This is the time of year for migrating manatees! So, slow down and look out for them. As water temperatures cool, manatees naturally migrate to warmer waters, generally warmer than 68 degrees to survive the winter. So, in the fall they travel to Florida springs, power plant discharges and...
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently named the winners of the summer-long, statewide, lionfish tournament which ended Sept. 6 and two Okaloosa County residents placed first and second in the 7th Annual Lionfish Challenge.
Alex Fogg
Congratulations to Isaac Jones who won first place in the recreational division...
Nine new sculptures and a Super Reef Anchor Point were added recently to the nation’s first permanent Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) in the Gulf, off the coast of Grayton Beach State Park in South Walton.
Named by Time Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places,” the UMA is...
The Gulfarium’s C.A.R.E. Center successfully released three rehabilitated sea turtles Jan. 11 at Topsail Hill State Park.
Grace, an adult female Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, weighs 70 pounds. She was found entangled in a buoy line on July 23. Stranding coordinator Tabitha Siegfried paired up with Fort Walton Beach Parasailing...
Many readers might know of The Ships Chandler location in Destin—an icon on the Destin Harbor. Now, the marine and service center has broken ground on its second center as of Thursday, February 18 in Freeport!
Located at 17309 U.S. Hwy. 331, constructed by Chapman Building and Consulting and designed...
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) in partnership with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) announced that the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) recently received the 2023 CODAaward for Collaboration of the Year!
CODAawards: Collaboration of Design + Art recognizes outstanding projects that integrate commissioned art into interior, architectural or public spaces. The...
Gag grouper opened for recreational harvest in most state Gulf of Mexico waters and all federal Gulf waters on June 1, and will remain open through Dec. 31.
Gulf state waters in Florida are from shore to 9 nautical miles. Federal waters begin where state waters end and extend to...
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced the proposed delisting of the Okaloosa darter from the threatened and endangered list under the Endangered Species Act. The population is being managed so well, the small fish is making major strides in its fight for recovery, according to the USFWS....
Recreational fishing is important, both culturally and economically, to our coastal communities around the Gulf. NOAA’s latest Gulf of Mexico Saltwater Recreational Fisheries report shows 2.6 million Gulf anglers took 58.6 million fishing trips in the Gulf, spending $13.5 billion on trips and durable goods in 2017 alone.
As such,...
By Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County PIO
The northern Gulf of Mexico has a new addition to its extensive artificial reef system with the deployment of the 239-foot R/V DEEP STIM III. The vessel, deployed on Jan. 30, 2024, joins hundreds of other artificial reefs already deployed off the shores of...
