Georgia sound, Vol. 11, no. 2 (Apr. - June 2005

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Georgia

APRIL-JUNE, 2005

Sound VOL.11, NO.2

Peach on the Beach

UPDATE

This summer, in cooperation with the Coastal Health District, Coastal Resources

Division (CRD) will be conducting a survey of swimmers on the beaches of St.

Peach on the Beach

Simons, Jekyll and Tybee Islands. This survey is intended to give the two agencies feedback on how well

the "swimmer advisory" message is getting across. The results of this survey will be used to improve the

current beach advisory notification process. Local college student, Magan Harsh, will be on the beaches

this summer surveying beach-goers. Magan can be contacted at the Brunswick Office of the Coastal

Health District at (912) 262-2346.

Before the end of the school year, Magan took the beach

water quality message "on the road" by visiting schools in

CRD's 11 county service area to present "Peach on the

Beach" programs to schoolchildren. Much in demand by

teachers, Magan's message was accompanied by the

distribution of Peach on the Beach coloring sheets, book

marks and other program related materials.

College student Magan Harsh will be offering beach balls and pens to swimmers participating in beach advisory notification surveys this summer on three area beaches.
Photographs by Elizabeth Cheney

During the spring Magan visited many schools and attended several special events within the CRD 11 county service area to present "Peach on the Beach" educational programs.

Inside This Issue:
Peach on the Beach UPDATE

CRD's Public Boating & Fishing Access
Ship to Shore
Short Strikes

American Oystercatacher
Georgia Sea Turtle Center UPDATE

Artesian Well Repair Georgia Power Donation Parent-Child Fishing Derby

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By John Pafford ~ Marine Recreational Fisheries Program Supervisor
CRD's Contribution to Public Boating

and Fishing Access in Georgia

Cooperative project conducted between CRD and the City of St. Marys. Located on North River, the project includes two boat ramps, service dock,
vehicle turnaround, parking area and access road. Final construction activities involve the placement of riprap to armor the shoreline and
placement of signage to designate vehicle access and parking.

Throughout the United States, human populations in coastal areas are growing disproportionately compared to those of inland areas. Over 50% of the U.S. population currently lives in coastal areas and this is expected to increase another 15% by the year 2010. Many of the individuals moving to coastal Georgia are attracted by a quality of life that includes fresh seafood and water-related activities such as recreational boating and fishing. Surveys indicate that participation in saltwater fishing in Georgia has more than doubled since 1984 with around half the fishing trips involving the use of private boats. During this period, the number of boat registrations in Georgia's six coastal counties has increased approximately 45% with one boat currently registered for every 14 coastal county citizens. State-wide surveys conducted in 1994 and 2004 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimated the number of Georgia residents saltwater fishing in Georgia increased from 443,717 to 582,658 - an increase of over 31% in ten years.

Built next to Spence Grayson Bridge in Chatham County, the Turners Creek boating facility involves a single lane boat ramp and service dock. Parking is located underneath bridge.

Coastal Georgia offers visitors and residents a multitude of fishing and boating opportunities. In addition to the thousands of square miles of Atlantic Ocean waters and 100 miles of beachfront, Georgia has approximately 2,400 miles of tidal creeks and rivers, 10 major estuaries, and numerous minor estuaries. However, getting to this water can be a challenge for coastal residents. Only four of the 12 major barrier islands can be reached by automobile. Of those, one is in private ownership and has limited access to the public. On the mainland side, coastal waters are separated from the upland by Spartina grass marsh that is inundated twice daily by 6 to 8 foot tides.

Photographs by Shawn Jordan

Initially, DNR constructed boat ramps by pouring concrete slab down to the low tide line and used pre-casted concrete logs bolted together to extend the ramp out into the river. Unfortunately, these logs typically deteriorated much more quickly than the concrete slab, often creating problems launching and
loading boats during low tide.

