St. Lucie County Pond Recently Stocked with Bluegill and Redear Sunfish

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commission (FWC), in partnership with the Treasure Coast Research and Development Authority, recently stocked 3,500 bluegill and redear sunfish into the 7-acre pond at the St. Lucie County Treasure Coast Research Park.

“We are excited about this project, which will provide both a new fishing opportunity and educational venue for Florida’s residents and visitors,” said FWC fisheries biologist John Cimbaro.

The recent stocking will be followed up with the addition of fingerling largemouth bass from the FWC’s Florida Bass Conservation Center this coming spring. The stocked fish will grow and reproduce, providing a balanced sportfish community, with the bluegill and redear sunfish providing forage for the largemouth bass and wading birds, like herons and egrets, as well as being a sport fish. Combined, these stockings will enhance the aquatic community in the lake and provide a new, local fishing opportunity in the near future.

“The initial stocking signaled another milestone in the Treasure Coast Research Park’s development,” said Treasure Coast Research Park representative Ben DeVries. “Seeing the fingerlings swimming off into their new habitat to grow and make new life is a natural metaphor for the Park itself. We started with ensuring the environment’s infrastructure was in place, and now we are beginning to attract business and research interest to populate the new environment. It’s pretty exciting to see both the park and its lake making such a natural and positive progression,” DeVries said.

The lake and its aquatic community currently serve as an outdoor classroom for students from Westwood High School’s Advanced Placement Environmental Science program.
Located in Fort Pierce, the lake is adjacent to South Kings Highway and is accessed from Research Center Road.

FWC staff led this stocking effort, with financial support from fishing license sales and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration program. These funds go directly to improving and enhancing fishing and boating opportunities throughout Florida, the Fishing Capital of the World.