Shem Creek, SC » SCDNR

‘Bench Mark’, winners of the 2010 MegaDock Tournament

Charleston Native — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:58:16 +0000

They were listed first alphabetically as competitors in this year’s MegaDock Tournament, so it was practically “in the stars” that the ‘Bench Mark‘ crew end a day early – with double the catch of the 2nd place team!

Bench Mark’s Blue Marlin and 5 Sailfish releases toppled Reel Passion’s 2nd place spot of 2 Blue Marlin and 1 Sailfish release, but everybody involved had a great time no doubt!

“The interesting thing is that for the first time in years, a large number of blue marlin were encountered, with 14 actually being caught and released. This is more than the total number of blue’s that have been caught this year in the three previous tournaments combined. Further, in recent years, July has been a slow month for encountering blue marlin. The reason for the surge is unknown.” – SCDNR biologist Wallace Jenkins.

Congratulations to the ‘Bench Mark’ crew. So, what’s the split on $105,184 amongst y’all anyway?

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Shrimp: if you can’t catch’em, grow’em

Charleston Native — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:51:18 +0000

Fortunately for South Carolina, it doesn’t look like we’re gonna be environmentally impacted by BP’s oil spill. A bigger concern for many in the seafood industry here isn’t even about a drop in seafood supply, but rather, a drop in demand.

A recent poll by Louisiana State University of Gulf area residents found 57% of them said they were less likely to buy local seafood because of the spill.
– Seafood.com

True, you may be worried about seafood like Gulf residents are right now, but know this:

of the 17% of the seafood Americans eat that comes from domestic sources, only 2% of that comes from the Gulf, according to the National Fisheries Institute, a trade group.

If everybody were aware of those numbers, the seafood market would largely remain stable throughout this environmental crisis. It still doesn’t solve the problem shrimpers are having with a huge reduction in supply out in the ocean though, but for shrimpers willing and able to make an occupational shift of sorts, shrimp farming may be an option worth looking into.

I had no idea how widespread shrimp farming is around the world until I just watched this video from Texas (A&M I think). I touches on all the different steps needed to get a shrimp farm going, but I’ll tell you right now, you’re probably gonna need some serious financial backing to get this project going.

According to Wikipedia, the U.S. hit a high of 5,000 tonnes of farmed shrimp production per year back in 2003 and 2004, but we’ve since slid back to 2,000 tonnes of farmed shrimp production (as of 2007); who knows, maybe you can get a piece of the market now.

Anyway, this diagram from SCDNR shows all the stages shrimp go through in their life cycle, something you’ll be intimately involved in if you work on a shrimp farm. Happy harvesting!

The 8th Annual HMY-Viking MegaDock Tournament starts tomorrow

Charleston Native — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:48:40 +0000

Tomorrow will be a great chance to see anglers from all around head out for this year’s HMY/Viking MEGADOCK Billfishing Tournament!

It is the 4th event on the Governor’s Cup schedule for this year, and weather permitting, should be a great turnout.

Categories include:

Billfish – (Blue Marlin = 600 pts; White Marlin = 300 pts; Sailfish = 100 pts)
Dolphin
Tuna
Wahoo
Lady Anglers
Youth

The first weigh-in begins 5:00pm this Thursday. Good luck everybody!

Coastal fish populations assessed via underwater video

Charleston Native — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:44:05 +0000

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.

They may be muddy, but oysters will survive – if we let them!

Charleston Native — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:25:41 +0000

In what may very well be a case of water pollution and/or ocean acidification, South Carolina’s supply of healthy oysters have been depleting for the last 20 years.

DHEC has already closed about 1/3 of the state’s 3,000 acres of oyster beds to harvesting because of pollution.

On top of that, commercial fishermen take about 100,000 bushels a year, SCDNR biologist and SCORE manager, Nancy Hadley said. SCDNR usually replants about 1/2 that much, using revenues from saltwater fishing licenses and volunteer help through SCORE (the South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program), but it’s necessary to do this and more to help oysters thrive in nature.

“We’ve got 20 years of not quite enough being replanted every year… Each little deficit might not be all that much, but over 20 years, we are a bit behind… so we need to play some catch-up.”
– Nancy Hadley.

SCDNR hopes to get a $1 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act so it can restore about 9 acres of oyster reefs along the South Carolina coast, but that proposal is #77 among R-Okla. Sen. Tom Coburn’s list of the 100 worst examples of waste amongst stimulus projects – fortunately for us, it was the only S.C. project on his list!

This little guy nailed it on the head!

South Carolina isn’t the only area with depleting oysters though – although as much as we eat, that may have something to do with it too! Out West, Pacific wild oysters haven’t successfully reproduced since 2004.

They suspect water that rises from deep in the Pacific Ocean — icy seawater that surges into Willapa Bay, WA. and gets pumped into seaside hatcheries — may be corrosive enough to kill baby oysters. If carbon dioxide is the culprit dramatically affecting the ocean, it’s one more incentive for us to do something now to protect our environment and our planet’s healthy future.

So in the end, the goal of having sustainable oyster reefs needs to be looked at more closely, because the question is, “what actually caused the oysters to start dying off?” – was it global warming, ocean acidification, pollution, or something else?

A stranded pygmy sperm whale on Sullivan’s Island.
Credit: NOAA

Speaking of water pollution and debris in the ocean, just the other day a pygmy whale and her calf were stranded on the beach – they died because they mistook a plastic bag that somebody haphazardly threw in the water as food, a tragic mistake they do quite often according to SCDNR officials.

Please be considerate and put trash in it’s proper receptacles!

