Georgia sound, Vol. 8, no. 3 (July - Sept. 2002

The unofficial start to summer in the Golden Isles happened on Saturday, June 1st with the 12th Annual Golden Isles Parent-Child Fishing Derby on the West MacKay River Fishing Pier in Brunswick. More than 175 kids between the ages of 5-12 entered the catch-and-release derby competition of the Saturday morning event.
With an emphasis on fishing education and fun, this family event is free to the first 225 registered kids in the 512 age group. Family members and siblings are also welcome to come and enjoy the morning and the awards picnic. This year our CRD chefs cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for more than 375 folks!!
The Derby is held each year in early June as part of the observance for National Fishing and Boating Week. It is organized by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick YWCA, and the Golden Isles Kingfish Classic. Sponsors for the 2002 event were McDonalds and Adelphia Cable.

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By: Jim Page Marine Technician Commercial Fisheries
Program

It's low tide and you find yourself strolling down one of Georgia's beaches, enjoying a favorite pastime of combing the sand in search of a seashell. Near the waters edge your eyes catch a glimpse of a beautiful shell with what appears to be large spikes on it. As you lean down to pick up your newfound prize, closer inspection reveals a large snail-like critter apparently residing inside of the shell. It appears what you have found is a Knobbed whelk (Busycon carica), Georgia's state seashell and one of 3 species of whelk commercially harvested along the coast of Georgia.

Easily distinguishable by its large spike-like tubercles or "knobs," the Knobbed whelk is the most common species of whelk commercially harvested by whelk trawlers in Georgia. With a range from Massachussetts to Florida, these highly migratory gastropods can be found in either deep or shallow water, depending on the time of year. Migration to the offshore waters of the Atlantic occurs during the extreme weather conditions prevalent during the summer and winter months. A second migration occurs during the spring and fall months, this time to the shallow waters of near-shore mud flats. It is here on these shallow-water mud flats that whelk prey on oysters, clams, and other marine bivalves found in the diet of these omnivorous marine snails. Additionally, mating and egg laying also occur during this spring and fall migration. Internally fertilized eggs are surrounded by a transparent mass of albumen and are laid in protective disciform egg capsules joined to form a helicoid string called an egg case. On average each capsule contains 0-99 eggs, with most strings having 40-160 capsules! After laying their egg cases, female Knobbed whelk will bury one end of the egg case into the substrate, thus providing an anchor for the developing fertilized eggs and preventing them from washing ashore. Fertilized eggs will emerge as juvenile Knobbed whelk approximately 4mm in length and continue developing into the largest shallow water snails of the Southeast coast above Florida, reaching lengths of up to 12 inches.

Knobbed Whelk

Channeled Whelk

Lacking the "knobs" of the Knobbed whelk, the smooth-shelled Channeled whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) is the second most common species of whelk commercially harvested in Georgia. Reaching lengths of up to 7 inches, these marine snails inhabit the same intertidal mud flats as that of the Knobbed whelk. While the range and seasonal migratory habits of the Channeled whelk typically mirror that of the Knobbed whelk, noticeable differences do exist in the rhythms of activity, mating habits, sensitivity to temperature, and harvest methods of these species. Knobbed whelk exhibit both diurnal and nocturnal rhythms of activity throughout the year, while Channeled whelk display three different rhythms of activity according to the time of year. Primarily nocturnal during warmer months, Channeled whelk become diurnal and nocturnal during the spring and fall before engaging in primarily diurnal habits during the winter. Unlike the Knobbed whelk which mates and lays eggs in both the spring and fall, Channeled whelk have only one egg-laying season in the spring. Additionally, the two species differ in their sensitivity to extreme temperatures. Channeled whelk are less sensitive to lower temperatures than Knobbed whelk, while Knobbed whelk are less sensitive to higher temperatures than Channeled whelk. A final difference between these two species is the methods by which they can be harvested. Though both are harvested in Georgia predominately by commercial trawling vessels, Channeled whelk are unique in that they are also harvested as incidental catch in crab pots.

