Oyster Radio: 2013-09-15

Friday, September 20, 2013

Coastal cleanup is Saturday

The 2013 Annual Coastal Cleanup program will be held in Franklin County on September 21st, so if you are free between 8:30 and 11:30 in the morning please come out and help.

The worldwide cleanup campaign helps remove thousands of pounds of trash from Franklin County beaches and millions of pounds from beaches world-wide.

In 2012 local volunteers picked up nearly 4 tons of trash from Alligator Point to Apalachicola.

This year, Volunteers will help clean up the beaches from Bald Point to St. Vincent Island including locations in Carrabelle, Eastpoint, St. George Island and Apalachicola.

We’ve posted a full list of clean-up sites at oysterradio.com and on our facebook page.

Volunteers should bring their own bug spray, sunscreen and protective clothing – they will be provided with trash bags and gloves.

There will also be snacks and water and all volunteers get a T-shirt.

If you need more information contact Ada Long at adalong@uab.edu or call her at 927-3776.

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Upcoming Events at St. James Bay Golf Resort

Franklin county commission approves health department fee schedule

County commissioners this week adopted the fees that health department will charge for its various services beginning in October.

The local health department provides a variety of medical and public heath services ranging from vaccinations, diagnostic services and gynecological services to testing drinking water wells and permitting septic systems.

They also provide some free services like childrens’ vaccinations and HIV screenings.

And now the health department will also provides a variety of dental services at their office in Carrabelle.

The amount the health department charges depends on the service and the income of the person or family using the services.

Their set fees are set at 125 percent of the medicare rate which is lower than many counties that charge 140 percent of the medicare reimbursement rate.

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Franklin county approves Emerald Warrior training for upcoming year

Franklin County commissioners received a plaque on Tuesday for the role the county played during this years Emerald Warrior training.

Exercise Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored mission rehearsal exercise involving soldiers from various parts of the armed services.

The exercise was held in April and May in areas throughout the southeast.

The county commission also agreed to allow the Emerald Warrior training to continue over the next year.

The training program will once again be held in April and May, though there could be some preliminary activities in November and again in January.

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Franklin County Commission sends letter supporting reopening of PHERIC lab

Franklin County commissioners have issued a letter supporting plans to restore a mosquito lab in Panama City.

The The FSU Panama City Campus is seeking state funding next year to re-open the Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center, also known as the PHEREC lab.

The center was operated in Panama City until it was moved to Vero Beach in 2011.

County commissioners apposed closing the center at that time because of the services it provided to North Florida counties.

The center studies biting insects like mosquitoes, biting flies, and ticks and works on new methods of insect control.

The center had also provided training and resources for mosquito control departments, and has proved very useful for the Franklin County Mosquito control department.

When the lab was closed, local workers had to travel to Orlando for training.

The lab also provided mosquito identification which is now required in order to receive FEMA reimbursements after major storms.

FEMA requires proof that a certain kind of mosquito population is in the area before it will reimburse the county for additional spraying.

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Southerland's Committee Takes First Step Toward Saving Apalachicola Bay

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Steve Southerland, II applauded House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster and his committee colleagues for taking the first step toward saving Apalachicola Bay from the continued threat of water reallocations upriver in metropolitan Atlanta. The committee unanimously approved a resolution crafted by Shuster and Southerland that expresses Congress’s will that Florida, Georgia and Alabama work together to reach an agreement that reflects the economic and ecological impact of Georgia’s unchecked water withdrawals on all three states.

“I spoke from the heart today as one voice representing thousands of my people who are watching their communities crumble around them,” said Southerland. “Apalachicola Bay is the last remaining lifeline for Franklin County, an area with a proud heritage that’s been crushed by storms, a fishing net ban, and mounting job losses. If we lose this bay, local oystermen, small businesses, and hardworking families will have nowhere left to turn.

“Make no mistake: there are no overnight fixes to this problem. While this is an important step forward, it’s by no means the last step. With countless lives and livelihoods at stake, I am committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local leaders and the citizens who live along Apalachicola River and Bay to keep the water flowing.”

