Oil Spell

For the latest information on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

Gulf news dominated by oil

At press time, there has been partial containment of the oil gushing into the Gulf 50 miles south of Venice, Louisiana. Still, people who live and work in the affected areas are seeing the waters and marshes that provided a means of feeding their families and the base of their local culture suffering long-term damage. For those of us here, a lot of talk on mainstream media about marshes is silly.
What a marsh actually does an extremely good job of, other than serve as a nursery area for fish, shrimp, oysters, birds, and reptiles, is to act as a filter. The marsh grasses and cane filter out a lot of impurities—sewage, industrial and agricultural pollution—before it reaches Gulf waters. Brackish marshland also acts as a buffer against saltwater intrusion into the freshwater marshes, so important to coastal ecology. In the same way, the marsh can “filter” the crude oil trying to come ashore. The marsh is like a sacrificial anode to keep the oil from traveling farther inland, and so far it is doing a better job than the “experts.” Like the sacrificial anode, however, once it has done its job, it needs to be replaced.

My favorite little spot on the Gulf, the marshes usually filled with speckled trout and redfish immediately surrounding South Pass and Port Eads, may take decades to recover. These marshes are also important to waterfowl, and teem with alligators.
The effect on offshore fish species will not be known for some time. The water off South Pass gets deep very quickly with the 100 fathom line just about seven miles past the jetties, and it gets deeper than the 5,000 feet of Deepwater Horizon. King mackerel from both Gulf groups (east and west) are suspected of mingling to spawn in the deep waters off the delta during winter – we can only hope this situation is under control by then. For updates on the closure area, check sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

New PORTS system could improve safety

A new NOAA Ocean Observing System dubbed the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) initiated for the Sabine-Neches Waterway serving the Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas area is aimed at providing observations of tides, currents, water and air temperatures, barometric pressure, and wind speeds, gusts and direction through an easy-to-use web portal at http:tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports.html. While designed primarily to aid commercial ships, the real time data could also be very useful to recreational cruisers. The Sabine-Neches Waterway is a set of interlocking river channels and canals extending from the Gulf of Mexico to Port Arthur, Beaumont, and Orange, Texas. Other PORTS systems on the Gulf serve Gulfport and Pascagoula, Mississippi, Houston/Galveston, Texas, Lake Charles, Louisiana, the Lower Mississippi River, Mobile Bay, Alabama, and Tampa Bay, Florida.

Freeport, Texas, is oil free and going strong

The 63rd annual Freeport Jaycees Fishin’ Fiesta set for June 30 – July 4 has a female chairperson for the first time. Former co-chair Kristle Kersten is a five-year  member of the Freeport Lions Club, which acquired the tournament a few years ago. Additions to the format are Cajun Day July 2, featuring a Cajun band and gumbo cook-off, and a swordfish category in the offshore division of this amateur event. Last year’s Fiesta drew 30,000 people, including 900 anglers, and organizers hope fishing enthusiasts from oil-infected areas might come to Freeport to join the fun. Go to fishinfiesta.com.

Loran C termination in process;
user groups unhappy

By Capt. Mike Holmes

The National Association of Charterboat Operators is continuing to fight the termination of the LORAN C system. Some bottom fishing specialists, both recreational and commercial, in the Gulf of Mexico prefer to use LORAN in the final approach to small pieces of bottom structure or wrecks because they perceive its repeatability and pin-point accuracy to be better than GPS. Some shipping interests also still use LORAN in combination with GPS.

Caribiana Sea Skiffs moves to Pensacola

Curt Morse, the new owner of Caribiana Sea Skiffs, has moved the operation from New Orleans to Pensacola. The 23-foot, panga-style vessel has a hull weight of 1,200 pounds and handles outboards to 90 horsepower. With a high bow, shallow draft plus a top speed of 40 mph, it’s a good choice for either inshore or light offshore fishing and cruising. The standard Coastal series has a white lapstrake fiberglass hull with teak rub-rails, floor boards, and helm seat produced by local craftsmen. The Signature series offers custom hull colors and more elaborate fittings. For more information go to caribiana.com.

