​The Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance (PWDA) , a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, has awarded nearly $140,000.00 in grants during 2023-2024 to protect and preserve marine wildlife and coastal habitats across Florida. These grants advance critical scientific research, rescue operations, and educational initiatives supporting dolphins, sea turtles, shorebirds and will benefit all marine wildlife in Florida. All funding was generated from sales of the ‘Protect Marine Wildlife’ specialty license plate which was spearheaded by State Representative Jim Mooney (R-Florida Keys), sponsored by Rep Allison Tant (D-Tallahassee) and Senator Dennis Baxley (R-Lady Lake), approved by the Florida State Legislature and launched in 2023.

​Through strategic partnerships with leading research institutions, rescue organizations, and education providers, Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance, Inc continues its mission to safeguard marine ecosystems for future generations. Florida's marine wildlife is vital to the ecosystem because it helps maintain the balance of the ocean's complex food web. The diverse marine life in Florida's coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests provides food, habitat, and other benefits. 

Other larger organizations, such as Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute (HSRI), are anticipating changes in federal spending that could significantly impact their ability to conduct critical conservation research. According to an appeal sent out by HSRI on February 10th, 2025, over 90% of their research budget is reliant upon competitive grants, and a reduction is a threat to their ability to plan and execute essential research projects.

​Grant awards from the 'Protect Marine Wildlife' specialty license plate include support for ongoing dolphin population and behavioral ecology program in the Upper Florida Keys through enhanced technologies for dolphin population studies; capacity building for marine mammal research in Florida Bay through Florida Bay small Cetacean remote biopsy sampling; and, comparative acoustic monitoring between wild dolphins and managed care environments through bioacoustics research analysis. 

​Grant recipients include Florida Institute of Technology, University of Florida - UF Animal Rescue, Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, The Turtle Hospital, The Coastal Stewards, and Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder. Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance also supported Clearwater Marine Aquarium through a $25,000 hurricane relief and disaster recovery grant for emergency care support for threatened, endangered, and protected marine wildlife.

​These ongoing grants represent Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance commitment to supporting marine wildlife conservation through scientific research, rescue operations, educational outreach, and direct conservation efforts. Each project contributes to their mission of protecting marine wildlife and their habitats while promoting public awareness and scientific understanding.

For more information about the Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance grant program through the 'Protect Marine Wildlife' specialty license plate, or to learn about future funding opportunities, please contact the Program Manager at Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance, Inc. https://protectmarinewildlife.org

​Previous studies have found profound levels of plastics within dolphins' stomach contents, breath, and even their urine. Now researchers from the College of Charleston want to know just how severe the pollution crisis is by investigating rainfall and red tides.

​Growing concern among the scientific community over the impact of chemical contaminants derived from plastics upon marine life has prompted researchers in Florida to launch a bold new investigation into the concentration of plastic particles found within the local dolphin population following periods of excess rainfall and red tides.

​Since 2016, the College of Charleston and its partners at the Sarasota Dolphin Research Programme (SDRP) have been studying plastics pollution exposure in Sarasota Bay’s bottlenose dolphins.

​Among their most startling findings, these studies have previously uncovered profound levels of plastics within dolphin stomach contents and breath, while the chemicals used to make these plastics – known as phthalates – have been found in dolphin urine.

​With the aim of delving further and uncovering the extent of the issue, a new study is now looking into how climate-influenced events like major storms, rainfall, and red tides – periods of discolouration of the seawater caused by a bloom of toxic red algae (dinoflagellates) – impact phthalate exposure and the health of Sarasota Bay dolphins.

​Phthalates are the chemical compounds used to make plastics both flexible and durable and are used as both solvents and stabilisers in the plastic production process. Owing to their ubiquity and widespread occurrence in our everyday lives, they have, in recent years, earned themselves the nickname the ‘everywhere chemical’. 

​These chemicals are easily released as plastics deteriorate and are found in everything from PVC pipes, to food packaging and even cosmetics and perfumes. Exposure is so common that more than 95% of humans have detectable levels in their urine.

Original story by rob Hutchins. Click here for full story and images.