The largest yet least common of the commercially harvested whelks in Georgia is the Lightning whelk (Busycon contrarium). Ranging from North Carolina to Florida and reaching up to 16 inches in length, the spiked shells of these gastropods greatly resemble that of the Knobbed whelk, although the knobs are typically less conspicuous than those of the Knobbed whelk. The most obvious physical characteristic used to distinguish the Lightning whelk is an aperture that opens to the left as opposed to the right-opening aperture of the Knobbed whelk. Other differences between these two species include habitat preference and rhythms of activity. Though both species migrate into the intertidal mud flats to feed on marine bivalves, Knobbed whelk migrate higher up into the intertidal flats than do Lightning whelk. Furthermore, unlike the Knobbed whelk, which is active both day and night, Lightning whelk are diurnal, active only during the day. Though differences do exists between the Knobbed whelk and the Lightning whelk, many similarities also exists between these two species, including the ability to prey on thick shelled clams and oysters, a practice not possible for the thin shelled Channeled whelk.

Lightning Whelk

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By: Nancy Butler Public Affairs Coordinator

CRD's Offshore Artificial Reef program recently added two 195' x 35' steel barges to the landscape of "G Reef" - located 23 nm east of Little Cumberland Island. Two 300-ton steel barges were placed on the site by MOBRO, INC. of Jacksonville, FL in a deployment that took about 15 minutes per barge !!!

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Program Update

Geor gi a Coast al Management Pr ogr am

In our last issue there was an article about the Department's efforts to adopt written policies regarding marshlands, shorelands, and recreational docks. Some of these policies have been applied for many years but were not in writing, making it difficult for the public to understand application of authorities. Some policies currently under consideration are new. Most of these apply to single-family recreational docks.

With increasing interests in coastal environmental issues and our commitment to involving the public in decision-making, the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has placed a moratorium on application of any new restrictions on recreational docks until we have heard from you, our clients. We have begun an effort to gain input from specific client groups such as the Boards of Realtors, Chambers of Commerce, dock builders, Home Builders Associations, local governments, Coastal Research Council, environmental organizations, Coastal Advisory Council, developers, etc. We will also hold at least two general public informational meetings. If a specific client group would like to have a personal meeting with our staff, contact us and we will do our best to meet your schedule.

After these informational meetings, we will produce a summary of comments and recommendations, if any, for further restrictions on recreational docks. These recommendations, if adopted, would be publicized through the media and handouts to interested parties.
Restrictions for recreational docks under consideration include the following along with a short description of the issue. If you are interested in these issues, please plan to attend one of the client meetings or public meetings. You may also forward written comments to us at CRD. If you would like further information on any particular proposal, just let us know.
- Recent research indicates floats and boats sitting on the mud can cause damage to the habitat beneath the float and boat; also, numerous requests have been received to install structures into the marsh to marsh-barren areas just for "party-houses" and not for access to waters.
- There are a few such structures along our coastline and we have recently received requests for elaborate, two-story structures in excess of 30 feet high.
- An individual may have the need for a recreational dock but two docks is excessive and an unreasonable impact on state water bottoms.
- In the past five years numerous errors by dock builders have resulted in docks placed across others' dock corridors; a survey to accurately position the dock would alleviate this problem.
- Property owners and the State have no mechanism to recover cost of docks built in error; bonding would provide such a mechanism.
- Docks have been shown to have an adverse environmental impact; such impacts should be limited to a "minor impact" as defined in state law.
- Some home owners desire to skip over smaller creeks to gain access to larger creeks; this practice results in longer docks with more environmental impacts; docks should be constructed to the first available creek.