Southern Yacht Club news

March will be a busy month in NOLA at the Southern Yacht Club beginning with the Commodore’s Ball on Saturday, March 6. Also that weekend is the annual Mardi Gras Regatta and team racing for the Southern Nichols Cup. On the March 11 the J/22 Mid-winter series begins, followed by the Flying Scot class March 21 to 26..
The annual Leukemia Cup begins with a captain’s meeting, party and auction at 6:30 p.m. March 19. Racing begins the next day, with One Design, Optis, and board boats competing. PHRF fleets compete the following day. To register, call 504-837-0945, ext. 308. The annual Mandeville Race concludes on om March 27. Southern plans to offer “Intro to Racing,” and “Basic Spinnaker” sailing classes this spring. For information view  southernyachtclub.org.

Red snapper catches show improvement

Although NOAA Fisheries has imposed a several months long total ban on keeping red snapper in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico red snapper catches showed an increase in average size of fish retained. Some have interpreted this to mean the fish are on a rebound, while others might point out that with a open season running from June 1 until August 1 and a two fish per person per day catch limit, anglers were probably hunting harder for two larger fish, possibly culling many more small fish in the process.
A coalition of fishermen and businesses that depend on fishing for their livelihoods staged a march on Washington on February 24 to speak to their representatives about problems in the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Gulf dodges serious fish kills

Most areas of the western Gulf reported no serious fish kills from the Christmas and January freezes. In Texas, the upper coast mostly saw dead forage fish, such as shad and mullet, although lower on the coast some speckled trout and snook were found dead in back bay lakes near Port O’Connor and as far south as Port Aransas. In most areas, fish appear to have had time to move to deeper water before the water temperatures reached a dangerous level. Not so along the Florida Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay through the Ten Thousand Islands where a week of cold days pushed water temps below 55 degrees. Snook, permit and redfish suffered huge kills. To further protect certain fish species that suffered in Florida, state officials have imposed a ban on keeping snook, bonefish, and tarpon through March 31, but will allow catch and release for these species.

News of shows, marinas and Mardi Gras

By Capt. Mike Holmes

Late last summer I saw a blurb in a local newspaper about climate scientists expecting a colder,  wetter winter due to El Niño influences. What an understatement that turned out to be. It is hard to remember the drought on the Texas coast last summer, and how much we prayed for rain and a respite from the triple-digit heat. By the end of 2009, most areas of Texas were at or above normal rainfall levels and the year ended with snow in many parts of the state–including snow on the coast in early December.

Louisiana notes

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation is restoring the historic New Canal Lighthouse at West End, along Lake Shore Drive in New Orleans, which was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The rebuilt structure will be used as a museum and educational center. The lighthouse was originally built in 1838, rebuilt in 1856 due to rotted timbers, and again in 1890. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Its history includes at least five female light keepers, two of whom were cited for heroism during hurricanes and fires. For more information about the lighthouse fund, go to saveourlake.org.
Two New Orleans marinas on Lake Pontchartrain are announcing they are virtually back to normal. Orleans Marina offers a sheltered harbor on the lakeshore with slips for boats of 30 to 100 feet. For information, call 504-288-2351. The city’s newest marina, South Shore Harbor offers 453 open slips and 26 covered slips. It is also in a protected harbor just east of the Industrial Canal and expects to have a pump-out station and fuel come spring. Call 504-245-3152 for information. Both marinas welcome transients.

Freeport marina update

The long-awaited opening of the Freeport (Texas) City Marina is pushed back–again–until spring. After the apparent final victory in getting all the land needed without resorting to use of eminent domain procedures, the development and management company chosen for the project by the previous government withdrew. With floating docks in the water, the dry storage building constructed, boat owners longing for another access point or an alternative to the Bridge Harbor Yacht Club still have hopes problems can be resolved. Get on the waiting list for a slip by calling the City Secretary at 979-233-3526.
On a more pleasant marina subject, James “Rip” Kirby, the long time manager of Kirby Marina on Oyster Creek, has taken a much-deserved retirement.

Dallas International Boat Show

This inland venue is scheduled for February 5-14 at Dallas’s Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway. The official “Dock Party” will be February10 from 6  to 10 p.m., with entertainment and refreshments. Admission is $50. For details, check out DallasBoatShow.net.

