On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, Coastal Conservation Association Florida joined the Duke Energy Mariculture Center, Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for an important conservation effort.
- Together, these groups continued addressing the loss of the redfish population along Florida’s West Coast by releasing 10,000 hatchery-reared, juvenile redfish (averaging 3 to 4 inches in length) at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville.
“Every redfish released is an opportunity to enhance the fishery for future generations,” CCA Florida Executive Director Brian Gorski said. “In partnership with Duke Energy Mariculture Center, Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach and FWC, we are excited to expand our restocking efforts in the Panhandle and help revitalize the redfish population.”
In recent years, Florida’s redfish population has drastically declined. As a result, CCA Florida and the Duke Energy Mariculture Center have taken a proactive approach to stock enhancement for one of Florida’s most sought-after inshore fish, the redfish.
- “Any opportunity to enhance the fishing in our community and better manage the stock is something we are on board with,” said Alex Fogg, Destin-Fort Walton Beach Coastal Resource Manager. “We are excited to expand our partnership with CCA Florida and eager to see the growth of the redfish population in the Northwest Florida region.”
This latest release is part of a multifunctional and multiyear strategy to rebuild and maintain game fish stocks. Since 2018, CCA Florida and Duke Energy will have released more than 260,000 redfish across Florida’s coasts to help provide abundant recreational fishing opportunities.
