Seven new sculptures were recently added to North America’s first permanent Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton.
Named by TIME Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places” and a 2023 CODAworx Award winner for...
A jubilant gathering of locals, tourists, and sea turtle advocates witnessed a landmark moment in marine conservation as the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center released seven rehabilitated sea turtles back into the Gulf of Mexico at Topsail Hill State Preserve. Organized by the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center Foundation, the event showcased the successful...
New Name, Same Fish: Largemouth Bass Are 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...
Divers in the Emerald Coast Open lionfish tournament were able to successfully remove 7,411 invasive lionfish despite rough weather in the Gulf of Mexico during the May 17-19 weekend event. Including the pre-tournament, 11,844 lionfish were removed for the entire event. Lionfish have few predators due to their venomous...
Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced the record 103-day 2024 Gulf Red Snapper recreational season, the longest season since the state was delegated management of Gulf red snapper. This season will include both a summer and fall season which includes major holiday weekends such as Father’s Day, July 4th and...
By Joe Moore, founder, 30A Sealife Discovery Center and Appleseed Expeditions
Hello, my name is Joe Moore. I hold a master’s degree in Fishery Science from the University of West Florida and have extensive experience teaching marine biology in Hawaii, the Galapagos, California, and Florida. As the founder of the...
Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced the record 103-day 2024 Gulf Red Snapper recreational season, the longest season since the state was delegated management of Gulf red snapper. This season will include both a summer and fall season which includes major holiday weekends such as Father’s Day, July 4th and...
Marine life in the Gulf of Mexico now has hundreds of additional underwater habitats thanks to a $1.26 million artificial reef project funded by the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund.
The project included 133 different reef sites and the deployment of 279 total reef structures ranging from 6-25 feet. The...
68th Annual Billy Bowlegs Festival | May 16-20
By Lori Leath Smith
Ahoy, maties! Avast, ye! It’s time to open your treasure chest, get your eyepatch on, take out your sword and get your pirate gear ready for 2024’s 68th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival—May 16-20. Any landlubber knows Pirate Captain...
By Cali Hlavac, To Do In Destin
The Emerald Coast of Destin is not just a picturesque backdrop for tourists; it is also a battleground against an invasive species – the lionfish. On May 18-19, 2024, the Lionfish Festival returns to Destin, rallying the community in an ongoing effort to combat this...
