the
shell-cracker
FLORIDA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
JULY 1998, Volume 16 (2)
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As an active member of the Florida Chapter nearly since its inception, I have to commend the membership and all past presidents including our latest, Larry Connor, for producing one of the most successful chapters within the American Fisheries Society. The supportive activity of so many members and past officers made each annual meeting a pleasure to attend as well as professionally educational. These meetings have encouraged the participation of many non-AFS members and knowledgeable scientists from around the country. As members we routinely attend Chapter meetings to hear recent relevant research results in our respective disciplines as well as to reveal our own research and speak with others whom we may seldom see during our often demanding professional schedule.
As president for the next year I will make every effort to insure that future Chapter meetings will be as successful as the past. One way I feel this can be done is encouraging members to participate with the President-Elect in sponsoring and organizing symposia, the core around which our contributed paper sessions are held. Symposia have produced thematic programs not only of interest to the membership, but also to non-members, thus bringing potential new FAFS members and external support to our annual meetings. Some past symposia have been so successful the Florida Chapter is still enjoying the fiscal stability they have brought to our Chapter, which then allows us to be creative in supporting students and other needy program participants. Our student participation has been excellent and the quality of their papers has been very high over the past several years.
In order to maintain annual symposia and the future fiscal health of the Florida Chapter I will reorganize our committee rooster. There will be a series of "program committees" which not only represent Chapter interests, but timely and important interests of the fish and fisheries community of the Americas at large. A list of these committees is included in this newsletter. I also will contact various Chapter members to request their participation in these committees as future symposia and program co-organizers aiding the President-Elect in the annual meeting organization. I encourage comments on committee organization from the membership and voluntary leadership in these committees where you realize your professional expertise will be of great value. We are very fortunate in having a wealth of expertise and knowledge in nearly all areas of fish biology within the borders of Florida.
I will also present ideas and guidelines for additional chapter publications. We produced a book well over a decade ago. We may support a wider variety of publications in the future which may be of great value to the Chapter and fishery community at large. I encourage input in defining potential publications.
The Florida Chapter is growing in membership and in our geographic boundaries. There is a regional consensus that our Chapter should solicit membership from the Caribbean region and collaborate with the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, which is presently the most active Caribbean wide fisheries organization. Our reason for doing so is readily apparent for it will increase our knowledge and understanding of regional fish biology. Each chapter meeting has brought in a Caribbean component to our fishery studies and management. This move to formally include researchers and fishery managers from the Caribbean in our chapter membership will enrich our chapter and our expertise. We should see our first chapter participation with the GCFI meetings in the Virgin Islands this November and a future GCFI meeting in the Florida Keys. In the interim we will have FAFS Chapter mailings to GCFI membership and other interested parties.
I look forward to the upcoming year and working closely with Bob Wattendorf our President-Elect, Doug Haymans, our altruistic Secretary-Treasurer, the committee chairmen and the membership at large in creating a most rewarding program for next year.
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The Florida Chapter American Fisheries Society awarded the 1998 Roger Rottmann Memorial Scholarship to Daniel J. Willis of the University of Florida. Dan graduated from the University of Florida with his undergraduate degree in 1993. He immediately began working as biological scientist for the University of Florida's Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences. He works for a program called LAKEWATCH, a volunteer water monitoring program that samples lakes monthly throughout Florida. In 1996 he began working on his graduate degree under Dr. Daniel E. Canfield. He is working on training grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella to come to low-frequency sound for his graduate degree. If he can train the grass carp to come to the sound it may be possible to place the fish in a ponds or lakes and allow them to consume the undesirable submersed plants and then call them back to a removal device. Dan's extracurricular activities lead him in the direction of making primitive archery equipment and shooting in tournaments, fishing and playing on the graduate, faculty and staff softball team. His goal is to continue working for a state agency doing research in fisheries that will benefit the public.
The Rottmann Scholarship fund has done quite well over the past year. The chapter started the fund on March 25, 1997 with an initial deposit of $5,344. Our account executive at Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. recommended Dean Witter's Dividend Growth Securities mutual fund. The value of the fund grew to $7,285, a gain of 36%, prior to awarding the 1998 scholarship. Since then we have received an additional $100 in donations and the value of the fund on March 31 was $6,802. The scholarship fund appears to be well on its way to being self-sustaining.
