Sports & Outdoors
Boca Grande Sea Turtle Nesting Season: 8-19-26
August 21, 2026
Weekly turtle reports
State Park Turtle Numbers
Cayo Costa: 523 Loggerhead, 25 Green, 2 Leatherback, 16,585 hatchlings
Gasparilla: 32 Loggerhead, 263 hatchlings
Don Pedro: 225 Loggerhe…
Manatee needs rescue after beaching herself after mating chase
August 21, 2026
A manatee in heat became stuck at the south end of the island Friday night, after a herd of male manatees chased her onto the beach.
The situation began ealier Friday, when too many suitors…
SW Florida Fishing: DNA ‘clock’ helps predict age of sharks
August 21, 2026
DNA signatures of aging could provide a new, noninvasive tool for studying shark populations and improving conservation efforts.
BY BROOKE BOWSER, FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Aging leave…
Survey of sea turtles: Weekly wildlife roundup from BIPS
August 21, 2026
Editor’s Note: This is one of six weekly wildlife articles submitted by the Barrier Island Parks Society to raise awareness about the issues facing our island communities. This week, BIPS addresses…
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Capt. Chris Slattery
August 21, 2026
Constructing a career as fishing guide
In his nearly two decades on the water, Chris Slattery has turned his lifelong passion for fishing into a career as one of the area’s trusted inshore guides…
Boca Grande Sea Turtle Nesting Season: 8-12-26
August 13, 2026
Weekly turtle reports
State Park Turtle Numbers
Cayo Costa: 524 Loggerhead, 23 Green, 2 Leatherback, 12,468 hatchlings
Gasparilla: 32 Loggerhead, 151 hatchlings
Don Pedro: 226 Loggerhe…
Barrier Island Parks: Help prevent plastic water pollution
August 13, 2026
Editor’s Note: This is one of six weekly wildlife articles submitted by the Barrier Island Parks Society to raise awareness about the issues facing our island communities. This week, plastic polluti…
Recreational gag grouper season open Sept. 1-30 consistent with NOAA
August 13, 2026
At its August meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to modify the 2026 recreational season for gag grouper in state waters of the Gulf, exclu…
Goodbye to our Gumbo Limbo
August 13, 2026
Last week, the Gumbo Limbo tree on the 5th Street median just before Gasparilla Road, was toppled by an afternoon storm. Arborist Rick Joyce, president of Forestry Resources Ecological Inc., said in…
Safe Harbor purchases local MarineMax
August 13, 2026
Safe Harbor Marinas announced this week that it will purchase MarineMax, the publicly traded and Florida-based marina, yacht broker and operator, for $1.5 billion. MarineMax is the world’s largest r…