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Greetings to our Coastal S ound readers from the Director's desk. These initial months in my new position as Coastal Resources Division Director have been an exhilarating but intense learning experience. With a professional background largely steeped in marine fisheries management, I have spent the last few weeks expanding my knowledge in the areas of coastal habitat and management, and permitting. While I've learned a great deal, I have a long way to go! Luckily, I've got a great team of teachers in our Ecological Services Section associates, and I look forward to tackling the learning curve in the weeks and months ahead.
In this and future issues of The Georgia Sound, I'd like to share with you my perspective of the environmental landscape facing coastal Georgia for the near and intermediate term (5 to 10 years). First and foremost of the complex issues we face is water. Water has long been a very strategic resource in the Western part of our country, as well as globally. Water issues are beginning to grip the Eastern United States, and it is arguably the largest resource issue facing Georgia for the foreseeable future. For the coast, there are sub-issues of ground water-surface water connectivity, artesian flows, wetlands protection and sheet flow, saltwater-freshwater interface, interbasin transfers, anomalous weather patterns such as the current drought, and instream flow, i.e., the timing and delivery of freshwater into the estuaries.
There are numerous opportunities for the coastal citizenry to become more knowledgeable about water in the weeks and months ahead, through media coverage, and a number of public forums being held by municipalities, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions. The Joint House and Senate Water Study Committee will be finalizing their work this fall. I urge each of you to become better informed on the water issues facing our state and the coast, and to share your perspectives with your elected officials and policy makers.
Coastal development is an equally challenging issue for residents, managers, and visitors alike. Coastal areas are experiencing phenomenal growth and development. Population census data show that coastal Georgia counties such as Bryan, Camden and Effingham, have surpassed Atlanta metro area growth. Over the next decade, coastal growth will exceed 80% in Camden County as compared to projections of 19% in the Atlanta area. The most desired land, marsh or waterfront, is the most ecologically fragile. This growth is presenting unprecedented challenges to Coastal Resources Division as we strive to fulfill our stewardship responsibilities for marshlands, tidal waters and water bottoms, and the sand sharing system, which are recognized in law as critical coastal habitats.
The highest density of protected species in the State is found on the coast. Sensitive natural communities, such as maritime forests and undisturbed marsh hammocks, are quickly disappearing. Georgia's coastal residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the impacts of development on protected species, the habitat upon which they depend, and vanishing natural communities. This concern prompted DNR Commissioner Lonice Barrett to appoint a Marsh Hammock Advisory Council in February 2001 to evaluate the complicated issue of marsh hammock development, and to offer recommendations. The Council delivered its report to the Board of Natural Resources this spring, and public hearings were held in late April and May. This input was augmented by many written comments on the subject. Commissioner Barrett has asked the Marsh Hammock Advisory Council to continue their work on this difficult subject, and they will resume deliberations later this summer. Simply put, knowledge is the currency of future decision-making on water, coastal development, marsh hammocks, and all the tough natural resource issues facing coastal Georgia. These are complicated issues, involving competing interests of a diverse array of users and environmental advocates. No one entity has a monopoly on the answers. We will need to strengthen our sciencebased decision making, and continually evaluate our management approaches against the latest scientific knowledge. Given foreseeable resources, we will need to forge tactical partnerships with other institutions that can help build and optimize shared resources and improve our management decisions. More research, better data gathering techniques, more sophisticated analytical tools, and better cooperation between resource users, researchers, and managers is needed, such as the current research on the blue crab disease Hematodinium. The Coastal Research Council that is being formulated through a Coastal Incentive Grant has the potential to provide a forum to accomplish this.
I believe we all share a common goal: how to conserve Georgia's extraordinary coastal resources while allowing sustainable use. This is not an "either-or" situation, i.e., Conservation versus development. I believe human use of these resources can be compatible with conservation. Through open communications and creative collaborations with other Divisions, agencies, nongovernmental organizations, academia and our varied public constituencies, I am convinced we can realize our goal.
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By: Jan Mackinnon Coastal Technical Assistant
All too often we get absorbed in the daily routine of our jobs, working in a vacuum and sometimes losing sight of the goals in mind. It is times like these that conferences, workshops and seminars come in handy to expose us to new ideas, new people, and new ways of doing business.
The Coastal Society's 18th International Conference was held in May in Galveston, Texas. Folks from all over the continental United States and Canada met at Moody Gardens to discuss coastal issues ranging from marshlands restoration to the importance of metadata in coastal zone decision making.
Jill Huntington and I attended the conference as representatives of Georgia's Coastal Management Program. It appears that Georgia is not alone when it comes to issues such as aquifer use, isolated wetlands protection, and the importance of freshwater inflows to our estuarine systems. We had the opportunity to talk with other coastal states to collaborate on some of the issues we are currently facing. In addition, we were exposed to innovative techniques to coastal management and the preservation of wildlife
So what does this have to do with local governments? Well, it is pretty simple. Jill and I not only bring back contact numbers and e-mail addresses, but most importantly we bring back ideas to share with local governments and staff. As a result of the TCS conference, we are better informed of water management impacts, land-use change technology and fisheries issues. We hope to develop new projects involving our local officials and decision makers in order to better manage our coast.
If you are interested in finding out more about The Coastal Society and/or topics of discussion at the 2002 conference, please contact Jan Mackinnon, jan_mackinnon@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us or (912) 262-3048.
By: Kevin Brady Legal Associate
In the Fall 2001 edition of the Georgia Sound, Vol. 7, No. 4, Improper Beach Storage of Watercraft was explained. That article noted how the practical demands of boaters were frustrated by the narrow beach apportionment provided to boaters by law. During the 2002 General Assembly, House Bill 1048 amended Part 2, Article 4, Chapter 5 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The amendment alleviates the growing tensions relative to boat storage and shore protection.
The crux of the amendment is to limit the boat storage prohibition from the entire dynamic dune field by adding language narrowing the scope of coverage to target the sand dune exclusively. The coverage shift was balanced by an additional safeguard that lawful activities shall require protections for nesting turtles, birds, their hatchlings and habitat. While the import of the law is to narrow the covered area, habitat conservation and wildlife protection in the critically sensitive areas, which are typically vegetated, remains an important component of the law. The new law simultaneously broadens the area available for vessel storage and provides an additional environmental safeguard by requiring protection to wildlife and habitat to offset the likelihood of negative impacts occasioned by the broader use.
Properly storing a vessel remains the responsibility of the boater. Vessels may now be lawfully stored within high dry sand. However, the boater must consider the site specific environmental conditions and safeguard the interests of nature by taking caution not to store the vessel on rolling mounds, within vegetated areas, or in a manner that interferes with wildlife, their hatchlings or habitat, otherwise boaters risk misdemeanor citation as provided for by O.C.G.A 12-5248(a)(2)(b). Minimizing the laws coverage to the sand dune is perceived as responding to the practical needs of boaters while respecting wildlife and habitat.
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Coast Fest 2002!

