A federal panel has decided that a long-term no-catch zone shouldn't include the Carolinas. Georgia and Florida industries expect to lose millions.
Orlando Montoya
News Priority:
0
Breaking News?:
No
Feature?:
No
JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga.
A federal fisheries panel has removed North and South Carolina from a planned no-catch zone for red snapper.
The decision could cost Georgia and Florida millions of dollars.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting on Jekyll Island this week voted to remove the Carolinas since there aren't as many red snapper there.
Federal scientists say, the species is over-fished.
McIntosh County seafood wholesaler and council member Charlie Phillips says, he believes the change isn't fair to Georgia.
"This closed area basically reallocates vermillion snapper, grouper and I don't know what else to the Carolinas," Phillips says. "I don't see American red snapper opening any time soon."
Harvesters fear for their business suvival.
Retailers say, the change will push up the price of the fish.
It'll also weigh heavily on charter boats, already suffering from a bad economy.
The entire industry has been straining under a temporary red snapper ban since January.
The council now is working on a more long-term solution to the overfishing.
Article Body Image:
Article Body Image Caption:
Seafood harvesters, wholesalers, retailers and charter boat captains are reeling under a red snapper ban, imposed because of overfishing. (photo Orlando Montoya)
Bird-watchers say the eagle-spotting is good now that large predator birds are experiencing a come-back
Orlando Montoya
News Priority:
1
Breaking News?:
No
Feature?:
No
BRUNSWICK, Ga.
Georgia is high into bald eagle nesting season and bird-watchers say, the outlook is good for eagle-spotting on the Georgia coast.
There were no known eagle nests anywhere in Georgia as recently as the 1970's.
In a sign of how the birds have come back, last year, the state had 126 nests.
A third of Georgia's nesting pairs settle on the coast, with the salt marsh providing abundant food.
Brunswick birder Debbie Mumford says, she's spotted several on roadsides.
"It's the first time I've really noticed an increase in them," Mumford says. "A couple of years ago, I never saw many eagles."
Jim Ozier of the state's Wildlife Resources Division says, what bird watchers on the coast have seen is mirrored in all parts of the state.
"During the earlier years, these nests were fairly isolated," Ozier says. "But what we're seeing more lately is they're starting to settle into areas fairly near some human development, right in people's backyards."
Ozier says, nests should have eggs by mid-December.
Eagle nesting season lasts through April.
Article Body Image:
Article Body Image Caption:
Bald eagle nesting season is underway on Georgia's coast. (photo NASA Gary Rothstein)
Crews were still working to restore power Tuesday afternoon to about 4,400 customers in Chatham County.
Associated Press
News Priority:
0
Breaking News?:
No
Feature?:
No
SAVANNAH, Ga.
Several thousand people in the Savannah area are without electricity a day after powerful thunderstorms toppled trees and power lines on the Georgia coast.
Georgia Power spokeswoman Konswello Monroe said crews were still working to restore power Tuesday afternoon to about 4,400 customers in Chatham County. The utility had hoped to have all lights back on by evening, but Monroe said limbs continuing to fall from trees damaged overnight were slowing efforts.
About 21,000 homes and businesses were blacked out Monday night when storms pounded Chatham, Bryan and Effingham counties with heavy wind and rain. More than 100 Georgia Power crews were repairing damage Tuesday.
The National Weather Services said the storms dumped 1 to 3 inches of rain on the Savannah area, causing some flash flooding.
Article Body Image:
Article Body Image Caption:
Thunderstorms toppled power lines on the Georgia coast, leaving thousands without electricity. (Photo by Marcus Wong from Wikimedia)
Georgia is well known across the country as a fishing destination. From the trout streams of north Georgia to the temperate waters off Georgia's pristine coast, an abundance of opportunity awaits any eager angler. On this episode we'll explore some of the diverse fishing opportunities Georgia has to offer.
Description:
Fishing in Georgia is a tradition that's been enjoyed from generation to generation throughout the years. Whether you're fishing for bream in a small pond or public fishing area, striper or largemouth bass in one of our many large reservoirs or angling for tarpon or shark in our coastal waters, there's something for everyone in Georgia's waters. All you need is a fishing license and you can enjoy fishing across the state.
Web Resources
Fishing Licenses
You can purchase a Georgia Fishing License in one of two ways: from a license dealer or online.
Public Fishing Areas
Public Fishing Areas, or PFA, are great places for family outings. You can fish from the bank or a boat, picnic, hike, watch wildlife, camp and best of all enjoy being outdoors.
Kids Fishing Events
Visit this website for tips on fishing with your kids, places to go, and find a Kids Fishing Event, or KFE, which are held around the state throughout the year,
Fish Hatcheries
Learn about the Summerville and Buford Fish Hatcheries that we visit in this show. Plus, find out about the seven other fish hatcheries that are located around the state many of which tours, picnicking and kids fishing opportunites.
