A week out from “mini-season,” the two day sport season that gives a chance for recreational divers to take home some fresh tail meat before the commercial fisheries cash in, Floridians and vacationers alike are excited for regular season to open.

2018 regular spiny lobster season dates are from August 6th to March 31st, and allow for licensed recreational divers to take home six lobsters per person per day. This bag limit applies to possession limit as well- on and off the water- and lobster must be brought to shore in whole condition. Seperating the tail from the body is prohibited in Florida state waters.

Harvested lobster must have a carapace larger than 3 inches, and must be measured in the water. The carapace is measure beginning at the…

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is requesting help from anglers, spearfishers, and charter captains to report information about the Atlantic red snapper fishery.

On July 23rd, 2018, NOAA Fisheries announced a final rule for Amendment 23 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. Recreational Atlantic red snapper season will open for harvest in Atlantic federal waters (beyond 3 nautical miles from shore) on weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) on the following days:

  • August 10, 11, and 12, 2018 – The recreational season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 10, 2018, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 13, 2018. 
  • August 17, 18, and 19, 2018 –…

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A much-needed reservoir is one step closer to construction with the Army Corps of Engineers and White House Office of Management and Budgeting approving the $1.4 billion project to limit toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee. After decades of destruction to Florida waterways, crucial restoration plans are moving forward with the green light from congress.

Water from Lake Okeechobee, which is currently 90 percent covered in cyanobacteria according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gets pumped east and west into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers nearly every day during the rainy season when the one trillion-gallon lake can’t hold anymore. The bacteria infested water then travels through these rivers picking up runoff from…

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Pictured: Wahoo caught by Jupiter locals Mike O'Connor and Christian Mignano

This week in Palm Beach County we’ve had some fishing reports of wahoo in the bite in the 150’-350’ range offshore Palm Beach, Juno Beach, and Jupiter. It’s a scorcher out there at a forecasted high of 90 degrees throughout the weekend with some hot spots feeling as high as 100 degrees, so don’t forget to pack plenty of water, ice, sunscreen, and I hope you have a T-top for a little shade. The heat also warms up the water, so if you’re live baiting for kings along the ledge, be sure to let your bait run deeper than normal in the column to seek cooler waters.

The bonita have been impossible to avoid lately, but if all you’re looking for is a little bit of action or to…

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Pictured: Tripletail caught by North Palm Beach angler Jessica Bright

If you’re a South Florida angler, you know that some of the best memories are made fishing with good friends and family, but how often do you switch up the species you’re after? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has added an incentive to increase the diversity of saltwater fish targeted by anglers and reduce fishing pressure on the most commonly sought-after species with the Catch a Florida Memory Program. The program turns conservation-minded fishing into a thrilling scavenger hunt throughout Florida’s beautiful waterways, and entices anglers with prizes and bragging rights to try different fishing locations, techniques, and experiences.

There are…

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South Florida is known for its lush tropical environment. Take your garden design to the opposite side of maintenance.  Reduce watering, fertilizing and consider installing a dry garden? How about a distinctive theme that looks great during all seasons? The climate in Palm Beach County can be thought-provoking when trying to garden.  Maybe you are a “green thumb” gardener or a weekend garden warrior fitting it in when you can, succulents are an easy fit.  

Succulents can survive strong winds, occasionally cold weather, drought, heat and poor soil. Besides having the ability to grow under almost any condition, agaves, yuccas and succulents all give your gardens such a variety of contemporary, architectural shapes. Think of raised gardens that use…

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The Strawberry Moon will light up the evening skies Thursday, June 28, when it reaches its full moon phase. The June moon is the seventh full moon to rise of 13 full moon phases., The Strawberry Moon will not turn a deep red or pink color on Thursday night despite its name.  So why exactly is the June full moon known as the Strawberry Moon you ask?

The June Full Moon is called the Full Strawberry Moon. The Strawberry Moon is the most colorful moon of the year.  It is also particularly special because it will arrive during Saturn at opposition, which means Saturn will be at its closest to the Earth and brightest ever for this year.  In simple terms, describes the point at which the Earth sits exactly between the planet and the sun. It will rise…

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Hurricane season has arrived once again and it's time to get prepared. With a "slightly above average" season forecasted by the National Weather Service for 2018, the state of Florida is providing an extended tax holiday June 1st-7th for preparations.

This week, you can purchase supplies such as generators, gas, batteries and tarps without paying state or local taxes. It's a good idea to get supplies now as opposed to later, when things get hectic and goods run out, as seen with Hurricane Irma last year. The state of Florida hadn't had a direct hit in over a decade until Hurricanes Hermine and Irma in 2016 and 2017, which left people scurrying for water, gas, etc. 

"Now, after being hit by Irma and everything that happened last year, people are…

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While the weather is cool in sunny, Palm Beach County there is one place you absolutely have to visit; the Manatee Lagoon in Riviera Beach. Manatees are a beloved native species to Florida and while the Intracoastal and ocean waters cool down they flock to the warm run off water that comes from the power plant next to the Manatee Lagoon. The warm water comes from Florida Power and Light Company’s Next Generation Clean Energy Center, making for a nice place for hundreds of manatees to warm up and an even better place for locals to get up close and personal with them. 

Features of the Manatee Lagoon: 

The new Manatee Lagoon building and café overlooks the warm waters of Palm Beach where with manatees like to stay during colder months. Each year,…

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Over the next two nights starwatchers can see one of the most spectacular meteor showers in plain sight from Jupiter. The Geminids meteor shower has been in full force this week but the next two nights is when it will be at its peak.  

So, what exactly are the Geminids? The Geminids meteor shower is a unique celestial occurrence that happens when the Earth’s path encounters an asteroid. Most meteor showers come from comets, which give off a beautiful display of bright heads of the comets raining down with a tail of dust, ice and rock. But with the Geminids meteor shower coming from an asteroid, those of us watching from earth will see what looks like a fireworks display in the sky. 

 Stargazers have the opportunity to see up to 120 meteors per hour…

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