Scientific monitoring of bay scallops in St. Joseph Bay indicates that the bay scallop population has declined severely due to impacts of red tide. The chosen dates allow the FWC to balance stakeholder and community desires with the sustainability of the scallop populations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2020 bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) via Executive Order to open Aug. 16, 2020, and remain open through Sept. 24, 2020, closing Sept. 25. On Monday, FWC also announced that 2019’s scallop season for Citrus, Levy and Hernando counties will be the same as 2018. We all know that last year wasn’t that great anywhere in the state, but this year is likely to be different! As a result, the bay scallop population is too low to sustain and recover from an open season for scalloping this summer. “It’s not a necessity. The FWC followed with postponement of scallop season July 24. Other 2019 bay scallop seasons were set … The Commission also approved a trial bay scallop season in state waters off Pasco County in 2018. Scientific monitoring of bay scallops in St. Joseph Bay indicates that the bay scallop population has declined severely due to impacts of red tide. Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones: St. Joseph Bay and Gulf County : Aug. 16-Sept. 24 . As low as $3 for 3 months . Excitement, Uncertainty Surround Start of Scallop Season in Citrus County By Katya Guillaume Citrus County PUBLISHED 5:15 PM ET Jul. SUBSCRIBE NOW. Tim Croft @PSJ_Star Thursday Dec 26, 2019 at 12:01 AM. “The chosen dates allow the FWC to balance stakeholder and community desires with sustainability of the scallop populations,” read a FWC press release. 2019 bay scallop season is ending in Northern portions of Florida’s Gulf Coast, says the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).. Bay Scallop Season in Natural North Florida Bay scallops are legal game in the Gulf from June 25 until September 25, 2016 and our ports between Horseshoe Beach and St. Marks are busy with scallopers. Instead, the season will open late and close early (August 22 – September 5, 2016) and the bag limit will be reduced to 40 scallops per person or 200 per vessel (whichever is less). With less than 24 hours until the … At its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) to open Aug. 16 through Sept. 24 each year beginning in 2021. Choose the plan that’s right for you. June 25, 2019. The 2016 season was nearly cancelled before being shortened to 10 days after a significant red tide event during breeding season the prior winter. FWC Bay Scallop Abundance Report. 12/19/19. “Based on feedback from the community and supporting requests from local government, the (proposed rule making the mid-August to late-September season long-term) … is expected to provide both a sustainable scallop population and economic benefits to the region,” staff wrote. With a combination of predator exclusion cages and larval releases, among other restoration methods, we have the goal of restoring this iconic shellfish population. And that feedback, all but universally, was that in St. Joseph Bay the pickings are right until later in the summer and an August start, with an end in September just before the spawning season, perfect. While addressing a perilous few years for the scallop population in St. Joseph Bay, the agency, at least in this narrow instance, has largely hewed to local public feedback in making decisions on seasons. Late last year after working closely with the local community, the FWC set August 16 through September 24 for the 2020 Scalloping Season. The 2020 season is also Aug. 16 through Sept. 24, and was set late last year Also, check out the upcoming Scallop Seminar (event page here) in Steinhatchee on June 14th at 6 PM. At the February FWC meeting, commissioners set the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County to start August 16th through September 24th each year beginning in 2021. FWC staff will continue monitoring the status of bay scallops in St. Joseph Bay and elsewhere to protect the scallop population.. Spice Up Your Next Meal With Sometimes It’s Hotter, Your email address will not be published. The staff recommendations sprung in significant measure from a series of workshops held around the state last October to solicit local input on scallop season… The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2020 bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) via Executive Order to open Aug. 16, 2020, and remain open through Sept. 24, 2020, closing Sept. 25. Tommy Thompson on Jun.23, 2012, under FLORIDA'S BIG BEND AND EMERALD COAST Each spring, biologists assess bay scallop populations, surveying 10 to 20 stations at each of 10 locations along the gulf coast of Florida. Check back here for updates or see the FWC’s Scallop Abundance Report page for the most current information available. Gulf County’s season will run August 16 to September 14, and Franklin County scallop seekers will see a season from July 1 to September 24. Statewide, the season begins July 1 and continues through Sept. 24, though the FWC board also approved tweaks to the season in two other areas. The region stretches from westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in … Scallop Season Dates for Levy, Citrus, and Hernando counties Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River, and Homosassa): July 1 through Sept. 24. The 2020 season was set for July 1 through Sept. 24 with a notation that the “2020 season for Gulf County will likely be modified … in early 2020 after the FWC has the opportunity to evaluate ongoing scallop restoration efforts and recovery of St. Joseph Bay scallop populations.” