Latest news with #Stephens
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Charter company that helped extend Atlantic red snapper season says fight not over yet
A Volusia County charter fishing company that helped lead the charge in extending the Atlantic red snapper season said the fight is far from over. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made a ruling that allows for a one-day extension and removes the consideration to close all bottom fishing for three months. Haley Stephens, owner of Sea Spirit Fishing Charter in Ponce Inlet, has been meeting with government agencies about this issue for the last year. 'What we're seeing on the water is just a record abundance of these fish, so to hear that it's being overfished raises the question of what in the world is going on,' said Stephens. People who were on the Sea Spirit said they caught tons of snapper during their trips and were disappointed those fish had to be thrown back in the water. 'We all caught a lot of big red snapper today. Now we have to go to Walmart and buy them from China or wherever they're imported from and they're much smaller,' said Daniel Perret. Stephens said NOAA's ruling has led to important changes in the industry. Agencies are now looking at more accurate ways collect data on the population. The results could change management measures in the future and increase fishing opportunities in the Southeast. 'The big celebration should come from the fact that they are no longer overfished, and that was the first crucial step that we needed to take to ensure success in the future,' said Stephens 'At the end of the day, if there was an actual problem, we would be all for it. No one cares more about the health and stock and conservation efforts of our fish than people who earn their livelihood on the water.' The South Atlantic Snapper season is July 11 and 12 this year. The bag limit will still be one fish per person per day. The Florida Gulf Coast season is much longer at 126 days. It started Memorial Day weekend and ends July 31. The season then reopens for weekend fishing on Sept. 1-Nov. 30. There will also be special fishing days allowed on Labor Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. You can read the full ruling from NOAA at this link. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Players to get ranking protection after freezing eggs
Female tennis players who wish to freeze eggs or embryos, so they can start a family at a later date, will have their ranking protected by the WTA Tour. The offer is open to any player ranked in the world's top 750 who spends more than 10 weeks out of competition. Advertisement The 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens says the rule will reduce the pressure on players to return to the court too quickly. The 32-year-old, who has won eight WTA tournaments, told BBC Sport she has twice previously used the off-season to freeze her eggs. "The first time I did it, I rushed back and I was overweight and not happy - and just very stressed out," she said. "The second time I did it I took a totally different approach so I could just be in better shape: I could have the surgery, I could have more time to recover. "So having the protected ranking there, so that players don't feel forced to come back early and risk their health again, is the best thing possible." Advertisement Players who undergo fertility treatment will be able to use their special ranking to enter up to three tournaments within 10 weeks of their return. The special ranking will be an average of a player's ranking over a 12-week period before and during their leave. Players will not, however, be able to use this ranking to enter one of the WTA's premier 1000 events, as the tour wants to encourage players to undertake the procedure at a quieter time of the season. "It's all trial and error, everyone's body is different," Stephens added. "Someone might be out for three months, someone might be out for one week. Advertisement "Some people gain a tonne of weight, some people can go back immediately. I think when you are family planning, it's better if you have that support." Stephens says she was a strong advocate for such a measure when a member of the WTA Players' Council, and the tour's chief executive Portia Archer confirms the move was player-led. "It was very much at the instigation of the players," she said. "We want to really help players address this conundrum where peak athletic performance coincides with the time period of peak fertility, so players are often faced with this tough choice of how to really maximise and optimise those years." Advertisement Grants have also recently been made available towards the cost of any fertility treatment, and earlier this year the WTA introduced paid maternity leave for the first time. More than 320 players are now eligible for up to 12 months paid leave - with everyone receiving the same amount, irrespective of their ranking. Returning to the tour after maternity leave started to become easier when the WTA changed the rules before the 2019 season. New mothers are able to use their previous ranking to enter 12 tournaments over a three-year period from the birth of their child. The WTA also offers access to a health team, which offers physical assessments, mental health support and guidance on a staged return to play for new mothers and pregnant players. Advertisement Tennis is not the first sport to offer support to women wishing to freeze their eggs, with the American basketball league the WNBA offering up to $60,000 (£52,500) reimbursement to players for fertility treatment including egg freezing. High-profile athletes have spoken about their decision to freeze their eggs, including England cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and former England netballer Geva Mentor. 'Such a gift' - players react to ranking protection Australian Open champion Madison Keys welcomed the news, saying it will give players planning to start families additional peace of mind. Advertisement "It is absolutely amazing what the WTA is doing," she told BBC Sport. "We have all become really great at keeping our bodies healthy and being able to stay on tour longer and I know for a lot of us family planning is a big part of that. "Being able to have the security to take care of that, have that peace of mind and know we can come back to the tour without working our way up the rankings is such a gift." German Tatjana Maria, who is ranked 81st in the world, has two children and returned to the tour after both pregnancies. The 37-year-old welcomed the action by the WTA but says there are "still opportunities to help the WTA players and the mums on tour". Advertisement "Even now having two kids on tour there are still issues," she told BBC Radio 5 live. "The WTA could change a little bit, whether it is [related to] hotel rooms or accreditation to make life easier. "It is helpful to help [as they are doing] but also to help the mums on tour."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Players to get ranking protection after freezing eggs
