The 2024 Florida Python Challenge™ commenced at 12:01 a.m. on August 9, with participants scouring the Everglades to locate and remove invasive Burmese pythons. Hundreds have registered for the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes while contributing to the protection of Florida’s native wildlife and the Everglades ecosystem.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold a public meeting regarding the Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA) Management Plan Amendment on Monday, August 26. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Marathon Government Center, located at 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will celebrate National Shooting Sports Month in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Created to encourage participation in the shooting sports and emphasize firearm safety, National Shooting Sports Month will take place throughout August.
Preparing for a natural disaster can be overwhelming, with many critical details to address. By preparing in advance, you can significantly reduce the risks to both life and property. In addition to safeguarding family and property, Florida’s boat owners and operators must also consider their vessels. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has compiled various informational resources for boaters to assist them with storm preparation and recovery.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is conducting regional workshops to inform local governments about opportunities to conserve gopher tortoises and other state-listed species in Florida.
Youth angler Krieger Brasseale had a memorable visit to the Sunshine State earlier this year. Brasseale spent his spring break chasing saltwater fishing records and achieved five approved youth Florida Saltwater Fishing Records.
The permit season opens inside the Special Permit Zone in south Florida on August 1. This zone includes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast, and south of Cape Florida on the Atlantic coast, including all of the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay south of the Rickenbacker Causeway.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued an executive order to modify the recreational season for greater amberjack in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The recreational season, initially set to open on August 1, will now commence on September 1 and remain open through October 31, 2024. During August, the recreational harvest of Gulf greater amberjack will remain closed.
On July 24, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Division of Law Enforcement announced charges against four individuals involved in a scheme to defraud hunters seeking Osceola turkey hunts. Larry William Collins, David Preston Mills, Paul Neil Beckham, and Vernon Robert Flowers were charged with multiple felonies, including organized fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating, and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced today a temporary closure of the recreational bay scallop harvest in the Pasco Zone. This area includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, encompassing the Anclote River.
The Florida recreational spiny lobster sport season will commence on July 24 and 25, with the regular recreational season following from August 6 through March 31, 2025. Harvest regulations stipulate that lobsters must have a minimum carapace length of three inches, measured in water. In Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, harvesters may take up to six lobsters per day, while in other state waters, the limit is 12 lobsters per day.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds boaters and divers to practice safe boating and diving habits by maintaining 360-degree awareness and adhering to all divers-down flag regulations.
Genetics studies have confirmed what many anglers and biologists have long believed: Florida bass are distinct. The American Fisheries Society has officially recognized the Florida bass as a separate species from the largemouth bass. Consequently, in most of Florida (excluding the western Panhandle), what was previously known as a largemouth bass is now referred to as a Florida bass.
As the sun rose over the central Florida prairie on July 16, a significant event in conservation history occurred with the release of the 1,000th conservation-bred Florida grasshopper sparrow into the wild. This milestone took place at Avon Park Air Force Range, accompanied by nine other sparrows.
The 2024 recreational bay scallop season for the Pasco Zone opens on July 10 and will remain open through August 18. This includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, including all waters of the Anclote River.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has been awarded three Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) by NOAA Fisheries to conduct studies aimed at collecting better data on Atlantic red snapper and other snapper-grouper species. These studies are intended to improve the management of these critical species in the South Atlantic.
Operation Dry Water (ODW) weekend will take place from July 4 through July 6. The national weekend of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) detection and enforcement aims to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related boating incidents and fatalities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and other participating law enforcement agencies will work together to make Florida waterbodies safer by identifying and removing dangerous or impaired vessel operators.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the introduction of two new license hard card designs featuring student artwork from this year’s Florida State Fish Art Contest. Grace Wang’s depiction of a Florida bass and Emma Nemes’ representation of a snook were selected as the new freshwater and saltwater designs, respectively.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is urging beachgoers to help protect sea turtles and waterbirds during the Fourth of July weekend. Nesting season is currently underway for several imperiled species, including sea turtles, shorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds.