Project Page

Apollo Beach Recreational Sportfish Hatchery Facility

Implementing Organization

State of Florida

Overview

DWH Project Funding

$8,320,000

Known Leveraged Funding

$0

Funding Organization

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)

Funding Program

Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA

Details

Project Category

Recreational Use

Project Actions

Engineering and/or Construction

Targeted Resources

Recreational Resources

Project Description

This project will be the second phase of development of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) marine fish stock enhancement facility at Apollo Beach. Phase 1, which was funded with state appropriations, included design and construction of a 10,000-square foot marine fish hatchery which is providing broodstock capacity needed for a marine stock enhancement program in Florida; design and partial construction of an office; and all necessary aquaculture equipment. Phase 2, which is being funded by this NRDA project, will design and construct an adjacent 6,500-square foot fish production facility to support production and release of up to one million juvenile sportfish (i.e. red drum and spotted seatrout) to further enhance recreational fishing opportunities and the natural fisheries populations. Phase 2 will also finish the office space in the existing building, which will be used as an operations center for hatchery staff. The released sportfish will enhance and increase angling opportunities directly when they are caught and indirectly when survivors enter the adult spawning population. By increasing the number of sportfish available to be caught, this project will help compensate for interim losses to recreational use of natural resources by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Contact

Gareth Leonard
(850) 508-4796
gareth.leonard@myfwc.com
Project Website
Project Partners

None

Affiliated Institutions

For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/

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