Our area is once again diving into conservation and coastal celebration with the highly anticipated 2025 Lionfish Festival, returning this spring with a splash. Set to take place May 17–18, 2025, along the Destin Harbor Boardwalk, this vibrant, family-friendly event merges environmental awareness with fun, food, music, and marine...
America’s Flagship, the SS United States (SSUS), has now begun her journey to our own Emerald Coast, successfully moving from Pier 82 to Pier 80 in preparation for her departure from Philadelphia, Pa.
After Okaloosa County’s Tourist Development Department, Destin-Fort Walton Beach completed the necessary safety requirements by local, state...
By NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ended on November 30, showcased above-average activity. It had a profound impact on recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, causing recreational fishers to face challenges and interim closures. Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton caused devastating effects...
Destin-Fort Walton Beach, in collaboration with the Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA), released 30,000 juvenile redfish into the Choctawhatchee Bay on Nov. 12 at Lion’s Park in Niceville.
This multi-year collaborative effort seeks to address the issue of declining redfish populations across Northwest Florida fisheries and enhance the population with...
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...
By Frank Berte
For the last three-quarters of a century, the Destin Fishing Rodeo has brought people together from all over the Southeastern United States and abroad to celebrate their love for fishing! It lasts for the entire month of October and is arguably the largest fishing contest/festival in the world.
In the...
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...
