Alice Town, Bimini – February 6, 2011 As they say at Guy Harvey’s Big Game Club Outpost in Alice Town, “Eco is On”. Putting those words into action, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation has awarded …
Goliath Grouper, Grouper & Snapper Management Meeting Jan 7-9
27 Dec 20139:06 AM
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2013
CONTACT: Kim Iverson
877/SAFMC-10 or 843.571.4366
Joint Meeting on South Florida Management Issues and the Goliath Grouper Joint Council Steering Committee Scheduled
A joint committee of the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils will meet January 7 – 9, 2014 in Key Largo, FL to discuss South Florida Management Issues. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Key Largo Resort and will begin on Tuesday, January 7th at 8:30 a.m., and conclude on Thursday, January 9th by 12 p.m.
Agenda items for the meeting of the Joint Council Committee on South Florida Management Issues include:
- Presentation on the South Florida Issues workshops held in July/August 2013;
- Overview of status and trends for South Florida species; and
- Discussion of species specific management concerns and next steps for yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, hogfish, mangrove snapper, shallow-water groupers, Nassau grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind.
Additionally, the Ad Hoc Goliath Grouper Joint Council Committee and the Joint Council Committee On South Florida Management Issues will meet to review the last stock assessment for goliath grouper and to hear a presentation on the recent Goliath Grouper Stakeholder Workshops and survey. Other items on the agenda include the review of recommendations from the Ad Hoc Goliath Grouper Joint Science workshop and a review of ongoing goliath grouper research.
Meeting information including the full agenda can be found at: http://safmc.net/meetings/other-meetings.
Photo Courtesy of Capt. Randy Towe
Pro team Member
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![](mailto:?subject=Goliath Grouper, Grouper & Snapper Management Meeting Jan 7-9&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/goliath-at-hand.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image" id="i-1785" alt="Image" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/goliath-at-hand.jpg?w=650" /></a>
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2013
CONTACT: Kim Iverson
877/SAFMC-10 or <a href="tel:843.571.4366" target="_blank">843.571.4366</a>
<a href="mailto:kim.iverson@safmc.net" target="_blank">kim.iverson@safmc.net</a>
Joint Meeting on South Florida Management Issues and the Goliath Grouper Joint Council Steering Committee Scheduled
A joint committee of the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils will meet January 7 - 9, 2014 in Key Largo, FL to discuss South Florida Management Issues. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Key Largo Resort and will begin on Tuesday, January 7th at 8:30 a.m., and conclude on Thursday, January 9th by 12 p.m.
Agenda items for the meeting of the Joint Council Committee on South Florida Management Issues include:
Presentation on the South Florida Issues workshops held in July/August 2013;
Overview of status and trends for South Florida species; and
Discussion of species specific management concerns and next steps for yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, hogfish, mangrove snapper, shallow-water groupers, Nassau grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind.
Additionally, the Ad Hoc Goliath Grouper Joint Council Committee and the Joint Council Committee On South Florida Management Issues will meet to review the last stock assessment for goliath grouper and to hear a presentation on the recent Goliath Grouper Stakeholder Workshops and survey. Other items on the agenda include the review of recommendations from the Ad Hoc Goliath Grouper Joint Science workshop and a review of ongoing goliath grouper research.
Meeting information including the full agenda can be found at: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-y8UF1K6NmIaewaMaxtnA7z8Bu7NDuGU1xXsnFysAfc_OHCZxtyeqRNHW0IeTHQQlMjkBKNOsreHOexhHvrxonJQApwKrab2mA5vnZxHL9Ya1djm93AQZFxZ3zu15vhGHKam55nuePvIh3KwNpVZIb52XrYLtguuUawqNusL8y1tJTPeDG-wLTMr7RyCJxTaSSX2W4Z4zTNAa6_sJ_9UFCGxnHa4xMCB9_DKBQUsB2tLZU9JH8lRI3b_SqnNotp_k2pVK7q--0L_z8aOkN8QOsTya88ZyKqwyh04u55GzqkelLalG-YXCv11k24t5QlGG-fIxwzVCjq-b3JhOETEUAxZDzicyLwRBjC4TZx7nP6ony6jfzl04Qulgt0x-bVzP_E2ILK6bBU=&c=rvA1hCGDuSeTSKycMBZPEzj8S2GbrL2PVTNdThCSvGcN_MhYTaXMXA==&ch=pz6LpIWwvqO0AECK4m6CTJGzPYROaUAatZiloCPNuO_JcftFyEIrNg==" target="_blank">http://safmc.net/meetings/other-meetings</a>.