CoastFest `02 logo By Rachel Gressel Risley Middle School

Lar gest cel ebr at ion of geor gi a's coast al nat ur al r esour ces

What attracts over 5,000 visitors, spot-lights coastal resources and

critters, has a little something for everyone and is packed with surprises and

excitement? Why it's

of course! Held annually on the first Saturday

of October, this day-long educational festival is a FREE, highly interactive event for the

entire family. Hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Coastal

Resources Division (CRD),

takes place at the Division's headquarters along

the Marshes of Glynn in Brunswick.

will take place on Saturday,

October 5 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and will be held rain or shine. Touted as a celebration,

is just that; a celebration of Georgia's rich and vast coastal natural resources

where visitors are encouraged to explore the secrets and hidden treasures of our coastal

natural world. With over 90 interactive exhibitors, activity areas and three scheduled

performers,

has something for everyone! Come be a part of the

fun and

Educat e!

Cel ebr at e!

Uncover !

Invest igat e!
AFdmRiEssEi on!

Cr eat e!

Di scover !

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By: Cpt. S pud Woodward Chief, Marine Fisheries S ection

Hatchery-reared fish have long been used to create or improve

angling opportunities in freshwater streams, reservoirs, and ponds.

Rainbow trout, striped bass, and channel catfish are just a few of

the species propagated in hatcheries operated by the

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and used

for public waters stocking programs throughout the state.

Some Georgia anglers believe that DNR, through the Coastal Resources

Division (CRD), should take a

similar approach with saltwater species like the red drum. These anglers

believe that stocking saltwater fish will mean better fishing, now and in the future.

