The Florida Highway Patrol is taking part in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign through New Year's.

 The Florida Highway Patrol is taking part in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign through New Year's.

Thousands of law enforcement agencies across the nation are taking part in the campaign through January the 1st to reduce the number of drunk drivers on US roads.

Last December, 1,169 people were involved in an impaired-driving crash during the month of December and 81 people lost their lives in a crash involving alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both on Florida roads.

The issue isn’t just in Florida, though. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the 2019 Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods, there were more drunk driving related fatalities than during any other holiday period that year across the U.S.

To help ensure public safety, the Florida Highway Patrol will be out in force on the highways to aid motorists and remove drivers from the road.

Highway Patrol Auxiliary troopers and officers who are normally assigned to administrative duties will also be on the roads over the holidays.

The public is encouraged to report dangerous and drunk drivers by dialing *FHP (*347.)

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A number of cold-stunned sea turtles will be flown to the Gulf World Marine Institute in Panama City this week

A number of cold-stunned sea turtles will be flown to the Gulf World Marine Institute in Panama City this week.

Gulf World Marine Institute is scheduled to receive 14 cold-stunned sea turtles from the New England

area on Friday.

The sea turtles will be flown by a private plane from New England to Panama City Beach and transported to a rehabilitation facility.

Sea turtles are reptiles whose body temperature closely matches the temperature of their environment.

During cold snaps, sea turtles can become cold- stunned when the temperatures in shallows bays and estuaries drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Due to the large number of stranded turtles, the New England Aquarium and National Marine Life Center have reached out to other members of the stranding network for assistance.

The strategy is to place as many animals as possible to relieve the immediate response area and create vacancies for additional incoming sea turtles in New England.

The flights are organized by Turtles Fly Too, who will arrange for pilots to donate their time and

fuel towards this conservation mission. 

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved regulation changes to help protect Florida's diamondback terrapin population

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved regulation changes to help protect Florida's diamondback terrapin population.

Diamondback terrapins are medium-sized turtles that live in brackish water habitat where blue crabs tend to live, including salt marshes, barrier islands, mangrove swamps, tidal creeks and rivers. 

Diamondback terrapin populations are in decline throughout their habitat from habitat loss, growing popularity in the global pet trade, illegal collection as well as climate change. 

Because of overlapping habitat, there is also the potential for terrapins to be accidentally caught in blue crab traps. 

Beginning March 1, 2022, the collection of diamondback terrapins from the wild will be prohibited with exception of collection for scientific research with a permit. 

Also, people who have diamondback terrapins as pets before March 1st, 2022, may legally keep their animals but must obtain a no-cost permit.

In addition, by March 1, 2023, all recreational blue crab traps will be required to have rigid funnel openings no larger than 2 x 6 inches at the narrowest point or 2 x 6-inch bycatch reduction devices installed. 

Bycatch reduction devices can reduce incidental terrapin mortality by keeping terrapins from entering crab traps and are intended to have little impact on blue crab catch. 

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Gulf county has been awarded just over a million dollars to help protect a hurricane evacuation route from Cape San Blas

Gulf county has been awarded just over a million dollars to help protect a hurricane evacuation route from Cape San Blas.

The grant will help fund the the Indian Pass Road Elevation Project, protecting a critical transportation route from flooding by ensuring a safe evacuation route.

The money is part of $12 million for communities impacted by Hurricane Michael.

The funding is through the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Rebuild Florida Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program.

The program provides the 25 percent funding match that communities need in order to receive FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Funds.

Without the DEO Hazard Mitigation Grant Match Program, many of the small Panhandle cities would not be able to afford the match funding needed.  

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The latest news for you from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Volume 1, Issue 1 - December 17, 2021

Am I Using Legal Bait or Should I Switch?