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is gathering input on the bay scallop season structure for 2020 and beyond via an online survey. Sporadic spat, or juvenile scallop, was found in the Bay. 01, 2020 PUBLISHED 5:15 PM EDT Jul. The chosen dates allow the FWC to balance stakeholder and community desires with the sustainability of the scallop populations. All rights reserved. Each summer, biologists assess bay scallop populations along the Gulf Coast of … The county and city of Port St. Joe weighed in with resolutions urging the adoption of such dates. The 2019 season was an anomaly, however, as it turned out to be the worst harvest year in recent history in the ordinarily productive waters off Hernando and Citrus. The season … Nothing happens on Sept. 25,” she said. The release continued by stating that FWC staff will continue to monitor the status of the scallops in St. Joseph Bay and elsewhere. SUBSCRIBE NOW. According to a press release, the season postponement will continue until scallop samples test … The 2020 season is also Aug. 16 through Sept. 24, and was set late last year after working closely with the local community. That’s a shorter season than the one for lobsters, but, while it lasts, it’s just about as much fun as you and your family can have. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is gathering input on the bay scallop season structure for 2020 and beyond via an online survey. Source: FWC. Check it out! July 1 to Sept. 24 was the 2018 scallop season for Citrus, Levy and Hernando counties. The scallop season is opening earlier than usual and closing later than normal to help coastal communities as they continue to recover from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 01, 2020 PUBLISHED 5:15 PM EDT Jul. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2020 bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) to open Aug. 16, 2020, and remain open through Sept. 24, 2020, closing Sept. 25.This season was set after working closely with the local community and allows the FWC to balance stakeholder and community desires for a high-quality scalloping season … Further, as this roller coaster traveled, the FWC held a series of town hall public meetings, updating the public on the restoration efforts and soliciting feedback on season dates. This is for 2017 only. It was the latest setback for the Bay scallop population and the harvest season. Establishing long-term season dates also provides predictability year-to-year. A Better Scallop Season! MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife approves 2021 and beyond Gulf County bay scallop season. The Star. The 2020 season is also Aug. 16 through Sept 24, and was set late last year after working closely with the local community. At its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) determined that the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) will open August 16 and run through September 24 of each year, beginning in 2021. When Visiting the Forgotten Coast, Don’t Forget to Look Up, Some Believe the Bible’s Garden of Eden was Located on the Apalachicola River, A Visit to the Forgotten Coast is a Great Way to Increase Vitamin D Levels, Blue Parrot on SGI to Close for Two Weeks for Winter Maintenance, Don’t Miss the Stargazing When Visiting the Forgotten Coast, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R00boH7WEuc. The FWC is working toward a long-term season … Excitement, Uncertainty Surround Start of Scallop Season in Citrus County By Katya Guillaume Citrus County PUBLISHED 5:15 PM ET Jul. Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. 4 comments for … In what locals would equate with the term no-brainer, the board of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved for the long-term a later start to scallop harvest season in St. Joseph Bay. Since 2016, the bay scallop season in St. Joseph Bay has been managed by a shortened season that opens later in the year. The new season is later than a typical scallop season — elsewhere in the state, the fishery closes Sept. 10 or Sept. 25 — but Nalley said the timing won’t be a problem. FWC: Scallop season at least 2 weeks away . The 2020 recreational bay scallop season for Pasco County opens July 17 and will remain open through July 26. We hope you enjoy the 2020 season! 2/21/19 FWC sets Gulf County 2019 bay scallop season; moves forward with draft scallop seasons for 2020 and beyond in all open areas At its February meeting in Gainesville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2019-only bay scallop season for Gulf County to be Aug. 16 through Sept. 15. This region includes all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County. This year, biologists were not able to collect pre-season data due to the coronavirus outbreak. To help ensure the bay scallop population can recover as … By Tim Croft. In 2016, scallop season in St. Joseph Bay was just two weeks long. The FWC worked with Gulf County to determine a new season that would be beneficial to the scallop population, as well as the economic health of the county. Bay Scallop Survey Information. At its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) to open Aug. 16 through Sept. 24 each year beginning in 2021. Bay Scallop Season In Pasco County Runs July 17-26 - New Port Richey, FL - Residents are encouraged to mark their calendars for the 10-day bay scallop season in Pasco County July 17-26. Bay Scallop Survey Information July 1 to Sept. 24 was the 2018 scallop season for Citrus, Levy and Hernando counties. Our 2020 Crystal River season runs July 1st-September 24th At its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) to open Aug. 16 through Sept. 24 each year beginning in 2021. Here is a map showing the staggered dates for … FWC’s population data won’t be available to June but from our recent scouting trips their numbers look to be in good shape!. In effect, the FWC adopted the proposed dates for the 2020 season, with an Aug. 16 start and a Sept. 24 end for 2021 and beyond. