The Welaka National Fish Hatchery, operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is a warmwater hatchery. The only national fish hatchery in Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, it has two units, both of which are near the town of Welaka

Welaka, Florida

Welaka is a town situated on the St. Johns River in Putnam County, Florida. The population was 586 as of the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the town had a population of 604...

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History

The state of Florida built the hatchery in 1926, running it for over a decade. The facilities were turned over to the U.S. government in 1938, who have been in charge since then.

The hatchery

The headquarters for the hatchery is called the Welaka Unit. A nearby aquarium is operated by the Unit, with samples of fish that the hatchery raises.

Approximately three miles to the south is the Beecher Unit, named after the spring that provides water for the fish ponds there. It has an observation tower with interpretive information, as well as a small picnic area and nature trail.