Many people do not know that the greater
Orlando urban region houses over 60,000 acres of freshwater,
providing many exciting angling opportunities for the 2 million
local residents and over 40 million yearly visitors from around the
world. Florida is the FISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, and what better
gateway to promote our outstanding freshwater resource than
centrally located Orlando, Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission’s mission through Fish Orlando! is to create, conserve,
and promote convenient quality fishing opportunities in the greater
Orlando area. To accomplish our mission we practice management
strategies based on applied science as well as maintaining elaborate
communication with our stakeholders.
Presently, our program focuses its work in
Orange County forming partnerships with the City of Orlando, City of
Ocoee, City of Winter Park, Orange County, BASS PRO SHOPS and a variety of other business
and volunteer/civic groups. Future plans include welcoming other energized cooperators.
To date, the Fish Orlando! program has two main
components: The
FAB FIVE
and the
URBAN PONDS.
The FAB FIVE are five water bodies managed for quality size fish
and/or a unique fishing experience. The URBAN PONDS are water bodies
managed for beginning anglers and those that love to eat their
catch. Both provide quality
family
fishing and are the center point of various events,
programs and promotions. All are, or will be, Fish Management Areas
(FMA’s), which give them special status within our Commission.
In addition to the two primary components, Fish
Orlando! also manages or helps oversee other water bodies in the
greater Orlando area that are not FAB FIVE water bodies or URBAN PONDS.
Some of them are FMA’s because they were an integral part of earlier efforts of Orlando’s urban fishery program, but now, due to
redirection of the program, do not receive as much attention.
Others are not FMA’s but because of their resources and fishery,
they are given some notice. All offer a chance for the greater
Orlando angler to enjoy a quality fishing experience.
For directions to the FAB FIVE, URBAN PONDS and
other water bodies in Orange County please contact our FWC office
for a free FISH ORLANDO! map (352-732-1225 or
FishOrlando@MyFwc.com).
For directions to our office or information regarding our staff, please click on
the Fish Orlando! Office icon above.
History
In 1991, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (then known as the Florida Game and Fish
Commission) created an urban fisheries project in Orlando called the
Central Florida Urban Fisheries Project (CFUFP). It primarily
managed water bodies for beginning anglers as well those who like to
keep and eat their catch. Its promotional efforts centered on
fishing clinics and weekend fishing events.
In late 1997, due to the tremendous fisheries
potential of the Orlando area (60,000 acres of water, 40 million
visitors/year, 2 million residents), Tallahassee fisheries leaders
within the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
expanded the Orlando urban fisheries program into what is now known
on the “street” as Fish Orlando! New aspects that were part
of this expansion included water bodies managed for quality size
fish and/or a unique fishing experience as well as increased
promotional and tourist components.
Initially these new aspects were coordinated
via Tallahassee and performed by a patchwork of FWC personnel in and
around the Central Florida area. In late 1998, however, the
coordination of the expanded work was brought to Orlando in the form
of a new project called the Greater Orlando Sport Fisheries Project
(GOSP). In October 2000, both projects comprising FISH ORLANDO!
were combined into one, presently known as the Greater Orlando
Urban Fisheries Project (GOUFP). All management and promotional
focuses set up prior to the merger have remained intact under the
GOUFP.
Because over 90% of those fishing today got
started by a family member, in late 1998, Fish Orlando! chose to
target families in their urban fishery efforts. As a result of this
focus, the marketing slogan “Bringing Quality Fishing to Families”
was developed.
