Gordon Ignacio, an information technology specialist at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, participates in a fishing tournament March 18, 2026, in a stormwater pond on the installation in Florida. (Dustin Senger/U.S. Marine Corps)
Service members, civilians and contractors took part in a fishing tournament at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island in Florida, which also helped monitor the installation’s ecosystem and water quality.
The tournament was hosted by the facility’s environmental team on Wednesday, allowing the workforce to survey species and understand the health of the installation’s environment, said Taylor Comstock, an environmental protection specialist at the facility, in a service news release.
“This effort helps assess habitat quality and informs decisions that support both the ecosystem and the mission,” Comstock said.
Participants fished in a stormwater pond to assess fish health, habitat conditions and water quality as part of the facility’s Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan.
This plan, which is implemented at most military installations, aims to manage natural resources responsibly while supporting and enhancing military operations, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Although no fish were caught because of a “sharp temperature drop,” people still learned about the pond and local wildlife. A bald eagle, an alligator and other birds were spotted during the event.