BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis kept it real in the Panhandle Thursday morning.

“I don’t know what S.O.B. is going to succeed me in this office, but they aren’t going to have much to do because we’re getting all of the meat off the bone,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis is extending the Gulf recreational red snapper fishing season by two weeks.

“It’s a great place to be, a great place to visit, a great place to raise a family, and an even better place now to do red snapper,” DeSantis said.

The 2023 season starts June 16th and will continue through July 31st.

“It’s going to be a great year for Florida and all of our visitors,” local Charter Boat Captain Kevin Lolley said.

The fall season will open up recreational gulf red snapper fishing every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in October and November including Veterans Day and the weekend after Thanksgiving.

“When you give us a season like this, it is a big economic boost,” Fishing Guide Captain Justin Leake said.

DeSantis also made a promising decision to approve a long-awaited budget item for the upcoming fiscal year.

Lolley, an Apalachicola native said he’s grateful.

“I want to thank the Governor for the $17 mil., for the oyster restoration project,” Lolley said. “That’s going to be a really big deal for the industry and we certainly appreciate it.”

The tourism industry as a whole should expect to see more action because of these decisions.

“Find you another governor that’s been as good to the Panhandle as me,” DeSantis said. “I don’t think you can find that.”

The governor also said he expects to veto fewer items in the budget this year.

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