The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is moving forward on a plan that should reopen the Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting beginning in January

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is moving forward on a plan that should reopen the Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting beginning in January.

The Bay has been closed to wild oyster harvest since 2020 after the local oyster population collapsed in 2013.

Since then, researchers have been working to find the cause of the collapse and to rebuild the once productive oyster bars.

On Thursday, the commission agreed to a framework that would allow a limited amount of commercial and recreational oyster harvesting in January and February, with a longer fall harvest beginning in October, 2026.

Oyster harvesting will only be allowed on specific oyster bars that meet a minimum threshold of oyster abundance.

That includes about 95 acres of oyster bars with more than 400 bags of oysters per acre.

Oyster harvesters will requiring a commercial Apalachicola Bay Endorsement to commercially harvest oysters from the bay.

All qualified applicants will have an opportunity to participate in the 2026 season, and the number of participants in the first year will set the cap for subsequent seasons.

The state will also create an Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity Permit for recreational harvesters who will be selected through a lottery process.

Commercial harvesting would be allowed Monday through Friday, while recreational harvesting would be allowed on weekends.

FWC Staff will continue to gather public feedback and will return to the Commission in November for a final public hearing on the proposed rules.

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A GoFundMe Account has been created to help Becky Shuler, who was involved in an accident on the Apalachicola Bridge earlier this week

            A GoFundMe Account has been created to help Becky Shuler, who was involved in an accident on the Apalachicola Bridge earlier this week.

Becky was on her way to work on Monday morning, when her vehicle was hit head on by a truck, headed toward Apalachicola.

The driver of the truck was killed in the collision.

Her family says Becky received serious injuries that could keep her out of work for months so they are raising money to help with her immediate needs — rent, utilities, new glasses, and other essentials.

If you would like to donate to the cause, we have posted the gofundme site on the Oyster Radio Facebook page.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-beckys-long-road-to-recovery?attribution_id=sl:e5a18e0d-eb2f-4db3-a759-024e204bcf7d&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

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The 2025 Florida Python Challenge has just finished and removed a record number of the invasive snakes from South Florida

The 2025 Florida Python Challenge has just finished and removed a record number of the invasive snakes from South Florida.

 

More than 930 people participated in the 10-day competition, removing a record 294 invasive Burmese pythons.

 

Participants came from 30 states and Canada.

 

Taylor Stanberry won the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize, for removing 60 pythons.

 

The longest python removed in the competition was 15 feet, 11 inches, removed by Michael Marousky.

 

Michael won a1000 dollar prize.

 

Burmese pythons are not native to Florida; they are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles.

 

A female Burmese python can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time.

 

Since the year 2000, more than 23,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from the state of Florida.

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a limited hunt for black bears across Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a limited hunt for black bears across Florida.

The hunt will be held this December.

Under the rules approved on Wednesday, the state will establish four Bear Hunting Zones.

One hundred eighty-seven permits will be issued in total across the East Panhandle, North, Central and South Bear Management Units, and each permit will allow the harvest of one bear within the assigned Bear Hunting Zone.

Permits will be distributed through a random drawing.

People 18 years and older can apply as many times as they want for $5 per application.

The FWC said regulated hunting will allow the state to start 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 closed until 2015, when it was reopened in the fall.

No bear hunting seasons have been open since 2015.

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FWC proposes new management framework for Apalachicola Bay oyster harvest and statewide rule updates

At its August meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed a new management framework for commercial and recreational oyster harvest in Apalachicola Bay and updates for rules that will apply statewide.

Staff recommend reopening Apalachicola Bay's oyster fishery with annual harvest levels based on oyster abundance to foster ongoing reef recovery. Statewide rule updates will help minimize reef loss and promote good harvest practices.

“We want to be able to get as many boats back in the water as soon as possible, while supporting the bay’s continued recovery and sustainability,” said FWC Commissioner Preston Farrior.

The proposed changes for the limited opening of Apalachicola Bay recreational and commercial harvest include:

Establishing a process to set annual harvest levels for specific reefs in the bay that meet a minimum threshold of oyster abundance.

Establishing a harvest season with the initial season taking place Jan. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2026, and then continuing with a normal fall season start to be October – February moving forward.

Requiring a Commercial Apalachicola Bay (AB) Endorsement to commercially harvest oysters from the bay. All qualified applicants will have an opportunity to participate in the 2026 season, and the number of participants in the first year will set the cap for subsequent seasons.

Establishing an Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity (ABRO) Permit for recreational harvesters who will be selected through a lottery process.

Establishing reporting requirements for both recreational and commercial harvesters.

The proposed changes for statewide oyster harvest include:

Updating the culling requirements.