North River boat ramp under construction. In recent years, DNR initiated a new approach in the construction of boat ramps by building a concrete slab section in the intertidal zone and then pushing the slab out into the creek at low tide. Note the recently formed "push slab." The concrete push slab will
be allowed to harden or dry for approximately two weeks before being pushed out into the creek.
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Most of the mainland and barrier island upland immediately adjacent to water is in private ownership. Because of this, with the exception of commercial marinas and community docks, public access to Georgia's marine fishery is often limited to public boating ramps and fishing pier facilities. Providing boating and fishing access to coastal creeks and rivers and the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean is a priority of the Constituent Services Program (CSP) of the Coastal Resources Division (CRD).

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Within the CSP, two staff members, John Pafford and Shawn Jordan, are responsible for design, construction, and maintenance of state-owned boat ramps and fishing structures in coastal Georgia. Currently, the CSP is responsible for 12 non-boating access sites (piers/docks), 16 boating service docks, and 13 boat ramps. Many steps are involved in the development of new public boating and fishing access:

Construction work in progress at Red Bird Creek boat ramp in Bryan County. The slab is pushed out into the creek until only 5 or 6 feet remain above low tide. The "push slab" is reinforced with steel rebar that extends out of the upper end of the slab in order to attach it to the upper portion of the ramp. After the push slab is moved into position, the remainder of the
boat ramp is formed and concrete poured.

~ potential sites scouted and identified ~ evaluations performed determining site practicality
and suitability, with consideration of geological features, topography and land ownership ~ surveys, designs, and water depth profiles completed along with environmental assessments ensuring all alternatives and factors are considered to minimize area impacts ~ technical design and engineering drawings finalized, building permit applications submitted securing necessary authorization from the US Army Corps of Engineers, DNR and local governmental agencies ~ facility construction - may involve bidding out job to a private contractor or having work completed by DNR personnel

Completed boat ramp project at Red Bird Creek. At low tide the boat ramp slab extends approximately 25 feet farther out into the creek.

The Back River Fishing Pier located on Tybee Island was constructed by CRD utilizing penalty funds resulting from the Amazon Venture oil spill. As with all fishing docks and piers constructed by CRD, the design meets access
requirements established under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
THE GEORGIA COASTAL

CRD often works with local governmental agencies to build service docks at existing public boat ramps. This service dock was constructed by CRD on Blythe Island at the Turtle River boat ramp in Glynn County.
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Located on U.S. Hwy 80 in Chatham County (Tybee Causeway), the Lazaretto Creek fishing pier was a cooperative project between Fort Pulaski
National Monument and CRD.

In recent years, CRD has constructed numerous boating service docks at existing boat ramps and repaired many ramps throughout the coastal area. However, due to the tremendous increase in the value and demand for waterfront property and the exceptionally high cost of boat ramp construction in Georgia's tidal waters, only four new boat ramp facilities have been constructed by CRD since 1995. New boat ramp construction costs can range from $75,000 to $350,000, which DOESN'T include the cost of the waterfront land. A boating access facility may include a paved access road, hard surface parking and turnaround area and twin boat ramps. The higher construction costs generally result from additional costs for strengthening and/or reinforcing building materials and challenges associated with Georgia's coastal topography. Our coast is characterized by soft sediments, strong tidal currents, and frequent erosion from wind/wave actions.
Often, CRD staff work with local governments to enhance county and city owned boat ramps. Because of Georgia's unusual 6 to 8 foot tides, the building and maintenance of these structures is more complicated and costly than that of similar inland structures. Considering the anticipated erosion and settling problems associated with boat ramps built in our coastal area, CRD staff members conduct twice yearly inspections of existing structures and make necessary repairs.

Built at Fort McAllister in Bryan County, the Ogeechee River Fishing pier is located in an area where anglers can anticipate catching freshwater species
of catfish, as well as saltwater red drum and flounder on the same day.

The majority of funds used by CRD for boating and fishing pier development come from Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (SFR). Annually, SFR funds are made available to Georgia DNR for fisheries research, surveys and development projects. A minimum of 15% of these federal dollars must be used for boating access, both in freshwater and along the coast.