Since the late 1980's, the popular press has heaped praise upon the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for its aggressive approach in stocking millions of hatchery-reared red drum fry and fingerlings into Texas bays. By all accounts, Texas anglers are catching more and bigger redfish, so it appears that the hatcheries are working. But do hatcheries deserve all the credit?

Interestingly, both commercial and recreational fishing for reds came under severe restrictions at the same time Texas started its stocking program. Soon, the commercial harvest of redfish was banned. Today, anglers are allowed three reds between 20 and 28 inches per day plus have the opportunity to harvest two fish over the 28-inch maximum size limit each year.

Soon, redfish stocking projects in Florida made it into the limelight. Fingerlings were released into Biscayne Bay, Indian River, and Tampa Bay. While results have been promising, scientists with the state's Stock Enhancement Research Facility are taking a responsible approach by limiting their releases so they can adequately study the results. For these scientists, the responsible approach means giving careful consideration to the long-term consequences of using hatchery-reared red drum. After all, the reckless introduction of millions of red drum fingerlings may actually have a negative effect on wild red drum populations through loss of genetic integrity or competition for habitat and food.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has also taken the responsible approach to red drum stocking by releasing limited numbers of fish in projects designed to provide definitive information on survival and growth. Thus far, the results indicate fish reared at the Waddell Mariculture Center do survive in appreciable numbers after release. Furthermore, addition of these hatchery-reared fish appears to have increased the overall abundance of red drum in the areas stocked. Research continues, and a new project was just begun at the Murrell's Inlet area.

South Carolina anglers are enthusiastic about expanding the red drum stocking program. In fact, a portion of the funds raised by a recent increase in the South Carolina Saltwater Fishing License will go toward red drum stocking. However, Palmetto State anglers have also recognized the need to protect wild fish and supported the recent change in recreational harvest limits to two fish per day between 15 and 24 inches, a limit more restrictive than necessary according to the regional population assessment.

Scientists with CRD have watched the stocking programs in Texas, Florida and particularly South Carolina with keen interest. Should CRD be using hatchery-reared red drum as a management tool? While some might argue otherwise, this is not a question that can be answered with a simple yes or no. The issues surrounding the use of hatchery-reared red drum in Georgia are complex and numerous. Stocking as a management tool for the red drum fishery must be thoroughly studied and debated before an educated decision can be made. This will be the task of a recently formed subcommittee of the Saltwater Advisory Council (SAC).
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In December 2000, I authored an issue paper entitled, Red Drum S tock Enhancement in Georgia: A Responsible Approach. The first step in a responsible approach is the formation of a study committee to examine all the issues. Recently, such a group was organized under the auspices of the SAC. Membership of the Red Drum Stock Enhancement Subcommittee will be as follows:
Mickey Whittington
Capt. Larry Crews
To be named
I Jeff Pope of the Coastal Conservation Association - Georgia
To be named
Jim Bardsley, Jr.
To be named
Spud Woodward
The subcommittee's work will begin this summer and continue into 2003. The group will be getting a crash course in red drum hatchery operations and will become familiar with the results of stocking programs in other southeastern states. The subcommittee will then consider all the risks and benefits of using hatchery-reared red drum as a management tool in Georgia before making a report to the SAC at its spring 2003 meeting.
As mentioned before, the questions surrounding the use of hatchery-reared red drum are many. Here is just a sample:
Do adequate numbers of fish survive to justify the cost? What's the best size of fish to stock and where should they be stocked? If the hatchery-reared fish do survive, will they just replace wild fish meaning there is no net increase in population size? Will we ignore the habitat needs of wild fish if we can grow replacements in a hatchery? Will anglers get as much pleasure from catching a hatchery-reared red drum as they get from catching a wild red drum?
Another important step in red drum management will be taken this summer. Thanks to the efforts of Coastal Conservation Association Georgia (CCA-GA) members and other concerned anglers, the 2002 Georgia General Assembly provided partial funding for the Marine Sportfish Population Health Program. This funding will be used to hire and equip a marine biologist and technician, who will collect data on marine sportfish populations in the Wassaw estuary, near Savannah. Such data will be critical to evaluating the effects and effectiveness of using hatchery-reared red drum should CRD begin an experimental stocking program in the future.
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Taken from the Chapman Piloting Book

