?TBEP staffer Kerry Flaherty Walia joined the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) for a recent sampling trip on the Hillsborough River. There, researchers observed juvenile red drum, spotted seatrout, common snook, largemouth bass, and even bull sharks! Several invasive species, including Mayan cichlid and armored catfish, were also spotted.

FWC has monitored fish populations in three of Tampa Bay's four major river systems since 1998. However, the Hillsborough River has not been monitored since 2012. Starting this year, TBEP is providing funding to fill this sampling gap. Because fish use tidal rivers as nursery habitats, scientists can track fish populations in rivers that flow into the bay to help predict the future health of adult fish populations. Researchers will use data collected to complement the existing Tampa Bay Nekton Index.