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Pasco Extended Scallop Season Not Gonna Happen

Pasco extended scallop season not gonna happen. Hold the butter! Scalloping season in Pasco County will not be extended this summer, despite the push from tourism officials and Pasco County….

Pasco Extended Scallop Season Not Gonna Happen
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images for Tourism Queensland)

Pasco extended scallop season not gonna happen. Hold the butter! Scalloping season in Pasco County will not be extended this summer, despite the push from tourism officials and Pasco County. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which regulates scallop harvesting, has decided that it is in the long-term interest of scallop populations to keep the season shorter.

Pasco County officials reported record-high scallop hauls last year, generating an estimated $1.2 million in economic impact. With this success, local leaders urged for a longer scalloping season, but the commission insists that last year's haul may not be a good indicator of what to expect for the 2023 season.

Carly Jones, a spokesperson for the commission, explained that the scallop population abundance fluctuates annually, and as such, monitoring the harvest is more important than population monitoring. Recent studies suggest that the current level of harvest may be approaching a limit in the near future, and thus, monitoring the harvest is crucial.

Pasco County Commission chairperson Jack Mariano agrees with the need for monitoring, but he believes the commission has reached the wrong conclusion. Pasco had an average of 10.4 scallops per 200 square meters, which is comparable to other counties with longer scalloping seasons. Mariano is urging local legislators to take steps to support the scalloping harvest in Pasco and believes that the state should get out of the way of economic boosters like scallop harvesting.

Wendy Longman, owner of Windsong Charters and a member of Pasco’s Tourist Development Council, understands the need for monitoring and supports further studies into the local scallop population. While her fellow boat captains want an expanded season, she recognizes that any decision should be based on data, not emotion.

The annual scallop harvest season varies along the Gulf Coast based on studies of population health, and the commission has decided that a longer scallop season is not in the best interest of the scallop population. Pasco scallop lovers may be disappointed this summer, but the decision to keep the scalloping season shorter is ultimately for the long-term good of the scallop population. TBT

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(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

50 High-Paying Tampa Bay Jobs That Don’t Require College Degree

50 high-paying Tampa Bay jobs that don't require a College Degree. All the kids in High School hear it over and over and over again. Get a degree to get a good gig. Right? Well, our friends at Stacker went to the Labor Stats folks to put together a nice list of high-paying Tampa Bay jobs that do not require a college degree. We can start with Radio DJ, right? Check it out...

50. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,860

49. Correctional officers and jailers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $54,940

48. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $55,060

47. Industrial machinery mechanics

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $55,080

46. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $55,100

45. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $56,340

44. Private detectives and investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $56,630

43. Riggers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $56,950

42. Sound engineering technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,000

41. Occupational health and safety technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,270

40. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,340

39. Real estate sales agents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $57,750

38. Chefs and head cooks

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $58,180

37. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $58,440

36. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,100

35. Construction and building inspectors

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,320

34. Insurance sales agents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,690

33. Crane and tower operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $60,850

32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,100

31. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,130

30. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $61,430

29. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $63,440

28. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $64,290

27. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $64,460

26. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $67,200

24 (tie). Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $67,280

24 (tie). Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $67,280

23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $69,010

22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $69,020

21. Food service managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $71,330

20. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $71,740

19. Flight attendants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $72,130

18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $72,790

17. Fire inspectors and investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $72,830

16. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $73,600

15. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $74,090

14. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $74,430

13. Power distributors and dispatchers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $77,550

12. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $79,040

11. Ship engineers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $82,480

10. Detectives and criminal investigators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $85,460

9. Power plant operators

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $86,510

8. Lodging managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $91,950

7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $93,070

6. Transportation inspectors

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $93,120

5. Postmasters and mail superintendents

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $97,930

4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $99,070

3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $99,470

2. Commercial pilots

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $113,940

1. Athletes and sports competitors

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
– Annual mean salary: $141,900