In counties that have limited non-boating public fishing access, such as Liberty and McIntosh, CRD designs boating service docks that include a fixed dock portion for non-boating fishing access. The White Chimney Creek
boating facility in McIntosh County is such a project.

The Sunbury Boat Ramp facility demonstrates the float system that enhances boating activities and a fixed dock portion that provides fishing
and crabbing opportunities.

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These federal dollars are matched with state fishing license funds and contributions from local governments. The team of Pafford and Jordan seek out opportunities to stretch the dollars by doing much of the construction work themselves. When they aren't on a backhoe or driving a dump truck, they are meeting with representatives from local city and county governments developing partnerships. "By combining our resources with those of local governments we ensure the biggest bang for the public's dollar," explains Jordan. "When we complete a boating or fishing access project, there is a tangible, visible product for the public to utilize and they can be assured their tax dollars were wisely spent for a well constructed facility."
With years of experience, both Pafford and Jordan are personally involved with each phase of site development and maintenance. States Pafford, "You have to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. In the morning I may be negotiating with a contractor over the details of a concrete pour and then I'm working the state archaeologist during the afternoon to evaluate a site. The challenges of building boat ramps in coastal Georgia are many. However, it's worth it in the end since you know you've provided the fishing community a well constructed public facility and saved valuable taxpayer dollars."

As more access is built, the chance of structure damage increases. CRD repaired the Jekyll Creek service dock that was believed to have been struck
by a barge and tug navigating the Intracoastal Waterway at night.

CRD has available a comprehensive guide to the public access sites in coastal Georgia, "Georgia Angler's Guide to Saltwater Fishing Access Sites," which is available free of charge at CRD headquarters in Brunswick or by calling (912) 264-7218. For more information on boating and fishing access call (912) 264-7218 or contact John Pafford at john_pafford@dnr.state.ga.us or Shawn Jordan at shawn_Jordan@dnr.state.ga.us.

With construction of new boating and fishing access comes maintenance and repair responsibilities such as the replacement of the deteriorated Champney River boat ramp in McIntosh County.

The St. Marys Waterfront Park fishing pier was a cooperative project between the City of St. Marys and CRD.

In addition to new construction, CRD takes advantage of opportunities to provide public fishing access. The Satilla River fishing pier structure in Woodbine was originally an abandoned railroad trestle.

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Susan Shipman

From the Director's Desk
SHIP TO SHORE... Coastal Resources Division Director

CRD to Conduct Town Hall Meetings Concerning Marina and Community Dock Permitting

Late last fall, the Coastal Marshlands Protection Committee requested that Coastal Resources Division (CRD) undertake a stakeholders process to examine the permitting practices for marinas and community docks. The Committee's request was based on a need for standards for permitting these types of projects pursuant to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act. The Committee's goal is two-fold: 1) to achieve consistency and predictability for the regulated public as well as the Committee and CRD staff, while recognizing and accommodating the uniqueness of each project that comes before the Committee; and 2) to achieve enhanced efficiency in getting a project to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Committee for permitting consideration.

Coastal Resources Division has engaged UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government to facilitate the stakeholders group of approximately 20 individuals. Between now and November, Institute facilitators will assist the Department and stakeholders in developing the draft standards for permitting marinas and community docks for presentation and recommendation to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Committee. Interests represented by the stakeholders include developers and environmental consultants; marine engineers; marinas and marine businesses; private property owners; conservation and community organizations; commercial fishers; elected officials and local governments; and recreational water users.

Preliminary information was gathered at two town hall meetings (Savannah and Brunswick) on the front end of the process during May 2005, with the stakeholders group convening May through November. The town hall meetings solicited initial public comments on issues surrounding the existing permitting process and ideas for proposed permitting standards for marinas and community docks. Draft standards will be presented by the stakeholders to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Committee in late fall, following which additional town hall meetings will be held to solicit feedback on the draft. Comments received will be reviewed in January by the stakeholders who will make any adopted changes to the proposed standards.
The standards would possibly need to be implemented by Board of Natural Resources Rulemaking.

