May 17, 2009
Saltwater Recreational Fishing License changes
License fees aren’t changing, but effective July 1, 2009, SCDNR has made several modifications to existing rules for saltwater fishing across South Carolina’s state and federal waters.
Currently a saltwater recreational fishing license is required for people:
- * Harvesting oysters or clams
- * Fishing for fin-fish from a private boat or transporting catch in a private boat.
The new legislation will also require a saltwater recreational fishing license for:
- * Recreationally fishing from shore (beach, bank, private dock, free public pier, etc.)
- * Recreationally harvesting shrimp and/or crab.
We can purchase a license 24/7 via 1-866-714-3611 or www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html.
There are a few exceptions allowing people to harvest marine resources without a saltwater recreational fishing license:
March 3, 2009
S.C. makes ‘Affordable Beach Resorts’ list
Pawley’s Island up the coast was the only S.C. resort to make the ‘Affordable Beach Resorts’ list this time around, so congratulations!
Just south of Myrtle Beach is Evans Pelican Inn, an informal antebellum beach house. All nine of the simple rooms have ceiling fans and screened windows to make the most of the salty sea breeze (there is air-conditioning, too).
The Southern-style breakfast includes biscuits, grits, and crab salad. The inn fills up fast during the summer months, but spring is actually the most pleasant time to go, because average temperatures range between 68 and 83 and the humidity is low.
January 22, 2009
Loggerhead nesting for 2008 was 7th highest year on record
It’s great to hear that 2008 was a great year for loggerhead turtle nest sightings – 3x better than 2004 sightings – but it’s still a far cry from previous highs. The Marine Turtle Conservation Program website has lots of data if you want more information.
Meanwhile, SeaTurtle.org shows Charleston County has the most stranded turtle nests in SC (possibly due to it’s long coastline), and most of those were loggerheads:
| Loggerhead | Green | Kemp’s Ridley | Leatherback | Hawksbill | No ID | Total | |
| Beaufort | 6 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 37 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 53 |
| Colleton | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Georgetown | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
November 25, 2008
‘Shrimp on a treadmill’, from CofC to YouTube sensation
Dr. Burnett, Professor of Biology here at CofC, and David Scholnick rigged a treadmill for shrimp to more accurately simulate a real-world environment vs. just sitting there in a tank – but who would call a “shrimp running on a treadmill” real-life? 
“We have a treadmill for blue crabs, and are making one for lobsters too” Dr. Burnett said on The Today Show this morning.
Anyway, here is their short explanation of the process before watching the shrimp exercise to “The Final Countdown”:
The central hypothesis underlying my research is that infectious disease can compromise the respiratory systems of lower vertebrates and invertebrates and thereby limit the ability of animals to sustain and recover from normal activities. Working with colleagues at College of Charleston’s Grice Marine Laboratory and Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, we have demonstrated that in resting animals bacterial infection can compromise normal metabolic function.
