10,000 redfish bound for Niceville NOT released near Port St. Joe

UPDATED STORY:

NICEVILLE, Fla. – A release of 10,000 juvenile redfish by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida slated for yesterday in Niceville did not take place here, Port St. Joe or any other place for that matter.

The fish were returned to the hatchery, according to the CCA. Soon, they will again be heading to Niceville. A new date is being set to release the redfish here.

“We are in the process of rescheduling and will share details once confirmed,” said Mary Hillyer Peelen Walther, Director of Marketing and Communications, Coastal Conservation Association Florida.

Yesterday afternoon the CCA said the release team was going to release the fish near Port St. Joe because of fears the fish would not survive a Niceville release because of the stress of the long trip.

But in the end that did not happen.

“In the attempt to successfully release all the fish in Gulf County, the team assessed the area and made the decision to return the fish to the hatchery,” she said this afternoon.

Originally, the release was scheduled to be held on March 29, 12 noon, at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park.

Delays during travel led to the rescheduling.

“Unfortunately, our team encountered numerous delays on the trip,” said Hillyer Peelen Walther.

“For example, the team dealt with heavy fog upon leaving the facility at 5:30 a.m. EST, which did not lift until almost 11 a.m.”

The fish were coming from the Duke Energy Mariculture Center in Crystal River, a multispecies hatchery.

The restocking is being funded by a $25,000 donation by a private party, according to CCA Florida.

 

ORIGINAL STORY:

10,000 redfish bound for Niceville released near Port St. Joe

NICEVILLE, Fla. – A release of 10,000 juvenile redfish by the Coastal Conservation Association Florida slated for Rocky Bayou in Niceville yesterday instead took place near Port St. Joe because the fish were stressed from a delay during travel and were in danger of dying, the CCA said.

“The health of the fish is our utmost priority, and as a result of the lengthy journey, the redfish need to be released into the closest waters,” said Mary Hillyer Peelen Walther, Director of Marketing and Communications, Coastal Conservation Association Florida in an email yesterday.

“Our team will release the fish near Port St. Joe.”

Initially yesterday, the CCA announced the 12-noon release would be delayed until 1:30 p.m. Later it was announced the fish would be released near Port St. Joe, presumingly in St. Joseph Bay.

The fish were coming from the Crystal River Mariculture Center in Citrus County, a multispecies hatchery. They had reportedly grown to 6 inches in length.

The redfish release was first announced in February.

We have reached out to the CCA for more details on the release and whether a restocking of redfish in Niceville will take place at a future date.

We will update the story once we hear back.