Page 368 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

The Lab’s most priceless gift is shared
Mote shares its discoveries through knowledge. Mote provides independent,
intellectual property products, with around science-based information and expertise
a dozen patents obtained and several more for policymakers, resource managers and
pending. Mote-patented technologies help other decision makers. Mote scientists
detect wastewater contamination, monitor also exchange knowledge with fishers and
for red tides that can severely affect Florida others who value marine resources; the
communities, enable sustainable seafood Lab conducts inclusive workshops and
farming and more. In 2014, the business leads citizen-science projects such as a
community implemented Mote’s innovations community-powered effort to restore
in a big way: A sustainable foods company shellfish in Sarasota Bay.
licensed the intellectual property developed
from Mote research to launch a new eco-
friendly, farm-raised caviar business
operation. Such successes are critical:
Aquaculture supplies more than half the In addition, Mote actively forges
world’s seafood and demand is growing. partnerships with science and education
institutions around the world to strengthen
shared missions. From partnerships
with major universities in Florida to
Mote research helps fuel the marine-driven international agreements with institutions
“Blue Economy,” particularly in Florida, where in Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East,
ocean-related economic activity contributed the Caribbean region and elsewhere, Mote
$17.5 billion to the state’s gross domestic spearheads and supports unified efforts to
product as of 2010. The fishing, ecotourism tackle global environmental challenges.
and aquaculture industries, along with rising
powers like marine biomedical research, are
critical to a healthy economy. Mote has a
statewide economic impact of $86.8-million.