Georgia sound, Vol. 18, no. 1 (Spring 2012

Spring 2012

Vol.16, No.1

Oyster Restoration Project to Begin
In mid-April 2012, Coastal Resources Division staff and personnel from University of Georgia/Marine Extension Service will be undertaking their largest oyster restoration project to date on Jointer Creek in Glynn County. The four restoration sites total 0.42 acres and fall within the Jointer Creek Public Shellfish Harvest Area, located at the intersection of Highway 17 and the Jekyll Island Causeway. These areas currently have no natural oyster reefs but have been identified as good locations for restoration because of their proximity to existing live oyster reefs.

Oyster reefs provide food, cover, shelter, spawning sites and nursery areas for marine and estuarine fish and invertebrate species, and have been designated essential fish habitat by South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and National Marine Fisheries Service. As habitat, oyster reefs are vital to species such as shrimp, crabs, clams, and various finfishes. Additionally, the reefs themselves provide bank stabilization against erosion, with live oysters filtering volumes of
water that can enhance water quality.

During the project, three different materials will be placed at the sites - including nearly 3000 bags of oyster shells, 200 low relief shell structures called gabions, and 250 oak limb bundles. Signage will mark each site and CRD biologists will monitor the project quarterly over the next few years. When completed, the sites will provide new habitat for numerous species, enhance water quality, and provide opportunities for recreational anglers and shellfish harvesters.

More than 18 tons of bagged oyster shells will be deployed at the
Jointer Creek site near Jekyll Island.

By Pat Geer,

Got shell to recycle??? See page four for details.

Chief of Marine Fisheries

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Spring 2012

Page 2

National Wetlands Inventory Updates Georgia Estuarine Wetlands

As a resource management agency, the Coastal Resources Division continually gathers the most current and accurate information in order to inform the management decision making process. Technological advances in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are a good example of how improving technology helps CRD refine data in projects and make better decisions.
In the early 1980's a GIS based National Wetland Inventory (NWI) was conducted for coastal Georgia by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The purpose of the inventory was to identify location and types of wetlands to aid the state and local communities in planning and land management decisions. The technology used in 1980 was unable to capture wetlands under 5 acres. In 2010, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Division updated the NWI for the six ocean facing counties based on 2006 aerial imagery. With advances in imagery and elevation data the updates were completed at a finer scale and captured wetlands greater than 0.5 acres.
Wetlands are areas covered with a layer of water for some period of time that
have waterlogged soils and plant species which grow only in those wet areas.
The recent inventory identified 804, 228 acres of wetlands encompassing approximately 1,256 square miles. Forty-six percent (368,484 acres) of this area is primarily salt marsh dominated by Spartina alterniflora. Freshwater wetlands are even more abundant and contribute 432,660 acres of valuable habitat and ecosystem services in the six coastal counties. Georgia's coast is unparalleled in the quantity and quality of these distinctive and rich habitats and CRD is committed to their protection and conservation. A full report on the project will be available from the CRD in November.

By Sonny Emmert & Jan Mackinnon Ecological Services

The recently completed National Wetlands Inventory identified more than 432,000 acres of freshwater wetlands in Georgia's six coastal counties.
Spartina alterniflora, or smooth cordgrass, is the dominant emergent grass species found growing in tidal salt marshes in coastal Georgia. Vigorous stands of this grass absorb wave energy and screen suspended solids as well as provide food and cover to a number of fish, marsh birds and mammals.
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Spring 2012

Page 3

Coastal Management Program Receives High Marks
The Georgia Coastal Management Program(GCMP) is made possible through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which annually provides approximately $2M to the state of Georgia program activities. In May 2011, NOAA conducted a periodic evaluation of the GCMP sending a team of NOAA program evaluators to coastal Georgia.
After an intensive week of meetings with GCMP stakeholders NOAA developed an evaluation report of the program's accomplishments. The NOAA team met with local governments, research and academic partners, non-governmental organizations, developers, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, other state and federal agencies, and the general public, along with site visits to several successful projects.
We are pleased to report that NOAA's final evaluation report, received in March 2012, contains positive findings across all topics including: operations and management, public access, coastal habitat, water quality, coastal hazards, coastal dependent uses/community development, technical assistance, and government coordination. The evaluation report highlights Georgia's program accomplishments and identifies opportunities to enhance and improve the GCMP based on feedback from stakeholders. One necessary action included in the report requires that the GCMP gain federal approval of the Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Plan within five years. CRD is already working with our sister agency, theEnvironmental Protection Division, to see that this necessary action is accomplished.
CRD is extremely grateful to the many individuals who took the time to participate in the evaluation of the GCMP. The GCMP strives to serve all the coast's stakeholders and this positive evaluation by NOAA is indicitive of success. To view NOAA's Evaluation Report, please visit our website at http://coastalgadnr.org/cm.
By Jill Andrews, Program Manager Ecological Services

Recycle that Shell !
A report by The Nature Conservancy indicates an 85% decline in oyster reefs worldwide. In Georgia, much of that decline is a result of lack of habitat. Larval oysters require oyster shell (or cultch) to properly settle and begin growing.