Alabama coast

Gulf Shores will be busy in early February. Along with Mardi Gras, Lulu’s at Homeport Marina will hold its anniversary celebration and boat parade–the area’s only carnival season boat parade–on February 16 (Fat Tuesday). The two-hour parade begins at 3 p.m. at The Wharf and heads west down the ICW to Lulu’s. Check it out on lulubuffett.com. Enjoy the party, and stay warm.

Emory Eagle Festival – Lake Fork

This is the 15th year of the Eagle Festival centered on the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s survey of bald eagle populations on Lake Fork and Lake Tawakoni in Rains County, Texas. Included in the event are eagle watching barge tours. Lake Fork is located about 70 miles east of Dallas and 30 miles north of Tyler. The Festival is held the second weekend of February, making it a good option for a side trip from the Dallas Boat Show. For more information, call 800-561-1182.

Let the New Year Begin

It seems like only yesterday that the Y-2-K scare was news, but it has now been 10 years since the turn of the century. To describe it as an interesting decade would be an understatement. While the entire country has weathered political change and a boom-to-bust economy, the Gulf Coast has seen very unusual weather patterns, swinging from triple digit heat and record drought to floods and extreme cold. A weak economy hit the boating community hard with some prominent fishing tournaments and a few boating related businesses falling by the wayside. The New Orleans Boat and Sport Show scheduled for this month has been postponed until 2011. Here’s hoping 2010 brings a quick uptick in business.

January is not a great boating month along the upper Gulf coast. Those who are patient and love their vessels and their sports, however, will always find something pleasant to occupy their time near, if not actually on, the water. For those who like being in the water, what better way to kick off 2010 than with the 25th Annual Polar Bear Dip on the Florida/Alabama state line. This dip takes place at the crack of noon on New Year’s Day, although festivities begin with a serving of black-eyed peas at 11 a.m. Call the Flora-Bama chamber for details at 251-980-5118.

Corpus Christi recognized for retirees

A Texas city with a great municipal marina at its heart was named the “Best Place to Retire for $150,000 or Less” by AOL’s consumer and money news Web site, WalletPop.com. The article listing 20 cities ranked Corpus number one based on a combination of low crime, peaceful living, an educated population, striking scenery, and diverse housing options for $150,000 or less. Other Gulf cities making the list were Florida’s Naples (15), New Port Richey (16), and Venice (19).

Gulf fishing regulations stir controversy, protests

When confronted by members of a charter boat group in Pensacola brandishing data showing increased red snapper populations in the Gulf, Dr. Roy Crabtree, regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service, incited a bit of a ruckus when he said, “No matter what the data shows, you will not be getting any more fish”(increased catch allowances). Charter captains responded by launching several lawsuits against the council.

The Recreational Fishing Alliance has suits in place concerning catch limits on sea bass, South Atlantic red snapper and grouper, and Gulf of Mexico grouper and amberjack. The Coastal Conservation Association has an action in place to try to stop the Gulf grouper IFQ catch share plan. On November 6, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries voted to go against the Federal government by refusing to adopt stringent new regulations on grouper, tilefish, red snapper, and amberjack in state waters. This stand was a largely symbolic one because these species are not abundant in state waters, but was intended as a show of support for the state’s fishermen. The following day, the National Association of Charterboat Operators organized a demonstration with participating boats spread along 250 miles of the coastline. At odds are fisheries rebuilding legislation now in year seven of a 10-year rebuilding program and independent studies showing stocks have already rebounded.

New regulations in Louisiana

Winter months are a good time to take a boating safety class in advance of next summer’s requirement that all boat operators born after January 1, 1984 pass a boating safety class approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. See a list of approved courses at wlf.louisiana.gov/boating/courses.

Those of you who winter in Louisiana need to be aware of a law that took effect after your last visit. Every person 16 years or younger on board a motorboat or vessel less than 26 feet LOA shall wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while the vessel is underway. The regulation became effective August 15, 2009. This law previously applied to kids 12 and under.