Larry Connor
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I would like to thank the chapter members for trusting me to serve as president last year. I think the Chapter accomplished a lot over the past year; however, there are some things I wanted to do that I failed to accomplish.
I guess I will start with the bad news first. I hoped to revitalize the Chapter's committees, but I am afraid I have to report that I failed in this task. Everyone I know who has been involved with volunteer organizations has told me that maintaining invigorated committees is the most difficult task that the leadership faces. Grant Gilmore has some excellent ideas for changing and adding to our committees. I wish him more success than I had.
The Chapter had several important accomplishments over the past year. The membership passed the artificial reef materials resolution last summer. We participated with the Society in the Outdoor Writers Association of America's annual conference at Grenelefe early last summer. This was a fairly expensive undertaking and the direct benefits to the Chapter or the Society are hard to measure. The Chapter's presence at the conference generated some contacts for Game and Fish Commission biologists and possibly for the Department of Environmental Protection as well. After the conference both Bob Wattendorf and I told the Society that we felt that the Society itself should take the initiative on future OWAA conferences. As a result, the Society voted to fund these efforts at the 1997 meeting in Monterey.
I would like to congratulate Secretary/Treasurer Doug Haymans on restructuring the Chapter's accounts. We had an account with a St. Cloud based savings and loan for years. This account earned the chapter very little income. Previous Secretary/Treasurers, including myself, all said we should move our accounts, but Doug finally did so and opened a diversified account of mutual funds with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.
I think I will end with some notes from the Mid-Year Southern Division AFS executive committee meeting last February. I think there were several items of interest to the Chapter. AFS Executive Director Paul Brouha spoke on the need for continuing education at the chapter level. The Society hopes that each chapter will sponsor at least one workshop per year. These will become more important in the future for certified fisheries scientists. The restructured certification program requires continuing education credits to maintain certification. Paul also advised all Society members to become familiar with the Teaming with Wildlife initiative. You can get information about Teaming with Wildlife at the Society's web page, www.fisheries.org.
The Southern Division took several actions that have implications for our chapter. The Southern Division Student Colloquium sponsored by the Tennessee and Tennessee Tech chapters was dropped for lack of interest. The sponsors have had difficulty for several years getting enough submissions to hold the colloquium. We will need to find another meeting for our best student paper winner. The executive committee voted to drop the Marine and Esturine Resources Committee on the recommendation of the committee members. The problem was lack of attendance and commitment by committee members. In another action, the executive committee voted for a recruiting effort in the Caribbean area based on a motion introduced by our chapter.
Finally, the Southern Division is soliciting special sessions for the 1999 Mid-Year meeting in Chattanooga. If any of you are interested in organizing a session, contact Chris O'Bara at Water Resources Center, PO Box 5033, Cookeville, TN 38505; (931) 372-3753; cobara@tntech.edu. The Southern Division is looking for a host for the 2001 Mid-Year meeting.
Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
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The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) was founded in 1947 to promote the exchange of current information on the use and management of marine resources in the Gulf and Caribbean region. From its beginning, GCFI has endeavored to involve scientific, governmental, and commercial sectors to provide a broad perspective on relevant issues, and to encourage dialogue among groups that often operate in relative isolation from one another.
For 37 years, GCFI operated as an informal association under the sponsorship of the University of Miami. In 1985, with encouragement from the University, GCFI became an independent not-for-profit corporation formally dedicated to its original purposes. GCFI is governed by a Board of Directors elected by and from its membership. Because its program includes the entire Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean region, particular effort is made to ensure balanced representation from throughout the region in its annual programming and decision-making processes.
The primary activity of GCFI is its annual meeting devoted to technical presentations and workshops on current issues relevant to the use and management of marine resources in the Gulf and Caribbean region. These activities are documented in the annual Proceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute which is received in more than 80 countries throughout the region. GCFI is entirely supported by member contributions and subscriptions to its Proceedings.
