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Even though it doesn’t feel like it, summer is already starting to wind down, and the kids will be going back to school soon. Our summer intern Shanique Collins’ last day with MIAPBC is August 7. We wish her all the best as she continues her education full-time at Palm Beach State College.
We had our first committee meeting for the Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade! Sponsorship information will be available very soon, so we hope we can count on your support this year. And no, it’s not too early to start thinking about décor and themes for your boat, either!
Team MIAPBC had a lot of fun in July with many of our members, grantees, and community partners. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club hosted Kid’s Fishing Day, so we spent a morning on the water aboard the Miss Blue Heron with several kids from Pahokee as the events longtime presenting sponsor. Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park invited me out for a double sea turtle release aboard R/V ANGARI (funded in part by PBIBS Gives Back). Paola was also aboard R/V ANGARI for Coastal Ocean Explorers with several PBC science educators (a PBIBS Gives Back funded program).
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WEST PALM BEACH FISHING CLUB
KIDS FISHING DAY
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FRIENDS OF MACARTUR BEACH STATE PARK
DOUBLE SEA TURTLE RELEASE
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ANGARI FOUNDATION
COASTAL OCEAN EXPLORERS
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DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES
PARTNER APPRECIATION OPEN HOUSE
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More recently, we attended a partner appreciation event hosted by Discover the Palm Beaches and Schoolhouse Children’s Museum ribbon-cutting for their brand-new Mangrove Manor exhibit (funded in part by PBIBS Gives Back).
I hope to see many of our members on August 13 for our Oysters and Champagne Marine Mingle being held at the historic West Palm Beach Fishing Club. There will be networking, plus some education and hands-on activity for those that want to participate. This is an event that is not to be missed!
Lastly, I am excited to announce that MIAPBC will be moving its office after more than 10 years at the same location! The move will not be official until September, but we will be sharing updated contact information with everyone very soon. I can tell you that the new office will not be very far away. It will be located in Palm Beach Gardens on Military Trail just south of Northlake Blvd.
Let’s continue making waves!
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Venue Marketing Group, 17 Years
Visit Palm Beach,10 Years
Nautical Marine Services, Llc., 6 Years
Gillen Yacht Services, Inc., 5 Years
Loggerhead Marina, Palm Beach Gardens, 3 Year
Shifting Gears United, 2 Year
Marine Science Foundation, Inc., 1 Year
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2026 Grantee Spotlight:
Mangrove Manor exhibit opens at Schoolhouse Children's Museum in Boynton Beach
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CALCUTTA
BECOME A BOATER MEMBER $50
FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN $1,000
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ENTRY $175 SPECIAL
$325 AFTER 8/15/2026
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BENEFITS:
- 1 complimentary Palm Beach International Boat Show ticket.
- Entered for additional $1,000 for select local fishing tournaments.
- Free boat entry to Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade and additional $1,000 prize.
- Represented by MIAPBC-paid lobbyists to protect marine business & boater interests.
- Monthly Newsletter
- Custom MIAPBC flag and other swag.
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2025 MIAPBC
Boater Member Winner
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2024 MIAPBC
Boater Member Winner
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2023 MIAPBC
Boater Member Winner
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Full Moon Wahoo Series
Saturday, August 29
The West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo Series is centered around the three full moons of late summer, 7/25, 8/29, and 9/26.
This year, they’re celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the series in a BIG way with over $10,000 in cash & prizes!
You must be a WPBFC member to register, but non-members can participate as team members.
We’ll see you at the scales!
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Palm Beach Sailing Club Glides into 60th Year
Sephora Charles, Stet News Palm Beach County
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Sailors on the water last year. (Photo: Aaron Wormus/Stet)
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Through changing tides, generations of members and decades of growth, the Palm Beach Sailing Club has remained committed to bringing people together on the water.
What began as a group of local sailors seeking camaraderie through a shared love 60 years ago has evolved into a not-for-profit private club dedicated to sailing education, competition and fellowship.
“It’s a place where you can just come and enjoy the camaraderie and learn about sailing,” Aaron Wormus, the club’s commodore, said.
Founded in 1966, the Palm Beach Sailing Club formed with members gathering monthly at a restaurant or hotel and setting sail once or twice a month. Without a permanent home, John Hough, a former commodore and a member for 34 years, said the club existed mostly on paper.
That changed in 1997 when members raised enough money to buy the club’s 4-acre headquarters on North Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. Members paid $450,000 for the property, Hough said.
The property allowed the club to expand beyond monthly meetings and occasional races. It is now a hub for learning opportunities, youth engagement, social events and competition.