An arctic blast that brought a rare snowfall to northern Florida last week left green sea turtles suffering from a condition known as cold stunning. Seventeen sea turtles that were found stranded along Florida’s northeastern Atlantic Coast were brought to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, north of West Palm Beach, where they are recovering.

​“When it’s cold on land, it’s also cold in the ocean. And that led to a number of turtles being beached or very debilitated and just floating in the water,” said Dr Heather Barron, the chief science officer and veterinarian at the center.

The staff named the rescued turtles after beverages, and they painted their new names on the back of their shells. Vets are treating them with antibiotics, fluids and intravenous nutrition. While it snowed as far south as northern Florida, which is extremely rare, the frigid temperatures reached South Florida. That meant cold-stunned turtles were also found along Palm Beach County’s coastline. “It is quite unusual for this to happen in Florida. Sea turtles do migrate, and typically they’re migrating down to Florida for this time of year because of warmer water,” Dr Barron said.

​By Wednesday morning, Espresso, Pickle Juice and Ginger Beer were basking in the sunshine in the center’s “party tank”. The turtles arrived in Juno Beach on Friday from the Marine Science Center in Volusia County, Florida. They all suffered from cold stunning, which causes sea turtles to lose mobility and become lethargic.

Most of the 17 turtles are expected to be released back into the ocean in a few weeks. Last year, turtles from Massachusetts were brought to Florida to rehabilitate while suffering from cold stunning.

Original story by Cody Jackson and Freida Frisaro, Associated Press. For full story with images, click here.

The impacts of climate change are being felt worldwide, from the devastating wildfires out west to the more powerful hurricanes we saw ravage the Gulf Coast over the summer, but here at home a local tech startup has launched a powerful new weapon to help us become more resilient. Off the waters of Biscayne Bay, along the shoreline of a posh Miami Beach residential island, a brand new sea wall is being installed.

It’s not being built using ordinary concrete slabs though. This is the future.

“I think it’s a radical change,” said Anya Freeman, founder and CEO of Kind Designs. “I think this method of manufacturing makes much more sense for seawalls.”

Kind Designs is a brand new tech start up making waves with their ground breaking innovation.

​“This is one of our walls,” said Kind Designs project leader and environmental scientist Maddie Rieger. “You can see the mangrove roots that start at the top all the way down.”

They’re called Living Sea Walls, made out pH neutral sustainable concrete, which is produced way faster than traditional slabs by using state of the art 3-D printing robots.

“We print in one hour what used to take a day in precast,” said Freeman.

And the best part is they not only strengthen resiliency and protect property, but they’re also designed to be kind to the environment.

“So you get a greater amount of biodiversity that can live on and around this wall because of the design of the walls,” said Rieger.

​The walls are textured, using biomimicry to create features that imitate what would naturally appear in the ecosystem, like the one in Miami Beach designed with mangrove roots, providing habitat for marine life.

​“If a marine organism can grip onto this, it protects them from wave action and predators, and then you get these deep caves, so you can almost fit your entire arm in here, so we’ve seen juvenile fish species hiding in there,” said Rieger.

This is the brain child of Freeman, a Ukrainian-born University of Miami Law School graduate turned innovator, after witnessing climate change impact her adopted home of Miami Beach.

“I’ve been here 15 years, and there’s a very big difference from the day I arrived (to) today in the frequency of flooding,” she said. “The amount of flooding, that’s why cities are passing code to keep requiring higher and higher sea walls protect the coast.”

Traditionally, sea walls are typically made of concrete. They’re built parallel to the shore to protect against coastal erosion.

​They’re very expensive to produce, and usually only last 30 to 40 years before they biodegrade, leeching toxins like chloride into the water that are very harmful to the marine environment.

That’s where Freeman saw opportunity, researching a new, more eco-friendly and economical way to bring to market the next generation of seawalls, a living one.

“By utilizing 3-D printing technology, we can make sea walls more affordable and incorporate a biomimicry design, so it’s not a flat wall that’s leaching chemicals destroying marine habitats. The Living sea wall becomes, in itself, a marine habitat.

