• Visitors to South Florida's national parks and wildlife refuges have 60 days to comment on a federal proposal on carrying firearms on federally-owned public lands. The proposal would allow an individual to carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges only if the person already has a concealed weapons permit in the state where the park is located. For more information, visit www.doi.gov.
• Everglades National Park has produced a free, 12-minute educational DVD for Florida Bay boaters. The video provides boating rules and advice from fishing guides and park rangers who are experienced in navigating the tricky, mangrove-lined shallows. Park superintendent Dan Kimball said the information is important because of the 80 to 90 boat groundings park rangers must handle each year in Florida Bay. Tackle shops and boat dealers are encouraged to provide free copies to their customers, and individual boaters also can get free DVDs. Call 305-852-0324, ext. 0338 or 0316, or visit www.nps.gov/ever/plan yourvisit/boating.htm and click on Florida Bay.
• The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is seeking applicants to serve on several advisory panels that help guide development of fishery management plans. Panel members are appointed by the council and serve for a three-year period. Members are compensated for travel and meeting expenses. There are one recreational, one commercial, one conservation and two at-large scientist seats for Florida on the habitat advisory panel; and two Florida commercial and one at-large nongovernmental agency seat on the information and education advisory panel. Apply online at www.safmc.net or write: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, Charleston, S.C., 29405. Applications must be received by May 21.
• In a story in Thursday's Miami Herald outdoors section, writer Susan Cocking wrote about her submission of a pending women's world-record cero mackerel in the two-pound-tippet class for fly rod to the IGFA. The IGFA tested the tippet and informed Cocking on Thursday that it exceeded the maximum breaking-strength allowance of 2.20 pounds, therefore invalidating the record.
• The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is informing boaters about a potential future problem with their EPIRBs, or emergency position indicating radio beacons. Older-model EPIRBs that transmit a distress alert on 121.5 MHz or 243 MHz will no longer be monitored by satellite as of Feb. 1, 2009. That means a distress call from a sinking or burning boat could go completely undetected. Only alerts from 406MHz beacons will continue to be monitored by search and rescue satellites worldwide after the deadline. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary recommends that the new EPIRBs be part of a boater's spring shopping list. The new beacons must be registered at www.bea conregistration.noaa.gov or by mail or fax to NOAA by calling 1-888-212-SAVE.
• The 2008 Pompano Beach Saltwater Series kicks off May 10 with the Saltwater Shootout, followed by the Saltwater Slam on June 14 and the Showdown on Aug. 9. For more information, call 954-725-4010 or visit www.bluewatermove ments.com.
-- SUSAN COCKING
