Georgia Department of Natural Resources(GADNR)/Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has announced that after suffering catastrophic damage during Hurricane Irma, the public dock at the boat ramp in Sunbury, Georgia is fully repaired and ready for use. 

With summer in full swing, Georgia beaches throughout the Golden Isles are popular destinations for visitors and residents. As a kick-off for the Golden Isles annual 4th of July celebration, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host the 12th annual Beach Week event. Island beach-goers can learn about the natural wonders of the coast on Wednesday, June 27th and Friday, June 29th at the old Coast Guard Station beach access area on St. Simons Island from 10am to 3pm each day. 

Tybee Island beach-goers can learn more about the natural wonders of the Georgia coast as part of the area’s annual 4th of July celebration when the Georgia DNR hosts “Beach Week”.  A highlight of this year’s event will be the DNR’s Georgia Coastal Management Program – celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018. Tybee Island visitors can experience Beach Week at the Tybee Marine Science Center Parking Lot on Thursday, June 28th from 10am to 3pm.

Commissioner Mark Williams has announced that Georgia waters will open for commercial and recreational harvest of food shrimp at 8:00 am on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.  Effective that date, commercial food shrimp trawlers can operate in Georgia’s territorial waters open to power-drawn trawls. Commercial and recreational cast netters, as well as persons using a beach seine, can harvest food shrimp from waters open to the use of these gears.   

Commissioner Mark Williams has announced that Georgia's territorial waters will close to commercial and recreational oyster harvest effective 6:00 a.m., Friday, June 1, 2018 through midnight on Sunday, September 30, 2018.  A similar closure occurred in 2017 to meet the requirements of Georgia's Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) control plan.

Coastal Resources Chief of Coastal Management, Jill Andrews, has announced that the recently completed 2017 Coastal Georgia Ecosystem Report Card is now available on line at www.CoastalGaDNR.org/ReportCard.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently coordinated a materials enhancement at Glynn County’s Jekyll Island Pier Inshore Artificial Reef. The enhancement was conducted behind the west arm of the pier using concrete rubble donated by the City of Brunswick (31°07.023'N / 81°25.106'W). Deployment funding was provided by 2017 Enhanced Fishing License Revenue and Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration.

The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) has recently completed an enhancement of the Henry Vassa Cate inshore artificial reef located in St. Simons Sound one mile south southwest of the Jekyll Island Pier in Glynn County.  The project is the first to be completed with funds from the 2017 Enhanced Fishing License Revenue bill passed by the Georgia Legislature.

The Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP) is celebrating its 20th year. Housed within the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division (CRD), this federal-state partnership works to enhance the conservation of Georgia’s coastal waters, beaches and marshlands.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division (CRD) will open a unique exhibition featuring photography from members of the Coastal Photographers Guild on April 8, on view until April 30. The Beaches to Barrier Islands exhibit will feature over 40 works by Guild members, in an outdoor setting along the Earth Day Nature Trail on the campus of the GA DNR’s Coastal Regional Headquarters Campus in Brunswick.

With the passage of HB208 during the 2017 Legislative Session, Coastal Resources Division of the GA DNR is reminding commercial fishermen of several changes and additions that were made to Georgia’s commercial fishing licenses.   Changes affecting commercial fishermen harvesting saltwater species and dealers purchasing those species include the creation of two new licenses and 12 species endorsements. 

Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division has released the results of the 2017 Saltwater Angler and Guide Survey. The recently completed telephone and online survey was conducted among licensed Georgia resident saltwater anglers and guides to determine participation in various types of fishing, satisfaction levels and attitudes toward CRD management of red drum and spotted seatrout.

WHAT/WHEN:

•             No person may trawl for brown, pink, or white shrimp in federal waters off Georgia.

•             The closure is effective 8:45 p.m., local time, January 24, 2018.

•             NOAA Fisheries will issue a new Fishery Bulletin announcing the re-opening to shrimp harvest in federal waters off Georgia.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Williams has announced that Georgia's whelk trawl harvest season will open at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, January 26, 2018 and close at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, 2018.  The DNR will continue its policy of  requiring those who possess or fish for whelks with trawl gear in Georgia waters to have a no_-charge letter of authorization, the original of which must remain onboard the vessel during fishing activities.

Georgia DNR Commissioner Mark Williams recently announced that the U.S. Secretary of Commerce has requested Georgia Governor Nathan Deal provide nominations for the state’s obligatory and at-large seats on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This action is pursuant to the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (P.L. 94-265).  Governor Deal's nominees must be residents of Georgia and knowledgeable regarding the science, conservation and management of fishery resources of the geographical area of the Council.

Since late December water temperatures in Georgia estuaries have been below average and in early January inland water temperatures dropped below 44 degrees – a critical level for some marine organisms.  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and many anglers are concerned about the status of species that support the state's valuable recreational saltwater fishing activities including spotted seatrout. 

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) has announced that the commercial harvest of jellyfish with trawls in Georgia’s territorial waters will open at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, January 1, 2018 and close at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, 2018. Individuals who wish to participate in jellyfish trawling must contact the Department to obtain a free letter of authorization (LOA) that must remain onboard the vessel when fishing. Prior to receiving an LOA, fishers will be required to submit documentation from an approved processor who has agreed to purchase the catch.

The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently deployed concrete rubble and culvert, donated by the City of Brunswick, as an enhancement to Artificial Reef SFC – located 18 nautical miles east of Little Cumberland Island.