Female tennis players who wish to freeze eggs or embryos, so they can start a family at a later date, will have their ranking protected by the WTA Tour. The offer is open to any player ranked in the world's top 750 who spends more than 10 weeks out of competition. Advertisement The 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens says the rule will reduce the pressure on players to return to the court too quickly. The 32-year-old, who has won eight WTA tournaments, told BBC Sport she has twice previously used the off-season to freeze her eggs. "The first time I did it, I rushed back and I was overweight and not happy - and just very stressed out," she said. "The second time I did it I took a totally different approach so I could just be in better shape: I could have the surgery, I could have more time to recover. "So having the protected ranking there, so that players don't feel forced to come back early and risk their health again, is the best thing possible." Advertisement Players who undergo fertility treatment will be able to use their special ranking to enter up to three tournaments within 10 weeks of their return. The special ranking will be an average of a player's ranking over a 12-week period before and during their leave. Players will not, however, be able to use this ranking to enter one of the WTA's premier 1000 events, as the tour wants to encourage players to undertake the procedure at a quieter time of the season. "It's all trial and error, everyone's body is different," Stephens added. "Someone might be out for three months, someone might be out for one week. Advertisement "Some people gain a tonne of weight, some people can go back immediately. I think when you are family planning, it's better if you have that support." Stephens says she was a strong advocate for such a measure when a member of the WTA Players' Council, and the tour's chief executive Portia Archer confirms the move was player-led. "It was very much at the instigation of the players," she said. "We want to really help players address this conundrum where peak athletic performance coincides with the time period of peak fertility, so players are often faced with this tough choice of how to really maximise and optimise those years." Advertisement Grants have also recently been made available towards the cost of any fertility treatment, and earlier this year the WTA introduced paid maternity leave for the first time. More than 320 players are now eligible for up to 12 months paid leave - with everyone receiving the same amount, irrespective of their ranking. Returning to the tour after maternity leave started to become easier when the WTA changed the rules before the 2019 season. New mothers are able to use their previous ranking to enter 12 tournaments over a three-year period from the birth of their child. The WTA also offers access to a health team, which offers physical assessments, mental health support and guidance on a staged return to play for new mothers and pregnant players. Advertisement German Tatjana Maria, who is ranked 81st in the world, has two children and returned to the tour after both pregnancies. The 37-year-old welcomed the action by the WTA but believes more can be done to assist mothers on tour. "I think there is still opportunities to help the WTA players and the mums on tour," she told BBC Radio 5 live. "Even now having two kids on tour there are still issues. The WTA could change a little bit, whether it is [related to] hotel rooms or accreditation to make life easier. "It is helpful to help [as they are doing] but also to help the mums on tour." Advertisement Tennis is not the first sport to offer support to women wishing to freeze their eggs, with the American basketball league the WNBA offering up to $60,000 (£52,500) reimbursement to players for fertility treatment including egg freezing. High-profile athletes have spoken about their decision to freeze their eggs, including England cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and former England netballer Geva Mentor.
New Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
WTA gives ranking protection for players who freeze eggs
LONDON: Women tennis players who take time out of the game to freeze eggs or embryos will have their ranking protected, the WTA Tour announced on Wednesday. Players ranked from one to 750 in singles or doubles who spend at least 10 consecutive weeks out of competition for a "fertility protection procedure" are eligible. The ranking can be used to enter up to three tournaments but the policy does not apply to the premier 1000 events. The special ranking will be based on the 12-week average of a player's WTA ranking from eight weeks prior to the start of their out-of-competition period. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, told the BBC the rule will reduce the pressure on players to return to the court too quickly. Stephens said she had twice previously used the off-season to freeze her eggs. The 32-year-old said in the WTA statement that she was "incredibly proud of our sport in recognising the importance of fertility treatments for female athletes." "For any woman, the conversation of family life versus a career is nuanced and complex," she said. "The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and to make the best decisions for themselves." The WTA said in a statement that the "Fertility Protection Special Entry Ranking Rule" would enhance the existing package of benefits to help players combine family life with tennis. WTA CEO Portia Archer said: "We understand that professional athletes can face a dilemma between focusing on their career and starting a family, and we are committed to supporting WTA players as they navigate and balance the choices associated with career and family." In March the WTA and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced the introduction of a maternity fund programme, giving players paid maternity leave for up to 12 months and access to grants for fertility treatments. The PIF is a global partner of the WTA Tour.
News18
11-06-2025
- Health
- News18
WTA Introduces Rankings Protect Rule For Players Undergoing Fertility Treatments
Last Updated: The WTA Tour will protect the rankings of women tennis players taking breaks for egg or embryo freezing. The WTA Tour announced on Wednesday that women tennis players taking a break from competition to undergo egg or embryo freezing will have their rankings protected. Players ranked between 1 and 750 in singles or doubles who are absent from competition for at least 10 consecutive weeks for a 'fertility preservation procedure" qualify for this protection. This special ranking can be used for entry into up to three tournaments, excluding Premier 1000 events. The protected ranking will be calculated based on the player's average WTA ranking over a 12-week period, starting eight weeks prior to the commencement of their break. 2017 US Open champion, Sloane Stephens, told the BBC that this rule change would alleviate pressure on players to return to competition prematurely. Stephens revealed she had previously utilised the off-season twice for egg freezing. In the WTA statement, the 32-year-old expressed pride in the sport's recognition of the importance of fertility treatments for female athletes. She acknowledged the nuanced and complex discussion surrounding career and family life, highlighting the WTA's creation of a supportive environment for players to explore their options and make informed decisions. The WTA stated that the 'Fertility Preservation Special Entry Ranking Rule" would augment existing benefits, assisting players in balancing their tennis careers and family aspirations. WTA CEO, Portia Archer, acknowledged the potential dilemma faced by professional athletes regarding career and family. She reaffirmed the WTA's dedication to supporting players as they navigate these important life choices. First Published: June 11, 2025, 21:49 IST
