One of the stipulations for the lottery is that bidders have a local business license, but we all know there are ways around that one; for instance, ever notice how most corporations are created in Delaware or Nevada due to their low corporate taxes?

“I think it’s important for everyone in the commercial fishing industry to have a chance to dock up there” – Eric Demoura, current Town Administrator

While that sounds like a fair share for everyone, as we all know, what will probably happen is that these 6 spots – 4 shrimp boats + 2 crab boats – will be won by those with the most money to bet with come lottery day (Feb, 1st each year).

And a Shem Creek fish market? I don’t see Shem Creek ever looking like San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, so why even go there? There isn’t enough fish in the sea to sustain another fish market on this creek.

The other side of the coin is that cutting down on shrimping helps out other species with a lower by-catch over time, but for many, it’s a small price to pay when it comes to a shrimper’s livelihood or a town’s primary draw for traveling visitors.

Anyway, the full council must approve the lottery 7 days from now before it goes into affect, so voice your concerns accordingly.

So much for small town ambiance!

From the Shem Creek blog.

Local shrimpers beware: good luck with lottery for our $hem Creek docks

As President of Royal Caridea, LLC, they are setting up bio-secure, closed-system, super-intensive, shrimp farming facilities to produce fresh 30g shrimp.

Large fresh shrimp are always in high demand at upscale restaurants everywhere you go, but right now, there’s no market for live shrimp, or any other seafood, since transportation costs are too high.

Dr. Kemp says that if indoor shrimp farms were built close to major metropolitan areas, it’d drastically reduce the distribution costs, and Royal Caridea would have a good shot at supplying a whole new market.

Like any distribution business, it’s economies of scale; if Royal Caridea, or anybody else, can deliver live shrimp on a consistent basis at a reasonable cost, markets would grow quickly and significantly.

Maurice Kemp’s Summary
Background is multidisciplinary, with much of career directed towards preventing microbial induced disease and/or development of pharmaceuticals to alleviate clinical symptoms or signs associated with a disease state.

Most recently, he has worked on the development of methods to detect pathogens and development of chemical methods to eliminate food & airborne pathogens.

He also developed methods to inhibit mold & fungi associated with building products and participated in the interdisciplinary development of pharmaceutics for veterinary & medical applications.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Super-Intensive Raceway Shrimp Farming Technology (SIRSFT) is coming our way

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.

From the Shem Creek blog.

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

Sound familiar?

From the Shem Creek blog.

Shem Creek has something in common with Louisiana’s Grand Bayou

Those that do make it out will be rewarded with a nice catch – assuming everything goes according to plan – because SCDNR officials say shrimp have been keeping their own out in the ocean – the question, “is how many boats are gonna be out there to catch them?”

SCDNR also says that the in-water catch rate of immature loggerheads has been increasing, which at first sounds alarming, but then you realize it means management efforts such as nest protection and the required use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED’s) in commercial shrimp trawl nets may be paying off.

“…in the Charleston shipping channel, catch rates have increased significantly since 1990.” – SCDNR

Although sea turtles were not captured in 75% of the tows, several noteworthy trends were evident for the 25% of tows that did capture sea turtles:

• * Loggerhead sea turtles accounted for 94 percent of all sea turtle species captured.
• * There was a strong north/south gradient in catch rates, with highest catch rates off northern Florida and southern Georgia.
• * A strong north/south gradient in loggerhead size was noted, with the greatest frequency of smaller loggerheads collected off northern Florida & southern Georgia.
• * Significant increases in catch rates were observed between 2000 & 2008 for two sizes of loggerheads, notably the size representing reproductively mature adults and the next smallest size group.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Commercial shrimp season starts, more turtles are being caught

With all the fun at yesterdays “Blessing of the Fleet”, it’s easy to forget the real reason behind the annual event: to provide some help to our local shrimpers and wish them well in the coming season.

