Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary encourages the safe removal of invasive lionfish from its waters and issues lionfish removal permits to divers for the collection of lionfish from Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs). The permit allows lionfish to be removed from the SPAs, which are otherwise no-fishing, no-take...
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Diving, Environment, Exotic Invasives, Fishing, Reefs
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Lionfish, a brightly-colored, spiny fish that are not native to Florida, are taking over our reefs. How can we fight off this alien invasion? Floridians have come together to fight them off and save the reef. Lionfish, a brightly-colored, spiny fish that are not native...
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Diving, Environment, Exotic Invasives, Florida Keys
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What do you do with an invasive fish, covered from head to fin with venomous spines as sharp as hypodermic needles; a fish that can’t be caught with a rod or in a trawling net as it multiplies rapidly, deep in our oceans, flummoxing fishermen...
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Environment, Exotic Invasives
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Florida’s native fish and wildlife are facing a serious threat posed by a variety of invasive species found throughout the state. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is taking steps to combat the introduction and spread of these non-native animals. Today, the Commission...
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Exotic Invasives
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites Florida residents and visitors to take an active role in conservation by reporting fish and wildlife observations with the new FWC Reporter app. From fish kills to exotic species, to trapped or injured wildlife, FWC Reporter...
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Exotic Invasives, Keys Critters, Wildlife Mobsters
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Jackson Landers grew up in a vegetarian household. Now he hunts and butchers much of his own meat. In the past five years, he's focused on hunting and eating invasive species. In his book, Eating Aliens: One Man's Adventures Hunting Invasive Animal Species, the 35-year-old Landers chronicles...
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Exotic Invasives, Keys Critters
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Successful is too small of a word to describe the second annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Festival May 14-15. In Pensacola alone, 8,089 lionfish were removed in only two days at the Gulf Coast Lionfish Coalition Tournament. More than 7,000 people (more than double...
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Diving, Exotic Invasives, Fishing
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At its April 13 meeting in Jupiter, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a two-part lionfish removal plan to further encourage removals of the invasive species in 2016. Lionfish have a potential negative impact on native wildlife and habitat and the FWC...
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Exotic Invasives
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The fight to control the invasive lionfish is about to get real if Ft. Pierce divers Bob and Maria Hickerson have anything to say about it. Hickerson and his wife — who run a series of highly successful lionfish derbies along Florida’s East Coast —...
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Exotic Invasives
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Filleting Lionfish
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Exotic Invasives, Fishing, Keys Critters
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Python Challenge hunters planning to prowl the pinelands, mangroves and sloughs of Everglades National Park this winter should think again. Any pythons rounded up inside the national park's boundaries must be taken alive by a specially authorized "python removal agent," a National Park Service regional director...
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Everglades, Exotic Invasives
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A national environmental group has challenged the 2016 Python Challenge. From Jan. 16 through Feb. 14, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will hold its second competition to remove pythons from public lands in South Florida; this year, hunting grounds have been expanded to...
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Everglades, Exotic Invasives
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KeysCaribbean Luxury Resort Villas & Marinas salutes four Florida Keys events in September and offers three compelling reasons to enjoy an end-of-summer escape to the Keys. “September in the Florida Keys is a great time to experience events that can only be found here.” said...
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Exotic Invasives, Fishing, Florida Keys, Resorts, Tourism
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Has Cuba impacted our environment? Here are three species that have made the leap. CUBAN BROWN ANOLES This little lizard has an aggressive streak. Swiftly, quietly, the brown anole has overrun Florida. Sometimes called the Cuban anoles, they have become the most abundant vertebrate on Florida...
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Cuba, Exotic Invasives
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The Burmese python may soon have a challenger for the top spot on the state’s invasive species list. Tegu lizards, which are known for their large stature and predatory habits, have been multiplying in population in South Florida ever since the first one was spotted...
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Everglades, Exotic Invasives
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The device is called the Zoo-Keeper Lionfish Containment Unit, and word of mouth has turned it into a must-have Lionfish capture device for many recreational divers in the Caribbean and Florida. Sarasota entrepreneur Allie ElHage didn't know anything about the lionfish until late 2011. Four...
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Diving, Exotic Invasives, Fishing
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(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Curt Clawson, R-Bonita Springs, has introduced a bill that would ban importing all 11 lionfish species, including the nine that have not been found in U.S. waters. The bill would not interfere with the selling of fish fillets, which encourages to help eliminate...
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Exotic Invasives, Fishing, Food
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