Objectives include:

1. Maintain a fundamental capability to identify and address issues of importance to living marine resources in state and federal waters off of South Carolina.

2. Integrate multi-disciplinary approaches to extension programming in regards to ecosystem based approaches to management of living marine resources.

3. Identify, develop, and deliver scientifically based information on critical living marine resource issues, through an enhancement of information, research, and technology exchange, productive interactions, and program coordination among Sea Grant programs, state and federal fisheries managers, Universities, and the commercial/recreational fishing industries in state and federal waters off of South Carolina and the region.

South Carolina Fisheries – Brief Overview 

South Carolina contains 2,876 miles of tidal shoreline, 10,000 square miles of continental shelf, 500,000 acres of tidal bottoms, and 504,450 acres of salt marsh (representing 20 percent of the East Coast total). In addition, its coastline is characterized by over 165 linear miles of beaches and dotted with more than 40 barrier and sea islands. Five major estuaries help drain major watersheds originating from as far away as western North Carolina. The dense areas of highly fertile salt marsh surrounding these estuaries and scattered barrier islands along the coastline provide a favorable habitat for many important commercial and recreational species during their juvenile and adult life stages. The commercial shrimp fishery is the largest and most economically valuable commercial fishery in South Carolina.

South Carolina’s offshore features also serve to support and sustain many resident and migratory fisheries species. Structural features on the continental shelf include natural hard bottoms as well as 37 artificial reefs and five major shipwrecks. The Charleston Bump, a unique habitat located southeast of Charleston on the Blake Plateau, deflects the Gulf Stream offshore in the South Atlantic Bight resulting in ocean upwelling that brings nutrients to the surface waters. This increases the primary productivity of South Carolina’s coastal ocean waters, supporting and concentrating a food chain from zooplankton to small fish to commercially and recreationally important reef and pelagic fish that prey on them.

White Shrimp graph (larger image)

Brown Shrimp graph (larger image)

Examples of How We Work:

South Carolina Shrimp Fishery Assistance Project (SCSFA)
Recreational Fishery Needs Assessment for S.C
South Atlantic Sea Grant Fisheries Extension & Enhancement Initiative
Educational Seminar on Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment

South Carolina Shrimp Fishery Assistance Project (SCSFA)
The SCSFA project developed as a result of an in response to collaborative efforts with the South Carolina commercial shrimp industry. South Carolina Sea Grant hosted a forum in 2002 bringing together commercial shrimp fishermen, University researchers and extension agents, and state/federal management agencies to discuss strategies for saving the commercial shrimp industry in the state. Coincidentally, federal funding was awarded for economic assistance to the ailing industry. The industry then formed a Shrimp Industry Task Force, which would be facilitated by Clemson University and Extension Service, to address the growing need for research, education, and marketing efforts to create a sustainable shrimp fishery in S.C. The task force brought together partners to include:

    • Shrimp fishermen
    • Dock owners
    • S.C. Shrimpers Association
    • S.C. Seafood Alliance
    • Southern Shrimp Alliance
    • S.C. Sea Grant Extension Program
    • Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester Council of Governments
    • S.C. Department of Natural Resources

Federal funds were allocated for research aimed at economics, niche marketing, travel and tourism marketing, packaging and infrastructure support, and quality assurance. Additionally, education projects involved hiring a fisheries specialist through the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, shrimp festival development, hiring a shrimp quality extension associate through Clemson Extension, and participation in the Trade Adjustment Assistance program for shrimp fishermen.

See the following website for additional information and research reports:
http://www.clemson.edu/scshrimp/index.htm

Shrimp Festival (larger image)

Recreational Fishery Needs Assessment for S.C. :
In collaboration with Clemson University’s Recreation, Travel, and Tourism Institute and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, a needs assessment for the marine recreational fishing sector in S.C. is in progress. The needs assessment aims to identify the extension programming and potential research needs within the marine recreational fishing community. In May 2005, focus groups of selected participants within the marine recreational fishing community will gather to discuss current issues and hot topics regarding marine and coastal fisheries. Results of the focus group discussions will be compiled and used to develop education and outreach programs in the Consortium’s Fisheries Extension Program.

Red drum (larger image)

South Atlantic Sea Grant Fisheries Extension & Enhancement Initiative:
Fisheries Extension specialists from Sea Grant programs in NC, SC, GA, and FL have formed a coordinating committee for the South Atlantic to communicate and collaborate on fisheries related extension programming. The committee has created a summary of Sea Grant fisheries extension activities in each state as well as a directory of Sea Grant fisheries extension staff within the South Atlantic region. In June 2005, the committee will meet with NOAA Fisheries regional staff and state fishery management agency staff to discuss state, regional, and national fisheries extension efforts.

For more information regarding fisheries extension activities in the South Atlantic region, please contact:

North Carolina Sea Grant Extension Program
Scott Baker,
Fisheries Extension Specialist,
E-mail: bakers@uncw.edu
Phone (910)-962-2492

South Carolina Sea Grant Extension Program
Amber Von Harten,
Fisheries Extension Specialist
E-mail: ambervh@clemson.edu
Phone: 843-470-3655 ext. 112

Florida Sea Grant
Chuck Adams,
Marine Economist,
E-mail: CMAdams@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
Phone: 352-392-1826 ext. 223

Sea Grant South Atlantic region (larger image)

Educational Seminar on Shrimp Fishery Management Plan Amendment:
The commercial shrimp fishery is federally managed by NOAA Fisheries under a fishery management plan developed through recommendations made by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. In 2004, Amendment 6 to the shrimp fishery management plan proposed several actions affecting commercial shrimp fishermen relative to the initiation of federal permits, bycatch issues, and overfishing definitions. In response to concern from shrimp fishermen and Council staff, an educational seminar was jointly developed and presented to shrimp industry leaders in S.C. The goal of the seminar was to educate fishermen about the process of amending the fishery management plan, the proposed actions in the amendment, the affects of the proposed actions to the industry, and ways to engage fishermen in participating in the public comment process. Similar seminars will be developed in the future to address other commercial and recreational fishing issues in S.C.

St. Helena dock (larger image)

Stay tuned!!!
Please stay tuned for updated information on upcoming efforts and events, including seminars on the commercial shrimp industry, diamondback terrapin education workshops, commercial blue crab fishery collaborations, and charter boat operator workshops. For more information, or to submit ideas, concerns, or questions regarding commercial and recreational fisheries and living marine resource programs, please contact: Amber Von Harten Tel. 843-470-3655 ext. 112.