Red tide spurs fisheries alert

After the long heat and drought of summer, October brought flooding rains to the western Gulf coast. Several fronts swept across Texas into Louisiana and points east, sending rivers and streams over their banks. Then, as if to show there is a balance to the system after all, November began with beautiful weather–sunny, calm and dry with cool nights and mild days. Perfect weather for relaxed cruising with hatches open, the A/C taking a well-deserved rest. The Texas coast has a long stretch below Port Aransas–the Laguna Madre behind Padre Island, to be more specific–that offers a perfect location for lazy journeys in weather of this kind. Late season Ida was a mostly a rain event for the Florida panhandle, although it did chase the shrimpers back into port for a few days.
December is normally a slower time for on-water activities, with holiday boat parades and dock parties requiring a lot of attention. With our normally mild winters, however, this can be a very pleasant time of year to be on the water. It also might not be too early to start on the necessary tasks to get ready for spring fishing. Boatyards will not be as crowded towards the end of the year, making it a good time for repairs, painting and bottom jobs.

Red tide on lower Texas coast

The lower coast from Port Isabel to Port Aransas had a serious red tide influx as of early November. Beach goers were bothered by airborne irritations and an undisclosed number of fish were killed. So far, the bays behind Padre and Mustang Islands have been showing no signs of karenina brevis algae, but the Padre Island seashore was showing a continuous line of red discoloration and foam. Shellfish should not be taken in areas where red tide is present. In Texas, call 800-685-0361 for a recording of the status of shellfish harvesting areas. You can get red tide alerts for Northwest Florida at myfwc.com or for Texas at tpwd.state.tx.us.

Recreational amberjack fishery closed

The National Marine Fisheries Service closed the recreational fishery for greater amberjack on October 24 for the remainder of 2009.  The agency says this action was taken to prevent the recreational fishery from overfishing its quota, possibly signaling that the new administration intends a more proactive approach to fisheries management. Florida State Senator Don Gaetz issued a statement opposing the action, which, he says, came without warning and “apparent disregard for the impact on Northwest Florida’s economy. This decision combines too much authority with too little science.” Senator Gaetz requested Workforce Florida to develop and offer dislocated worker training services to northwest Florida fishermen.

Destin doings

Destin, Florida, celebrated the city’s 25th Anniversary on November 7 with activities such as the Annual Classic Pin Fish Tournament for kids and a series of boat rides and fishing demonstrations at Captain Royal Melvin Heritage Park, the city’s newly acquired property at 204 Harbor Boulevard.
For the holiday season, Destin will offer the Destin Harbor Boat Parade & A Coastal Christmas Concert on December 13, beginning at 6 p.m. at Harborwalk Village, 10 Harbor Blvd. For more information call 850-585-5451.

Cooler weather sets stage for activities

Texas drought ends

September saw a dramatic end to the drought in most areas of coastal Texas, with heavy rainfall and some thunderstorms packing high winds and hail. While bays and inland waterways may be off-colored for a while, the fresh water influx was greatly needed for the health of the ecosystem. Long-range predictions are for a wetter and colder winter than usual, honoring the long tradition of giving Texans too much or too little of whatever we think we might need.

Charter boats caught in fishing permit sting

Fifteen charter boats in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida were accused of operating without federal reef fish permits for red snapper and fined more than $100,000 total. These charges resulted from a year-long investigation and undercover operation by state and federal officers. Federal for-hire permits for reef fish have been under a moratorium since 2003 and can only be obtained by purchasing from a current permit holder. Enforcement until recently has been very lax, however, frustrating legal operators forced to compete against unlicensed boats. Other violations cited during the investigation were keeping undersized fish, harvesting fish during a closed season, filleting fish at sea, concealing illegal fish, and failure to follow required practices.

Southern Yacht Club back to business

New Orleans’ Southern Yacht Club is back to business as usual after its grand re-opening on September 12.  Pictures of the facility are now on the club’s Web site (southernyachtclub.org), and sailing events are in full swing, beginning with the Southern Soiland Cup on November 6–7.

Heritage Harbor Days in Alabama

The 9th annual Heritage Harbor Days event in Foley, Alabama, will be held November 6–7.  The event began in 2001 with the intention of showcasing the lifestyle and culture of Foley and other Alabama Gulf Coast communities. The festival features art, food, music, and fun–with free admission. Activities planned for this year include a wooden boat show, oyster shucking demonstrations and shrimping demonstrations by the crew of the shrimpboat Miss Foley. For more information, check heritageharbordays.com.

