Kal Knickerbocker has been appointed the new director of aquaculture at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Kal has served this agency and the aquaculture industry well for almost three decades,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “We are proud to see him provide leadership to continue to grow aquaculture in our state.”
Mr Knickerbocker assumed the position of acting director for the Division of Aquaculture in March. Prior to that, he served as a bureau chief and an environmental administrator in the division. His duties included oversight and monitoring of all state shellfish harvesting areas, inspection and certification of shellfish processing plants to protect public health and ensure shellfish quality, management of the state’s aquaculture submerged lands leases and aquaculture best management practice inspections.
Mr Knickerbocker has been with the agency since 1984. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wartburg College in Iowa and a bachelor’s degree in information studies from Florida State University.
