upon visiting our west coast operation, returned to Florida to advocate for HSWRI’s direct involvement.Â
We attended numerous meetings and conferences in Florida as the FMFEI was being developed and HSWRI dedicated space at our Brevard County laboratory for use in collecting brood fish from the wild to support future hatchery work. Other properties we control in Brevard were also planned for development of not only a hatchery, but also a marine laboratory and operational center for the Commission wardens, researchers and administrators. Â
When the Deep Horizon spill occurred, Mayor Hayward visited our California operation, met with us over several days and asked us to work with him to develop a marine hatchery in Pensacola. Â
I personally visited Pensacola at least five times to meet with City staff and members of the community to begin planning the hatchery operation. We also developed a collaborative research agreement with the University of Western Florida to facilitate use of the proposed laboratory by university faculty and students. Â
HSWRI was never formally dismissed from the program, but we were not allowed to be involved in planning or designing the facility and were only shown diagrams of the proposed facility many months after they had been developed by others. It is our understanding that the Pensacola hatchery lease was revoked and the program put on an indefinite hold.
Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute is still willing to assist Florida with the development of marine hatchery facilities, but, in the future, we would only do so after being assured that our involvement would not be dismissed out of hand after so much effort had been expended. I feel it is important to let you know that HSWRI’s lack of involvement in the Pensacola hatchery project was outside our control and not what we wanted.
Thank you.
Don Kent