Using $6 million of investor seed money, within the year Freeman had acquired warehouse space, three robots, and a team of 20 employees.

For full story from Local 10 News and video, click here.

​Bordering three iconic national parks, Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Restoration Blueprint, a major step towards finalizing this long-awaited plan for the Sanctuary.

​Bordering three iconic national parks, Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world, and the only one in the continental United States. This national treasure is under threat from marine heat waves, coral bleaching and disease, overfishing, and many other stressors.

​The long-awaited action plan to address these threats is the Restoration Blueprint – a plan more than a decade in the making that will improve protections for corals, seagrasses, and mangroves that safeguard Florida from hurricanes, while also protecting wildlife, water quality, and the economy of the Keys.

​“The Restoration Blueprint is the result of comprehensive community engagement, compromise, and input from all the agencies involved in managing the Sanctuary’s one-of-a-kind water, wildlife, and habitats,” said Marisa Carrozzo, National Parks Conservation Association Senior Coastal & Wildlife Program Manager and FKNMS Advisory Council member. “We are calling for all hands on deck to put this plan into action, and protect the Keys and our connected national parks for generations to come.”

​“As a Keys fishing guide and Councilmember for the Village of Islamorada, I’m excited about this milestone for the Restoration Blueprint,” said Captain Steve Friedman. “Developed with strong input from the fishing community, this plan will help preserve our world-class fishing resources.”

For full National Parks Conservation Association Press Release, click here

Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are leading to ocean acidification, which poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs. Coral reefs support marine biodiversity and contribute to global food networks, protect coastal areas, and are crucial for regulating the planet’s climate. Researchers have deployed advanced sensors like the SeapHOx to monitor ocean acidity and dissolved oxygen levels, providing vital data to help combat the effects of climate change. ​Addressing ocean acidification and coral reef loss requires international partnerships to share data and implement scalable solutions for marine conservation.

​As the world continues to fight the dangers of climate change, the increasing acidification of the ocean is leading to the loss of coral reefs around the world. However, while scientists believe they understand the cause of the loss of reefs, having more data can never hurt, which is why a group of researchers have recently developed new sensors that will continue our understanding of this effect

​While it is true that an increase in CO2 and temperature can be beneficial for certain forms of life, fostering faster growth in some plant species, for example, it proves catastrophic for others. Particularly affected are the oceanic ecosystems, which are crucial not only due to their biodiversity but also because of their role in supporting global food networks and regulating climatic conditions.

One of the most alarming impacts of these environmental changes is on the world's coral reefs. Coral reefs are often likened to underwater rainforests due to their complex biodiversity and the intricate relationships that exist within these ecosystems. They are not just mere clusters of colorful coral, but vibrant communities teeming with life, offering shelter, breeding grounds, and hunting territory to countless marine species. Furthermore, coral reefs are integral to the nutrient cycles of the ocean and are crucial in the protection of coastal areas against erosion.

​The loss of coral reefs would herald a catastrophic collapse of marine environments. The intricate food webs and habitat structures that these reefs support would unravel, leading to declines in fish populations and other marine life forms. This collapse would not only impact species that are directly dependent on coral reefs but would also have a domino effect on global marine populations, affecting fishing industries and food supplies worldwide.

Moreover, the decline of marine biodiversity could disrupt the balance of marine biogeochemical cycles and diminish the oceans' ability to regulate atmospheric carbon, thereby accelerating climate change further. In a broader ecological context, the loss of coral reefs would signify a loss of genetic diversity critical for medical research, pharmaceutical developments, and the overall resilience of marine ecosystems.

Original story by Robin Mitchell, ElectroPages. For full story, click here

The 2024 Florida state legislature voted passed a bill that would provide even more license plate options for state residents. According to the House Staff Analysis, currently, there are 113 specialty license plates available for sale and an additional 30 in presale. Specialty license plates are available to the owner or lessee of any motor vehicle who is willing to pay an annual use fee, in addition to the required license tax and fees. The collected fees are distributed by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to statutorily-designated organizations in support of a particular
cause or charity. 