Bay Point Invitational catches for kids

The Bay Point Invitational Billfish Tournament, held at Panama City Beach, Florida, continues to make its mark, this year raising more than $50,000 for Bay County children’s charities through its partnership with the St. Joe Community Foundation and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The Kid’s Fishing Experience reached out to nearly 50 children ages 8 to 13 from the Boys and Girls Club, the Anchorage Children’s Home and the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center. Sixteen local charter captains donated their time and resources to take the kids fishing during an afternoon tournament. Capt. Brian Jacquay and the kids on his Team B&T won the competition.
In partnership with the Freedom Alliance and Galati Yacht Sales, the Invitational also paid tribute to members of the Armed Forces by hosting several wounded veterans for a day of tournament fishing aboard a 74-foot Viking.

As summer wanes, activities increase

The “Dry Coast” report

The Texas drought has been labeled the worst to hit the state since records have been kept of such things. Lake Travis, near the state capitol of Austin, is one of the most popular destinations in the state, prized for its deep, clear water. Divers come here for training and recreation, and pleasure boats of all types and sizes cruise the lake. Not this year. Lake levels were reported to be as much as 43 feet below normal and there were no boat ramps to launch from. Private boathouses sat high and dry. Even if anything approaching “normal” rainfall returns, it appears we’ve had climate change on the upper Texas coast.
Looking on the bright side, it is worth noting that coastal boaters have saved enough money on lawn mowing and mosquito spray to afford a little more cruising.

Texas coast rebuilds for boaters

While the future of the hardest hit area during Ike’s onslaught of the Texas coast—the Bolivar Peninsula—is still up in the air, many other spots are in full rebound and banking on the recreational boating industry  remaining strong. Bridge Harbor Marina in Freeport has repaired all storm damage and given the entire facility a facelift, with new paint on dock sheds and buildings, and at least one older building demolished. Kirby Marina on Oyster Creek has both rebuilt and expanded, and  new Surfside marina on the ICW across from Bridge Harbor is in full operation.
In a show of support for recreational boaters, FEMA is spending more than $2.7 million to rebuild the Pleasure Island Marina on Sabine Lake, near the Texas-Louisiana border. The FEMA grant is expected to pay 90 percent of the replacement costs for damaged docks.

NOAA to help restore Galveston Bay marsh,

finishes projects in Louisiana

In a project officially called “Recovery Act: Restoring Estuarine Habitats in West Galveston Bay,” NOAA is committing over $5 million in grant funds through the American Recovery and Restoration Act, which will be combined with funds from other sources, to restore 328 acres of tidal marsh at Galveston State Park and Jumbile Cove.  The project will employ more than 100 people and should be completed in October 2010. This work will not only aid fish and wildlife, but also reduce erosion in both areas.
Similarly completed projects of marsh restoration in Louisiana rebuilt more than 300 acres of coastal wetlands damaged by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike. These included debris removal form the Barataria Basin, Avoca Island restoration, Port Fourchon maritime ridge planting, an artificial reef program in Lake Ponchartrain, wetlands terracing in the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, and Lower Petite Caillou shoreline reconstruction.

Run for the Redfish in Panama City

If you love redfish, put this on your calendar. On December 5, a combined half marathon, 5k run, and kids’ fun run will be held at Pier Park in Panama City, Florida. A portion of the proceeds from the Run For The Redfish will benefit the Coastal Conservation Association. The run begins at the Front Beach Road entrance to Pier Park and will end at Margaritaville, where the post race celebration and awards ceremony will be held. All runners will receive a Run For the Redfish long-sleeved T-shirt for participating. For more information, visit runfortheredfish.com.

As summer wanes, activities increase

Hot and dry were the buzzwords on the Gulf Coast for early and mid-summer.  Drought conditions were worse than in 2008, and triple-digit temperatures set records. In Texas, when it rains—it pours; when it doesn’t–it doesn’t. Coastal rivers and streams were clear and pretty with no muddy run-offs. Mosquitoes were held in check, so there were some good points to the weather.

New bridge at Matagorda

Those who cruise the ICW along the Texas coast have some good news in the form of a new fixed bridge over the “ditch” at Matagorda, Texas. The new bridge replaces a swing bridge to the Matagorda Peninsula that averaged 1,000 openings a month at a cost to operate of around $400,000 annually. Construction of the new 73-foot high fixed span cost just under $20 million. One local tradition that may be impacted by the new bridge is the twice-yearly cattle drive (this is Texas) from pastures on the mainland side of the ICW, down Hwy 60, across the swing bridge, to the mouth of the Colorado, where the cattle were then urged to swim across the river to grazing land on Matagorda Island. It is not certain if the cattle will climb the new bridge.