Southerland had originally introduced an amendment to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) that would have required the Army Corps of Engineers to receive congressional approval for water reallocations of more than 5% of the project’s pool. He also expressed his desire to Chairman Shuster that a Government Accountability Office study be conducted and a future hearing held evaluating the impact of Georgia’s water withdrawals on North Florida’s communities.
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Fri, 9/20/13 SEAHAWK SCOOP

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Agenda and information for September 24th Gulf County Commission meeting

A 092413

Info 092413

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Western Gulf of Mexico Closing to King Mackerel Commercial Fishing

NOAA Fisheries Service will close the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico to commercial fishing for king mackerel effective 12:00 noon (local time) September 20, 2013. The commercial quota of 1,071,360 pounds for this zone is projected to be reached by this date. The Western Zone is from the U.S./Mexico border to the Alabama/Florida boundary. Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) are expected to close adjoining state waters at the same time.

During the closure, no commercial fisherman may fish for or keep king mackerel in or from the closed zone. There is an exception for people aboard a vessel that has a charter/headboat permit for coastal migratory pelagic fish and a commercial king mackerel permit. Those people may keep the 2-fish per person daily king mackerel bag limit from the closed zone, if the vessel is operating as a charter vessel or headboat. Vessels are considered to be operating as a charter vessel or headboat when they carry a passenger who pays a fee or when more than three people are aboard, including operator and crew.

During the closure, no king mackerel caught in the closed zone may be bought, sold, or traded. This includes recreational and tournament-caught fish. King mackerel that were traded or sold before the closure and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor may still be sold.

This summary is not a substitute for the actual regulations. We encourage you to read the full text of the regulations, available at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.

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Western Gulf of Mexico Closing to King Mackerel Commercial Fishing

NOAA Fisheries Service will close the Western Zone of the Gulf of Mexico to commercial fishing for king mackerel effective 12:00 noon (local time) September 20, 2013. The commercial quota of 1,071,360 pounds for this zone is projected to be reached by this date. The Western Zone is from the U.S./Mexico border to the Alabama/Florida boundary. Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) are expected to close adjoining state waters at the same time.

During the closure, no commercial fisherman may fish for or keep king mackerel in or from the closed zone. There is an exception for people aboard a vessel that has a charter/headboat permit for coastal migratory pelagic fish and a commercial king mackerel permit. Those people may keep the 2-fish per person daily king mackerel bag limit from the closed zone, if the vessel is operating as a charter vessel or headboat. Vessels are considered to be operating as a charter vessel or headboat when they carry a passenger who pays a fee or when more than three people are aboard, including operator and crew.

During the closure, no king mackerel caught in the closed zone may be bought, sold, or traded. This includes recreational and tournament-caught fish. King mackerel that were traded or sold before the closure and held in cold storage by a dealer or processor may still be sold.

This summary is not a substitute for the actual regulations. We encourage you to read the full text of the regulations, available at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

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Franklin county rejects TDC contract with Geiger and Associates but approves all others

Franklin county Commissioners on Tuesday approved a number of annual contracts for the Tourist Development Council as well as a number of sustaining grants the TDC provides to various local groups.

The contracts are for companies that provide services to the TDC every year including Bay Media which does marketing production and development and 2K webgroup which manages the TDC’s on-line presence.

The board did reject one annual contract with a company called Geiger and Associates.

That company provided press tours, but county commissioners said they did not see the value in continuing that service at a cost of over 37 thousand dollars a year.

The county also approved the annual contracts for the counties three visitors’ centers in carrabelle, Apalachicola and St. George Island and it approved seven sustaining grants for various organizations.

The sustaining grants help fund local museums including the Camp Godon Johnston Museum and the Carrabelle History Museum and other groups like the Dixie Theater and the county’s two lighthouses.

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Bay scallop season ends next week

If you still want some bay scallops this season, you need to get them soon.

The final day of the 2013 recreational season is next Tuesday, September the 24^th.

