CCA Releasing Over 10,000 Redfish in Red Tide Affected Areas

Statewide Organizations Begin Releasing Over 10,000 Redfish in Red Tide Affected Southwest Coastal Counties, Pasco County Release Planned for February 5th

WHAT: Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA Florida), Duke Energy and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will begin releasing over 10,000 juvenile and adult redfish in southwest Florida counties beginning in Pasco County on Tuesday, February 5th.

The releases include approximately 1,000 to 1,500 juvenile fish and 25 to 30 adult redfish per county, all hatchery-reared and donated from the Duke Mariculture Center in Crystal River. Fish will be released from shorelines in conjunction with FWC now that waters are determined to be safe.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Releases begin at 11 a.m.

WHERE: Brashers Park

4951 Koons Drive

Port Richey, FL 34668

WHY: The organizations joined forces to address the loss to the redfish population on the southwest coast as a result of red tide and announced the program in the Fall of 2018.

DETAILS: Additional tentative release dates and locations include:

February 7 – Hillsborough County (Cockroach Bay Ramp, 11 a.m.)

February 7 – Pinellas County (Ft. De Soto Park, 3 p.m.)

February 12 – Sarasota and Charlotte Counties (locations TBD)

February 19 – Lee and Collier Counties (locations TBD)

TBD – Manatee County

CONTACT: Teresa Donaldson at (407) 923-3530, tdonaldson@ccaflorida.org