Tropical Ornamental Mariculture Technician Certificate

为了应对全球渔业产品的下降和海洋生态系统的退化，热带观赏海产养殖业出现了快速增长。为了满足对高技能技术劳动力的需求，并刺激佛罗里达州热带观赏海产养殖业的进一步发展，佛罗里达群岛社区学院(FKCC)提议开发热带观赏海产养殖技术员(TOMT)证书。该证书要求完成27学分的课堂作业、实验室和实地考察。该证书的顶峰课程是在佛罗里达群岛(东南水产技术公司、珊瑚恢复基金会、Mote热带研究实验室和大西洋珊瑚礁水产养殖)四个热带观赏水产养殖场之一的实习，从事海洋观赏水产养殖生物的研究和生产。拟议的热带观赏海水养殖技术员证书将提供一个必要的教育平台，培养训练有素的技术人员，以便在二十一世纪发展和发展海洋观赏海产养殖业和海洋保育工作。建议小组由海洋生物学、渔业科学、生物海洋学(重点是海洋生物群落生态学和渔业管理)、水产养殖和兽医科学等领域的专家组成。除了科学知识，毕业生还将获得与水产养殖业相关的商业环境的透彻知识。拟议项目期间采用的模块化热带观赏海产养殖系统非常适合小型企业发展，因此可能对当地和区域经济产生重大影响。

In response to global declines in fisheries products and degradation of marine ecosystems, the tropical ornamental mariculture industry has shown rapid growth. To meet the demand for highly skilled technical labor and to stimulate the further development of a tropical ornamental mariculture industry in Florida, Florida Keys Community College (FKCC) proposes the development of a Tropical Ornamental Mariculture Technician (TOMT) certificate. The certificate requires completion of 27 credit hours of in class course work, laboratory and field studies. The capstone course for the certificate is an internship at one of four tropical ornamental mariculture facilities in the Florida Keys (South Eastern Aquatechnologies, Inc., The Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Tropical Research Laboratory, and Atlantic Reef Aquaculture) working with research and production of marine ornamental aquaculture organisms. The proposed Tropical Ornamental Mariculture Technician Certificate will provide a needed educational platform for the development of well-prepared technicians necessary for growth and development of the marine ornamental mariculture industry and marine conservation efforts during the 21st century. The proposal team is composed of experts in the fields of Marine Biology, Fisheries Science, Biological Oceanography (emphasis on Marine Community Ecology & Fishery Management), Aquaculture and Veterinary sciences. In addition to scientific knowledge, graduates will gain a thorough knowledge of the business environment associated with the aquaculture industry. The types of modular tropical ornamental mariculture systems employed during the proposed project are ideally suited to small business development and, therefore, may have substantial impacts on the local and regional economies.