An eight-year study funded by the Office of Naval Research and DNR Saltwater Recreation Funds created more than 77,000 video clips – with one included here – that were later used to identify and document the population of observed animals around an artificial reef.

The collaborative effort between SCDNR and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SKIO) to monitor fish recruitment and use of the small artificial reef with a remote video camera system was initiated back in 1999.

Analysis of videos for 16 fish species or species groups revealed several noteworthy findings which you can read more about on the SCDNR website – including length of time on site for certain “residential” fish and migratory patterns for others.   Read more...

In a paper just published Science Magazine, a team of fisheries led by Boris Worm, a marine biologist at Canada’s Dalhousie University, provided the most comprehensive analysis to date of global fisheries. The findings are mixed.

In 5 of 10 well-studied regions — Iceland, Newfoundland-Labrador, the Northeast U.S., Southeast Australia, and the California Current — fishing pressures have on average become less intense. 1/3 of all fish populations have been steered away from imminent doom, and appear to be recovering. Their ecosystems are no longer fast-tracked for collapse.

The solutions were relatively simple: abandon destructive fishing techniques like longlining and bottom trawling, reduce catches, put some waters off-limits, and give fishermen an economic reason to not overfish.   Read more...

The proposal covers 3 shark species:

1. It promotes the live release of shortfin mako sharks by commercial and recreational fishermen to help rebuild the species population in the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. contributes less than 10% to the overall catch in the Atlantic. NOAA’s Fisheries Service has proposed to take action at the international level to develop measures to end overfishing of shortfin mako sharks.
2. A stock assessment determined that reducing the annual mortality of blacknose sharks by approximately 78% across all fisheries could result in rebuilding by 2027.
3. Finally, the proposal would also add smooth dogfish to the species managed by the NOAA’s Fisheries Service – requiring a federal fishing permit and proposes an annual commercial quota of 645.8 metric tons dressed weight.
  Read more...

Paul Godbout of Summerville caught a 5-pound, 10-ounce white grunt July 16 about 40 miles off Georgetown near the South West Banks.

The new record beats the previous state record by 10 ounces, set by Jason Edgerton of Mt. Pleasant back in March of 2008.

Congratulations Paul!