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By: Spud Woodward ~ Assistant Director for Marine Fisheries

Short Strikes

Partnership Formed with Georgia Southern University
Thanks to decades of scientific research and advancements in computers, fish age determination is more accurate than ever. However, despite the power of digital technology, the educated and experienced eyes and hands of a trained scientist are still necessary and, the otoliths (also called ear bones) used to determine the age of a fish, must be individually prepared and examined. Obviously, this process is very time consuming. Beginning this summer, Georgia DNR and Georgia Southern University will form a partnership whereby students will be trained in the use of a computer-based fish ageing system purchased by Georgia DNR using Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration funding. Once proficient with the system, students will prepare and analyze otoliths collected by Georgia DNR. Through this partnership, students will gain valuable first-hand experience in marine fish age determination and Georgia's anglers will benefit by having continued accuarate information to support science-based fishery management.
Public Process to Advance Shrimp Fishery Management Underway
Harvesting shrimp is an activity synonymous with life on the Georgia coast. For some it is a livelihood and for others recreation. Georgia DNR guides the decisions that balance the health of shrimp populations and their habitats with the needs and desires of Georgia's citizens and visitors. This is a challenging mission given the diverse expectations of those who harvest shrimp, those who enjoy fresh seafood, and those who wish to protect and preserve Georgia's natural resources. In May, Georgia DNR invited the public to take a hard look at the way shrimp fishing is managed. This process began with two public meetings where the public was given an opportunity to identify issues related to shrimp fishery management. A group of stakeholders representing all sectors of the shrimp fishery will address these issues through a series of workshops facilitated by the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Participants in this process will develop a list of action items for law, regulation, and policy changes that will advance shrimp fishery management into the 21st century. For more information contact Doug Haymans at (912) 264-7218.
Georgia Outdoors Back in Production
Thanks to a generous private donation and a renewed commitment from the Georgia DNR, the popular series, Georgia Outdoors is back in production. Over the past several years, the weekly broadcast has been one the highest rated shows on Georgia Public Television. Through the lens of the camera, viewers have gone saltwater fishing, visited state parks and met some of the most intriguing people and places in Georgia. However, the wonderful outdoor world of Georgia has been barely explored and there are many other natural resource issues to discuss. So, over the next several months the film crew will be traveling from the mountains to the coast to capture the sights, sounds, and people of the natural side of our wonderful state. These new episodes will air beginning in September, so be on the lookout for new adventures in Georgia Outdoors.

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By Brad Winn ~ Senior Wildlife Biologist, DNR Wildlife Resources Division

American Oystercatcher, a Coastal Sentinel American Oystercatchers look like tropical rainforest birds you might see in a National Geographic magazine. These large shorebirds are bold and bright, with jet-black heads, brilliant yellow eyes ringed with orange, blaring bright orange bills, white bellies, brown backs, and solid, fleshy, pink legs. But instead of being high in a rainforest canopy, oystercatchers are right here on the ground along the coasts of our Atlantic and Gulf states, including Georgia. These sharp looking birds are living emblems of our barrier shores, spending tide-dependent lives on the wave-washed and wind-whipped eastern edge of our country. They are easy to identify for anyone interested in looking, and can add beauty and interest to any outing along the coast.

Biologists in seven Atlantic states are working

cooperatively to study American Oystercatchers on dozens of

Oystercatchers and other shore birds spending the winter in Georgia use oyster shell rakes as high tide roosting sites.

research and management projects. This effort has grown as

Photographs by Brad Winn a result of recommendations of the U.S. Shorebird

Conservation Plan, which lists the American Oystercatcher as a high priority species for conservation action. Oystercatchers

exist on a narrow margin of habitat, relying on very specific resources throughout the year. They have a small population and

are vulnerable to local extirpation. The annual life sustaining needs of oystercatchers reflect the health of our marshes and

beaches. What is good for oystercatchers is also good for other wildlife on our coast, and in some cases good for humans as

well.

