By Jeremy Wallace, Co-Publisher
One of this month’s feature articles for Coastal Angler Magazine Palm Beach is the importance of our county’s ERM (Environmental Resources Management) division and their upcoming 4th annual Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge.
ERM was started back in 1987 with a mission of protecting, preserving, and enhancing the natural resources of Palm Beach County with projects such as John’s Island, Munyon Island, Peanut Island, Snook Islands, South Cove, and the Ocean Ridge Natural Area.
The Lake Worth Lagoon spans 20 miles from North Palm Beach to Ocean Ridge. This body of water was once a freshwater lake until it was opened by two inlets, Lake Worth and South Lake Worth (also known as Boynton). It is a vital marine life environment of seagrass, mangroves, sea turtles, manatees, oyster reefs, wading birds, crabs, and more than 250 varieties of fish species.
Some fish like the common snook, puffer fish, and bonefish use the lagoon as protection for breeding. Others may live their whole lives in the area due to the protection the lagoon offers.
The Lake Worth Lagoon Fishing Challenge will take place May 24th through July 7th, 2019. It’s free to participate in both youth (ages five and up) and adult categories. This year’s new and approved app is mobile friendly and the new website iAnglertournament.com will direct participants to the app so you can register and log your catches.
During this six-week challenge anglers can fish once or every day, log in and identify their catches. This valuable data that’s collected will help guide future lagoon habitat restoration efforts, and you can see by the infographic these ERM efforts continue to show trends that projects do matter in keeping our waterways thriving with growing numbers.
This year there’s over $2,500 in prizes to be won including weekly giveaways if you share your catches. Prizes include MANG Gear products, Penn rod & reel combos, and Engel coolers that were donated.This year’s sponsors are West Palm Beach Fishing Club, MANG Gear, Angler Action Foundation (formerly Snook and Game Foundation SGI) – iAngler app, Coastal Angler Magazine, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Register at LWLI.org
We hope to see you at the Lagoon. Please share pictures with us that may make it to our “Brag Board” and follow us on our Facebook page!
