Project Location: Elephant Butte, New Mexico USA

The New Mexico Bass Fishing Association’s mission is to enhance bass fishing habitat and opportunities within the state. A subgroup of the association, Kids of the Southwest, undertook a project in 2009 to increase the bass population at Elephant Butte, NM. These youth partnered with the New Mexico Game and Fish Department, marina owners and other local interested parties after discovering a Floating Island International licensee, Floating Islands West, which has developed floating botanical gardens to increase fish and other wildlife habitat, along with providing water quality improvements.

Floating Islands West designed a portable spawning bed for fish that includes a cover and protection for the fry. After Kids of the Southwest arranged for the island purchase, they assembled the island, gathered and transplanted the necessary plants, filled the spawning beds with gravel, and used paddle boats to deploy the island.

Floating island arrives onsite

Kids of the Southwest is a Junior Bassmaster Club based in Las Cruces, NM, and is affiliated with Cedar Cove Bass Anglers in Elephant Butte, NM. The group strives to develop life skills in young people while educating them to exercise leadership and support for responsible recreational fishing, and stewardship of aquatic resources.

Installing plants on the island

Completed floating island in place

For more information on these floating island systems, contact Laddie Flock at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 866?798?7086.

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