For years the shell remnants from oysters were

used in road and housing construction and not

returned to the wild. Efforts have been

underway to create collection sites to gather

oyster shells from oyster roast events and other

activities along the coast. Anyone can recycle shell by following some

CRD staff visit local restaurants to collect their shell. These materials are the foundation of our restoration efforts.

simple rules: 1.) Separate shell from plates, napkins, silverware, and food materials. This

is easily done at even the largest of oyster roasts by placing a shell recycle bin next to your trash bin;

2.) Follow any and all directions posted at the recycling site.

We're always in need of volunteers to help prepare shell materials for deployment. If your group is interested, please contact Tom Dougherty at 912-264-7218.

Spring 2012

Page 4

Two New Public Access Sites in Coastal Georgia
By Susan Reeves, Ecological Services

Public access to Georgia's beaches, rivers and other natural resources is an important goal of the Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP). Through the Coastal Incentive Grant program, the GCMP encourages local communities to identify and plan projects that address specific local needs or problems. Included among eligible projects are small construction projects such as boat ramps, fishing piers, trails and beach access points. This past year has seen the completion of three new public access projects funded by Coastal Incentive Grant funds.

A new boat ramp constructed by Brantley County on the Satilla River was highlighted in the last issue. One of two most recently completed projects is a 1500 foot mulched trail and boardwalk in Riceboro that leads to an historically significant tidal freshwater swamp which served as a baptismal pool for the local church community for over 100 years. In addition to its cultural significance, this unique blackwater floodplain forest habitat is designated as a priority habitat by the State Wildlife Action Plan. Very few of these habitats still exist along Georgia's coast. The March 31st Grand Opening was attended by the Mayor and over 70 local citizens.

Riceboro's trail combines two important CRD goals - protection of a unique ecological habitat and preservation of an important historical site.

In the town of Springfield, in Effingham County, a Coastal Incentive Grant supported the construction of a trail and boardwalk connecting the Effingham Museum and Living History Site to nearby Jack's Branch. Jack's Branch is a tributary of Ebenezer Creek which ultimately leads to the Savannah River.

Both Riceboro and Springfield have recently received grant awards from DNR Parks and Historic Sites Division which will enable the acquisition of additional critical habitat adjacent to both of these sites and extension of these trails.

Jack's Branch, also a state priority habitat, is part of a freshwater blackwater stream floodplain forest.

Sonny Emmert, Coastal Resources Specialist, worked closely with both of the communities in

planning and executing these projects and is

available to consult on similar projects. Contact Sonny at: sonny.emmert@gadnr.org or phone 912-264-

7218. For Coastal Incentive Grant program questions, contact Susan Reeves

at:susan.reeves@gadnr.org. or phone 912-264-7218.

The Georgia Sound is produced by the Georgia DNR/Coastal Resources Division and is made possible through the efforts of the GA DNR/Coastal Resources Division staff and a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Spring 2012

Page 5

Georgia's Public Trust Doctrine
The Public Trust Doctrine is the principle that certain resources are preserved for public use, and that the government is required to maintain them for the public's reasonable use. Its principles date back to the ancient laws of the Roman Emperor Justinian where it was believed that the seashore was open to all. This principle became law in England centuries later. In the Magna Carta, public rights were strengthened at the insistence of the nobles that fishing weirs, which obstructed free navigation, be removed from rivers.

The Public Trust Doctrine is based on the ideology that the public has the right to fully enjoy public trust lands, waters and living resources for a variety of recognized public uses, such as commerce, navigation, fishing, bathing and other related purposes. It is an actual legal trust with assets, beneficiaries, a trustee
and a clear purpose. The corpus or body of the trust consists of its assets, which are public trust lands subject to the ebb and flow of the tides, up to the ordinary high water mark, and public trust waters, which are the "navigable waters" of the state and the living resources therein.

Unlike most other property, public trust lands are

vested with two legal titles. The dominant title is

Tidewaters and Tidal Boundaries

in the jus publicum, or the "public property rights"

to fully use and enjoy trust lands and waters for

commerce, navigation, fishing, bathing, and other related public purposes. The subservient title is in the

jus privatum, or the "private property rights" of an owner to use and possess lands.

In Georgia, public trust lands, waters and living resources are held by the state government in trust for the common benefit of all people. The beneficiaries of the Public Trust are the public. This includes both present and future generations. The governor has general supervision over all property of the State including tidal lands and has delegated the responsibility of protecting the public's interest in tidal lands, waters and living resources to the Department of Natural Resources.

The application of the public trust in Georgia during modern times began with an Opinion Letter issued on March 16, 1970 from the State Law Department to the Army Corps of Engineers declaring the State's ownership of ungranted coastal marshlands throughout Georgia in accordance with the Public Trust Doctrine and precedent of Illinois Central R.R. v Illinois, 146U.S.387,452 (1892).