FWC scallop researchers will conduct underwater surveys after the season closes to reassess the scallop population.

Scallop harvesters can help with the study by completing an online survey, indicating where they harvest scallops, how many they collect and how long it takes to harvest them.

The web address for the survey can be found at oysterradio.com and at the Oyster Radio facebook page.

Participants can also email BayScallops@MyFWC.com to ask questions or send additional information.

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Thurs, 9/19/13 SEAHAWK SCOOP

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Mississippi man drowns in high surf at Cape San Blas

A tourist from Mississippi drowned while swimming off Cape San Blas on Monday.

The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office said 45 year old Thomas Wayne Timms of Corinth, Mississippi died Monday while swimming in very rough surf conditions.

He was swimming in the area of Seahorse Lane at Cape San Blas where he was vacationing with his wife.

According to witnesses Mister Timms was approximately 100 feet out past the surf line when he started yelling for help.

Charles Seguy, a dive master, said he heard the screams and saw a man waving his arms in distress.

Mister Seguy swam to the victim where he found him unresponsive.

Mister Seguy attempted water rescue CPR, but the conditions were too rough for it to be performed.

He pulled Mister Timms to shore and began CPR there.

Despite all efforts, rescue attempts failed and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials said two other people at Cape San Blas were pulled out on Tuesday by a rip current, but luckily they were rescued.

Rip currents are a threat along much of Florida’s Gulf Coast and swimmers should always try to be aware of surf conditions.

Rip currents don’t pull people down – they pull them away from the beach, so most deaths associated with rip currents occur when people panic and try to swim directly toward shore against the current.

They usually become totally exhausted and drown.

Since rip currents are normally only about 10 to 30 yards wide, if you find yourself caught in one, the best escape, especially for the weak or non-swimmer, is to wade or swim sideways across the current, parallel to the beach.

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Agenda for September 19th Franklin County School Board meeting

09 19 13 Regular Mtg

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Franklin county awarded "Restoring the Night Sky" grant

Franklin County has been awarded a grant through the US Fish and Wildlife Service to help protect nesting sea turtles.

The “Restoring the Night Sky” grant will provide about 34 thousand dollars a year over the next four years to help educate people about and enforce Franklin County’s sea turtle lighting ordinance.

Franklin County has one of the larger sea turtle nesting populations on the Gulf Coast and the grant would provide money to increase education and compliance with the county’s sea turtle lighting ordinance.

Sea turtles can be disoriented by house lights and the county has a rule requiring turtle safe lighting on homes along the beach.

The grant will allow the county to hire a part-time code enforcement officer to visit some of the homes and businesses and offer assistance in bringing their outdoor lighting under control.

The grant would also be able to help cover some of the costs of retrofitting some of the lights.

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Wed, 9/18/13 SEAHAWK SCOOP

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Coastal cleanup is Saturday!

Don't forget the Coastal CleanUp!

Only 4 days away!

THIS Saturday

September 21, 2013

8:30 am to 11:00 am.

Join us at any of the location listed…..

See attached for locations & instructions.

Fine a location you like & come to CleanUp!

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MISSISSIPPI MAN DROWNS AT CAPE SAN BLAS

September 17, 2013 at 5:32pm

On September 16, 2013, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Seahorse Lane at Cape San Blas in reference to a male pulled from the water that was unresponsive. The investigation revealed the victim, Thomas Wayne Timms, 45, of Corinth, Mississippi was vacationing at Cape San Blas with his wife. The victim went swimming in the gulf during very rough surf conditions. According to witnesses the victim was approximately 100 feet out past the surf line and started yelling for help.

Charles Seguy, a dive master, stated he heard screams and saw the victim waving his arms in distress. Seguy entered the water and swam to the victim. After reaching the victim, Seguy reported he was unresponsive. Water rescue CPR was attempted by Seguy, but the conditions were too rough for it to be performed. Seguy pulled the victim to shore and began CPR. Despite all efforts, rescue attempts failed and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Former Apalachicola police officer arrested for credit card fraud

A former Apalachicola Police Department officer and Department of Corrections officer is facing a dozen charges related to credit card fraud.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Jeffrey Tyrone Lockley on September 11^th after an investigation into the purchase of two golf carts using stolen credit cards.

