Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA Florida) and the Duke Energy Mariculture Center have released 50,000 juvenile redfish in Biscayne Bay as part of their ongoing “Release the East” initiative. This effort aims to address the declining redfish population along Florida’s East Coast due to water quality issues and habitat loss.
Brian Gorski, Executive Director of CCA Florida, emphasized the significance of this release: “Today’s release marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to restore and protect one of Florida’s most sought-after inshore species.” The collaboration with Duke Energy and CCA Florida’s local chapters is seen as crucial for replenishing this fishery for future generations.
Since 2018, more than 400,000 redfish have been released along Florida’s coasts through this partnership. Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, highlighted the company’s commitment: “Duke Energy remains committed to conserving and improving the water quality, biodiversity and the overall environment across the state where Floridians live, work, and play.”
The event took place at Matheson Hammock Park with nearly 100 volunteers attending. Among them were FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto and Captain Rick Murphy. Barreto noted: “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.”
The Coastal Conservation Association was established in response to overfishing issues on Texas’ coast in 1977. Since becoming a state chapter in 1985, CCA Florida has focused on marine conservation through various initiatives involving its members.
Duke Energy is a major energy company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., serving millions of customers across several states including Florida.
The FWC manages a wide range of wildlife resources throughout Florida for both conservation purposes and public benefit.
