Early this year CCA Florida reached a milestone – releasing 110,000 redfish measuring 6 to 29 inches along Florida’s West Coast. In recent years, the redfish population has drastically declined as a result of water quality issues and loss of habitat. To counteract these effects, CCA Florida partnered with the Duke Energy Mariculture Center in 2018 to take a proactive approach in habitat restoration, focusing on restocking efforts for one of Florida’s most sought-after inshore fish – the redfish.
“This is our first redfish release of 2022, and we are excited to kick off our restocking efforts in Tampa Bay – an area severely devastated by red tide,” CCA Florida Executive Director Brian Gorski said.
CCA Florida plans to expand its restocking efforts with the launch of “Release the East.” Phase one of the initiative pledges to raise and release 100,000 hatchery-reared juvenile redfish along Florida’s East Coast in the Indian River Lagoon.
