Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism Department and Coastal Conservation Association Florida released approximately 30,000 juvenile redfish into Choctawhatchee Bay at Lions Park in Niceville on Tuesday.
- The fish, measuring 3 to 4 inches in length, are part of an ongoing multi-year collaborative effort to address declining redfish populations across Northwest Florida fisheries.
“This is our second year collaborating with CCA Florida on this conservation effort,” said Mike Norberg, Coastal Resources Manager for Destin-Fort Walton Beach. “Our goal is to make these releases an annual commitment.”
The juvenile fish were raised at a mariculture hatchery in Crystal River through a partnership between CCA Florida and Duke Energy. According to Norberg, the released fish will take about a year-and-a-half to reach the minimum size limit, when they can be legally caught.
This release follows a previous effort in September 2023, when 10,000 redfish were released at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville.
- During that event, CCA Florida Executive Director Brian Gorski emphasized the importance of such initiatives, stating, “Every redfish released is an opportunity to enhance the fishery for future generations.”
Redfish primarily inhabit seagrass and marsh environments during their juvenile stage, eventually moving into open waters as adults. The species is managed through size restrictions, with both minimum and maximum size limits in place to protect the breeding population.
Since 2018, CCA Florida and Duke Energy have released more than 260,000 redfish across Florida’s coasts to maintain game fish stocks and support recreational fishing opportunities.
For those interested in fishing for redfish in the area, information about local anglers and guides can be found at DestinFWB.com.