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By: Kelie Matrangos Technical Assistant

There is a simple explanation for this old and quite reliable proverb. A red sunset results from viewing the sky through dusty particles in the air, the nuclei necessary for the formation of rain. The air probably would reach an observer the following day. Weather tends to flow west to east, so if tomorrow's weather appears to the west as a line of wetness, the sun shining through the mass appears as a yellow or grayish orb. On the other hand if the weather lying to the west is dry, the sun will show at its reddest. Red sky in the morning is caused by the rising sun lighting up high cirrus and cirrostratus clouds, which will be followed by lowering, frontal clouds. Red sky at night - a red-tinted sunset - often derives from the sky clearing at the western horizon, with the clouds likely to pass before the night is done.
High-flying cirrus clouds, few in the sky, that resemble wisps in a mare's tail in the wind, signal fair weather. Only when the sky becomes heavy with cirrus, or mackerel, clouds - cirrocumulus resembling wave-rippled sand on a beach - can you expect a storm. There is an exception to this proverb, however. If cirrus clouds form as mares' tails with the hairs pointing upward or downward, the probability is for rain, even though the clouds may be scattered.
Anyone who has spent any time around boats knows the truth of this time-honored prophecy. Nor do you have to be sitting on a piling in a marina to notice the unusual sharpness of sounds on certain days - the more penetrating sound of a bell ringing or voices that carry longer distances are signs of the acoustical clarity when bad weather lowers the cloud ceiling towards earth. The tonal quality of sound is improved because the cloud layer bounces the sounds back, the way the walls of a canyon echo a cry. When the cloud barrier lifts, the same sounds dissipate in space.
This is another version of the last proverb, which suggests you can hear bad weather approaching - for example, if a train whistle is audible when normally it would be faint. The reason the sound carries farther is that the whistle was blown under a lowering cloud ceiling, whose extending barrier may not have reached your position yet.
The familiar halo of the sun or moon is caused by the refraction of its light by ice crystals in cirrus clouds, which frequently appear when lowered air pressure and high clouds are present and rain is approaching.
At first reading, these two sayings may seem contradictory. As cirrus and cirrostratus fronts push across the sky in the region of the moon or sun, the halo first appears, then becomes brightest in that part of the arc from which a low-pressure system is approaching. Later, the halo becomes complete and the light is uniform throughout. As the storm advances, altostratus clouds arrive and obliterate the original and, for a time, the brightest part of the halo - the side nearest the oncoming storm. The sayings refer to different times in the life of the halo. It is also true that when halos appear as double or triple, it signifies that cirrostratus clouds are relatively thick, such as would be the case in a deep, well-developed storm. Broken halos indicate a disturbed state in the upper atmosphere, with rain imminent. Now, to put any confusion at rest about the forecast persistence of rain by the appearance of sun and moon halos, the U.S. National Weather Service has verified through repeated observations that sun halos will be followed by rain about 75% of the time. Halos around the moon have a rain forecasting accuracy of about 65%.
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Spud Woodward began his DNR career in 1981 as a Wildlife Technician I and has been with CRD since 1987, most recently having served as Sr. Marine Biologist. Spud received his BS from Augusta College and his MS in Wildlife Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee.
A P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement officer, Spud also has earned a Coast Guard Captain's license. Spud is active in the Georgia chapter of the American Fisheries Society, has served as a past president of the chapter, and earned the organization's Certified Fisheries Professional certification.
Spud is an avid fisherman, diver and hunter and considers his active participation in these areas to enhance his ability to serve in his new CRD position. He is a free-lance writer with his works and columns appearing in both regional and national publications. Spud lives on St. Simons Island and has one daughter, Sally.

S pud Woodward (L) and Pat Greer (R).