Additional information on the proposed changes can be found on the full Commission Meeting Aug. 13-14 agenda, go to MyFWC.com/About and click on “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”

Staff will continue to gather public feedback and will return to the Commission in November for a final public hearing.

To provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Apalachicola Bay or statewide oyster harvest, submit comments to the FWC Saltwater Public Comments page or email Marine@MyFWC.com.

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Florida’s Alligator Gar has been added to the state’s Candidate Species list, providing the species with an extra level of protection from harvest

Florida’s Alligator Gar has been added to the state’s Candidate Species list, providing the species with an extra level of protection from harvest.

Candidate species are protected from intentional take except when it is authorized by a specific permit from the state.

Alligator gar can exceed 300 pounds and grow to more than six feet long – they have the body of a gar and heads that look kind of like alligators.

They live in slow-moving rivers, lakes, and swamps, and can tolerate brackish and even some saltwater environments.

They are primarily found in the rivers and bays of the western Panhandle, particularly in the Apalachicola River and its connected waterways.

The FWC also approved adding the Holbrook’s Southern Dusky Salamander to the candidate’s list.

That species is found mainly in pockets of suitable habitat in the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle and extending into central Florida.

Now that the two species have been added to the candidate’s list, the FWC will create Action Plans and Conservation Measures for each species as the next step in the listing process.

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Gulf County Chamber Member Spotlight 2025

#shoplocal #shopgulfcountyfl 2025 CITY OF PORT ST JOE ELECTION August 19, 2025 Offices up for Election   Mayor/Commissioner Commissioners Group I and Group II Early Voting From August 9, 2025, to August 16, 2025 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (ET) NO SUNDAY VOTING   Election Day August 19, 2025 Polls are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (EDT)   Last Day to Register to Vote July 21, 2025 At The Gulf County Supervisor of Elections Office (Until 4:00 PM EDT or Online at www.votegulf.gov until 12 Midnight)   Voting Location All Voting will occur at the Gulf County Supervisor of Elections Office  401 Long Avenue Port St Joe, FL 32456   Remember you may request a vote-by-mail ballot at www.votegulf.gov or by calling our office at 850.229.6117

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FWC proposes rule changes for Gulf lane snapper

At its August meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved proposed rule changes for lane snapper in Florida’s Gulf state waters to be more consistent with current and pending federal regulations.

The proposed modifications of lane snapper in Gulf state waters include:

Increasing the commercial and recreational minimum size limit from 8 inches to 10 inches total length.

Establishing a 20-fish-per-person recreational bag limit.

These changes intend to reduce the risk of overfishing, mitigate the likelihood of early closures, and increase consistency between Gulf state and federal waters.

Staff will continue to engage with stakeholders and gather input on these proposed rules ahead of a . To provide written comment on these proposed changes, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments

For the full Commission Meeting August 13-14 agenda, including links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/About and click on “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”

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FWC adds the alligator gar and the Holbrook’s southern dusky salamander to list of Candidate Species

Today, Commissioners approved staff recommendation to add the alligator gar and the Holbrook’s southern dusky salamander to the state’s Candidate Species list at the August 2025 Commission Meeting. These two species join the Florida reef gecko as the only current Candidate Species. Candidate species are protected from intentional take except as authorized by specific permit from the agency’s Executive Director. Evaluation Requests to review both species were first received in 2022. FWC Commissioners approved the convening of Biological Review Groups to review both species’ status against state-listing criteria in December 2023. Staff will now create draft Species Action Plans and Conservation Measures and Permitting Guidelines for each species as the next step in the listing process. Final listing status changes will occur at a future Commission Meeting after Commission approval of the management plans. For more information on the listing process and to stay up to date on current listing actions for these and other species please visit MyFWC.com/Listing.

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FWC approves final proposed rules for highly regulated black bear hunting

FWC approves final proposed rules for highly regulated black bear hunting

At this week’s Commission meeting in Havana, Commissioners of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to approve amendments to bear hunting rules, which will take effect during the 2025 hunting season.

The new rules establish Bear Hunting Zones within four of the seven existing Bear Management Units.

One hundred eighty-seven permits will be issued in total across the East Panhandle, North, Central and South BMUs, and each permit will allow the harvest of one bear within the assigned BHZ.

Permits will be distributed through a random drawing. Those 18 years and older can apply as many times as they want for $5 per application.

As one of the management tools included in the 2019 Florida Black Bear Management Plan, regulated hunting will allow the FWC to start managing population growth rates in areas with the largest bear subpopulations.

Balancing wildlife numbers with suitable habitat keeps populations healthy. Hunting is an important and effective tool for managing wildlife populations around the world, but it is important to acknowledge that managing bear populations does not manage human-bear conflicts.

Conflict prevention and bear management practices will still need to continue.

For more information on regulated bear hunting, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit MyFWC.com/BearHunting

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