Photo Courtesy of <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/adventures/fishing/offshore/captain-randy-towe.html">Capt. Randy Towe</a>
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/goliath-grouper-grouper-snapper-management-meeting-jan-7-9/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=WANTED DEAD or Alive, LIONFISH!&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/reef-derbies-2014.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2053" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/reef-derbies-2014.jpg?w=300" alt="Reef Derbies 2014" width="300" height="300" /></a>
If you are in the eastern Bahamas and can not make it to the Bimini Beach Bash, Bonfire & Tournament please head over to the Green Turtle Club for the 6th Annual Lionfish Derby, June 27-28th. The Green Turtle Club is original host to REEF's first Lionfish Derby. We always need more divers and diners to make those pesky Lionfish disappear. To make your reservations call: 800-513-5257 or reservations@guyharveyoutpost.com, http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/ https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wanted-dead-or-alive-lionfish/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Guy’s Lionfish Safari, Guy Harvey Outpost St. Pete Beach&body= Sept 6 Lionfish Spearfishing Tournament, Sept 7 Tournament Weigh-In & Family Fun Day
<a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost</a>, along with Reef Monitoring, Inc. and the Fishing Rights Alliance, is hosting a Lionfish Safari in an effort to collect as many of the invasive fish as possible for research and educate the public on the threat the species poses to reef environments. The event is open to the public.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/lionfish-safari-flyer.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-2210 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/lionfish-safari-flyer.jpg?w=550" alt="Lionfish Safari Flyer" width="550" height="711" /></a>
September 6 - Lionfish Safari: All registered divers will depart from their place of choice to complete the mission of hunting and capturing as many lionfish as possible. All captured lionfish must be kept on ice and surrendered at the Guy Harvey Outpost the following day. Each registrant will receive a guide to surrounding reefs that contain lionfish, a tournament t-shirt, meal ticket and access to the weigh-in and Family Fun Day on Sept. 7. There will be cash prizes including largest and smallest lionfish and Guy Harvey raffle items and giveaways.
To register for the Lionfish safari, visit <a href="http://www.guyslionfishsafari.com/">www.GuysLionfishSafari.com</a>. Deadline to register is Sat., August 30. Cost is $20 per person. All lionfish will be used for research and food tastings, and proceeds go to Reef Monitoring, a non-profit dedicated to organizing marine scientists and educators as a means of watching over natural and artificial reef systems. <a href="http://www.reefmonitoring.org/">www.reefmonitoring.org</a>.
September 7 - Participants and their families will be encouraged to enjoy a day of family fun at Guy Harvey Outpost after the weigh-in between 11a.m. - 12:30 p.m. All fish will be weighed and measured by Reef Monitoring and then passed to along to students and NOAA biologist Alex Fogg for dissection and food preparation. During this process, the group will explain the anatomy of these fish and why they are so harmful to other species in the Gulf waters. Then the lionfish fillets will be passed along to the chef station where they will be cooked and prepared for the tasting station.
Other family-centric activities will include kid-friendly lionfish education from Ocean Pals, live music, a beachside cookout, drink specials, and beach games. At 2:30 p.m. the tournament winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded.
Open to the public.
Location: Guy Harvey Outpost – a TradeWinds Beach Resort– Beach front: 6000 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach
Cost: Admission is complimentary.
Parking: Parking for participants will be complimentary; $20 for all others. Parking will be available at the Guy Harvey Outpost and at the neighboring Island Grand.
More Information & Special Room Rates:
For additional information and special tournament room rates, please visit www.GuysLionfishSafari.com or call (727) 259.7404.
