Redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus). One of the most appreciated and targeted fish amongst coastal fishermen. Great for both sport and food, redfish continue to provide near-endless value to anglers from the boat deck to the dinner table.
For a variety of reasons, redfish populations have diminished in many areas. Thankfully, The team at MOTE Marine Labs is working on ways to revive sustainable populations.
In August of 2023, Salt Strong and MOTE partnered to raise and release 20,000 juvenile redfish; the project was well over a year in the making. Scientists simulated spawning conditions for the brood stock, raised the juvenile redfish on a high-protein diet for 6 months, then separated the 20,000 juvenile reds by size. After about 8 months, they were ready for release. Every scientist and volunteer involved swelled with hope and worry that a majority of the reds would make it and go on to thrive in the Florida waters. Maybe even be someone’s first fish.
Both MOTE and Salt Strong have a strong network of passionate volunteers willing to do their part, whatever it is that’s needed of them. Together with the volunteers and the Salt Strong crew, MOTE scientists released 20,000 redfish scattered over the Florida coast in strategically chosen areas. The same scientists that reared and raised the redfish from eggs were then some of the last people to touch them and release them into the water.
ONE YEAR LATER, the scientists have results from the release. Many anglers are reporting seeing 14-inch reds (the size the juvenile fish would be now) and even catching a few with faint spots (an indication of a hatchery-raised redfish.) PIT data from some of the tagged fish indicated that many even returned to winter in their release creek, an interesting phenomenon that has the MOTE scientists intrigued.
