Angler’s Grand Slams quest ends in Apalachicola
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Angler’s Grand Slams quest ends in Apalachicola

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is excited to celebrate Catch a Florida Memory’s first-ever Grand Slam Master Angler – Gregg Lewis, whose four-year quest ended this year in Apalachicola.  The pursuit of this monumental achievement first began in 2020, when Lewis joined FWC’s saltwater angler recognition program, Catch a Florida Memory. Over the…

Gulf fishery council honors FWC’s Northwest OPV team
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Gulf fishery council honors FWC’s Northwest OPV team

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council presented the 2023 Law Enforcement Officer/Team of the Year award to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Northwest Offshore Patrol Vessel team. The team consists of Lt. Scott Smith, Senior Officers Matt Cushing and Pete Rockwell, Officer Specialists Tom Nelson, Matt Land, Greg Matechik, and Officer Tristan…

Now is the season to exclude bats
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Now is the season to exclude bats

While Florida’s 13 native and beneficial bat species typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, they can also be attracted to human-made structures. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding the public that the fall season is an ideal time to exclude bats from your home or other structure. Bat maternity…

FWC Report
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FWC Report

During the week of Oct. 11 to 17, Officer Butts responded to a complaint in Gulf County about a subject who was observed trespassing. During the encounter, the subject was found to have a shocking device for harvesting freshwater fish. Butts took appropriate action.  Master Officer M. Webb was conducting resource inspections at a local…

FWC Report
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FWC Report

During the week of Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, Officers Hartzog and Forbes observed an individual fishing under the John Gorrie Bridge while they were patrolling on Apalachicola Bay. The officers moored their patrol vessel to conduct a resource inspection and discovered he was in possession of an undersized red drum and two undersized spotted…

FWC Report
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FWC Report

During the week of Sept. 6 through 12, Officer Stallings observed a vessel returning to Franklin County from offshore and conducted a resource inspection, during which he discovered multiple undersized, out-of-season red grouper. The operator was charged for the violations and issued the appropriate citations. During the week of Sept. 13 through 19, Officer Hartzog…

Young artists sought for state’s Fish Art Contest
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Young artists sought for state’s Fish Art Contest

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with Wildlife Forever, is hosting the 2024-25 Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest.  The annual program invites youth from around the world to connect with nature and learn about fish and aquatic habitats while exploring creative art and writing. Since its founding in 1997, the contest…

FWC charges three for multiple fishing net violations
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FWC charges three for multiple fishing net violations

Three veteran Franklin County fishermen, two of whom have been cited in the past for violating Florida’s so-called net ban, have once again run afoul of the law. On Aug. 25, in a boat under 20-feet long, captain William D. Sorenson, 82, of Eastpoint, and passengers Johnny D. Johnson, 59, of Carrabelle, and Donnie G….

FWC Report
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FWC Report

During the week of Aug. 23 to 29, Officer Hartzog was patrolling the Apalachicola River in Franklin County and after observing a vessel with two individuals on board returning from the bay with fishing gear, conducted a resource and boating safety inspection, during which he observed multiple boating safety violations and the individuals possessed undersized…

Same fish, new name; Some largemouth now Florida bass
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Same fish, new name; Some largemouth now Florida bass

Genetics studies confirmed what many anglers and biologists have believed for a long time – Florida bass are special!  Florida’s most popular freshwater game fish has a new name. The American Fisheries Society established the Florida bass as a separate species from the largemouth bass. This means that in most of Florida (except the western…