Marine and freshwater fish support important angling industries that provide substantial benefit to local economies. Although catch and release - both voluntary and mandatory - aims to conserve fish stocks, its effectiveness is dependent on ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Bivalves are mollusks that have a two-part hinged shell which hides the soft-bodied animal inside. Clams, oysters, scallops and mussels are all considered bivalves. Let’s take a closer look at a couple. Bay Scallop Bay scallops (Argopecten ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Macroalgae are large species of algae often referred to as seaweeds. When not attached to bottom sediments, they are commonly called drift algae. Macroalgae come in colors of red, green, brown and black, and they randomly wash up on beaches ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
Southwest Florida, no doubt, has an algae problem. Actually it has more than one algae problem. The major culprits at the moment are Karenia brevis (the Florida red tide) along our coast and a couple species of Microcystis in the Caloosahatchee ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
Catch and Release is an important conservation tool. Catch and release fishing helps to sustain native fish populations by allowing more fish to remain and reproduce in the ecosystem. This practice provides an opportunity for more people to ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation
Catch-and-Release is an important conservation tool. Catch and release fishing helps to sustain native fish populations by allowing more fish to remain and reproduce in the ecosystem. This practice provides an opportunity for more people ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation
March was National Seagrass Awareness Month. And although it's now April, one could argue that we should not ONLY be aware of seagrass one month out of the year. Seagrass is important and deserves our attention throughout the year! Seagrass ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural ResourcesMost anglers understand we have two snook closures annually; each for very different reasons. The December through February closure protects snook during the cold weather and the May to September closure protects spawning snook. The size ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Research