We have about 90 breeding pairs of oystercatchers in the spring and summer for the entire state of Georgia. Migrating oystercatchers come down from northern states to spend the winter in Georgia. Numbers of oystercatchers swell to about 900 birds beginning in September and thin out again to our resident birds in late March. In other areas along the Atlantic, large numbers are found breeding in the mid-Atlantic states, particularly Virginia, while South Carolina's Cape Romain seems to be the hub of winter activity. The entire American Oystercatcher population, including the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas is less than 11,000 birds. This is a small number for a population of any animal. The species is listed as "rare" under Georgia's Endangered Wildlife Act.

Oystercatchers are larger than most shorebirds, about the size of a crow. They nest directly on the sand in shallow scrapes above the high tide line on beaches and on shell rakes. The nests are placed in exposed and precarious conditions, close to tidal waters with little protection from the beating sun and torrential spring rains. Two or three sand-colored spotted eggs are laid in April and early May. These hatch after about three weeks of incubation by both parents. The small fuzzy chicks leave the nest within a day of hatching and spend the next week hiding in beach grass and debris along the high tide line. The growing young oystercatchers begin to move with the adults after their first week. They rest when the tide is high, and move down the beach as the tide goes out, getting fed along the way by very protective parents.

When the tide is low, revealing wet sands, mud flats, and live oyster bottom, oystercatchers eat small marine animals like moon snails, various clams, marine worms, small crabs, whelks, and yes, oysters. The oystercatchers use their chisel shaped bills to jab between the shells of their bivalve prey, slicing the muscle that holds the two shells together. This is similar to what people do with a good oyster knife, but the birds are much better at it. Once cut, the oyster can't close the shell, and the entire oyster is pulled out and swallowed whole by the bird.

Research continues in Georgia and other Atlantic states to
better understand the complex ecological connections of this
bird and the barrier environments where it exists.

Pairs select nesting sites beginning in late March and are usually incubating eggs by
late April.
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Oysters, clams and mussels actually filter the marine waters, straining it for nutrients. These filter feeders are only as healthy as the waters they live in. Polluted water flowing down our rivers, or off of our shores, also flows through the shellfish, threatening their health and the health of everything that eats them. By testing for contaminants in the oystercatcher blood and eggs we can gain a better understanding of oystercatcher health as well as the health of the environments where they are found.

Many species of coastal birds like American Oystercatchers lay their eggs directly on the sand of our barrier beaches where they
are vulnerable to pet and human disturbances.

American Oystercatchers nest in some areas of the coast that are also critical nesting sites for all of our seabirds like Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Laughing Gulls and Black Skimmers. All of those species also only nest directly on the ground in the dunes or open beach flats of specific isolated sites on our coast, and nowhere else. By studying the nesting needs of oystercatchers, we are understanding the long-term influences of human disturbance, dogs, predation, polluted water, storms, and tides on other sea birds and shorebirds as well.

Biologists have been putting colored plastic bands on the legs of both breeding and wintering American Oystercatchers since 2001. Each state is assigned a unique color, and each bird has its own unique number and letter combination. Georgia's oystercatchers have red bands with white lettering on their legs. By re-sighting, recording, and sharing the band colors and codes spotted in all Atlantic Coast states, the biologists are slowly putting pieces of the oystercatcher ecology puzzle together. Questions being asked include: 1) where do individual birds go during each season; 2) how long will it take for young birds to mature; 3) how long will each bird survive; 4) how faithful is each adult to a nesting site, a mate, and wintering site; 5) is the American Oystercatcher population declining, stable, or increasing; 6) what are the threats to a healthy population of oystercatchers?

Oystercatchers are sentinels of our marine and estuarine environments. Their entire lives are spent
where the ocean meets the land.

