SPECIES
|
NO. PRODUCED
|
| Bluegill fingerlings (Phase I) |
315,671 |
| Bluegill subadults (Phase II) |
16,274 |
| Redear Sunfish Fingerlings |
30,641 |
| Largemouth bass fingerlings |
1,113,713 |
| Largemouth bass subadults |
98,814 |
| Sunshine bass (hybrid) fingerlings |
895,456 |
| Sunshine bass (hybrid) subadults |
52,586 |
| Striped bass fingerlings |
933,091 |
| Channel catfish fingerlings |
410,421 |
| Channel catfish subadults |
245,326 |
| Black crappie fingerlings |
18,750 |
| Triploid Grass Carp |
537 |
TOTAL TO DATE
|
4,131,100
|
Florida's two freshwater hatcheries stocked more than 4 million fish during Fiscal Year 2010-11, which ended June 30, 2011 (see below). As of December 31, 2011, the hatcheries are on schedule with 609,862 fish stocked, and the majority scheduled for this spring.
Links below show recent stocking histories and provide articles about hatchery operations.
Glossary of terms. 
MAP of Stocking Sites. 
The FWC operates two freshwater fish hatcheries for all of Florida.
The Florida Bass Conservation Center is the larger, more modern facility located on Withlacoochee State Forest, in Sumter County. It has a visitor's observation area with informative displays, conducts research, and produces the majority of freshwater fish that are stocked in public freshwaters throughout the peninsula. They are also equipped to do fish health analyses and to provide samples for genetic analyses.
The Blackwater Hatchery is located in Santa Rosa County and is primarily responsible for bass stockings in the panhandle, and production of striped bass and sunshine bass.
The hatchery program plays a key role in implementation of the Florida Black Bass Management Plan, especially the Fish Management action steps. The following articles seek to provide insights into hatchery operations:
Primary species stocked:
Glossary of terms
Feed training is an important new hatchery technique pioneered by FWC biologists for growing bigger largemouth bass for stocking. These larger "Phase-II" bass have fewer predators and can eat a wider range of prey when stocked than standard stocking bass, increasing their survival rate and stocking effectiveness. Read more about this innovative fish management technique here .
Wire tagging of these larger Phase-II largemouth bass is a method of marking largemouth bass for research and fisheries enhancement purposes. You can learn more from the video below.
Watch the wire tagging video.
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