Author T. Edward Nickels delivered a tribute to the late Flip Pallot at Bonefish & Tarpon Trust's 14th Annual NYC Dinner & Awards Ceremony. Pallot, an Honorary Trustee and Curt Gowdy Memorial Media Award recipient, passed away in August and left a legacy of conservation advocacy and influence on generations of guides and conservationists.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Inland Fisheries staff planted coontail, a native submersed aquatic plant, throughout the Saline-Larto Complex to restore beneficial habitat for fish and aquatic wildlife. The effort, ongoing since 2022, includes protective enclosures and monitoring to support long-term ecosystem recovery.
CCA Florida, the Collier Community Foundation, and Collier County completed Phase 1 of the CCA Taylor-Martin Reef, deploying 50 prefabricated reef modules 12-13 miles offshore from Gordon's Pass. The $110,100 project includes 32 Goliath Reef Balls and 18 Supra Reef Balls manufactured by Reef Innovations to expand artificial reef habitat and support marine life in Southwest Florida.
Researchers from NOAA Fisheries' Office of Habitat Conservation and Cal Poly Humboldt monitored coho salmon before, during, and after Prairie Creek habitat restoration in Northern California. Early findings show juvenile coho using restored habitat grew faster and experienced higher ocean survival rates, with 2.6 percent marine survival compared to previous estimates of one percent.
Fifty artificial reef structures have been deployed 12 miles off Collier County's coast by the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida, supported by grants from the Collier Community Foundation and Collier County. The reefs will create habitats for fish and sea life while improving water quality through filtering organisms.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and Trout Unlimited, will conduct a rotenone treatment on Mill Creek in September to remove illegally-introduced brook trout and restore native Bonneville cutthroat trout populations.
Krissy Sardina with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and AmeriCorps members Chuck Taylor and Bradley Gooch from the Bureau of Indian Affairs WaterCorps monitor the Red River for invasive carp. The team tracks approximately 88 adult carp while conducting early detection sampling for larvae, with no larval invasive carp documented in the system yet.
EGLE and its Office of the Great Lakes invite Michiganders to celebrate World Lake Day on August 27, the UN's second annual recognition dedicated to preserving and sustainably managing the world's lakes. The celebration includes a webinar co-hosted by AquaVox and Water Solutionaries featuring Emily Finnell, head of the OGL, along with outdoor activities, educational resources, and community engagement opportunities.
The Lake George Conservation Area in Volusia and Putnam counties offers an 11-mile self-guided scenic drive managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District. The route features 10 interpretive stops showcasing hardwood swamp and pine flatwoods habitats, wildlife viewing opportunities, and sustainable land management practices across the nearly 12,000-acre area.
The 39th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup will take place September 19, 2026, across Baldwin, Mobile, and Escambia counties. Coordinated by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Alabama People Against a Littered State, the event invites volunteers to remove marine debris from coastal areas as part of the International Coastal Cleanup effort.
CCA Florida, the Collier Community Foundation, and Collier County will deploy 50 reef modules in August within the Tod Sirod Artificial Reef Zone to expand marine habitat and support recreational angling in Southwest Florida. The $110,100 project includes 32 Goliath Reef Balls and 18 Supra Reef Balls manufactured by Reef Innovations.
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies commends the Department of the Interior's final rule expanding hunting and sport-fishing opportunities across national wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries. The expansion adds 1,488 new opportunities at 111 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service field stations across 32 states, representing the largest expansion in the Service's history.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest will continue removing non-native brook trout from the upper Shields River watershed to protect native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Using rotenone, crews will treat Dugout Creek and other tributaries August 10-18, with the upper Shields River drainage closed to public access during treatment.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources received $7.1 million in NRDA funds for oyster restoration, partnering with the University of South Alabama, Auburn University, Alabama Wildlife Federation, and local oyster catchers to rebuild oyster populations through reef connectivity and cultch planting projects.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and partners announced 2026 Florida Python Challenge™ results, with 907 participants from 30 states, Canada, and Vietnam removing 280 invasive Burmese pythons. Ultimate Grand Prize winner Tom Rahill removed 96 pythons, while Rahm Levinson caught the longest python at 16 feet, 5 inches from Everglades National Park.
Idaho Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks issued a conservation closure for sturgeon fishing on the Snake River arm of CJ Strike Reservoir from August 2 to September 25, 2026, due to abnormally low dissolved oxygen and high water temperatures. The closure aims to protect the population after 16 dead sturgeon were verified in the area, with State Fisheries Manager Joe Kozfkay noting the population has declined 15% since 2022.
Independent research led by the Babine River Foundation reveals recreational steelhead angling in the Skeena watershed generates $33 million in annual economic output and 291 jobs across British Columbia. The study also documents ocean-based threats, including commercial fishery interceptions and potential impacts from pink salmon abundance on steelhead survival.
The St. Johns River Water Management District combines natural wetlands and engineered infrastructure to protect Florida communities from flooding. The District manages over 775,000 acres of preserved land, including floodplain wetlands that store water during heavy rain events, while operating 12 major water control structures and spillways across the Upper and Lower St. Johns River basins.
Trout Unlimited is hosting the first statewide sea-run brook trout gathering on October 17, 2026, at Freeport Community Center. Featured speakers include Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Native Fish Conservation Biologist Merry Gallagher, wild trout conservationist Francis H. Smith, and author Thomas R. Pero, who will discuss salter restoration efforts across Maine's coastal streams.
Return 'Em Right, launched in May 2022, is expanding its catch-and-release program from the Gulf into the South Atlantic, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The program educates anglers on best release practices for reef fish suffering from barotrauma and provides discounted gear kits. Over 50,000 anglers have completed the training and received tools to improve fish survival rates.