Florida’s first black bear hunting season since 2015 began Saturday and will continue through December 28th

Florida’s first black bear hunting season since 2015 began Saturday and will continue through December 28th.

Over 160 thousand applications were made for just 172 black bear hunting permits for this December’s hunt.

Only one bear may be harvested per permit, and bears must weigh at least 100 pounds and cannot be taken with cubs.

Eligible hunting areas include private lands with permission and most wildlife management areas within the East Panhandle, North, Central and South units.

The FWC said regulated hunting will allow the state to manage population growth rates in areas with the largest bear subpopulations.

The black bear population has come back from just several hundred bears in the 1970s to over 4,000 today and is one of Florida’s most successful conservation efforts.

Regulated black bear hunting occurred in Florida in the 1930s and continued until 1994.

Hunting was then closed until it was reopened for one season in the fall of 2015.

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The St. Joe Bay Humane Society in Gulf County announced Saturday that their shelter is currently full and they can not accept owner surrenders or stray surrenders at this time

The St. Joe Bay Humane Society in Gulf County announced Saturday that their shelter is currently full and they can not accept owner surrenders or stray surrenders at this time.

The shelter says if you find a stray animal, they can help you with food and blankets, and even a post on Facebook to help you find the owner, but they cannot take the animal into the shelter until they free up some space.

The shelter has lowered its adoption prices to help people adopt a stray dog or cat, through a nationwide initiative called “Empty the Shelters.”

The price to adopt digs and puppies is currently 70 dollars, which is down from 150 dollars for adult dogs and 200 dollars for puppies.

You can adopt an adult cat for 25 dollars and kittens for 30 dollars.
Stop by the shelter as soon as you can, the reduced adoption fees are good through December 15th.

The St. Joe Bay Humane Society is located at 1007 10th Street in Port St. Joe.

It is open Tuesday through Saturday.

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Red tide continues to be found in water samples taken from Gulf and Franklin Counties

Red tide continues to be found in water samples taken from Gulf and Franklin Counties.

Red Tide was first found in the St. Joe Bay in September, but has continued to show up in weekly water samples since then.

It was found in 5 out of 6 water samples taken from around the St. Joe Bay on December 1st and 2nd, mostly in background concentrations, though 2 samples showed low concentrations.

In Franklin County, red tide was found in 7 of 13 water samples taken between December 1st through the 3rd, including in very low concentration in mid-Apalachicola Bay, and in very low concentrations near the old St. George Island bridge causeway.
There were no fish kills attributed to Red Tide reported from Gulf or Franklin counties last week.

Red Tide is an organism that in large enough concentrations releases a neurotoxin that can kill fish and even affect humans.

Red tide can cause skin irritation, rashes, and eye discomfort in humans.

People with respiratory conditions should use extra caution and avoid affected areas.

Do not harvest or eat shellfish, or distressed or dead fish from the area.

If exposed to red tide, wash your skin, clothing with soap and fresh water as soon as possible.

https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/

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Stories from the Seaside - The E-Newsletter of the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab

Where the Sea Reveals its Secrets

Help support a critical expansion of our Sea Turtle Hospital! North Florida’s only Fibropapilloma (FP) treatment facility has closed—leaving a major gap in care for some of the most vulnerable sea turtles. GSML is now the closest and most capable facility to step in, but we urgently need to build a dedicated FP quarantine system and expand our hospital to meet the growing need. We’re raising $50,000 to: Build a fully isolated FP quarantine room Install specialized life-support and filtration systems Add FP-rated rehab tanks Create a modern surgical suite with imaging, anesthesia, and CO₂ laser capability Increase our ability to treat BOTH FP and non-FP turtles—cold-stunned, hooked, boat-struck, and more This expansion will allow GSML to treat FP-positive turtles for the first time, reduce transport stress, strengthen Florida’s marine wildlife response, and save more endangered sea turtles every year.

Thanks to the generosity of so many donors, we are 25% of the way to our goal! As a nonprofit, GSML relies entirely on donations to run our sea turtle program. Your gift today directly funds life-saving rescue, treatment, and release. Help us close North Florida’s sea turtle care gap.

Click Here to Donate!

Sea Turtle Release! Meet Aphrodite, our beautiful Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle! She was recently brought to Gulf Specimen Marine Lab. After arriving at our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, Aphrodite received full diagnostics, including X-rays to check for internal hooks and screenings for pneumonia. We’re thrilled to share that she got a completely clean bill of health — no hooks, no pneumonia, and no lingering issues. Thanks to quick action and proper evaluation, Aphrodite is now ready to head back home. Join us Thursday, December 18th at 3 PM at Alligator Point Beach Access Point 2 to watch her swim home!

Intern Spotlight Meet Madison Wechter, one of our new 6-month interns, who is originally from Canton, GA. Madison has a bachelor's degree in Marine Science with a minor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. Madison enjoys hanging with friends, hiking, and swimming in her free time. She is most excited about getting to try so many different things in the Marine Science Field at GSML. Madison's Goals: Be a part of the Marine Science Field, help Animals, and educate others on the Importance of Conservation Favorite Lab Animal: Peaches the Stingray and Lil Herc our Resident Sea Turtle! We are so thrilled to have her on as an intern!

