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Thread: Flounder restocking program

  1. #1
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    Default Flounder restocking program

    I'm going to try funding a flounder restocking program at the hatchery at the Waddell center.


    Hope to renovate the facility for all fish and add flounder.
    Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.

  2. #2
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    Make sure they do Florida strain largemouth.

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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duck Tape View Post
    I'm going to try funding a flounder restocking program at the hatchery at the Waddell center.


    Hope to renovate the facility for all fish and add flounder.
    What makes flounder stocking the solution?

  4. #4
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    It is not the solution.

    Gill nets in NC, by-catch from trawlers, over-harvesting both hook and gig and guides.
    Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.

  5. #5
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    I am not anti stocking but don’t think it’s the route for flounder(Neither does DNR).

    https://sccoastalresources.com/home/...nder-questions


    Can flounder be stocked to help the population?

    The SCDNR has grown flounder in captivity for a number of years to look at the potential of producing them for stock enhancement. Flounder have a very complex life history, making them very difficult to produce in large numbers. Flounder begin life like all other fish, with eyes on each side of their head. They then go through a physical change, called metamorphosis, where one eye migrates to the other side of the body and they begin to flatten out and drop out of the water column to live their lives on the bottom. During that time, they are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. If it’s not just the right water temperature, all the flounder become males, which means they don’t grow to a large size like the females and will not even make it to the minimum harvest size of 15 inches.

    In addition, flounder grown in captivity are very sensitive to having the right nutrients in their diets. If it’s not “just right,” not many will survive and a high percentage of those that do will be partially albinos that are easily picked off when released into the wild. We have conducted many experiments over the years but have not been able to produce enough fish that were exactly like wild fish – with the same coloration and the same ratio of males and females – to feel like we could make a contribution to the wild population.

    What’s more, as we have learned about flounder life history through tag-recapture, most flounder that grow up in South Carolina leave to spawn before they reach legal size and are mostly recaptured in Georgia waters, making a flounder stocking program less a benefit for anglers in South Carolina.

    – Dr. Mike Denson, director of the Marine Resources Research Institute

  6. #6
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    Seems that a massive amount of our breeder fish are being gigged.

    I’m not saying that is THE major cause of our fishery’s decline, but you can’t help but think it hurts by all videos and pictures that float around in the summer months.


    It would be money well spent to stock white bass in the Santee Cooper system.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duck Tape View Post
    It is not the solution.

    Gill nets in NC, by-catch from trawlers, over-harvesting both hook and gig and guides.
    Gill nets - Agreed, get them out of here

    by-catch from trawlers - I don't see it as a major factor, reasons outlined in the article linked above

    guides - easy, you already have required reporting as part of the license condition, pull the numbers and compare. My observations and experiences don't see this as a major issue but data can change my mind.

    over-harvesting both hook and gig - I can agree that gigging can affect a local population but I don't quite bite on it being a major factor. Again if you can put some data behind it my opinion can change. I think hook and line is by far your major harvest method, we are also basically selectively removing females from the population. I can agree not many people throw back legal flounder.

    I am not a biologist, I do not have all the data in front of me. I "think" there is a decrease of females naturally occurring then compounded by the fact that almost all flounder harvested are females. I do not have a perfect, fix all, solution for this.
    Myself, I limit flounder harvest as best I can on my boat.

    Duck Tape - I do want to say thank you for taking interest in the health of our fisheries and wanting to improve them.
    Last edited by SouthernWake; 05-06-2021 at 07:42 PM.

  8. #8
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    Not sure what the solution is but....Thank You Duck Tape.


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  9. #9
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    Too many damn people squeezing the same orange year after year after year.
    Increasing pressure decreasing fish numbers. Just like everything else.

  10. #10
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    Tags show many of our fish come from NC.

    The gill netting in NC is out of hand. By-catch actually is an issue and are not even counted in the NC commercial allotment.'

    The plan is to fix the leaking liners in the ponds at Waddell. They are only running 50% capacity. They need new pumps, pipes, wiring and generators. They will have the capacity to add flounder. They are difficult to raise. Texas and Alabama are having some success. Much of the method they learned from SC.
    Last edited by Duck Tape; 05-06-2021 at 08:03 PM.
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  11. #11
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    NC has a fall season of 45 days for recreational. They are flooding the SC water in the spring and summer. A recent count conducted over a three days show 2/3 of the auto license plates at our northern landings are NC residents. They have ruined their resource through commercial gill netting. Now they are pounding ours.

    Murrells Inlet had 20% NC Plates.
    Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.

  12. #12
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    I think more people gig than anybody realizes. I know a handful of people who struggle to catch on hook but hammer on gigs.

    This one went swimming again. Cant wait to see where she ends up.

    I enjoy catching them even if I release them.

    I don't release legal grouper because really like eating them.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by scdiver; 05-06-2021 at 08:19 PM.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by loud1 View Post
    Too many damn people squeezing the same orange year after year after year.
    Increasing pressure decreasing fish numbers. Just like everything else.
    Exactly. More people killing them and getting better at it daily. ( deer, turkey, dove, ducks, fish, oysters....)

  14. #14
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    The plan is to have separate ponds for brood stock from each major inlet. Release the offspring back into the same inlet.
    Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.

  15. #15
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    Zero skin in the salt game but I like it. Nice work DT! You get that stuff straightened out and put us in the fast lane for comorants! Thank you!

  16. #16
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    Time for fishing seasons.
    Windows Down!

  17. #17
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    Biologist say they spawn offshore in the fall. That may need protecting.

    Giggers don't want the slot that was proposed by the house.

    I got the out of state saltwater fee increased.
    Either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.

  18. #18
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    I don't know the right answer, but I appreciate the effort.

    It's my understanding North Carolina shut down flounder fishing last year. It sure seemed like all of the North Carolina flounder fishermen ended up in Murrells Inlet last summer. What would be the pros and cons of charging a higher fee for an out of state saltwater license or an additional fee for those who wish to flounder fish and is that even a reasonable consideration?

    Edit: I somehow missed the previous posts about the NC numbers and issues.
    Last edited by Tigerbdog; 05-06-2021 at 09:40 PM. Reason: I'm an idiot.

  19. #19
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    If you don’t think gigging is an issue.....

    Go to Wappoo, Remley’s, or any other harbor ramp at 4am and see what those boys are bringing in before the sun comes up.

    There are gigging charters that slay the doormats several nights a week.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  20. #20
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    Default Flounder restocking program

    I’m in MI a lot with NC tags I grew up there and would still be coming even if NC wasn’t closed.
    I usually keep one flounder a day and don’t specifically target them, I prefer trout.
    Last edited by Woodiewacker82; 05-06-2021 at 09:31 PM.

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