About Stick-Fins Fish Farm

Owned and operated by Michael Robinson, Stick-Fins Fish Farm is the largest commercial producer of live redclaw freshwater lobsters in Florida.

The Owner

Michael Robinson served in Viet Nam from the mid-sixties until the early seventies. Afterwards, while working toward his degree in Aquatic Biology, Robinson operated a tropical fish farm for three years in Palm Beach county at Palm Beach Jr. College, and Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. The tropical fish farm had 123 ponds and he imported tropical and fancy goldfish to size up in ponds and do some breeding of exotic species.

"Culturing ponds with Daphina in early spring increased our production and growth rates with excellent results" says Robinson.

His current fish farm produced Channel Catfish and is now producing Australian Red Claw Crawfish. He sees them as "Lobsters" due to the fact they can attain a size of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds. 

Robinson has been in Red Claw crayfish production for over 7 years. Starting with 74 Red Claw, raising Channel Catfish and working in the housing trade, he moved forward with the Red Claw when time was available. He now has transitioned 100% to the Red Claw and is using a few of the 1/4 acre catfish ponds for the re-circulation system (for water quality), and the water supply for the Red Claw facility.

Current Production Facilities 

• 3 greenhouses with 30, eight foot tanks per greenhouse

• Brood house with 10, eight foot tanks

• 3 10' x 10' concrete tanks and 17 outside tanks

• A total of (4) 1/3 acre production ponds

• 2 brood ponds including two 4" artesian wells over 250 feet deep
  

The Stick-Fins Fish Farm operation is roughly 7 acres of a 23 acre tract. There is 1,700+ feet of highway frontage as well as 14+ acres of woodlands to wander when you just want to get away from it all. Deer and many other forms of wildlife come to visit from surrounding areas from time to time even though I am only 15 minutes away from St Augustine and it's beaches. The farm is also about 45 minutes from Jacksonville and it's beaches, 60 minutes from Daytona Beach and Daytona Speedway, and 2-1/2 hours from Orlando. The farm is very quiet and serene and far the hustle and bustle of the large cities (even thought they are just minutes away).

Future Development

Mr. Robinson is developing a new 6th generation hybrid that is a faster grower than the regular red claw and will breed at lower temperatures. Once this hybrid is developed, he then can cross breed this back to other hybrids (and infusion stock) he presently has there at the farm. Also, he has developed a unique way to obtain a higher survival percentage for the newly hatched red claw.

Michael Robinson is certified and licensed by the State of Florida in aquaculture and is allowed to produce, distribute, and process Red claw, Channel Catfish and Cichlidae. Robinson is also available for Aquaculture Consulting.

Contact Michael Robinson