Creature Feature: Cownose Rays! We’re excited to welcome two new residents to Gulf Specimen Marine Lab: Buttercup and Rumba, a pair of adorable cownose rays who have already stolen the hearts of our staff and visitors!  Cownose rays are some of the most graceful swimmers in the ocean, and watching these two glide through the water is like watching underwater ballet. Here are some fun facts about them:  Fun Cownose Ray Facts:  They get their name from the unique shape of their snout—it resembles the nose of a cow!   Cownose rays flap their pectoral fins like wings to “fly” through the water.  They’re incredibly social and often travel in large schools that can stretch for miles.  Their teeth are perfectly designed to crunch on clams, oysters, and other hard-shelled snacks.  Despite their size, they’re gentle and curious creatures that love exploring their surroundings. Buttercup and Rumba are settling in wonderfully, and we can’t wait for you to meet them on your next visit. Come say hi and watch them soar around their new home!

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Mexico Beach eNewsletter | DECEMBER 2025

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! There is an old legend about the sand dollar and its association with the Christmas holiday. The sand dollar symbolizes peace, unity, and resilience, as well as good luck. If you’ve ever seen the inside of a sand dollar, there are teeth-like apparatuses that resemble what some describe as small doves, a notable symbol of peace. These inner shell pieces have been called the Doves of Peace, and some say they are the angels who sang to the shepherds on the first Christmas morning. If you’ve looked at the back of a whole sand dollar, you may have noticed the flower-like outline, which has been described as a bell or a Christmas poinsettia—both are notations of the holiday. Here in Mexico Beach, you can discover sand dollars, whole and in pieces, during your beach strolls. We want to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

And the Winner Is... Up for grabs last month were a T-shirt, a koozie, and a musical CD from Mango Marley’s, and the lucky winner is Donna G. from Buford, Georgia. Congrats, Donna!   DECEMBER GIVEAWAY This month’s giveaway is two 2026 Mexico Beach Calendars, compliments of the Mexico Beach Welcome Center. The 2026 calendar features amazing pictures of beautiful Mexico Beach. Each month’s image was captured by a Mexico Beach fan and submitted to the annual photography contest. To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at kathy@mexicobeach.com.

MEET MEXICO BEACH This month, we want to introduce someone near and dear to our newsletter—the creator, Mr. Jack. With over 20 years of being the person putting ink to paper to create this great newsletter, Jack has held multiple roles for our wonderful city, including serving on City Council, Special Events for Mexico Beach, the Mexico Beach Tourism Board, and other volunteer outlets. Jack is also world-famous! Better known as “Marrying Jack”, he has married over 300 couples and has been our officiant for our mass wedding vow renewal ceremony since its beginning. Jack’s witty ideas have come to life by bestowing our readers with great wisdom and the newest feature, the “Say What?” section. We owe a great deal to Jack for being a dedicated “staff” member (whose payment is in the form of Hershey Kisses) for his years of work, research, and bringing lighthearted reading about our great beach to thousands of loyal subscribers. Thanks, Jack!

FARMERS & CRAFT MARKET DECEMBER 13 & 27  Come spend the morning at the Mexico Beach Farmers & Craft Market at Parker Park, located at 2500 Highway 98. Vendors will include produce, fresh jellies, one-of-a-kind crafts, and much more. Each market is sure to have new vendors, so be sure to come every time. If you’d like to be a vendor, sign up now. This market is put on by the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING DECEMBER 7 It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Mexico Beach is transforming into a magical holiday paradise! Join us on Sunday, December 7, at 6:00 p.m. at Parker Park for our Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, a cherished tradition filled with festive cheer. The event features the man himself, Santa Claus, so make sure to bring your cameras!

MOVIE IN THE PARK DECEMBER 19 Join us for a magical evening at Under the Palms Park on Friday, December 19, at 6:00 p.m. for a heartwarming holiday movie experience brought to you by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office! They will be screening the action-packed film Red One, a tale of saving Christmas after Santa Claus is kidnapped. The best part? It’s FREE! Bring your chairs and blankets and get cozy while enjoying a holiday movie under the stars.

READ ABOUT ALL EVENTS HERE

A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.

CRAB PIE We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association cookbook (MBARA.org). INGREDIENTS 6 oz cooked crabmeat 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 3 oz cream cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1/4 cup sliced green onion 1 jar (2 oz) diced pimientos, drained 1/2 cup Bisquick mix 1 cup milk 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 2 eggs DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9.5-inch pie plate. Mix crabmeat, cheese, onions, and pimientos together, then place in the pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Pour into the pie plate. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (some cream cheese may stick to the knife). Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS WISDOM Christmas is a time of cheerfulness, and you can learn a lot from it. Here are some Christmas thoughts and laughs for you to enjoy! Christmas pajamas are socially acceptable all-day attire. Nothing says “holiday magic” like last-minute shopping. The real North Pole? Amazon delivery trucks. Christmas shopping is basically running a marathon in heels. Christmas lights are like socks; no one really knows how many you need. Christmas calories do not count! It’s not Christmas until the cat knocks something over. Decorating a Christmas tree is like solving a puzzle with no instructions. Silent Night does not exist in my house. Christmas cookies are the only cookies that don’t judge you for eating five in a row.

SHODDY We’ve often heard the word “shoddy” used to describe poor-quality work or production. There is a small history of that saying dating back to the 19th Century. Back then, the most common fabric was made from scraps—mainly wool. It was cheaply made, and the work was considered to be inferior or of poor quality. Textile workers began to refer to it as “shoddy.” The meaning eventually spread to other areas of work or craftsmanship, and anything substandard was referred to as shoddy, including behavior.

MEXICOBEACH.COM

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