SouthWest International Boat Show

The South Shore Harbour Marina plays host to the largest in-water Boat Show ever to come to Houston, a big, Florida Style boat show with over 400 boats in the water, ready to demo, and approximately another 200 displayed ashore along with equpment vendors and charter companies. The show takes place September 24-27. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Visit southwestinternationalboatshow.com.

Southern Yacht Club to christen clubhouse

Following the dedication ceremony August 8, it looks like the new clubhouse for Southern Yacht Club on Lake Pontchartrain will be fully open in time for the Finn Class National Championship October 1-3. The club will be celebrating its 160th Anniversary October 17.

Freeport Marina still in the wings

The long awaited Freeport, Texas, municipal marina is still keeping us waiting, with the projected opening now moved from summer of 2009 to possibly spring of 2010. Most delays have been caused by changes in city government. The latest snafu is in the construction of the floating docks, which will be delayed several months because of a late-in-the-game change to have a floating main dock as well as floating finger piers.

Biloxi’s 28th Seafood Festival

A month before Destin, Florida, hosts its annual seafood extravaganza, Biloxi will celebrate the bounty of the Gulf with a slightly Cajun flair courtesy of the local shrimp fleet and the Gumbo Championship. This two-day even takes place on the Biloxi Town Green on Beach Boulevard September 12-13. There are currently four marinas with transient slips operating in Biloxi proper. For an excellent directory of all the Mississippi Gulf Coast marinas, visit msstate.edu/dept/crec/accharmar2.html.

Gulf Council Fisheries members appointed

The Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council is one of eight regional councils that help manage fisheries in federal waters out to 200 miles. In June, the Commerce Department announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the councils nationwide, including five for the Gulf States. New Gulf Council members are: Robert P. Gill, FL; John R. Greene, AL; and Damon P. McKnight, LA; plus two at-large seats: Harlon A. Pearce, LA; and, Thomas D. McIlwain, MS.

Developments on the fishing,
diving and cruising fronts

Fishing and diving restrictions for the Texas Flower Gardens?

The Flower Gardens Bank Marine Sanctuary is the northernmost coral reef system in the Gulf, consisting of 350 acres of coral from giant boulders of brain coral to delicate elk horn and brightly colored sponges. The East and West Flower Gardens straddle the edge of the continental shelf more than 100 miles offshore of Galveston and Freeport, Texas. Also currently in the sanctuary is Stetson Rock, a large, flat-topped formation 30 miles closer to shore. Several changes to the sanctuary are under consideration, including expanding protected status to nine additional formations along the 100-fathom curve in waters off Texas and Louisiana.

Within the sanctuary, anchoring, spearfishing and commercial long line fishing are prohibited. There are 14 mooring buoys scattered across the Gardens and at Stetson, although fishing and dive boats that venture this far out often tie to one of the many oil platforms surrounding the reefs for the night. The fuel prices and catch restrictions on many of the more popular fish–especially red snapper, various grouper and amberjack–limit the amount of recreational fishing pressure the Gardens receive, but some anglers seeking large wahoo and billfish still make the journey.

At a scoping meeting in 2006, many negative comments were received concerning fishing. From this meeting came recommendations to establish no fishing, no diving and no activity areas. The Flower Gardens Banks Advisory Council will meet in September in Galveston to discuss several possible tighter restrictions. The first option would be to close either the East or West Garden to all fishing for a period of no more than eight years, while leaving the other open as a “control” situation. The next option would close one bank and Stetson to fishing, and the final option would close selected spots on all banks. Fishing—already limited to hook and line gear only, could be further restricted to ban more than three hooks per line, electric reels, and bottom contact by fishing gear. Restrictions to diving activity will also be discussed. The date of the Advisory Council meeting had not been set at press time. E-mail Jennifer.Morgan@noaa.gov for updates.

Port Mansfield channel open

Following on the heels of the successful efforts to open the mouth of the San Bernard River, the opposite end of the Texas coast got a big boost with the dredging of the Mansfield Channel, which allows access to the Gulf from Port Mansfield via the Laguna Madre and Padre Island cut. The channel is dredged to 24 feet through the jetties. Port Mansfield harbor will be 12 feet deep when dredging inside is complete.