It was a joint investigation between the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FDLE.

The charges include Racketeering, Dealing in Stolen Property, Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card and Grand Theft.

Lockley was booked into the Franklin County Jail and is being held on a $160,000.00 bond.

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Franklin County TDC honored for 2012 Visitor's Guide

The Franklin County Tourist Development Council has been honored for its tourism marketing efforts.

The TDC won a bronze Flagler Award in the rural marketing category for its Salty Florida Visitor Guide and map produced in 2012.

The group received the award during the 46th Annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism held September 11^th through the 13th.

The Visitor Guide was designed by Bay Media Services but the overall project was a collaborative effort between TDC administrative and marketing vendors as well as more than two dozen local photographers, researchers, editors and artists.

The Flagler Awards were established in 2000 to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida.

The 2013 Flagler Award awarded winners in 17 categories plus Best in Show at three budget levels

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Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce 10th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament October 9th

Tee up with business members from around the Franklin, Gulf, Leon and Wakulla County areas at the 10th annual Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament on Wednesday, October 9, 2013. Tee-time is 1:00 pm on the beautiful St James Bay Golf Course east of Carrabelle. Well known golf course designer Robert Walker created this perfectly manicured 18-hole championship course that creates a challenge for even the most
skillful golfer, yet is still a course golfers of all abilities will love.
Prizes for the top three teams. Scores will be totaled and prizes awarded at a reception following the tournament. Cost per team is $400, $100 per player. Fees include range balls, golf carts equipped with the latest color GPS system. Tournament proceeds will go toward the Chamber’s building fund. For more information contact the Apalachicola Bay Chamber at (850) 653-9419 or email us anita@apalachicolabay.org.

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Gulf Council to Convene its ABC Control Rule Work Group and its Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific & Statistical Committees (SSCs)

For Immediate Release

September 16, 2013

Gulf Council to Convene its ABC Control Rule Work Group and its Standing and Special Reef Fish Scientific & Statistical Committees (SSCs)

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has scheduled a meeting of its ABC Control Rule Working Group and Standing & Special Reef Fish SSCs from 1 p.m. Tuesday, October 8 until 12 noon Thursday, October 10, 2013. The group will meet at the Council Office - 2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100 in Tampa, Florida .

Meeting information is as follows:

ABC Control Rule Working Group Agenda, Tuesday, October 8, 2013, 1 p.m. Until 5 p.m.

The ABC Control Rule Working Group is a subset of the SSC that includes members from the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Its function is to develop and evaluate potential revisions to the ABC control rule that was implemented in 2012. Agenda items for the working group include:

1. Review of Alternative Approaches to Setting ABC to Account for Scientific Uncertainty

a. Impose pre-specified coefficient of variation into the pdf based on SSCs expert judgment

b. Establish buffer below OFL of 0% to 25%, based on species life history (e.g., longer-lived species get a larger buffer)

c. Modify Tier 1 spreadsheet to develop a score to determine the number of standard deviations to add to the pdf

d. SEFSC approaches based on Ralton et al (2011)

e. Expand the range of potential P* values in the Tier 1 spreadsheet from 30%-50% to 1%-50%

f. Other approaches

g. Working Group recommendations

2. Other ABC Control Rule business

Standing and Special Reef Fish SSC Agenda, Wednesday, October 9, 2013, 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Thursday, October 10, 2013, 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon.

