FWC Stocks Florida Bass and Yellow Perch to Help Habitat and Fish Population Restoration Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently carried out two stocking initiatives – Florida Bass to Lake George and Yellow Perch to Dead Lakes.

These 2026 initiatives have been developed with the aim of restoring the fish population and helping native fish flourish on one side, and rebuilding vegetation to reestablish a once-thriving habitat on the other. Let’s take a closer look at each stocking program below.

Florida Bass Stocking Initiative

Two men are on a boat; one’s holding a large Florida Bass and smiling at the camera, while the other’s fishing in the background on Okeechobee lake.
Photo courtesy of Fish Okeechobee with Twisted Hook Charters

The main focus of this stocking initiative is to help the St. Johns River system restore its potential. This region was famous for its eelgrass, which provided the perfect environment for fish and wildlife.

Unfortunately, hurricanes have drastically reduced vegetation coverage in recent years and negatively impacted this habitat. As a result, the FWC designed several initiatives to restore eelgrass, reintroduce plants, and rebalance the fish population.

For this reason, they stocked 300,000 Florida Bass into Lake George, which is part of the St. Johns River system.

Stocking Overview

  • Who: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
  • What: 300,000 Florida Bass
  • When: February and March 2026
  • Where: Lake George (St. Johns River system)
  • Why: To help restore habitat

Yellow Perch Stocking Initiative

An angler in camouflage clothing's holding a freshly caught Yellow Perch with spiky fins on a boat by some reeds and water.

Just like the St. Johns River system, the Florida Panhandle faced a similar fate. Hurricane Michael hit the region in 2018 and severely impacted the area, including Dead Lakes near Wewahitchka and its Yellow Perch population.

Since then, FWC biologists have been working on restoring the fish population. In 2024, the FWC stocked over 3,000 Yellow Perch in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This year, they continued the stocking efforts by introducing 800 more Yellow Perch to Dead Lakes.

Stocking Overview

  • Who: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
  • What: 800 Yellow Perch
  • When: February 2026
  • Where: Dead Lakes
  • Why: To help restore the fish population

Why should you care about stocking programs?

Stocking programs are important because they help restore ecosystems and support healthy fish populations. With Florida Bass and Yellow Perch, the FWC is working on rebuilding habitats impacted by hurricanes and improving the balance in Lake George and Dead Lakes.

In turn, these efforts benefit not only these bodies of water and their underwater residents but also anglers, leading to better fishing opportunities overall.

To read more about the FWC’s stocking programs and fish hatcheries, visit the Florida Freshwater Fish Hatcheries page.

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