SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA)—Around 22,000 juvenile snook will be released in Southwest Florida to advance Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s fisheries enhancement efforts in 2026.

According to Mote Marine Laboratory, for nearly three decades, Mote scientists have worked to develop, refine, and evaluate responsible marine stock enhancement strategies for snook and other native species.

“These releases reflect the continued growth and refinement of Mote’s fisheries enhancement capabilities,” said Dr. Ryan Schloesser, Manager of Mote’s Fisheries Ecology & Enhancement Program. “Our focus remains on producing healthy fish, releasing them strategically, and collecting the scientific data needed to better understand how stock enhancement can support resilient wild populations.”

The releases in 2026 represent another step forward in Mote’s science-based efforts to support Florida’s recreational fisheries.

Mote Marine Laboratory strategically selects release locations based on environmental conditions and habitat characteristics that provide favorable conditions and structure essential for juvenile snook survival and growth.

According to Mote, the stock enhancement program is guided by research objectives that examine post-release survival, movement patterns, habitat use, and the overall contribution of stocked fish to wild populations.

Before the fish are released, they go through comprehensive health assessments to ensure they are well-suited for release.

According to Mote, in addition to physical tags, Mote scientists are working to utilize advanced genetic tagging techniques using known genetic profiles of parental broodstock.

Researchers can identify individual fish and trace their lineages from small tissue samples, such as fin clips, collected after release through genotyping.

“We have the genetic profiles of the parents and are developing the tools needed to match offspring recovered in the wild back to their source,” said Dr. Schloesser. “This approach will allow us to evaluate stocking success while minimizing handling and stress associated with traditional tagging methods.”

According to Mote, snook remains one of Florida’s most sought-after recreational sportfish, and they contribute significantly to Florida’s coastal economy.

Get ready for the hottest week of the season in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Scattered showers and storms will kick off the week, but the real story is the soaring heat—expect highs in the lower 90s and “feels like” temperatures peaking around 105°F, especially midweek. Overnight lows will stay warm, barely dipping below 80°F. Find out when to expect the next round of storms, how to stay safe in the heat, and what’s brewing in the tropics.

The Florida State Seminoles landed a verbal commitment from a defensive lineman today, as Jaxon Holly has decided to join #Tribe27.

Holly is a 6’3, 235 pound edge rusher who plays for Roswell High School in Georgia. 247Sports Composite currently has him as a three-star, ranked as the 611th best player nationally (52nd best Edge, 76th best player in GA). He holds three dozen offers and chose the Seminoles over fellow finalists Auburn and Virginia Tech, along with Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M, among many others. He obviously wasn’t a priority for some of those programs but certainly was for the Tigers and Hokies. The Bulldogs were also in contention at one point.

Holly was limited to five games last season but still managed 32 tackles (seven for loss), 12 QB hits, two sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. FSU’s edge rusher board has thinned considerably over the past month, and Holly represents a nice win for Nick Williams on the trail. He’s likely going to need at least one season in the weight room before meaningfully contributing, but the tools are there for Holly to be a solid rotational player.

2027 Florida State recruiting: Current commitments