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Recreational bay scallop season for Franklin through the northwestern portion of Taylor, as well as Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties opens July 1 and will remain open … SPECIESJANFEBMAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG OCT SEPDEC NOV Gulf County Opens Aug. 16 Closes Sept. 24 Franklin-NW Taylor County & Levy, Citrus & Hernando counties Opens July 1 Closes Sept. 25 Fenholloway through In what locals would equate with the term no-brainer, the board of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved for the long-term a later start to scallop harvest season in St. Joseph Bay.In effect, the FWC adopted the proposed dates for the 2020 season, with an Aug. 16 start and a Sept. 24 end for 2021 and beyond.Those dates are all but identical to those adopted for 2019, the year after Hurricane Michael, which unfolded as a historic season … St. Joseph Bay Restoration and Conservation Measures. Help biologists learn more about how many bay scallops live along Florida’s Gulf coast by submitting your bay scallop harvest data through our new Web survey. In Franklin County, the hunt doesn’t start until July 1 and lasts through Sept. 24. MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife approves 2021 and beyond Gulf County bay scallop season. The 2020 season is also Aug. 16 through Sept. 24, and was set late last year after working closely with the local community. News Sports Entertainment Lifestyle Opinion USA TODAY Obituaries Legals. At its February meeting in Tallahassee, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) determined that the long-term bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) will open August 16 and run through September 24 of each year, beginning in 2021. It’s currently May of 2020 and people are already planning and booking their summer scallop trips. Throughout that period the FWC undertook extensive restoration efforts, using cages, so-called scallop sitters and some assistance from a hatchery to bolster the population. The bag limit is 2 gallons of whole scallops per person per day; or 1 pint of scallop meat per person per day. Bay scallop season opens Aug. 16 in St. Joseph Bay/Gulf County Recreational bay scallop season for Gulf County (including all of St. Joseph Bay) opens Aug.16 and will remain open through Sept. 24.T his region includes all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in … FWC sets 2020 Gulf County bay scallop season The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2020 bay scallop season in Gulf County (including St. Joseph Bay) via Executive Order to open Aug. 16, 2020, and remain open through Sept. 24, 2020, closing Sept. 25. FWRI research on scallop populations in this area shows scallop numbers are very low, likely because of a red tide event last year. Required fields are marked *. “Establishing long-term season dates provides predictability year-to-year.”. The agency has also set the 2019 regional season dates for bay scallop harvest for most of the areas that will be open to harvest. 2012 Scallop Count, from FWC by Capt. The 2020 season is also Aug. 16 through Sept 24, and was set late last year The proposed changes, and move to seasons more attuned to local wishes, were first discussed by the FWC board in December. As low as $3 for 3 months. FWC staff noted all that in their presentation to the board last week. Local tourist officials have become pessimistic about a season actually taking place in 2017, which for some in the community would not be a bad thing as it would allow more time for a restoration project to take hold and the population to rebound from a collapse recorded last year. The exact numbers are a … The agency has also set the 2019 regional season dates for bay scallop harvest for most of the areas that will be open to harvest. Recreational bay scallop season will open Saturday morning, and it looks like this could be a banner year. Grocery Store Coming to Mexico Beach Soon, Lighthouse Full Moon Climbs on March 9th & 10th, FWC Sets Scalloping Season for Forgotten Coast, SGI Express Lane Opens Again for First Time Since Hurricane Michael. According to a release from the FWC, research has found the bay scallop population in St. Joseph Bay has been severely reduced due to the impacts of red tide last fall and winter. Of course, Hurricane Michael arrived in October of that year and in early 2019 researchers could find not evidence of an adult scallop population. Under the proposal, which the FWC board will take up for a public hearing and formal action in February, the 2018 scallop season in St. Joseph Bay would open Aug. 17 and … Harvesting is done about 2-3 miles from shore in the gulf, and can be found almost anywhere eelgrass is located. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, by executive order, voted last week to set the dates for the 2020 scallop season in St. Joseph Bay and Gulf County waters at just about the same dates as 2019. FWC approves 2021 and beyond Gulf County bay scallop season. The decision to establish the later start to the season long-term (some Florida harvest areas start as soon as June) followed a carousel ride for the scallops in St. Joseph Bay, and those that love them, since 2016. Scalloping season begins at the beginning of July until early September every year. FWC sets 2020 Gulf County bay scallop season. Scallop season arrives Sunday in St. Joseph Bay. Dr. Steve Geiger of FWC gives a peek into the pre-season scallop population survey results for the Dixie/Taylor County areas. Say one thing for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Those dates are all but identical to those adopted for 2019, the year after Hurricane Michael, which unfolded as a historic season for the Bay. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the bay scallop season off Gulf County remains postponed due to a naturally occurring algae bloom in St. Joseph Bay. Subscribe. Planning on going scalloping this bay scallop season? Not only for productive harvests but also the economics of tourism, as the height of the summer season will be waning by mid-August. The 2020 recreational bay scallop season for Pasco County opens July 17 and will remain open through July 26. By Tim Croft | The Port St. Joe Star Monday Aug 14, 2017 at 7:20 AM Aug 14, 2017 at 7:24 AM. 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