MEDIA INFO: Kelly Grass Prieto, APR, Hayworth Public Relations • (813) 318-9611 • kelly@hayworthpr.com
More Information on Guy Harvey Outpost & their other great resorts: <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/</a>
For the Guy Harvey Outpost Blog <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com/">www.guyharveyoutpostnews.com</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost">https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/GHOutpost">https://twitter.com/GHOutpost</a>
For Guy Harvey Outpost on YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost">http://www.youtube.com/user/GuyHarveyOutpost</a>
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/guys-lionfish-safari-guy-harvey-outpost-st-pete-beach/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=South Florida’s 2016 Python Challenge: Snakes Alive, but Hopefully Not For Long&body=
<img class=" size-medium wp-image-3118 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/snake1.jpg?w=300" alt="snake" width="300" height="240" />By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
Catching a python in the wild is no easy feat: sort of like trying to solve a large, difficult jigsaw puzzle and then having the puzzle board itself fight back --hard.
That's what the more than 300 participants who've signed up for the 2016 Python Challenge Jan. 16 through Feb. 14 are about to find out for themselves.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Wildlife Foundation of Florida will repeat the South Florida event first held in 2013 when nearly 1,600 participants took out only 68 snakes. But the low harvest came as no surprise to the wildlife agency and other snake experts. That's because Burmese pythons-- despite reaching sizes of more than 18 feet and numbering in the thousands in the South Florida woods--don't just jump out at you like an alligator might.
"The detection rate is very low," said environmental scientist Joe Wasilewski of Homestead, who's been tracking pythons and other reptiles in South Florida since the 1980s. "They're going to walk past them more than not. They could be right next to you and they just blend right in."
Wasilewski has some tips and advice for new and inexperienced python hunters hoping for a shot at winning $5,000 for top team or $3,500 for top individual in the 2016 Challenge:
o Pay careful attention during mandatory online and optional in-person training sessions being conducted by the FWC.
Wasilewski says it's especially important to learn to distinguish exotics like Burmese, rock and reticulated pythons from indigenous snakes.
"Don't be jumping on everything you see," he said. "Be careful and make sure you are grabbing the right snake."
Even experts, he said, sometimes have difficulty discerning a large rat snake (a harmless native species) from a small Burmese python. So study lots of pictures before your hunt so you can make a positive ID.
o Plan your hunt for areas bordering Everglades National Park.
The national park will be off-limits to all but a handful of state- and federally-permitted hunters. So try to hunt in the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area located between Homestead and the Keys, or in the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area adjacent to Tamiami Trail, Wasilewski suggested. The Rotenberger and Holey Land Wildlife Management Areas straddling western Broward and Palm Beach counties also should be productive, he said.
o Best hunting will be walking canal levees on sunny mornings following cool nights.
That's where the cold-blooded reptiles are likely to be out in the open, warming themselves, Wasilewski said. But if you don't spot them, poke the bushes with your snake hook; look for "sheds" ( the snake's sloughed skin); and check around rock piles and human debris such as old carpet or aluminum siding.
o If you are wrestling with a python and it bites your hand, do NOT try to pull away.
The python's teeth curve inward, causing severe injury if you try to yank your hand out of its jaws, Wasilewki said. The solution: rubbing alcohol.
"Pour it into their mouth and they let go," he said, citing personal experience.
The scientist doesn't expect a huge bounty of snakes to be taken in the Challenge, but says it's still a worthwhile endeavor because it raises awareness of a major environmental problem.
"They're literally eating their way through the Everglades," Wasilewski said. "They eat rats, mice, rabbits, raccoons, bobcats, birds and even full-grown gators. Definitely not a good thing to have in the Everglades."
For more information on the 2016 Python Challenge, go to <a href="http://pythonchallenge.org/">pythonchallenge.org</a>.
************
Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
**********
Share your photos, videos and experiences with Guy Harvey Outpost by hash tagging #OutpostAttitude to all of your social media posts.
https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/south-floridas-2016-python-challenge-snakes-alive-but-hopefully-not-for-long/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Everglades Coalition: Send Clean Fresh Water South&body=The 32nd annual Everglades Coalition Conference that just wrapped up in Fort Myers was as much a spiritual revival as an ecological symposium.