1. Approval of August 6-8, 2013 Standing and Special Reef Fish SSC summary minutes

2. Review of Red Snapper MRIP Issues

3. Alternative Red Snapper ABCs

a. based on F_{SPR 26%} (constant catch and constant F)

b. based on F_MAX (constant catch and constant F)

4. Pros and Cons of Setting Recreational Red Snapper Quota in Numbers

5. Revised National Standard 2 Guidelines

6. ABC Control Rule Revisions and Report of the ABC Control Rule Working Group

7. Update on SEDAR Assessment Schedule

8. SEDAR 40 - Red Grouper Benchmark Assessment - preliminaries

a. Review and approval of terms of reference

b. Review of schedule and selection of panel participants

9. Tentative Dates for 2014 SSC Meetings

10. Selection of SSC representative at October 28-November 1, 2013 Council meeting (New Orleans)

11. Other business

a. Review of SEDAR Assessment Schedule/Priorities

Although other non-emergency issues not on the agenda may come before the Scientific and Statistical Committees for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Actions of the Scientific and Statistical Committees will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agenda and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take action to address the emergency.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kathy Pereira at the Council Office at least 5 working days prior to the meeting.

About the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

The Gulf Council has an APP for that - Download it for free!

iPhone

Droid

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Charlene Ponce

Public Information Officer

888-833-1844 ext. 229

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Commissioners' packet for September 17th Franklin County Commission meeting

Sep 17, 2013 (1)

min-fcbcc-130917

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Franklin County Commission approves 2013-14 budget

The Franklin County Commission has given final approval to next year’s budget.

The 43.5 million dollar budget was approved 4 to 1 with Commissioner Pinki Jackel voting against it.

The amount that will be paid by local taxpayers is a little over 10.5 million dollars – that’s about 717 thousand dollars more than last year.

Next year’s millage was set at 6.47, representing a nearly 8 percent tax increase.

County workers will see a pay increase under the new budget – the across the board raise of about 1100 dollars is the first county pay increase since 2008.

District 1 commissioner Pinki Jackel had a list of about 300 thousand dollars in cuts she said she would like to see the board adopt before agreeing to the budget.

Her cuts included about 75 thousand dollars from professional fees and 77 thousand dollars from a road and bridge contingency fund.

She also requested the county cut about 20 thousand dollars from the Supervisor of Elections office and 20 thousand from the property appraisers office and 15 thousand dollars from the health department.

She also wanted to see Weems memorial hospital pay off a 100 thousand dollar loan to the county.

The rest of the commission, however, was unwilling to approve the cuts.

They argued that much of the money in contingent funds is needed in the case of a storm and that it would be unfair to start cutting office budgets this late in the process.

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Florida DEP permit activity for Wakulla County

Florida Department of

Environmental Protection

Bob Martinez Center
2600 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400

Rick Scott

Governor

Herschel T. Vinyard Jr.

Secretary

Permitting Application Subscription Service

Subscriber email address: manager@oysterradio.com

Profile Name: Oyster Radio

Permit: Stormwater - Large Construction (>= 5 AC)
Project Name: ST. MARKS EAST TRANS SUBSTATIO
Location id: FLR10NE14
Location name: St. Marks East Trans Substation
County: Wakulla
Application number: FLR10NE14-001

For further information, please contact the Tallahassee Npdes Stormwater permitting office in Tallahassee at (850) 245-7522

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Apalachicola National Forest prescribed burning today in Liberty County

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The U.S. Forest Service is prescribed burning in the Apalachicola National Forest today.

The 1,272 acre prescribed burn will take place near Cotton Landing Hunt Camp off State Highway 379 in Liberty County. The burn will improve wildlife habitat, eliminate vegetation build up and reduce the threat of wildfires.

People are reminded that the smoke they may see today and tomorrow in this vicinity is not coming from a wildfire. Motorists are cautioned to drive slowly with lights on while traveling in smoky areas. Drivers should be particularly cautious in areas where prescribed fires have taken place when it is foggy. Morning fog can mix with smoke and decrease visibility further.

This is one of many prescribed burns the Apalachicola National Forest is doing during the 2013 prescribed burning season.

Individuals who are sensitive to smoke may contact the Apalachicola Zone Fire Management Officer at (850) 926-3561, ext. 6523, to be placed on a notification list for future burns.

Today’s burn is in burn unit 97 (see the Apalachicola’s 2013 planned burn map): http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5394446.pdf.

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