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Loggerhead Marinelife Center Announces Keynote Speaker for Annual Go Awards
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Nominations are open for Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s (LMC) 17th Annual Go Blue Awards! The awards ceremony and luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 30, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. This year’s keynote speaker and recipient of the Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, a marine biologist, explorer, and globally recognized leader in shark conservation.
Dr. McComb-Kobza, CEO and chief scientist of Ocean First Institute, guides pioneering efforts in research, education, and conservation that have helped protect marine life and impacted more than 1.5 million people globally. Over the course of her career, McComb-Kobza has helped shape the field of shark research and conservation through a unique integration of science, exploration, and public engagement.
Her research and conservation work have been featured by the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, NPR, and CBC. In 2025, McComb-Kobza delivered a TEDxBoulder talk, “From Fear to Fascination: The Truth About Sharks,” highlighting how transforming fear into understanding is key to ocean conservation.
In addition to the Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, the Go Blue Awards ceremony will honor outstanding achievements in conservation across categories, including:
The Blue Ambassador of the Year Award: Recognizing an individual who has made significant contributions in marine conservation through volunteer or work-related activities.
The Blue Hatchling Youth Award: Recognizing an individual under the age of 17 who has made significant contributions in marine conservation through volunteer-related activities.
The Blue Business of the Year Award/Nonprofit of the Year Award: Recognizing a business or nonprofit that has made outstanding contributions toward promoting and encouraging conservation, restoration, or preservation of marine life and/or marine ecosystems through their business practices, products, or technology.
The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, August 14.
Tickets for the 17th Annual Go Blue Awards go on sale Monday, June 1, and can be purchased online. Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at $2,500. Proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales directly support LMC’s sea turtle and marine conservation efforts.
Join us in celebrating the individuals, youth, businesses, and nonprofits who are “going blue” by making outstanding contributions to ocean conservation!
For more information on Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Go Blue Awards, visit marinelife.org/go-blue-awards.
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FWC issues executive order to close recreational harvest of gag grouper in Atlantic state waters starting August 2
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At its May meeting in Ft. Myers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to close the recreational harvest of gag grouper in state waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including all state waters off Monroe County. The 2026 recreational season will close at 12:01 a.m. on August 2. This closure date is consistent with recently announced regulations for adjacent federal waters.
Consistent state and federal recreational seasons for Atlantic gag grouper will help end overfishing and rebuild the fishery, while also helping to ensure future harvest opportunities.
To learn more about gag grouper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/Saltwater and select “Recreational Regulations”, followed by “Reef Fish” and then “Grouper.” This page will be updated with the new season dates.
For more information about Commission Meetings, including the May 2026 Commission meeting presentation, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings.”
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The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) administers the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts Capital Outlay (SMWWCO) Grant Program to support Florida's commercial fishing and marine aquaculture industries by providing funding for projects that strengthen working waterfront infrastructure, including facilities used for receiving, unloading, processing, and supporting seafood operations.
The SMWWCO Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible commercial saltwater products businesses, commercial saltwater wholesale dealers, retail seafood license holders, seafood houses, and marine aquaculture operations to help maintain and enhance their operations while supporting Florida's seafood economy. Applicants must demonstrate that their proposed project provides a benefit to the local economy.
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Spiny lobster sport season has begun!
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The 2026 Florida spiny lobster season kicks off with the two-day recreational sport season on July 29-30, followed by the spiny lobster regular season beginning Aug. 6, continuing through March 31, 2027.
Before heading out, be sure you have a valid Florida saltwater fishing license, spiny lobster permit, and are familiar with current lobster harvest regulations.
During the two-day spiny lobster sport season:
- Recreational harvesters may take up to six lobsters per person per day in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park waters.
- In all other Florida waters, recreational harvesters may take up to 12 lobsters per person per day.
Harvesters must follow these requirements:
- Lobsters must have a carapace length larger than three inches, measured in the water, and a measuring device must be carried at all times.
- Egg-bearing female lobsters may not be harvested.
- Lobsters must remain whole; separating tails from the body is prohibited.
- It is unlawful to use devices that puncture, penetrate, or crush the lobster shell.
Bag limits apply only to properly licensed individuals or those exempt from licensing who are actively harvesting. Non-harvesters may not be counted toward another person’s limit.
If you're bully netting this season, please be respectful of waterfront residents by keeping lights directed toward the water, avoiding shining them at homes or people, and minimizing noise whenever possible.
For more information on spiny lobster regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations,” “Crabs, Lobster and other Shellfish” and “Lobster.”
If you're participating in the 2026 Lionfish Challenge, you may be eligible to harvest one additional lobster per day during the two-day sport season. To qualify, recreational participants must harvest and report at least 25 lionfish, while commercial participants must harvest at least 50 pounds of lionfish. Be sure to carry your 2026 FWC-issued challenge coin with you while lobstering to keep your additional lobster. Check out the Lionfish challenge MyFWC.com/LionfishChallenge.