Colorado River locks

Work in progress on the Colorado River locks at the ICW caused a Texas Redfish Series tournament to be moved in May. Now, we hear cruisers heading southward on the Texas coast should check on the status of the locks before planning a journey past Matagorda. If you have to wait a bit, however, Matagorda is a pleasant place to do just that–a clean, well-run marina with a bait/tackle center, fuel and a nice seafood restaurant on the property.

Rollover Pass in trouble?

In the wake of Hurricane Ike’s devastation of the Bolivar Peninsula, a bill to close Rollover Pass, which connects the upper reaches of East Galveston Bay to the Gulf, has made it though the Texas Legislature and awaits the signature of Governor Rick Perry. Rollover was created in the 1950s as a water exchange pass to revitalize East Bay, and has since become a favorite fishing destination for bank-based anglers. It cannot be navigated by boat traffic but Ike’s fury damaged the bridge over it and threatened to cut the peninsula in two. Closing the pass will not be a popular move in the eyes of Texas fishermen, and could have an effect on the efforts to re-open Cedar Bayou Pass near Port Aransas.

New facilities open along the coast

Yacht Clubs of America Expands to Texas

YCOA opened its new facility on West Galveston Bay at the Tiki Island Yacht Club on May 9. This five-acre property will feature 250 dry slips for boats to 45 feet and up to 50,000 pounds plus 150 covered wet slips for vessels to 100 feet.

YCOA develops private membership yacht clubs with dry “rackominiums” and wet “dockominiums,” and has other facilities in Naples, Tampa and Key West, Florida, as well as on Grand Bahama Island. Visit yachting.ycoa.com.

NOAA PORTS System Expands to Lake Charles

NOAA’s Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System, offering free, real-time information about water and weather conditions from a new ocean observing system, is now in operation in Lake Charles, Louisiana, joining similar stations serving a total of 19 U.S. ports, including Houston/Galveston and Tampa Bay. The system provides information on tides, currents, water and air temperatures, barometric pressure, winds, and bridge clearances for a 203-square-mile sector from Cameron to Westlake.

Although designed to aid commercial shipping, this system can also be of great help to recreational mariners. It can be accessed by phone at 301-713-9637 or 888-817-7692, or on the Web at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports.

Saunders Celebrates 50 with New Facility

Saunders Yachtworks celebrated its 50th anniversary with the opening of a new 15,000-square-foot headquarters in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The building is the first phase of development for the six-acre facility. The multi-use building combines sales and administrative offices, a marine engine and equipment shop and a parts department and warehouse.  This new facility complements Saunders’ Orange Beach boatyard, which caters to vessels 70 feet and less. Founded by the Saunders family in 1959, the company first served commercial vessels and entered the yacht repair business 25 years ago.

Texas Adds to Paddling Trails

On May 6, Lady Bird Lake–renamed from Town Lake to honor the former first lady–was officially recognized as the 18th Texas Paddling Trail in a ceremony at the Texas Rowing Center adjacent to Austin High School. This lake is a major recreation center for the city of Austin with hiking trails and numerous spots offering easy water access for canoes and kayaks. Barton Springs Pool–a very clear and cold spring that is a major attraction for swimmers–flows into the lake. The Lady Bird Paddling Trail is approximately 11 miles long. The state’s longest paddling trail opened April 16 at Briar Bend Park in Houston. At 26 miles long, the Buffalo Bayou Paddling Trail begins at Texas Highway 6 and flows downstream to the takeout at historic Allen’s Landing downtown. For more information, go to tpwd.state.tx.us/paddlingtrails.

Group Seeks to Build New Reefs

The Coastal Conservation Association of Texas hopes to build artificial reefs south of Freeport through its Habitat Today For Fish Tomorrow program. The plan involves adding 150 tons of concrete and rock debris to the Vancouver Reef area, a 40-acre site about four nautical miles off the beach near the mouth of the “new” Brazos River. The hope is to create a habitat to lure popular sport fish such as ling, king mackerel and especially red snapper. The group hopes to begin the project in August. Thomas Hilton, president of Reef-Man Artificial Reefs would like to build 500 artificial reefs in the reefing area with money from donations or sponsorships from local businesses.