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!

The CCL has some great information in the video below for South Carolinian’s about our wetlands across the state – including swamps and salt marsh.

It also discusses development along the coastline – including over 2000 islands that could foreseeably have bridges connecting them to the mainland. Thanks to Nancy Vinson and several other citizens’ hard work, 95% of those proposed bridges were denied development!

It is well worth your time to watch this short video from the Coastal Conservation League if you are at all interested in the pristine environment that so much of South Carolina has to offer.