Seventy nine invasive tilapia were removed from Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve after a day of spearfishing with Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve staff and an evening of electrofishing with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Since January 2025 when intensive tilapia removal efforts began, 1,400 tilapia have been removed from the aquatic preserve and an increase of native fish abundance has been observed.
Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve and Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve staff teamed up for a day of invasive fish removal in the headsprings of the Silver River. Thanks to the regional team effort, we were able to remove 36 tilapia and 2 plecos in a few hours. Special shoutout to the alligators for being on their best behavior allowing us total access to the headsprings.
Joe and Trisha spent a day on the lower Silver River and at the confluence with the Oklawaha River, scouting for invasive plecos and assessing a large fallen tree that is diverting water flow and creating a tussock. The male plecos should be wrapping up their burrow-building season for the year. After three hours of searching, only six plecos were removed, which is encouraging news.
Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve staff had a very busy week of invasive fish removal and river maintenance. The team removed 75 invasive tilapia and 2 plecos over two days from the Silver River with the help of Silver Springs State Park kayak volunteers on safety patrol. In total this month, 50 plecos and 189 tilapia have been removed.
The staff of Oklawaha River AP had an amazing turnout this weekend at Silver Springs State Park’s annual two-day Springs Fest. Over 1,000 guests visited ORAP staff in the Discovery Center to touch and learn about native and invasive species found in their local springs. The turtles were the star of the show as always.
Over the course of six work days in the past four weeks, Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve and Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve staff removed over 200 invasive tilapia from the headsprings of the Silver River. This is a huge accomplishment and almost 1,000 pounds of fish biomass removed! We are sincerely grateful for our team of three staff members and five volunteers for making this program such a success.
Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve staff invited the Friends of the Silver Springs State Park’s President out on the Silver and Oklawaha rivers to complete their monthly water quality monitoring. It was a pleasure listening to Barbara teach us about the last of private land ownership along the aquatic preserve and the history of the amusement park ownership and its features over the decades.
ORAP and FWC staff completed another successful evening of electrofishing in the headsprings of the Silver River to remove invasive fish. The cool temperature, full moon, and alligator sightings made for a wonderful evening. Within two hours, the boat was full with 72 tilapia and one hoplo. Since January 2025, 647 tilapia have been removed from the headsprings.
The cooler temperatures brought in small herds of manatees to the warm waters of the Silver River. Staff, volunteers and visitors all enjoy seeing these friendly, curious giants! The cooler temperatures also pushed the invasive tilapia to the headsprings. Staff focused on the ones in the emergent vegetation this week and any that were showing early signs of spawning, which include pairing up, turning white, and clearing vegetation for beds.
Silver Springs State Park, Wekiwa Springs State Park, and Oklawaha River Aquatic Preserve hosted “Girl Scouts Love State Parks”. On the morning of September 13, 100 Girl Scouts of all ages arrived at Silver Springs State Park excited and curious. They rotated through several stations where they learned about the aquatic food web with live animals to touch, prescribed burning, and what lives in the different habitats within the state parks.