For more information, contact:
R. LeRoy Creswell
Executive Secretary, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Inc.
c/o Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc.
5600 US I North
Fort Pierce, FL 34946
(561) 465-2400 ext. 405
creswell@hboi.edu
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Our 1998 Raffle was, as usual, a resounding success. Raffle masters Doug Haymans, Brent Winner, and Anne-Marie Eklund kept the raffle hoping after the business meeting. This year it wasn't worms, worms, worms, but rather hooks, hooks, hooks as Tru Turn, Wright and McGill, Eagle Claw, and Classic Manufacturing all came through with packs of hooks. Chapter members Larry Connor, Glenda Kelley, Alan Collins and the Panama City NMFS crew, Derke Snodgrass, Doug Haymans, and Chuck Cichra all helped gathering prizes. In the end, the raffle netted $960 for the chapter, but more importantly everyone had a good time.
Sponsors:
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Sam's Club, Panama City |
Sears, Panama City |
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Bay Point Marine, Panama City |
Half-Hitch Tackle, Panama City |
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Howell Tackle, Panama City |
Institute for Fisheries Resource Ecology,
Panama City |
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US Virgin Islands |
RWS Tackle, Medard |
|
Homer Circle |
Jim Bitter |
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Kim Bjorgo, Clemson Student Chapter
AFS |
Carl Hiassen |
|
Diane Peebles |
Classic Manufacturing |
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International Game Fish Association |
TTI Companies (Tru Turn) |
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Storm Manufacturing |
DOA Lures |
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Outdoor Technologies (Berkley) |
Shakespeare |
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Renosky Lures |
Ande Monofilament |
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Wright and McGill |
Florida Wildlife, Florida Game and Fresh
Water Fish Commission |
|
Mohawk Canoes |
Eustis Outdoor Shop |
|
Bass Pro Shops |
World Class Angler |
|
The Tackle Box |
Eagle Claw |
|
Seafarer |
|
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Shark Fishery Closure. On Mar. 23, 1998, NMFS announced that the commercial fishery for Atlantic large coastal sharks will close on Mar. 31,1998, when it is estimated that this year's first semiannual quota of 642 metric tons will have been harvested. [NMFS notice]
Essential Fish Habitat. Mar. 19, 1998 was the deadline for public comment on NMFS final regulations concerning essential fish habitat, to be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 19, 1998. [Fed. Register]
El Nino and Fishmeal Production. On Mar. 26, 1998, Peruvian officials announced that, due to El Nino conditions, fishmeal production for the first two months of 1998 was almost 81% lower than for the same period in 1997 (72,400 metric tons vs. 376,200 metric tons), while fish oil production had fallen more than 87% for the same period of comparison (6,200 metric tons vs. 48,700 metric tons). [Dow Jones News]
ESA Listing of Southeast Mussels. On Mar. 16, 1998, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published notice that seven species of freshwater mussels in the Chattahoochee-Flint-Apalachicola and Ochlockonee River systems of GA, FL, and AL were being added to the list of Endangered and Threatened Species -- 5 as endangered and 2 as threatened. However, no critical habitat was designated. [Fed. Register, Assoc. Press]
GA Saltwater Fishing License. On Mar. 10, 1998, the GA Senate voted 44-10 to adopt a measure requiring saltwater sport anglers to purchase a state fishing license. [Assoc. Press]
MN Right to Fish. In early April 1998, the MN Legislature passed a proposed constitutional amendment protecting individuals' right to fish, hunt, and trap. The question on whether to accept this constitutional amendment will appear on the Nov. 3, 1998, state ballot. [Dow Jones News]
ve March 27, 1998.This action fulfills the U.S. commitment to ICCAT to reduce marlin landings by at least 25%. Minimum size (length) for blue marlin was set at 96 inches, while the minimum size (length) for white marlin was set at 66 inches. Both species were identified in September 1997 by NMFS as overfished. [NOAA press release, Fed. Register]
FL Net Ban. On Mar. 24, 1998, FL Governor Chiles and his Cabinet approved regulations prohibiting small (less than 500 square feet) seine nets with mesh larger than 2 inches, in an attempt to settle confusion over what gear is legal under FL's July 1995 net ban law. On Apr. 13, 1998, a FL Circuit Court Judge ruled that "Pringle-Crum" nets (500 square feet of mostly 3-inch mesh with a small area of 2-inch mesh) are legal and not prohibited by the State's net ban provisions. However, State officials announced that they would file an appeal of this order.} [Assoc. Press].