Across Georgia, reminders of our state’s rich human history abound. From lighthouses to ruined factories and plantations to gravestones--- we’ll take a closer look at some of these monuments of our past.
Description:
Across Georgia, reminders of our state’s rich human history abound. From lighthouses to ruined factories and plantations to gravestones--- we’ll take a closer look at some of these monuments of our past.
They are the silent sentinels of our coast guarding the channels and shorelines upon which our state was founded. Georgia is home to five remaining lighthouses and we’ll visit each.
Also scattered across our state are thousands of monuments which may be smaller in scale, but are no smaller in their historic significance. Cemeteries are not only places of burial, but places of great history, art, architecture, and serene beauty. We’ll visit Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, School Street Cemetery in Washington and the Coleman Lee Cemetery in Augusta.
According to the archaeological record, Georgia has been occupied by human civilization for over 14,000 years. While most structures built by native cultures have been lost to time, one particular native practice has left a good deal of physical evidence behind-- mound building.
There are also several ruins protected within the boundaries of a state park. Two such ruins stand as a reminder of industrial life before the Civil War: the remains of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company Textile Mill at Sweetwater Creek State Park and Cooper’s furnace at Red Top Mountain State Park.
Whether clues in the ground, structures weather through time, monuments to those who came before us or majestic guardians of out coast, Georgia’s rich history has left a mark on our landscape.
Web Resources
Tybee Island Lighthouse
Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony, in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years. The Tybee Island Light Station is one of America's most intact having all of its historic support buildings on its five-acre site. Rebuilt several times the current lightstation displays its 1916 day mark with 178 stairs and a First Order Fresnel lens.
Georgia Historical Society
The Georgia Historical Society is the private, non-profit historical society for the state of Georgia. The oldest cultural institution in the state, and one of the oldest historical societies in the country, GHS fulfills its mission to collect, preserve and share Georgia’s history by presenting a variety of educational programs, authoring publications on Georgia and southern history, and by operating a library and archives at its headquarters, Hodgson Hall , a National Historic Landmark building in Savannah.
Fort Pulaski
Fort Pulaski National Monument offers visitors the chance to experience many interesting and exciting activities year-round. Fort Pulaski itself is a large-scale outdoor exhibit. The main structure, together with outlying works including demilune, drawbridges, ditches, and dikes, is a fine example of historic military architecture.
Sapelo Island National Estruary Marine Research Reserve
The Sapelo Island Visitor Center is located at the mainland ferry dock in Meridian and serves as a key distribution point for information about coastal ecosystems, educational opportunities, and tourism activities. Interpretive exhibits at the center highlight Sapelo Island's rich cultural history, the Hog Hammock Community, University of Georgia Marine Institute, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System as well as estuarine, barrier island, and shoreline habitats.
Georgia Cemeteries
The Georgia Department of Natural History's Historic Preservation Division's mission is to promote the preservation and use of historic places for a better Georgia.
Georgia State Parks
With 63 State Parks & Historic Sites, Georgia gives you plenty of options for outdoors adventure. And you won't have to travel far. Your biggest challenge - deciding what to do.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Explore cultural treasures and ancient fossils, experience the thrill of a film in the IMAX® Theatre, enjoy science interactives and marvel at the largest dinosaurs ever discovered. Fernbank Museum isn’t just another museum—it’s a journey to another time and place. With distinctive special exhibitions, there’s always something NEW to discover. Take a look behind-the-scenes, at the work being conducted in the areas of research and collections.
Ossabaw Island
Ossabaw Island is a national treasure preserved by Eleanor Torrey-West and her family for the benefit of present and future generations. The island was generously transferred to the State of Georgia on June 15,1978 and designated as Georgia’s first Heritage Preserve with the written understanding that Ossabaw would “only be used for natural, scientific and cultural study, research and education, and environmentally sound preservation, conservation and management of the Island’s ecosystem.”
Human development has crowded out much of our native wildlife habitat, but the good news is that you can make a difference without leaving the house. On this episode we’ll show you how to make your yard more wildlife friendly.
Description:
Our world is becoming increasingly urbanized and as we pave our way across the land, native ecosystems are affected. Habitat loss is the number one cause of wildlife population declines, and over the years, commercial and residential development have pushed a number of Georgia’s species to the brink of extinction. But, there are a few things you can do around the house to make a difference by making your yard more wildlife friendly: providing food, water and shelter for birds, and planting native plants helps attract more wildlife to your backyard.
First, we take the The Audubon Society wildlife sanctuary tour. The Atlanta Audubon Society is one of the most active organizations in Georgia helping to encourage people to create wildlife sanctuaries right in their backyards. In fact, in Atlanta residents can have their yards certified as a wildlife habitat.
Another place that’s making a difference is a unique housing development on coastal Georgia. It is a place that rises above and beyond the “typical” golf community. It is home to lush coastal woodlands, a variety of wildlife, an Audubon Certified Golf Course and an environmentally active community.
