CharlestonFishing.Com's FREE Weekly Newsletter

Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is upon us! Please find below a press release the CharlestonFishing.Com staff received from BoatUS on August 17, 2007. This release has several links that our staff finds very useful in hurricane preparation and tracking.

Boaters Can Get Free Hurricane Preparation Tips And Tools At BoatUS "Hurricane Resource Center"
With Hurricane Dean aiming its sights on the Gulf of Mexico, boaters along the coast from Texas to Alabama should take steps to prepare their boats. To help them with this task, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has some free tips and "tools" available.
Click here to read this article

Council Seeks Input on Measures Needed for Gag and Vermilion Snapper Reductions in harvest needed to end overfishing within the year
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is holding a series of 6 public scoping meetings to solicit public comment on an amendment to reduce both commercial and recreational harvest of gag grouper and vermilion snapper. Recent stock assessments show that overfishing is occurring for these economically important species.
During its June 2007 meeting, the Council received a report from its Scientific and Statistical Committee stating its approval of the Southeastern Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) stock assessments for gag and vermilion snapper. The Council is charged to end overfishing within a one year period and in response, has begun development of Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic. The Scientific and Statistical Committee determined that in order to fish at the Council’s Optimum Yield (OY), a reduction of 61% is needed for vermilion snapper. Substantial reductions in harvest are also anticipated for gag in order to end overfishing.
Click here to read the article

Shellfish Season Will Open Sept. 17
     The 2007-2008 season for harvesting oysters and clams will open Monday, Sept. 17.
     Oyster and clam seasons will remain open through May 15, 2008, unless conditions warrant extending or shortening the seasons. Season dates apply to both recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting.
Shellfish harvesters may begin gathering oysters and clams on designated areas one-half hour before official sunrise until one-half hour after official sundown. Harvesters should be aware the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) would close shellfish beds by specific coastal county if the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration places the area under a hurricane warning.
     According to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), commercial landings last year totaled 83,800 U.S. bushels, slightly higher than the previous year. Commercial culture permit harvests were 64,229 bushels, about 27 per cent more than last year and the highest since the 2003-04 season.
     The DNR maintains 59 State Shellfish Grounds for commercial and recreational harvesting of clams and oysters. Twenty Public Shellfish Grounds are managed exclusively for recreational gathering and are posted with boundary signs. The recreational limit is two U.S. bushels of oysters and one-half bushel of clams in any one day. No person may gather more than one personal limit of shellfish on more than two calendar days per any seven-day period. There is a maximum possession limit of three personal limits per boat or vehicle or boat and vehicle combination. Clams must be at least 1 inch in thickness.
Recreational harvesters should obtain updated Public Shellfish Ground maps at the beginning of each season as boundaries may be modified from time to time or areas previously open to harvest may have been closed by pollution by DHEC. Maps for these areas are downloadable off DNR's Web site here, or may be obtained by writing Marine Resources Division, PO Box 12559, Charleston, SC 29422. Maps of State Shellfish Grounds, open to both commercial and recreational harvesting, may be found on the Web here . All maps are listed by county, and additional information may be obtained by calling (843) 953-9300.
     South Carolina residents commercially harvesting on State Shellfish Grounds are required to purchase a saltwater commercial license, a State Shellfish Ground License and acquire permits from the DNR. Increased license fees are required for non-resident harvesters. A Saltwater Recreational Fishing License is required for residents and non-residents for all recreational shellfish harvesting. Areas designated as Shellfish Culture permits cannot be recreationally harvested unless the harvester has written permission from the permit holder in their possession.
     The public is reminded that 18 oyster shell recycling drop-off locations are located in coastal counties, and collection sites can be found online here, or by calling (843) 953-9300 to find the nearest location. Every shell that is recycled locally is cycled back into the estuarine environment and helps to restore shellfish grounds in coastal South Carolina. Of the 84,000 bushels that were landed during last year's shellfish season, a record 13,581 bushels of the total were recycled by the public at DNR collection sites. This was a significant increase in public participation over last year's 7,600 bushels that were recycled. Shells not obtained locally are purchased from out of state vendors to ensure that adequate amounts are collected for refurbishing public reef sites prior to shellfish harvesting season.
     DNR uses Saltwater Fishing Stamp funds to construct and enhance renewable oyster resources that provide ecosystem services as well as finfish habitat in the coastal counties.

Despite some relatively stiff afternoon southerly breezes it remains hot! The hot weather has sent the Charleston Harbor water temps to around 86 degrees. Hot water means Tarpon action. Fish are being spotted and occasionally hooked and caught from the north end of Bulls Bay south to Botany on a regular basis. Fish are hitting anything fresh, live or dead. The creeks and deep holes are producing Reds on live finger mullet and bait shrimp under equalizers in the creeks and on bottom rigs in the holes. Flounder are being caught on live finger mullet and mud minnows fished on the bottom. Schools of Spanish are working in the harbor and just off the beach and hitting Clarke spoons. Sheepshead action has been good inside the harbor over structure.
Offshore action has been fair this week. There has been a strong focus on bottom fishing with the slow down of trolling due to the hot water. Some nice grouper and snapper are being caught in 100-feet and beyond.

Tight lines…
Captain Tim Pickett
CharlestonFishing.Com