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. Treasure Coast
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. Treasure Coast
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.Big Bend Edition
Fishing is an important part of the Florida lifestyle as well as its economy. In spite of the obvious benefits, this leisure-time activity, on occasion, can lead to problems for birds and other wildlife such as sea turtles and manatees. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists, monofilament fishing line and fishing hooks can entangle these animals, leading to injury and even death. Big Bend Edition
That headline may be a bit of hyperbole, but we’re excited nonetheless! (We do love our reptiles around here at Apalachicola Riverkeeper). The ‘new’ turtle is the Alligator Snapping Turtle.Panama City Edition
Pat Hutchinson set a new IGFA Women’s 3-kg (6 lb.) Line Class World Record with a 13.61-kilogram (30-pound) blue catfish caught on the James River in Virginia. The record-setting catfish struck her cut bait, and after a determined 22-minute battle, Pat successfully landed the fish. She weighed it on a certified scale before safely releasing it back into the river.Editorial Staff