Read about commonly asked questions related to the proper use of bait. There are quite a few regulations that dictate what you can and cannot use as bait while fishing in federal waters or with federally managed species. Many of the regulations aren’t directly related to guidance on the use of species as bait, but do dictate harvest or possession specifications and control how species are treated once they’re on board.  Read More

Meet the Council: Bob Gill and Billy Broussard

The Council is pleased to welcome its newest members! The Gulf Council is comprised of fishermen and other experts in the fishery from states across the Gulf of Mexico. Drawing upon the expertise of these local fishermen ensures that federal fishing regulations are made with direct understanding of, and passion for, our fishery.  Read More

Best Scientific Information Available Overview

BSIA stands for “best scientific information available.”  BSIA is a term used often when making important fisheries management decisions, so it’s helpful to define BSIA, summarize how it is determined, and specify who decides what is BSIA. Read More

Imposters! The Other Red Snappers and How to Identify Them

Most of us take for granted how easy it is to identify the most popular fish in the Gulf because their obvious bright red color is a dead giveaway. Believe it or not, there are at least 4 other species of snapper in the Gulf that could be mistaken for red snapper. Two of the other red colored snapper species, vermilion and queen snapper, are pretty easy for the average angler to recognize, while two of them, blackfin and silk, are commonly mistaken for red snapper. Read More

Clarifying Common Misunderstandings: Aggregate Bag Limits

Federal fishing regulations aren’t always easy to figure out, especially when you start to dig deeper than size, season, and bag limits.  In this series of articles, we hope to clarify some commonly misunderstood regulations and possibly even shed some light on things you didn’t know you were allowed to do. Read More

Regulation Rationale: Minimum Size Limits

Have you ever wondered why regulations like size limits, seasons, and bag limits are set the way they are? In this series of articles, we’ll explore the logic used to set fishing regulations. We’ll explain why these types of regulations vary by species and explore the factors that are considered when we set them. Read More

Emily Muehlstein, Public Information Officer | 888-833-1844 ext.2380 | Contact Us

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Getting the Holiday Spirit in Gulf County

Market hours - 7pm to close this Friday! Tap Root 212 Monument Ave, PSJ The Tap Root is seeking vendors for our Christmas Market on December 17! Table space will be provided and there is no charge to set up. This is an event encouraging locals to buy local for their last-minute Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. Open to ALL vendors! Call for more details.  Sign Up TODAY! Contact: Katie Mac GM, Taproot PSJ (850) 340-0076 kmcneill@taprootpsj.com Join us for our Grand Opening celebration and ribbon cutting! We will be giving away a Hydrafacial $179 value, Botox lip flip and discounted gift cards just in time for Christmas. We will have charcuterie catered by The Gathering Board at 30-A and cupcakes by Baked!  Come see us for some Holiday Cheer! Oh what fun! Come join in on the fun celebrating Christmas Eve. Scallop Cove is open 8am-3pm Christmas Eve and we decided since we were open to have a party! Come get any last-minute needs & gifts and/or get $4 draft beer pints, holiday sprinkled donuts and cinnamon rolls, pizza or anything else off the rest of our menu! Christmas music will be playing and we will be spreading Christmas cheer! Come share the joys of Christmas Eve Day with us! Mark your calendars for an open house at The Grove on Indian Pass on New Years Day 2022 from 3-7pm We’ll have a free raffle, food & drinks, large bonfire and plenty of picture opportunities. Come celebrate New Years Day at The Grove with New Wave Property Management on Indian Pass! The importance of having the right healthcare coverage is not to be underestimated. It can mean all the difference for you, your team, and their well being! Learn more today! Chambers of FL Health Care Every Wednesday, you can find our business consultant, Dr. Len Eichler, at the Gulf County Chamber of Commerce! Small Business Owners, call or visit Dr. Len with no consulting appointment needed! We are here to help your business grow and succeed! Joe Whitmer Executive Director   Gulf County Chamber of Commerce 321B Reid Ave Port St Joe, FL gulfchamber.org 850-227-1223 Office

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