"Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission" Tag Archives

Published on: May 20, 2025

Second Boat Crash Over the Weekend in Florida Keys Shows Need for Boating Safety Reform. What to Know.

At least two people were hospitalized after their boat hit a coral reef near the Lower Florida Keys and flipped over Saturday, according to local media.

The incident happened around 3:50 p.m. near Big Torch Key. Both the operator and passenger were ejected from the vessel, which Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials told reporters was allegedly going at a high rate of speed. They were taken to a local hospital and no update on their conditions was available as of Tuesday morning.

The crash is being investigated by the FWC.

Published on: May 20, 2025

Seven Passengers Ejected Following Seven Mile Bridge Crash Over the Weekend in the Florida Keys.

By Leesfield & Partners

Several boat passengers required air transport to a hospital after the boat they were on crashed into the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Saturday, according to local media.

The incident happened Saturday and involved a 17-foot Mako, a brand of inshore fishing boat, allegedly being operated by a minor when it crashed. At least seven people were ejected from the vessel, including the young girl who was driving, according to local media. Several passengers were airlifted to a hospital in Miami.

There was no update on the condition of the injured as of Monday.

Published on: September 23, 2024

Florida Divers Break Record in Annual Competition. What to Know About Safe Diving

By Leesfield & Partners

Divers broke records this year in an annual competition to remove invasive lionfish from Florida waters, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission press release.

The 2024 Lionfish Season concluded with a record-breaking 31,773 species being pulled from the water. Just under 300 divers went on over 700 trips throughout the state to retrieve the animals that are dangerous to native fish and coral reefs.

One lionfish can reduce a native reef fish population by over 70%. They also present a risk to humans with their venomous spines which can cause painful stings. In 2022, over 25,000 lionfish were removed from Florida waters in FWC’s annual, summer-long challenge, which began in 2016.

Published on: May 9, 2013

Settlement reached in Florida Keys seven mile bridge fatal car accident

By Leesfield & Partners

February 18, 2010- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) employee Elizabeth Overstreet was driving a FWCC truck northbound on U.S. Highway 1 near Marathon, Florida, while towing a trailer and an enormous 31-foot fishing boat. Overstreet was driving at the posted speed limit of 55 mph when she realized that the trailer and boat she was towing began to fishtail from side to side. Overstreet suddenly lost all control of the trailer and boat, which caused the FWCC truck to jackknife directly into oncoming traffic in the middle of the open freeway.

At that time, Ruth was driving her van in the southbound lane with a friend to visit friends and family in Big Pine Key. Suddenly, and without warning, Ruth noticed the FWCC truck barreling directly into her only path on the freeway, and she immediately made a defense maneuver in a desperate attempt to avoid a collision. Unfortunately, there was no escaping the FWCC truck, which ultimately plowed directly into Ruth Ann’s van. The tragic result was a massive head-on collision and explosion with two fatalities and catastrophic injuries to the survivors.

Ruth miraculously survived the collision and ensuing explosion, but her nightmare had just begun. At 5:26 pm, she was loaded onto a stretcher for emergency airlift to Jackson Memorial Trauma unit with nine broken bones and bleeding profusely from numerous lacerations on her face. During this helicopter flight to the trauma unit, Ruth was forced to ponder the gruesome images of her beloved friend’s mangled body which remained lifeless in Ruth’s van.