Mote Marine Laboratory

Kevan Main is Manager for the Marine & Freshwater Aquaculture Research Program and has lead Mote's aquaculture research programs since 2001. She directs the operations at Mote’s 200-acre field station, Mote Aquaculture Park, in eastern Sarasota County. In September 2012, Dr. Main became President of the World Aquaculture Society. Her research interests are in developing sustainable aquaculture methods to produce marine fish, sturgeon, shrimp, abalone, and corals through aquaculture. Dr. Main received her Ph.D. from Florida State University and has more than 20 years of experience in the aquaculture of tropical and subtropical fish and invertebrates from around the world. She has published 7 books and more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and has traveled to aquaculture facilities throughout Asia, Europe and the United States.

Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Florida State University
M.S. Biological Science, California State University, Northridge
B.A.  Biological Science, California State University, Northridge

• President, World Aquaculture Society – 2012
• Chair of the Tampa Bay Regional Business Plan's Marine and Environmental Activities Sector, Tampa Bay Partnership Program – 2011 – present.
• Recipient of the Eugenie Clark Scientific Explorers Award – October 2008
• Secretary-Treasurer and Member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of The Snook Foundation– 2001-2009
• Vice-President, Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors, World Aquaculture Society – 1996-2004
• Secretary-Treasurer, U.S. Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society - 1992-1993

Yanes-Roca, C. and K.L. Main (2011) Improving larval culture and rearing techniques on common snook (Centropomus undecimalis). Aquaculture. Published by Intech, Croatia.

Rhody, N.R., N.A. Nassif, K.L. Main. (2010). Effects of salinity on growth and survival of common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) larvae. Aquaculture Research 41: e357-e360.

Main, K.L., M. Resley, N. Rhody, M. Nystrom, T. Stevens and C. Adams. 2010. An overview of Florida Pompano research at Mote Aquaculture Research Park. Abstract – Aquaculture 2010, San Diego, California.

Nystrom, M., K.L. Main and T. Losordo. (2010) Development and evaluation of a zero-discharge fingerling production system to produce red drum Sciaenops ocellatus for stock enhancement. Abstract - Aquaculture 2010, San Diego, California.

Wittenrich, M.L., N.R. Rhody, R.G. Turingan, K.L. Main. 2009. Coupling osteological development of the feeding apparatus with feeding performance in larvae of common snook, Centropomus undecimalis: identifying morphological constraints to feeding. Aquaculture 294: 221-227.

Yanes-Roca, C., N. Rhody, M. Nystrom, K.L. Main. 2009. Effects of fatty acid composition and spawning season patterns on egg quality and larval survival in common snook (Centropomus undecimalis). Aquaculture 287 (3-4): 335-340.

Main, K.L., C. Yanes-Roca, N. Rhody. 2009. Status and challenges in larval rearing and fingerling aquaculture of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in Florida. Abstract - Second International Symposium on the Biology and Culture of Snooks. Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.

Resley, M., K.L. Main, J. Stubblefield. 2009.  An overview of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) broodstock maturation and spawning research in Florida. Abstract - SecondInternational Symposium on the Biology and Culture of Snooks. Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.

M.J. Resley, N. Rhody, K. Main. 2009. Assessment of Growth And Survival on Larval Common Snook, Centropomus Undecimalis, Fed Rotifers Enriched with Arachidonic Acid. Abstract - Aquaculture America 2009, Seattle, Washington.

Main, K.L., M. Nystrom, and T. Losordo. 2008. Performance evaluation of an intensive recirculating aquaculture system for production of juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Abstract - Aquaculture America 2008, Orlando, Florida.

Hamlin, H.J., B.C. Moore, T.M. Edwards, I.L.V. Larkin, A. Boggs, W.J. High, K.L. Main, L.J. Guillette. 2008. Nitrate-induced elevations in circulating sex steroid concentrations in female Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri) in commercial aquaculture. Aquaculture 281:118-125.

Hamlin, H.J., J.T. Michaels, C.M. Beaulaton, W.F. Graham, W.Dutt, P. Steinbach, T.M. Losordo, K.K. Schrader, K.L. Main.  2008. Comparing denitrification rates and carbon sources in commercial scale upflow denitrification biological filters in aquaculture. Aquacultural Engineering 38: 79-92.

Hamlin, H.J., T.M. Edwards, B.C. Moore, K.L. Main, L.J. Guillette. 2007. Stress and its relation to endocrine function in Captive female Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri). Environmental Sciences 14(3): 129-139.

Main, K.L., N. Rhody, M. Nystrom, M. Resley. 2007.  Species Profile – Florida Pompano. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC), No. 7206. September 6pp.

Department: Directorate of Fisheries & Aquaculture