Safety should always come first. Wear a life jacket while your boat is underway, never operate a vessel under the influence of alcohol, and always follow divers-down flag regulations. Divers must stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed flag in open water and within 100 feet when diving near an inlet or navigation channel. Boaters approaching a divers-down flag must slow to idle speed within those distances.
Visit MyFWC.com/Boating, click on” Boating Regulations” and then “Divers-down Warning Devices.”
Don’t forget to get your license and spiny lobster permit at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
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Boynton Beach: City Commission envisions Intracoastal waterfront open to all
Larry Barszewski, The Coastal Star
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In a desire to open Boynton Beach’s waterfront along the Intracoastal Waterway to greater public access and to more water-related businesses and activities, the City Commission has approved new zoning rules to encourage such growth.
The Marina Overlay District, as the city is calling it, stretches along the west side of the Intracoastal from Gateway Boulevard to south of Woolbright Road. It was approved unanimously at the commission’s July 7 meeting.
City Planner Tyler Tornese spoke about the motivation behind the district at the commission’s June 16 meeting, saying the idea emerged from a joint City Commission/Community Redevelopment Agency workshop in November.
“We want to encourage marine uses. We want to attract new businesses. We want to — most importantly — activate that public waterfront along the Intracoastal,” Tornese said.
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Below Deck Mediterranean star Captain Sandy launches innovative specialty plate designed to feature the spirit of the marine industry
Celebrate Florida’s vibrant maritime culture with the new Boating Capital of the World license plate, now available for pre-sale through Captain Sandy Charities.
Created by Below Deck Mediterranean star Captain Sandy Yawn, this limited edition plate is more than just a way to show your love for boating – it’s a way to give back.
Every purchase helps support Captain Sandy’s mission to expand marine employment opportunities and fund critical job training and education programs throughout Florida. Whether you’re a boating enthusiast or searching for the perfect gift, this plate is the ideal way to contribute to Florida’s maritime workforce while proudly showcasing the state’s boating legacy.
Captain Sandy is excited to see this initiative take off and hopes to spot the new plates on the road soon. “Anyone with a passion for the marine industry will love this plate,” she says. “It’s a powerful way to support a cause that impacts so many lives.”
Don’t miss out! Pre-register today and join the movement to strengthen Florida’s maritime industry. Pre-register now at: boatingplate.com
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Seeking Experienced Forklift Operators for
Dealer Week
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The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) and AEX are seeking experienced forklift operators to temporarily support exhibitor move-in and move-out at Dealer Week 2026. Eight qualified forklift operators are needed to help safely transport and position boats throughout the event.
Position Details:
- Dates: Dec. 4-5 and 9-10, 2026
- Hours: Shifts can last 12 to 14 hours and include scheduled breaks.
- Compensation: $750 per day or $60 per hour
- Meetings: Approved drivers must attend two virtual pre-show meetings on process, expectations and event logistics.
- Application deadline: Aug. 30, 2026
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Position: Sales Associate
Job Location: 2230 Broadway, Riviera Beach, FL 33404
Job Type: Full-Time/Part-Time
Company Overview: Lewis Marine Supply & Boat Owners Warehouse is a fast-growing, high-volume 60+ year established Marine Distributor and Retailer located in sunny South Florida, with locations throughout the Southeastern US. We are committed to providing exceptional customer service and high-quality products to our customers and community and strive to create a welcoming environment where customers can enjoy a seamless shopping experience.
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- Boat Builder/Carpenters
- Marine Electricians
- Mechanics
- Painters/Varnishers
Additional Info:
Job Type : Full-Time
Experience Level : Entry Level, Mid to Senior Level
Education Level : Not Applicable
Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
Come join our family-owned and operated custom sportfishing operation in Palm Beach Gardens. Work with some of the best craftsmen in the business!
Call Monday-Friday for additional information: (561) 627-9168
and/or send your resume to: info@michaelrybovichandsons.com
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- Marine HVAC Technician/Installer
The HVAC Technician/Installer will be responsible for performing routine maintenance and service repairs on heating, ventilating, air conditioning systems, and marine water maker units. This position will also be responsible for the installation according to specifications and established safety guidelines of new units or replacement parts for existing units. Candidate must be capable of working independently with high attention to detail, ability to troubleshoot and communicate equipment issues, have a plan of action, assess and order parts and supplies needed for each job to completion.
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Alyssa Freeman
Executive Director
Paola Fecteau
Marketing & Membership Manager
Stephanie Button
Administrative Manager
Rena Blades
PBIBS Director Community and Government Affairs
Shanique Collins
Intern
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August 2026
