Posted Dec. 4, 2024
Coastlines Georgia | December 2024 | Vol. 7, Iss. 4

Marine Fisheries Staff Join Gray’s Reef Sanctuary Programs
Marine fisheries staff recently participated in two separate programs hosted by Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) in Savannah. CRD representatives attended a three-day GRNMS workshop sponsored by the Georgia Aquarium from Nov. 13 to 15. Participants from state and federal agencies, as well as numerous NGOs, discussed challenges to researching and conserving the South Atlantic Bight by identifying threats, needs that will mitigate them, and drafting potential strategies to support those needs moving forward. Additionally, on Nov. 19, Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit Lead Paul Medders gave GRNMS and other attendees an update of Georgia’s Artificial Reef Program.

Georgia Attends NEAMAP Gear Workshop in Virginia
Research and Surveys Unit Lead Dr. Jared Flowers and Marine Biologist Britney Hall attended the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) and ASMFC Gear Workshop Nov. 12 to 14 at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester Point, Va. Attendees from state agencies from Georgia to Maine, federal agencies, commercial fishermen, private industry, and universities gathered to discuss techniques, materials, and advances in fish sampling gear. Practices and technological advances in using long-lines, gill nets, and trawls were topics of discussion.

Coastal Hazards Specialist Highlights Resilience Efforts
Coastal Hazards Specialist Jennifer Kline presented to the members of Georgia Senate Natural Resources & the Environment Subcommittee on Disaster Mitigation and Resilience the week of Nov. 7. The presentation covered CRD’s resilience efforts, hazard projects, local government assistance and funding. A presentation to the House of Representatives Subcommittee is scheduled for Nov. 21 in Savannah.

Brunswick First Friday Features Live Horseshoe Crab with CRD
Marine Educator Brooke Vallaster and Public Information Officer Tyler Jones hosted an outreach and education booth Nov. 1 at Downtown Brunswick’s First Friday event. The booth featured a live horseshoe crab touch tank, educational displays, and informative giveaways. Vallaster educated the public about horseshoe crabs as a keystone species while Jones fielded questions from the public about CRD and DNR’s mission, activities, and regulations.

CRD Biologists Address Habitat Concerns at ASMFC meeting
Biologist Cameron Brinton represented CRD at the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee meeting on Oct. 21-22 and the ASMFC Habitat Committee on Oct. 23-24 in Annapolis, Md. The ACFHP Steering Committee discussed current and future habitat restoration projects funded by the Partnership, administrative tasks, and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation. The ASMFC Habitat Committee discussed Oyster Shell Recycling and Fishing Gear Impacts to EFH.

Virtual Reef Dive Wows Skidaway Marine Science Day Crowd
Public affairs staff Tyler Jones and Fisher Medders attended the University of Georgia Marine Extension’s Marine Science Day at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography on Saturday, Oct. 12. The CRD booth included a virtual reality “dive” to Reef CCA-JL, in which visitors donned VR goggles to see a 360-degree video of the sunken 72-foot fishing vessel Frank and Maria. The booth also included educational materials and give-aways, along with displays on habitat enhancement and the Sport Fish Restoration Act. Approximately 1,200 people attended. CRD was positioned next to the Law Enforcement Division’s booth with Game Warden Justin Jackson, which enabled us to answer a wide variety of constituents’ questions.

Mangroves’ Movement Discussed at Georgia Colloquium
The Coastal Management Section hosted the bi-annual Coastal Georgia Colloquium of the Georgia Coastal Research Council Oct. 15-16 at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah. The purpose of the Colloquium is to connect coastal managers with researchers and subject matter experts to foster mutually beneficial partnerships. Staff members from both Coastal Management and Marine Fisheries sections presented on their subject areas of expertise and shared areas of potential collaboration with researchers. Biologists from Florida and Texas shared their experiences with mangrove habitat expansion and potential management considerations as mangroves become established in Georgia’s salt marshes. CRD staff also facilitated a group discussion on mitigating the impacts of future hurricanes on coastal communities.

Fishery Leaders Tackle Research Topics at Committee Meeting
Chief of Fisheries Dr. Carolyn Belcher and Research and Surveys Unit lead Dr. Jared Flowers attended the SAFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting Oct. 22-24 in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Topics discussed included the South Atlantic Tilefish Stock Assessment, Black Sea Bass population projects, South Atlantic for-hire fisheries reporting, and other various fisheries management and research issues. Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit lead Paul Medders represented CRD at the SAFMC’s Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel (AP) Oct. 28-30 in North Charleston, S.C. The AP discussed food web policy, offshore wind infrastructure coverage and artificial reef footprint, effects of fishing gear on artificial reefs, and more.

Living Shorelines Highlighted at Saltmarsh Initiative Meeting
Meghan Angelina, Jan Mackinnon, Jaynie Gaskin, Tyler Cooper-Kolb, Sydney Pratt and Harrison Faulk participated in The Georgia Conservancy’s South Atlantic Saltmarsh Initiative (SASMI) public meetings to discuss CRD’s living shoreline and hydrological barriers work. SASMI is working to identify opportunities to protect and restore coastal marshland with historical, cultural, and/or spiritual significance to local communities.

CRD Experts Present at Environmental Conference
Three CRD staff members presented at the Georgia Environmental Conference on Jekyll Island. Green Growth Specialist Kelly Hill spoke about stormwater management, Chief of Coastal Management Jill Andrews presented on ethics and environmental regulations, and Wetlands Biologist Meghan Angelina participated in a panel on living shorelines. The Annual Georgia Environmental Conference is the largest, most comprehensive and diverse educational opportunity in Georgia, and is typically attended by 750-plus local, state, and federal government officials, business and industry leaders, attorneys, consultants, engineers, developers, land owners, architects, agribusiness leaders, energy experts, water planning districts, universities, public health officials, solid waste, enviro-tech, and recycling experts, and many, many others with a strong interest in environmental activities in Georgia and the Southeast region.

VFW Honors CRD’s Buck Bennett
Compliance and Enforcement Program Manager Buck Bennett, also the Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4092 St. Simons Island, was recently honored with “All-American Status” by Veterans of Foreign Wars District 7. To earn the status, posts must meet membership requirements, conduct Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen essay contests among area schools, hold fundraisers to benefit veterans and their families, nominate an educator of the year and perform community service projects. Bennett and his Post were honored for building wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans, construction work on the veterans village, providing backpacks with toiletries and other items to homeless veterans, sending packages to deployed troops, food drives for the needy, and other efforts.

CRD, LED partner for shellfish hazards training at MAREX
CRD’s Shellfish and Water Quality Program staff and staff with the LED participated in a cooperative Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Training course hosted by the University of Georgia Marine Extension staff on Nov. 18. 
The focus of the training was to provide a general overview of the HACCP principles for molluscan shellfish and to better understand the time and temperature record keeping strategies to ensure shellfish is harvested and distributed safely in commerce. This training was one of  several valuable steps that CRD and LED has committed to in preparation for sanctioning the commercial harvest of subtidal oysters using restricted controls during the warmer months of the year when vibrio levels are at their highest. The training covered several topics including the identification of various hazards, critical control points, record keeping, enhanced harvester education, and restricted time/temperature protocols.  

— STAFF REPORTS & CRD photos

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