You can help in the conservation of American oystercatchers and other sensitive coastal wildlife so we have them here with us into the future. Limit the use of fertilizer and pesticides on your lawn and garden. Learn to recognize these birds when at the beach or out fishing. Be aware that oyster catchers and other beach-dependent species are easily disturbed by us and our pets. Please restrain your pet from chasing birds. If you go to a beach by boat, please leave your dog behind. The north and south tips of our barrier islands, the sites most accessible to anchoring a boat, are also the best nesting habitats for beach-dependent birds. Please respect their ability to raise young, and give the birds some space.

Oystercatchers eat a variety of marine animals including oysters.

Oystercatcher Nesting on Georgia's Barrier Islands (pairs)

Tybee

0

Sapelo

1

Little Tybee

5

Wolf

2

Williamson

3

Little Egg Island Bar

14

All other nesting pairs in Georgia

Wassaw

1

Little St. Simons

11

can be found on shell rakes and

Ossabaw

6

St. Simons

0

small sand-spit islands.

St. Catherines Bar

2

Sea

1

St. Catherines

7

Little Cumberland

1

Blackbeard

1

Cumberland

10

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By: Maxine Smith- Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Update
In May of 2004 over 70 sea turtles washed up on Georgia's beaches including the highly endangered Kemp's Ridley, green and leatherback turtles, as well as the threatened loggerheads. While most were dead, three turtles were forced to be transferred to rehabilitation facilities in other states, with one dying during transport.
The proposed $2 million Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island will be dedicated to the rehabilitation of these mysterious animals, while serving to educate the public about their story. The facility will occupy the 1903 Power Plant within the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District. The renovated building will house educational exhibits, surgical and rehabilitation areas, an information center and gift shop. Video feeds will allow visitors a glimpse into these restricted zones to see the turtle's rehabilitative care.
Also, nightly turtle walks, offered from June through mid-August, introduce visitors to these majestic animals. After a brief orientation, visitors are led to Jekyll Island's starlit beach, where they might encounter a nesting sea turtle. From a safe distance, participants view the fascinating pageant of life as 80-100 eggs are deposited in the nest. Reservations are required and can be made through the Jekyll Island History Center at (912) 635-4036.
Once completed, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will be open year-round, free of charge to visitors. The Adopt-a-Loggerhead program is also available for those wishing to support this project. Three different funding opportunities are available:

Adult Mother - $35.00 Adoption includes official certificate, photograph, hatching announcements, turtle sticker, key chain and a poster Nest - $25.00 Adoption includes official certificate, hatching announcement and success rate and a turtle sticker Hatchling - $15.00 Adoption includes official certificate, nest information, hatching announcement and success rate
For more information about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center or to give a donation, call the Jekyll Island Foundation at (912) 635-4402, or www.jekyllislandfoundation.org.

By: Don White ~ Coastal RC & D Council
Free Repairs Available For Artesian Wells
Coastal Georgia Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) announces the continued availability of its free service to repair and install flow controls on free flowing artesian wells in Camden County. The project goal is to conserve water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer, used by three states for drinking water. The service is available to landowners on a voluntary basis and pays for 100% of materials and labor costs. The landowner is still free to use as much water from the well as needed to achieve his/her land management goals.
The Council has repaired or capped 11 wells to date. The water saved from the wells treated so far is over 50 milion gallons per year. Using the rate of most Camden County water systems of $1.50 / 1000 gallons, the value of the water saved is $75,000 / year. Treating these 11 wells has cost about $7000, so the project's benefit to cost ratio in the first year alone is about 11/1. Because the repairs are a one time expense but the benefits continue to accumulate, the benefit/cost ratio increases to 22/1 in the second year, 33/1 in the third year, and so on.
Where possible, damaged pipe is replaced and a spigot installed. Where repairs are not feasible, the Council has employed local well drillers to cap several wells at the landowners' request. This project is a pilot program funded by a $6,000 Savannah Presbytery Ecology Fund grant and a matching $6,000 Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission grant.
Please note this is a water conservation program and applies only to wells that are free flowing. It does not repair other wells, drill new wells, or replace worn out pumps.
For more information contact Don White, Coastal Georgia RC&D Council, at (912) 459-2070 or Mr. Bill Alexander, Coastal Georgia RC&D Council member at (912) 729-2458.

