On July 31, 2024, a grand celebration was held as current and former Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, elected officials, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) representatives, and distinguished guests recognized a monumental conservation achievement: the release of over 1 billion fingerlings into Texas bays and estuaries!
Since 1983, TPWD has been diligently releasing red drum, spotted seatrout, and, more recently, southern flounder fingerlings along the Texas coast. These efforts aim to bolster the natural recruitment of these economically valuable fisheries and support a thriving recreational fishery. While each stocking event varies in species, location, and number of fish released, the unwavering dedication of TPWD staff, across numerous careers, and the steadfast support from CCA have culminated in this remarkable feat of 1 billion fingerlings stocked over the 41-year timeframe.
The saltwater hatchery program began with a vision to revive the red drum population after decades of over-exploitation from commercial fishermen and rogue poachers. Initially named the John Wilson Marine Fish Hatchery, the CCA Marine Development Center in Flour Bluff was the world’s first red drum hatchery, a testimony to the power of partnerships and a shared vision by a state agency, a nonprofit conservation group, and a utility company. The Gulf Coast Conservation Association (GCCA) raised $1.4 million to construct the facility, Central Power and Light of Corpus Christi provided the construction site at its Barney M. Davis power plant, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) contributed staff and expertise. Critically, TPWD utilized broodstock conditioning and hatchery culture techniques developed by The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas and refined by TPWD’s marine research station in Palacios.
Today, the CCA Marine Development Center in Flour Bluff, Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson, and the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station in Palacios collectively supply an average of 25 million fingerlings annually for stocking in Texas bay systems. This continuous success relies heavily on ongoing partnerships and collaborative efforts.
Shane Bonnot (CCA Texas Advocacy Director)