Cobia state record claimed by Hilton Head Island angler

Charleston Native — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:20:51 +0000

The marine game fish record for cobia, standing for five years, was recently claimed by an angler participating in the 24th annual edition of the Hilton Head Island Food & Beverage Fishing Tournament.

Robby Maroudas of Hilton Head Island was fishing just offshore on the Betsy Ross artificial reef in 90 feet of water when he hooked into and caught the 92-pound, 10-ounce cobia to claim the new state record.

Congratulations Robby!

Photos courtesy of SCDNR.

New striped bass regulations in effect

Charleston Native — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:49:04 +0000

Season restrictions, signed into law last year, for the entire Santee Cooper system (lakes and rivers) for striped bass went into effect June 1. Anglers must not harvest or possess striped bass and must immediately release any stripers caught from June 1 – September 30.

This is considered a first step to combat the population decline of the striped bass fishery in the Santee Cooper system by reducing the amount of fish an angler can harvest, as well as increasing the minimum size limits.

The regulations also include (when applicable):

Reduction in creel limits from five to three
Points system: increase to 14 points for violation
Increase in minimum size limit from 21 inches to 26 inches
Striped bass must be landed with head & tail intact so enforcement officers can measure the complete fish

Because striped bass can live in fresh water for long periods of time, they are stocked in many inland reservoirs. However, only two East Coast reservoirs have self-sustaining populations: the Kerr Reservoir in Virginia and North Carolina, and the Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina.

It is SCDNR’s and our job as sustainable anglers to insure that this hardy species keeps flourishing in our waters, and the only way to do that is to occasionally cut-back on fishing limits as the Striped Bass Stakeholders Group recommended to Gov. Sanford last year.

Midlands angler breaks bullhead catfish record

Charleston Native — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:58:53 +0000

George Eleazer, from Irmo, S.C, was on the Broad River when he caught the record 6-pound, 6.3 ounces fish. Eleazer’s fish replaces the South Carolina all-tackle record for freshwater bullhead catfish caught on the Edisto River in 1973.

Congrats George!

You can check all the current South Carolina Freshwater Fish Records online.

The DNR in Columbia maintains all-tackle sportfishing records for freshwater fish and bowfishing records for a few species of nongame freshwater fish. No records are kept for individual line-test categories, for individual bodies of water, or for fish caught in nongame devices. Bowfishing records are kept for three species: common carp, bowfin and longnose gar.

Freshwater all-tackle sportfishing records are kept for 32 species: Striped Bass, White Bass, Hybrid Bass, White Perch, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Redeye Bass, Bluegill (Bream), Shellcracker, Redbreast, Warmouth, Flier, Pumpkinseed, White Crappie, Black Crappie, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sauger, Yellow Perch, Walleye, Chain Pickerel (Jackfish), Redfin Pike, Muskellunge (Muskie), Blue Catfish, Bullhead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, White Catfish, Mudfish (Bowfin) and American Shad.

The Economic Impact of SC’s Natural Resources

Charleston Native — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:25:59 +0000

I just caught wind of this afternoon’s release of The 2009 study, “Underappreciated Assets: The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Natural Resources” by USC, Moore School of Business professor Dr. Doug Woodward.

Interviews, photos, video: Dr. Doug Woodward, professor and researcher, University of South Carolina Moore School of Business; Natural Resources Society Board Members; South Carolina Natural Resources Director John Frampton and others. Digital images and video of South Carolinians using and enjoying the state’s natural resources will be available for attending media.


Who:	University of South Carolina Moore School of Business, South Carolina Natural Resources Society and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
What:	Release of The 2009 study, “Underappreciated Assets: The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Natural Resources” by University of South Carolina, Moore School of Business professor Dr. Doug Woodward.
When:	Wednesday, May 27, 2009, Charleston 3:30 p.m
Where:	Charleston City Marina 17 Lockwood Drive in Charleston
Why:	An extensive study of this scope and magnitude is the first of its kind in South Carolina. This comprehensive report documents the economic impact of activities associated with South Carolina’s natural resources, such as wildlife related outdoor recreation (i.e. hunting, fishing, boating, wildlife watching), resource based tourism, forestry, mining, boat manufacturing and commercial fishing. Research results reveal an astonishing impact on sustained employment and the state’s economy.

For more information, read SCDNR’s Green Report, which states that S.C. natural resources contribute $30 billion to the economy.

Memorial Day Weekend brings DNR ‘courtesy’ boat inspections

Charleston Native — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:33:38 +0000

With Memorial Day weekend here again, the rite of passage into summer is upon us, and that means all the land-lubbers and puddle-jumpers will be out and about on the waterways. With good times often comes alcohol and a lack of safety, so SCDNR will be conducting annual boat inspections at public boat landings.

S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) boating safety and enforcement officers will perform a quick, but thorough, inspection for items such as required safety equipment and proper boat and motor registration. Those who are not in compliance with safety regulations or registration requirements will not be ticketed during the complimentary inspections. Instead, they will be given an opportunity to correct the problem before they launch their boat. DNR officers will also be available to answer questions and give boaters tips on how to stay safe on the water.

To report boating violations such as reckless operation or an intoxicated boat operator, call the DNR toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-922-5431. For a copy of South Carolina’s boating regulations, to find out about local boating safety courses or to obtain a free float plan form contact the DNR Boating Safety Office at 1-800-277-4301.

The schedule of their courtesy safety inspections are located on the SCDNR site.

Shem Creek, SC » SCDNR

‘Bench Mark’, winners of the 2010 MegaDock Tournament

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