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By: Spud Woodward ~ Assistant Director for Marine Fisheries
Marine Sportfish Carcass Recovery Project Receives

$10,000 Georgia Power Donation

The Marine Sportfish Carcass Recovery Project of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA/DNR) Coastal Resources Division (CRD) recently received a strong boost when the Georgia Power Foundation, Inc., in its third such donation since the project's 1997 creation, made a $10,000 contribution. "We see this as a successful partnership between scientists, saltwater anglers and the business community and are proud to be involved," said Mike Clanton of Georgia Power's Brunswick office.

Also funded by Federal Aid in Sport Fish

Restoration and Georgia fishing license fees,

Mike Clanton of Georgia Power's Brunswick office (R) presents the $10,000 donation to CRD Assistant Director for Marine Fisheries Spud Woodward.

the carcass recovery project gives saltwater anglers a chance to directly participate in the

Photograph by Cindy Gregory management of popular marine species like

spotted seatrout and red drum. CRD staff place chest freezers, supplied with plastic bags and data cards, at

public marinas, fish camps and resorts from Chatham to Camden counties. Anglers simply drop their

filleted carcasses in a bag and answer a few questions on the data card. Active participants earn awards

such as fishing caps and T-shirts.

During the past eight years, more than 20,000 fish carcasses donated by anglers have been processed for biological information such as age, gender and size. This information is an important complement to CRD's saltwater creel survey, a project in which fish from anglers' catches are identified, counted and measured but not processed for age and gender. The participation of concerned anglers and fishing guides in the carcass recovery project saves thousands of dollars and CRD staff hours in the collection of this information.

CRD's carcass recovery project will also be an integral part of the Peach State Reds Initiative, the first experimental release of hatchery-reared red drum fingerlings in a Georgia estuary. These hatchery-reared fish will have a unique genetic identity, allowing scientists to distinguish them from their wild cousins. Beginning in the summer of 2007, each red drum carcass donated by anglers fishing in the Wassaw and St. Simons estuaries will be examined to determine whether it originated from the hatchery or natural reproduction.

Science-based fishery management can ensure a bright future for saltwater fishing along the Georgia coast. Each time an angler donates a bag of fish carcasses, he or she is investing in that future. For more information on the Marine Sportfish Carcass Recovery Project, contact CRD's Paul Medders or Jeff Mericle at (912) 264-7218.

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APRIL-JUNE ,2005

Georgia Sound
VOL.11, NO.2

Department of Natural Resources
Coastal Resources Division One Conservation Way, Suite 300 Brunswick, GA 31520-8687

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Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish!

Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish!

A1n5nthual

Golden

Isles

Parent-Child Fishing Derby

Saturday, June 4, 2005

Limited to 225 Participants

The catch-and-release derby competition

is open to children age 5-12 years old.

8:30 am - 12:00 noon

All participants must be pre-registered. Contact the Brunswick YWCA at (912) 265-4100 or DNR Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218
for details and registration forms.

West Mackay River Fishing Pier Brunswick, Georgia
Registration Deadline June 2, 2005

Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish! Go Fish!

The Georgia Sound is produced quarterly by the Georgia Coastal Management Program. If you would like more information on the
Georgia Coastal Management Program, visit our web site at http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us
or contact Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218.
Layout & Design by: Lea King For address corrections or to be added or deleted from the mailing list,
please contact Lea King at (912) 264-7218.
Lea_King@dnr.state.ga.us

Contributors to this issue: Elizabeth Cheney, Magan Harsh, Lea King, John Pafford, Susan Shipman, Maxine Smith, Don White, Brad Winn and Spud Woodward This publication is made possible through efforts by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Deadline for the Summer 2005 edition is June 17, 2005. We welcome suggestions
of articles and photography.