Bird watching and gardening are great ways to experience the joys of nature right in your own backyard during the day, but the enjoyment doesn’t have to stop just because the sun sets. Backyard campouts are another way to experience outdoor adventure in your very own yard. Each June, the National Wildlife Federation sponsors the Great American Backyard Campout, a nation-wide event designed to make kids aware of the wilderness right outside their door. We joined Sustaining Urban Villages at the Outdoor Activity Center as they hosted their own backyard campout.
Web Resources
Atlanta Audobon Society
Since 1972, Atlanta Audubon Society has been the region’s primary education and conservation organization dedicated to birds. Their mission is to promote the enjoyment and understanding of birds and to conserve and restore the ecosystems that support them. The Atlanta Audubon Society hosts many activities—monthly meetings with featured speakers, weekly bird walks during migration, field trips to local birding hotspots, and other special events.
Georgia Native Plant Society The Georgia Native Plant Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing the native plants of Georgia. They host many activities to promote the appreciation and conservation of Georgia's plants and their habitats. Some activities include plant rescues, annual native plant sale, field trips and garden tours.
Great American Backyard Campout Join thousands of neighbors, friends, and families across the country for National Wildlife’s Annual Great American Backyard Campout.
Known as the "Gateway to the Golden Isles", this quaint town is a destination in itself. Keely Walker Muse begins her tour of Brunswick at the Mary Ross House, overlooking Oglethorpe Bay, with Mayor Bryan Thompson. Next, we explore Brunswick's Old Town Historic District – the second largest historic district in Georgia.
Description:
Known as the "Gateway to the Golden Isles", this quaint town is a destination in itself. Keely Walker Muse begins her tour of Brunswick at the Mary Ross House, overlooking Oglethorpe Bay, with Mayor Bryan Thompson. Next, we explore Brunswick's Old Town Historic District – the second largest historic district in Georgia. We make a stop at the Ritz Theater, which was built in 1898 as the grand opera house and is now a performing arts center and gallery space. Lastly, we head over to Brunswick Station Café for a bowl of award-winning Brunswick Stew.
It's the largest swamp in North America, and the fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise.
Description:
It's the largest swamp in North America, and the fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise. There are many sites around the swamp which you can explore, but the primary entrance is Stephen C. Foster State Park. We experience the swamp itself and a celebration of the Okefenokee in nearby Folkston.
The Okefenokee is the largest swamp in North America, and who better to show you around than our own nature girl, Keely Walker Muse? The fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise.
Description:
It's the largest swamp in North America, and who better to show you around than our own nature girl, Keely Walker Muse? The fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise. There are many sites around the swamp which you can explore, but the primary entrance is Stephen C. Foster State Park.
If you're looking for a quiet, beautiful break from the world, explore the Melon Bluff Nature Preserve and nearby Palmyra Plantation.
Description:
If you're looking for a quiet, beautiful break from the world, explore the Melon Bluff Nature Preserve and nearby Palmyra Plantation. David and Phil certainly enjoyed their stay at the Palmyra Plantation Barn, and there are many options for the nature lover in you.
Georgia is well known across the country as a fishing destination. From the trout streams of north Georgia to the temperate waters off Georgia's pristine coast, an abundance of opportunity awaits any eager angler. On this episode we'll explore some of the diverse fishing opportunities Georgia has to offer. 
Fishing in Georgia is a tradition that's been enjoyed from generation to generation throughout the years. Whether you're fishing for bream in a small pond or public fishing area, striper or largemouth bass in one of our many large reservoirs or angling for tarpon or shark in our coastal waters, there's something for everyone in Georgia's waters. All you need is a fishing license and you can enjoy fishing across the state.
Across Georgia, reminders of our state’s rich human history abound. From lighthouses to ruined factories and plantations to gravestones--- we’ll take a closer look at some of these monuments of our past. 
Across Georgia, reminders of our state’s rich human history abound. From lighthouses to ruined factories and plantations to gravestones--- we’ll take a closer look at some of these monuments of our past.
Human development has crowded out much of our native wildlife habitat, but the good news is that you can make a difference without leaving the house. On this episode we’ll show you how to make your yard more wildlife friendly. 
Our world is becoming increasingly urbanized and as we pave our way across the land, native ecosystems are affected. Habitat loss is the number one cause of wildlife population declines, and over the years, commercial and residential development have pushed a number of Georgia’s species to the brink of extinction. But, there are a few things you can do around the house to make a difference by making your yard more wildlife friendly: providing food, water and shelter for birds, and planting native plants helps attract more wildlife to your backyard.
Known as the 
It's the largest swamp in North America, and the fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise. There are many sites around the swamp which you can explore, but the primary entrance is 
It's the largest swamp in North America, and who better to show you around than our own nature girl, Keely Walker Muse? The fact that most of the swamp is a National Wildlife Refuge makes it a wildlife paradise. There are many sites around the swamp which you can explore, but the primary entrance is 
If you're looking for a quiet, beautiful break from the world, explore the