The Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA Florida) is partnering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Mote Mar...

Charlotte County declares local state of emergency: ‘This is an economic tragedy’
■ BY SUE ERWIN Charlotte County Commission staff announced on Tuesday, Aug. 14 that they would be holding an emergency meeting to discuss a resolution...

When will it ever end? Authorities not providing enough information on red tide
■ BY MARCY SHORTUSE When Lisa Haney and her husband, Mike, got to the Palm Island ferry landing on Tuesday night, July 31, they weren’t dressed for ca...

What to do if you suspect red tide toxicity in a sea turtle you find
■ STAFF REPORT The best thing to do if you find hatchlings that appear to be in dire jeopardy from red tide is to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife C...

More hatchlings arrive, two juvenile strandings released
■ BY SUE ERWIN Sea turtle nests are continuing to hatch at a fast rate on the island, and more than 80 new nests have been recorded this week. As of J...

Red tide from a Mote scientist’s perspective
■ BY SUE ERWIN Coughing and sneezing due to red tide is annoying enough … but as dead fish piled up on island beaches this week, the stench in the air...

Sea turtle hatchlings due any day, but will they survive red tide?
■ BY SUE ERWIN So far this season, there are far fewer sea turtle nests on Gasparilla Island when compared to last year. The Boca Grande Sea Turtle As...

It’s turtle time! Three nests so far
■ BY SUE ERWIN As of Friday, May 4 there were three sea turtle nests documented on the island – all of them Caretta caretta (Loggerhead) nests. There ...

Gov. Scott directs FWC to ease regulations, waive fees for South Florida commercial fishing industry following Hurricane Irma
■ SUBMITTED BY THE OFFICE OF GOV. RICK SCOTT Governor Rick Scott directed the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to implement sev...

‘Tis spring, and the male manatee’s thoughts turn to … love
■ BY SUE ERWIN The temperature is getting balmier and the water is getting warmer, and the manatees know what they should be doing this time of year. ...