In 1992, the General Assembly codified the Public Trust Doctrine into statute. This was done with the enactment of the Protection of Tidewaters Act and the Right of Passage Act. The Legislative Findings and Declaration of Policy refer specifically to the Common Law Public Trust Doctrine, which is the first instance of specific statutory reference to the Doctrine. These statutes were later used to remove river houses from the Altamaha River. The application of the Public Trust Doctrine, through this law, accomplished protection of the water quality and restored pristine character in one of our nation's greatest rivers.

By Karl Burgess Habitat Management Program Manager

With the enactment of the Protection of Tidewaters Act and the Right of Passage Act, approximately 210 river houses were removed from Georgia's coastal rivers.

Spring 2012

Page 6

Spotlight on CRD Staff

Ecological Monitoring Surveys Project Leader - Jim Page As the leader for the EMS, it often appears Jim is going in several directions at once. One minute he's addressing a budget discrepancy, the next he's putting on his Red Ball boots to conduct bycatch observations with cannonball jellyfish trawlers. Jim oversees a large collection of fisheries surveys in the Marine Fisheries Section, including our flagship trawl survey which dates back to 1976.

Born in Augusta but raised in Brunswick, Jim started volunteering at DNR

at 15, and joined the CRD ranks as a technician in 2000 after completing a

wildlife biology degree from UGA. During Jim's early years at CRD, his

office appeared to be more on the water than in a building, as he spendt

most of his time on various commercial and research vessels. Jim still

spends a fair amount of time on the water conducting bycatch studies from

commercial fisheries and performing research trawl surveys to monitor shrimp, blue crab, finfish, and other marine organism populations. He

Jim and the crew of the RV Anna monitor Georiga's

completed a Master's degree in Marine Science from Savannah State Universitsyhriinmp, crab and finfish

2007 while still maintaining his full-time job and starting a family.

populations at 42 sample sites

from Savannah to St. Marys.

Jim and his wife April have two children, Garrett (5) and Gracelynn (2). "Watching my kids enjoy the outdoors just like I did growing up on the coast and knowing that through my job I contribute in some way to sustaining those opportunities certainly brings great satisfaction to me," says Jim.

Josh Noble - Compliance and Enforcement Program Brunswick native Josh Noble joined CRD in 2003 as an hourly technician working on marine fishery research initiatives. While attending Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Josh conducted creel surveys at public access points throughout coastal Georgia. After graduation in 2005, he conducted fishery-surveys in Wassaw Sound on a project to collect data used to monitor the health of recreationallyimportant fish.

Since 2007, Josh has been a member of the Compliance and Enforcement Program at CRD which is responsible for enforcement of the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act, Shore Protection Act, Revocable Licenses, and for tracking all sunken vessels here on the Georgia coast.

"I find it rewarding that I can have a direct and immediate effect on the health of the environment by preventing harmful and illegal activities from occurring within Georgia's estuaries, marshes, and beaches," Josh says.

Josh spends much of his work day on the water investigating illegal activities along the coast.

Growing up on the Georgia coast, Josh developed a love for the outdoors at an early age ... fishing in local ponds and hunting small game. The fall of 2011 was one he will always remember - he harvested his first alligator while hunting with friends in the lower Altamaha River and followed it up that same week with his first hog hunt in Long County where he harvested three hogs.

Spring 2012

Page 7

CRD Calendar of Events -
June 2, 2012 - Family Fishing Derby at the Ski Rixen Pond on Jekyll Island in celebration of Georgia's Free Fishing Day. Open to kids ages five to twelve. This free event is limited to the first 125 registrants. Contact: Paul.Medders@gadnr.org
June 26 - June 29 - Beach Week along the Coast Learn about Georgia's coastal environment when CRD's Coastal Ark visits Jeykll, St Simons and Tybee Island beaches. Contact: Jennifer.Kline@gadnr.org
September 22, 2012 - Family Fishing Derby at the Tybee Pier, Tybee Island in celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day. Contact: Paul.Medders@gadnr.org
October 6, 2012 - CoastFest at the GA DNR Coastal Regional Headquarters in Brunswick, GA. Celebrate Georgia's coastal natural resources with exhibits and entertainment from more than 80 educational and resources organizations throughout the southeast. Contact: Nancy.Butler@gadnr.org

Stay up to date with Coastal Resources Division
Log onto `CoastalGaDNR.org' and look for the "Red Envelope" icon
Receive updates on: Beach Swimming Advisories Fishing Regulations Public Meetings and more
New Search Function Available for Coastal Incentive Grant Program Projects
The Georgia Coastal Management Program's Coastal Incentive Grant Program, now in its 15th year has provided over $14,500,000 to local communities, research and educational institutions and other state agencies to support public access, critical research and planning and outreach efforts. Projects funded under the Program can be found on the CRD website through a new search function located at www.coastalgadnr.org/cm/grants/cig/reports
www.CoastalGaDNR.org