NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

January 13, 1998

CONTACT: John Crew (850) 892-8000

GFC STOCKS 5,000 CHANNEL CATFISH IN LAKE DEFUNIAK

Anglers after largemouth bass and bluegill in DeFuniak Springs’ Lake DeFuniak now have another excellent-eating fish they can catch.

On Jan. 8 the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released 5,000 5 - 10 inch channel catfish into the 47-acre city-owned lake. By the spring of 1999 the catfish should weigh approximately one pound each.

"These were surplus fish from a project at our Blackwater Fisheries Research and Development Center facility in Holt," said FWC Fisheries Biologist John Crew. "We approached the city about putting them in there because the fish should do well and hopefully some of the kids in the area will get the opportunity to fish for them"”

As a city-owned lake, special regulations apply, including a prohibition on the use of outboard motors. Crew said bank access for shoreline fishing around the lake is good.