History

In 1991, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (then known as the Florida Game & Fish Commission) created an urban fisheries project in Orlando called the Central Florida Urban Fisheries Project (CFUFP).  It primarily managed water bodies for beginning anglers as well as those who like to keep and eat their catch.  Its promotional efforts centered on fishing clinics and weekend events.

In late 1997, due to the tremendous fisheries potential of the Orlando area (60,000 acres of water, 40 million visitors/year, 2 million residents), Tallahassee fisheries leaders within the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) expanded the Orlando urban fisheries program into what is now known on the "street" as Fish Orlando!  New aspects that were part of this expansion included water bodies managed for quality size fish and/or an unique fishing experience as well as increased promotional and tourist components.

Initially these new aspects were coordinated via Tallahassee and performed by a patchwork of FWC personnel in and around the Central Florida area.  In late 1998, however, the coordination of the expanded work was brought to Orlando in the form of a new project called the Greater Orlando Sport Fisheries Project (GOSP).  In October 2000, both projects (CFUFP and GOSP) comprising Fish Orlando were combined into one, known as the Greater Orlando Urban Fisheries Project (GOUFP).  All management and promotional focuses set up prior to the merger remained intact under GOUFP.  In 2005 the FWC was reorganized and the Fish Orlando program was placed in the Northeast regional system within the division of Freshwater Fisheries, where it remains today.