Conservation

Environmental and waterway news.

Latest in Conservation

Commercial Turtle Poachers Busted

Four men have been charged in the alleged illegal capture and exchange of 2,100 pounds of live, wild-caught turtles. A Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission investigation was launched in March after the arrest of My Van Vo, 31, of Lakeland, who was caught on Lake Apopka near Orlando with 87 softshell turtles weighing in excess of 500 pounds. The subsequent investigation throughout Polk and Seminole counties netted two other men and an Okeechobee freshwater turtle farmer.

New Projects Miss Opportunity to Jump Start Restoration in the Gulf

In June, a partnership of Gulf state and federal agencies announced they are approving $627 million in early restoration projects for Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Texas, as part of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. This is another milestone in the process to restore the Gulf of Mexico. But the news isn’t all positive.

South Carolina Conservation Groups Continue to Benefit From Guy Harvey Donations

CCA SC Applies Funds to Support Oyster Recycling and Enhancement Program The green footprint left in the Palmetto State courtesy …

SAVE THE DATE: 7th Annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup, July 26

Mark your calendar for the 7th Annual Treasure Coast Waterway Cleanup, which is slated for Saturday, July 26, 20143. Both volunteers and sponsors are needed to make this event a success. Volunteer as a group or individual, young and old, this event is for everyone.

Two-Day Mini Lobster Season: July 30-31

Every July when the official mini-lobster season kicks off, the coastal areas of Florida are flooded with “bug-hunters” trying to find their share of the tasty crustaceans. There are two Florida Lobster Seasons, the two-day mini season and the eight-month regular lobster season. The mini lobster season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. This year the mini season falls on July 30th and 31st. The regular lobster season opens August 6, running through March 31.

Estuaries and Water Quality Management

Estuaries are some of the most productive and biologically diverse environments around Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. They are the areas where freshwater drained from the land meets and mixes with seawater to form a brackish water body. Estuaries and bays serve as important nurseries for fish.

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The Sand Bass Are Running

The annual white bass run, a treasured tradition for anglers across Texas, has officially begun.

Read The March Issue!

Read the latest issue in your area!

Lake Monroe & St. Johns River Fishing Forecast – March 2024

This is the time of year when you can find trophy bass, heavyweight sunshine bass, stringers of black crappie and …

Lake Okeechobee Fishing Forecast – March 2024

Fishing on Okeechobee has been a mixed bag catching numbers and big bass and other days fishing has been slow …