Ocean Future Report. On June 4, 1998, NOAA announced the release of a report "Our Ocean Future: Themes and Issues Concerning the Nation's Stake in the Ocean" prepared by NOAA and the H. John Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment [report copy available at "http://www.heinzctr.org"]. The report concludes there is an urgent need for a systematic and comprehensive review of ocean and coastal policies and programs. [NOAA p
BRDs and Red Snapper. On May 8, 1998, Gulf of Mexico shrimpers filed suit in federal court against NMFS, charging that the federal government violated federal law and procedure in imposing regulations requiring the use of bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) in shrimp trawls. Beginning May 15, 1998, Gulf of Mexico shrimpers will have to use BRDs in their shrimp trawls to minimize red snapper bycatch in federal offshore waters. Officials of the TX Shrimp Assoc. claim the Gulf of Mexico shrimping industry will lose $100 million annually due to use of BRDs, while NMFS officials calculate potential annual losses at closer to $40 million. NMFS has announced that BRDs enforcement will be educational for the first two weeks and that no citations will be issued through May 29, 1998. On May 19, 1998, NMFS published an interim rule certifying two new designs of BRDs (Jones-Davis and Gulf fisheye) for use in Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawls. [Assoc. Press, Fed. Register, NOAA press release].
Ocean Summit. On June 11-12, 1998, a National Ocean Conference on ocean and coastal issues was held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. The event, jointly organized by the Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Navy, discussed a range of ocean-related issues. On June 11, 1998, Vice President Gore announced new initiatives, including federal funds for a program to map and explore biodiversity in national marine sanctuaries and federal assistance to states for research, prediction, and control of toxic algal blooms. [Assoc. Press, NOAA press release, Reuters, Office of the Vice President press release].
Coral Reef Protection. On June 11, 1998, President Clinton issued an executive order on coral reef protection, detailing additional measures to protect U.S. coral reefs and to develop a strategy for restoring degraded reefs. A special task force was created to coordinate this effort. [Assoc. Press].
UPCOMING MEETINGS
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AUGUST
24-28, AFS 128th Annual Meeting, Hartford, CT. www.fisheries.org
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
3-7, SEAFWA/SDAFS Annual Meeting. Disney Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando. Theme: "Economic Impacts of Fish and Wildlife-Oriented Recreation."
3-7, Fifth International Conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, San Diego, CA. www.erim.org.
13-15, FL Aquatic Plant Mgmt. Society. Cocoa Beach.
NOVEMBER
4-6, FSU's 2nd International Symposium on Essential Fish Habitat and Marine Reserves. Tallahassee, FL.
8-13, 51st Meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. USVI.
11-13, N. American Lake Management Society, Banff, Alberta, Canada.
18-22, 2nd International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, Hilton Head, SC.
FEBRUARY 1999
25-28 AFS Southern Division Midterm Meeting, Chattanooga, TN
JUNE 1999
24-30, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. State College, PA. www.outreach.psu.edu/C&I/ASIH/
GETTING IN TOUCH--CONTACTS
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President:
Grant Gilmore
5920 1st St. SW
Vero Beach, FL 32968
(561) 465-2400, ext. 203
rggilmore@aol.com
Vice-President
Bob Wattendorf
3243 Lord Murphy Trail
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 488-4066
bob.wattendorf@fwc.state.fl.us
Secretary/Treasurer
Doug Haymans
FL DEP
3500 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 240
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000
(850) 922-4340
haymans_d@dep.state.fl.us
Newsletter Editor:
John Benton
FL GFC
P.O. Box 1903
Eustis, FL 32726
(352) 357-6631
jbenton@gfc.state.fl.us
E-MAIL Webmaster; Copyright 1998, Credits.