​The bill — HB 403 — passed through the Senate unanimously and the House by an overwhelming majority, with 6 legislators voting against it: Beltran, Fine, Gregory (as always), Killebrew, Overdorf and Sirois.and was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 27, 2024. From the effective date of October 1, 2024, the organization has 60 days to submit the proposed art design for the specialty license plate to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). Within 120 days of the specialty license plate becoming law, DHSMV must establish a method to issue presale vouchers for the specialty license plate. The applicant for a specialty license plate pays a $5 processing fee, a $2.50 service charge, a $.50 branch fee, and the annual use fee. All other applicable fees are paid at the time of issuance of the specialty license plate.

After the presale vouchers are established, the organization has 24 months to obtain a minimum of
3,000 voucher sales before manufacturing of the plate can begin. If the minimum sales requirement
has not been met by the end of the 24-month presale period, the specialty license plate is deauthorized,

The number of specialty license plates issued cannot exceed 135. If the Legislature approves more
than 135 specialty license plates, DHSMV cannot issue any new specialty license plates until a sufficient number of plates are discontinued in order to not exceed the limit.

That bill directs the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to proceed with the design and required presale of the plates.

The full list of license plates and changes approved in the bill are as follows:

Collegiate (themed around state and independent universities in Florida)
Funds will go toward corresponding universities as determined by the purchaser.

“Live the Dream”
The CEO/Executive Director of the Dream Foundation, and former lobbyist, Michael Dobson has been arrested and charged with embezzlement of over $250,000.00 and the state legislature has voted to cancel any funding to those organizations previously listed, including Sickle Cell Disease Association and instead award up to 5% of the funds to the Atlanta-based King Center as royalty fees for the use of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s image. The remaining funds will be placed into an account within the Historical Resources Operating Trust Fund to support research for abandoned African-American cemeteries. According to the House Staff Analysis, On December 13, 2023, DHSMV issued a report which indicated that revenues associated with the 'Live The Dream' specialty license plate were being withheld as a result of unresolved audit findings. The report noted that the board of directors of the Dream Foundation, Inc., was non-operational, and, as of September 2023, the Dream Foundation, Inc., was listed as inactive with the Florida Division of Corporations. As of December 6, 2023, DHSMV was withholding $179,843, and there were 5,585 active 'Live The Dream' specialty license plates.
The House Staff Analysis stated that their would be a positive fiscal impact To the extent that if sales continue for the 'Live the Dream' License Plate, the Historical Resources Operating Trust Fund within the DOS will see an increase of revenues for the purpose of supporting the Historic Cemeteries Program. 
“American Eagle” 
The annual use fees from the sale of the plate must be distributed to the American Eagle Foundation for deposit in the foundation’s national endowment fund.

Divine Nine
The legislators changed the existing law to only Divine Nine members or their immediate family members are eligible for this license plate.

“Universal Orlando Resort”
Funds will be given to the Give Kids The World nonprofit, which seeks to provide “week-long, cost-free vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families.”

Once the specialty license plate goes into production, organizations authorized for a distribution from the proceeds of the sale of the respective license plate will benefit. Therefore, the following organizations may see an increase in revenues:
 Various in-state colleges and universities
 Eligible grant entities under the Historic Cemeteries Program
 The American Eagle Foundation
 Nine Member Organizations of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Divine Nine)
 United Negro College Fund, Inc.
 Association to Preserve African American Society, History, and Tradition, Inc.
 Give Kids The World, Inc.
 SFC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
 Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Inc.
 Aerospace Center for Excellence
 The Villages Charter School, Inc.
 The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, Inc.
 JDRF International Incorporated
 The UF Foundation, Inc.
 Recycle Florida Today Foundation, Inc.
 Captain Sandy Yawn, Inc.
 Project Addiction: Reversing the Stigma, Inc.
 United Service Organizations, Inc

​The Florida Legislature is studying proposals to memorialize the late singer Jimmy Buffett by naming a state highway and a specialty license plate for him. They’ve also held “Jimmy Buffett Day” at their Capitol in Tallahassee.

With apologies to former coach and football analyst Lee Corso, I say not so fast, my friend. It’s the Mississippi Legislature that should be honoring this Mississippi-born superstar of the cultural arts.

