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Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the
Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA Florida), the state’s leading
organization dedicated to marine fisheries conservation, education and advocacy,
joined the Duke Energy Mariculture Center to continue its redfish restocking initiative,
“Release the East,” and released 50,000 in-phase, hatchery-reared, juvenile redfish
(averaging 4 inches in length) in the waters of Biscayne Bay to combat the decreasing population along Florida’s East Coast.
In recent years, the redfish population has declined, and to counteract these effects, CCA Florida and its partners have taken a proactive approach to habitat restoration, water quality initiatives, fisheries management, and restocking efforts for one of Florida’s most sought-after inshore fish: the redfish.
The nonprofit-corporate partnership’s latest restocking efforts are part of a
multifunctional and multiyear strategy to rebuild and maintain game fish stocks. Since
2018, CCA Florida and Duke Energy have released more than 400,000 redfish along
Florida’s coasts to help provide abundant recreational fishing opportunities.
The release was held at Matheson Hammock Park in March, and together, the partners
released 50,000 redfish from the CCA Florida Duke Energy Mariculture Center. Nearly
100 volunteers attended and supported the effort, including me and Captain Rick
Murphy, host of Florida Insider Fishing Report and Sportsman’s Adventures.
Conserving the redfish population is a shared goal. The collaborative redfish restocking
efforts between FWC, CCA Florida, and Duke Energy are already showing promising
results, ensuring abundant recreational fishing opportunities for future generations. This
is a testament to the power of collective action in preserving our natural resources.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) mission is to conserve
fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
Florida’s fish and wildlife belong to the people of Florida, and the FWC is entrusted to
care for these precious resources. The FWC protects and manages more than 575
species of wildlife, over 200 native species of freshwater fish and more than 500 native
species of saltwater fish while balancing these species’ needs with the needs of
approximately 19 million residents and the millions of visitors who share the land and
water with Florida’s wildlife. Learn more at MyFWC.com.