A native of Long Island, New York, Pat comes to CRD from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. He holds a Master's degree In Biological Oceanography from Old Dominion University.
While at VIMS Pat developed the trawl program into a comprehensive state-wide biological monitoring program, established species specific essential fish habitat requirements, developed an American eel monitoring and life history program, and was involved with Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission committees.
At CRD Pat hopes to continue to enhance the existing programs with fresh ideas and innovative technologies and to provide scientifically sound data for resource management decisions.
Pat resides on St. Simons with his wife Elizabeth and daughters Jordan and Sarah. He enjoys coaching both youth soccer and swimming.

By: Nancy Butler Public Affairs Coordinator
Doug Haymans Support S pecialist

Reducing the amount of marine debris in our coastal area is the goal of a new user-friendly recycling program launched by Coastal Resources Division (CRD). CRD's new recycling program focuses on reducing the amount of discarded fishing line in our waters. In cooperation with Pure Fishing, Inc. and several local Boy Scout Troops, CRD plans to place fishing line collection tubes at every major saltwater access point in coastal Georgia.

"We kicked off this program at the start of National Fishing and Boating Week on June 1st," said CRD's Doug Haymans. "National Fishing and Boating Week is a high profile time designed to increase awareness of our water resources and to encourage more people to get out and enjoy them. Unfortunately for many, their first encounter on the coast is with marine debris, such as discarded fishing line. Monofilament line entangles fish and marine mammals such as dolphins and manatees, it is ingested by turtles, and it can snare seabirds, all of which are deadly scenarios. By providing convenient collection sites and making it easier for folks to discard their old line properly, we hope to reduce the amount of fishing line left behind."

Once collected, the line will be sent to Pure Fishing, parent company of Berkley Fishing, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, and many other well known fishing brands. Pure Fishing will recycle the line into useful items such as artificial fish habitats that have been widely used since the mid-90s.

The white 24-inch long by 4-inch diameter PVC collection tubes will be initially located at Kings Ferry Community Park (Chatham), Ft. McAllister State Park (Bryan), Sunbury Ramp (Liberty), Champney River Ramp (McIntosh), Mackay River Ramp (Glynn) and the Woodbine Fishing Pier (Camden). Sites will continue to be added over the summer until as many access points as possible have been installed. If you would like to have a collection tube placed at your local marina or fishing pier, or for more information, please contact Doug Haymans at (912) 264-7218 or Ddoug_haymans@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us.

Fishing line collection tubes, like this one at Mackay River Ramp in Glynn County, make line recycling easy for anglers.

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Fishing fun for kids did not end with the 2002 Parent-Child Fishing Derby that same fun will be traveling to Camp Oo-U-La at Rock Eagle in the form of twenty-five rods, reels and tackle boxes. The extra equipment from the Derby will now find a new home at "Camp Cool" which provides a week long adventure for Georgia kids who have suffered burns. Sponsored by the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, Camp Oo-U-La gives Georgia's youngest burn survivors a chance to romp and play and just be themselves all at no charge to the campers. Founded in 1993, Camp Oo-U-La is Georgia's only camp exclusively for burn-injured children and each year plays host to over 100 excited kids.

CRD's donation of fishing equipment will allow campers to use up-to-date and brand new gear in hopes of catching "the big one" and participating in the camp tradition of campers kissing their first catch of the year. For more information about Camp Oo-U-La and information on volunteering, visit the foundation's web site at www.gfbf.org.

~ Photo at Right ~ John Pafford, CRD Recreational Fisheries Program Supervisor, presents Glynn County Firefighter and Camp Oo-U-La volunteer Lester Rooks with brand new fishing gear for Camp Oo-U-La campers.

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 www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/coastal
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.
Llea_king@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us

Contributors to this issue: Henry Ansley, Kevin Brady, Nancy Butler, Doug Haymans,
Lea King, Jan Mackinnon, Kelie Matrangos, Jim Page, Susan Shipman, Stuart Stevens, 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 Fall 2002 edition is September 1, 2002. We welcome suggestions
of articles and photography.

Georgia Sound

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