Perhaps Mississippi could honor him with memorial highway signage on U.S. 90 along the Gulf Coast, plus an informational marker set by the Department of Archives and History. Buffett died suddenly on Sept. 1. 

​He was born in Pascagoula on Christmas of 1946 and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1969 with a degree in history. He attended Auburn but soon left for Pearl River Community College and then USM. 

Buffett was a member of myriad garage and rock bands in high school and college. He earned daytime money as an apprentice electrician and welder. His “Coral Reefer Band” was founded in 1975.

​In 1969, he embarked on one of the most phenomenal music and business careers of its type in American history. At first he played for cash on New Orleans street corners, then moved to Nashville to play and write music and to work as a reporter for Billboard magazine.

At his death Buffett was worth a reported $1 billion built from the sales of more than 30 million records and revenues generated from the “Margaritaville” brand of restaurants, hotels, casinos and beach-flavored merchandise.

​Buffett’s father was a marine engineer, while his grandfather was a steamship captain. Their lives doubtlessly were the genesis for his song, “Son of a Son of a Sailor.”

Surely, both men’s experiences had a profound influence on Buffett's “island escapism” existence that was pursued by devoted “Parrotheads” living along the coastal waters of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

​“Margaritaville is just what Florida is all about. Jimmy Buffett is the icon of Florida,” the Associated Press quoted Florida State Sen. Gayle Harrell. “No one represents the open sun, beaches and music more than Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville.” 

​That’s a nice assessment of the visionary entertainer and his Florida connections. However, Buffett never forgot his roots and was always quick to claim Mississippi as his home state. He’s ours. Reportedly, a young Buffett decided at a Biloxi folk-songs concert in 1961 that he wanted to sing for a living.

The AP reported that under the plans being considered at the Florida capitol, State Road A1A, the scenic highway that winds about 340 miles along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, would become Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.

Sponsors of the Florida legislation added an amendment to create a specialty license plate with the word “Margaritaville” — a trademark Buffett song he recorded in 1977 that jump-started his prodigious career as a songwriter and singer.

But, he’s not Florida’s. He was full bore Mississippi, and we mustn’t allow another state to upstage us in reminding the world about him and his unique talent.

The Mississippi Legislature could propose, pass and place a bill memorializing Buffett on Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk quicker than he can rail, “Tax cut!”

​Mac Gordon, a retired newspaperman, is a native of McComb. He can be reached at [email protected].

​The State of Florida has revealed its list of hundreds of personalized license plates considered to be too obscene for the road in 2023, which are rejected by the 3 person panel that reviews them.

The latest list included Florida vanity plates with submissions that included "03MF", "1FART", “BANGER”, “4FKSAKE”, “HARD”, "ICUTU", "MILFX", "MZNASTY”, "TRNS KLR",  "SWASTIK", "SHOOTR", “P00PIE1″ and "ZERO FKS"
Not sure if the FLHSMV is obligated or not to notify law enforcement of the most abusive instances. 
​Specialty plates are available to Floridians and can also be personalized for a fee. Drivers have several options for environmental, collegiate, sports, special interest and military license plates. The state charges a $15 annual fee for personalizing your plate.

​Florida has more than 120 specialty license plates that let drivers show their support for veterans, native species and their favorite sports teams.But now the News Service of Florida is reporting the state's iconic "orange blossom" standard plate design could be on the chopping block.

Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, revealed during a Senate Transportation Committee hearing Wednesday, the change is likely to come in 2025, but discussions about a new design are already underway.And Hooper admits there's a chance someone will propose a new design once lawmakers return to Tallahassee on January 9th.

“Some of us think it might be time to look at redesigning the official non-specialty license plate for the state of Florida, as probably 49 other states have done in the last 50 years,” Hooper said.

Florida’s familiar design with the two oranges has been around since 2003, when it replaced the single orange some people apparently thought looked too much like a peach. The Department of Agriculture added “MyFlorida.com” across the top and the bottom of the plate varies from county to county, where it sometimes reads “Sunshine State,” “In God We Trust” or the county name.