Northwest FL Regional Boating and Waterways Workshop

Are you going to be in the Northwest region of Florida in August? Want to learn more about boating and waterways issues in the northern Gulf of Mexico? Are you a planner, manager, policy maker, marine and boating industry, navigation district, port authority, etc. member and work on boating and waterways issues? Then this is a great workshop for you to attend.

This is the 3rd in a series of workshops throughout the state discussing boating and waterways issues.These regional workshops are meant to examine innovative strategies to balance economic vitality with ecologically sound management practices along FL's waterways. For more information about this workshop visit Florida Sea Grant. Visit Charlotte County Sea Grant Extension for information about the Southwest FL Regional workshop held in September 2010 and visit Miami Dade County Sea Grant Extension for information about the Southeast FL Regional workshop held in March 2011.

Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference

The Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference is from October 3-5, 2011 at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, FL. Early registration deadline is August 8th and hotel reservation deadline is September 2nd. Visit http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/sehac/ for more information.

The Southeast Herbicide Applicator Conference brings together more than 175 applicators, educators, and industry representatives to learn new techniques and refresh core competencies in aquatic and upland weed control.   This course focuses on invasive and exotic species affecting the Southeast and provides many networking opportunities so that participants may share field experiences and lessons learned.

The conference is generally divided into two types of sessions.  General sessions which cover CORE standards and concurrent sessions on Aquatics and Right-of-Ways & Natural Areas.  Participants have the flexibility to determine which sessions best help them reach their CEU credit quotas as credits are distributed after each session, rather than at the end of the conference.


You will benefit by attending this program if you:

•  Need CEUs for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, or South Carolina Applicator Licenses.
  
  
• Need Pesticide Applicator CEUs for categories such as:
      - Aquatic
      - Right-of-Way
      - Natural Areas
      - Forestry
      - Private
      - General Standards (CORE)    
  
  
• Conduct weed control in canals, lakes, water retention ponds, golf course ponds, rivers, parks, highway rights-of-ways, transmission lines.
  
  
• Are employed by a public agency or private company which is responsible for vegetation management along right-of- ways and in natural areas.
  
  
• Are an employee of a basic manufacturer or a distributor that markets aquatic or vegetation management herbicides.
  
  
• Use biological control techniques to suppress aquatic weed growth.
  
  
• Establish and maintain wetland mitigation areas.

Oyster Restoration Volunteers Needed

Ever wanted to help with an oyster restoration project? Well now's your chance. Here's a request from The Nature Conservancy, Brevard Zoo, and University of Central Florida for volunteers.

We still have a few openings for volunteers to help with oyster mat supply delivery, raking and deployment as follows:

·         June 20 - hours:  9 AM-2 PM
·         June 22 - hours:  9 AM-1 PM
·         June 23 - hours:  1-4PM

All days are subject to different activities, including reef prep, moving materials, raking dead margins, and laying mats.  This year is different as we do not have access to the amphibious excavator as we did in the past to rake down dead margins, so we are working as a team to do it all by hand. 

No one day is ever just raking dead margins though, so please feel free to sign up with confidence and know it will be a wonderful and productive day regardless of what you do!

If you are interested in helping, please contact Jody Palmer at JPalmer@BrevardZoo.org or 321.254.9453 ext. 265.

Latest Issue of the South Atlantic Update Newsletter Now Available

The latest issue of the South Atlantic Update newsletter from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.  In this issue:

·         Update on Regulatory Amendment 9 Affecting Black Sea Bass; Commercial Trip Limits

·         How Eye Sea It: An Ecosystem-Based Management Perspective

·         In the News: Deepwater Coral Research Underway; Catch Shares Tabled for Now

·         Council Receives National Award from NAEP

·         Mackerel and Spiny Lobster Management Issues to be Addressed in June

·         SAFMC Schedules Additional Meeting for August 9, 2011

·         Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment Scheduled for Approval

·         Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment Update

·         Recreational Regulations Summary for Snapper Grouper Species

·         Joint South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Council Meetings in June

·         SAFMC June 12-16, 2011 Meeting Agenda

A copy of the newsletter will be available from the Council’s website at www.safmc.net.