Unfortunately, that has become more and more of a real-world dilemma lately, as catch numbers continue to dwindle, and it’s because of that, and the local market being flooded with imported shrimp – which forces rock bottom prices for our local fishermen – that Captain Wayne Magwood, long time professional shrimper, has more than last year’s $4 fuel prices to complain about now.

In a proactive move, several members of the Southeastern Shrimpers Alliance are heading to Washington today “to lobby for some money for South Carolina for advertising and marketing. Hopefully maybe some low interest loans for fishermen to get more efficient fuel motors”.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Shrimpers appeal to D.C. for relief funds

2009 “Blessing of the Fleet” Schedule of Events

April 21 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Create a Masterpiece – The Week of the Fleet

Go to Bottles ‘N Brushes to paint a themed painting for the Week of the Fleet.
424 Broadway St. in Orchard Plaza, Mount Pleasant.
Reservations suggested: 345-7365. Fee: $35.
Refreshments available. Adults only.

April 22 – 6 p.m.

Whole Foods Cooking Presentation

Enjoy a free cooking presentation with Mount Pleasant’s Whole Foods @ 923 Houston Northcutt Blvd.

April 22 – 10 a.m.

Shem Creek – A History of the Creek and Shrimping

Presentations by Tressy Mellichamp, of the local Magwood shrimping family, committee member of the Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival and co-author of “East Cooper: A Maritime History,” and David Whitaker, deputy director of DNR.
The free event will be at the Mount Pleasant Senior Services Center @ 840 Von Kolnitz Road.

April 23 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Create a Masterpiece – The Week of the Fleet

Go to Bottles ‘N Brushes to paint a themed painting for the Week of the Fleet.
424 Broadway St. in Orchard Plaza, Mount Pleasant.
Reservations suggested: 345-7365. Fee: $35.
Refreshments available. Adults only.

April 25

Taste of Shem Creek

Red’s Ice House on Shem Creek will have items prepared by local shrimp boat captains.
Food tickets available for purchase. Call 388-0003.

April 25 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Blessing of the Fleet Sunset and Shagging Cruise

The Blessing of the Fleet committee will leave Patriots Point for an evening cruise on the “Spirit of the Lowcountry.”
Make prepaid reservations with Spiritline Cruises at 843-722-2628 or 800-789-3678.
Tickets are $18. Adults only.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Mt. Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet 2009

“Carolina Caught” says there is still hope for South Carolina’s shrimping industry:

1. Jane Webb, of the Charleston-based S.C. Shrimpers Association Marketing Board’ has said the group’s efforts have managed to place tariffs against six different countries that import their pond-raised shrimp
2. SCDNR researchers at the Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton have developed new and improved ways to produce locally-grown pond shrimp here in the U.S.
3. Regarding wild-caught shrimp, Beaufort restaurateur Lantz Price predicts they might rise to the preferred status of a “boutique” product, sold only to finer restaurants, giving shrimpers a price per pound they can live with.

Let’s just hope these actions turn the South Carolina shrimping industry around – an industry that has it’s own problems to deal with, separate from the fishing industry.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Carolina Caught captures SC shrimping industry

Companies throughout the state, and indeed the Southeast and beyond, depend on the future success of our coastal ports. With the raw materials they ship in, and the finished products they ship out, that competitive advantage will insure jobs for LowCountry dock workers and truckers far into the future – indeed as long as ships are able to pull up to our docks.

While international conglomerates BMW & Michelin benefit from the shipping here on our coastline while they’re Upstate, it’s a harder struggle for the shrimping industry and their boats here. They are gone long before dawn, combating higher fuel costs that increase their cost of business and take away from the success of their bottom-line.

We need to help out local businesses too.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Upstate business depends on Port’s success

It was also cool to see some turtles – or were they tortoises? – and some slithery snake bracelets brought in by local animal lovers.

Unfortunately, all the money being spent here isn’t gonna be much help for Shem Creek’s shrimping boats if these gas prices stay so high and the amount of shrimp out there keeps dwindling.

Of course I took a bunch of pictures while I was there, click the clown to see a gallery of 27 of them.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Mt. Pleasant ‘Blessing of the Fleet’ 2008