Aquarium holds annual event releasing fish back to the sea

NANTUCKET, Mass. – The nation’s smallest public aquarium has returned its temporary sea creature residents to the ocean in an annual end-of-summer tradition.

The Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium in Nantucket held its annual Release Day on Saturday, with a number of children helping to return fish and other creatures to the sea. The Cape Cod Times reports about 98 per cent of the aquarium’s sea species are put back into the ocean on Release Day with help from the public.

All of the aquarium marine life comes from Nantucket waters and most are brought in by visitors, charter boats, fishermen and seafood markets.

The marine life is returned to the ocean at the end of the summer season, barring special aquarium residents like tropical fish and Blooper the blue lobster.