Amid a grim background slide show of guacamole-like slime clogging the St. Lucie estuary on Florida's east coast, one speaker after another exhorted the more than 300 attendees to tell their elected officials to make sure clean freshwater is sent south across the peninsula to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.
The theme of the three-day conference said it all: "Three Estuaries: One Solution". Scientist after politician after environmentalist took to the podium to declare that the way forward for saving America's Everglades is to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to store and filter water before sending it on to the parched 'Glades.
"We're not wrong. We need to send clean water south," declared Maggy Hurchalla, a 20-year veteran of the Martin County Commission.
Storing water in the Everglades Agricultural Area, they said, would lessen the massive discharges of nutrient-laden fresh water from the Big O into the St. Lucie to the east and the Caloosahatchee to the west while allowing a now hyper-saline Florida Bay to receive the fresh water it needs to maintain its health.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/glades-scene.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4510" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/glades-scene.jpg" alt="glades-scene" width="640" height="425" /></a>
Last year, more than 235 billion gallons of fresh water were pumped from the lake into the St. Lucie estuary alone, spreading toxic algae that killed fish, marine mammals, oysters and sea grass, stranded boaters and swimmers on land, depressed property values and may cause future serious illnesses to those exposed to it such as liver cancer and Alzheimer's. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls lake levels, said it had no choice because it couldn't risk compromising the aging Herbert Hoover Dike that surrounds the Big O and there was nowhere else to put all that water. Meanwhile, Florida Bay, which supports a $1 billion per year recreational fishery for redfish, snook, tarpon, bonefish and other species, saw tens of thousands of acres of sea grass die from a lack of fresh water. Ecologists say they are expecting widespread algae blooms in the bay any time now.
As repairs to the Lake O dike continue and several Everglades water restoration projects come on line, Everglades advocates staunchly support Florida Senate President Joe Negron's proposal to purchase 60,000 acres of agricultural lands south of the big lake to clean water as it trickles toward Everglades National Park. But the sugar industry and the South Florida Water Management District-- which regulates water from Orlando to Miami--are strongly opposed. Sugar companies say the land buy will cost thousands of agricultural jobs. Water managers say the emphasis should be on reducing polluted water entering the Big O from the north and sticking to the Corps' original target date of 2021 for building the southern reservoir--even though the Corps has said it would be willing to speed up that project.
No one could question state water managers or sugar company representatives during the Everglades Coalition meeting because none showed up.
At stake in the multibillion-dollar restoration of the Everglades is the water supply for some eight million people and conservation of the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi. Look for this issue to appear front and center in the Florida Legislature, both houses of Congress, and the White House in 2017. https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/everglades-coalition-send-clean-fresh-water-south/){kind=link}
![](mailto:?subject=Congratulations to Hubbs- SeaWorld Research Institute for IGFA Conservation Award&body=<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hubbs-swri-logo-expanded1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1819 aligncenter" alt="Hubbs SWRI-logo expanded" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hubbs-swri-logo-expanded1.jpg?w=300" width="300" height="220" /></a>
Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in California to Be Awarded the International Game Fish Association's Annual Conservation Award for Organizations
Hubbs-SeaWorld officially celebrated 50 years of its mission "to return to the sea some measure of the benefits derived from it" on June 3, 2013. To this end it is fitting that just two months later, in August, HSWRI released its two millionth white seabass – a testament to the success of their vision and the support of the California recreational angling community.
Science and Conservation are important elements of the Outpost experience. Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI), is an independent non-profit 501(c3) organization. Bill Shedd, Co-Founder of <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost</a> and President of <a href="http://www.aftco.com/">Aftco</a> manufacturers fine fishing tackle, is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hubbs-SeaWorld. All of us at Guy Harvey Outpost are proud of Bill's leadership and commitment to Conservation.
For more information on <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/">Guy Harvey Outpost</a> or Join us on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GuyHarveyOutpost?fref=ts"> FaceBook</a>
For more information on <a href="http://www.aftco.com/">Aftco</a> or Join Aftco on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AftcoFishing?fref=ts"> FaceBook</a> https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/congratulations-to-hubbs-seaworld-research-institute-for-igfa-conservation-award/){kind=link}
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