T he Bitter End
markets – anyone or anything that relies on local shrimp for revenue. Even local crabbers had smaller catches this year. Dolphin tour and eco tour companies are feeling the effects as well. But let’s not forget about those who rely on wild shrimp as their primary food source – our local dolphin population. The spring shrimp season is important to our flippered friends, in particular the females who are calving. A double whammy hit them this year. In the cold winter months they have to rely on the blubber they’ve laid up. When they start giving birth, mothers use this stored fat to produce milk, which leads to weight loss. Females during this time of year are normally feeding heavily, often at shrimp boats that are discarding by-catch, which is a seafood buffet for dolphins, as well as for sharks that have come in to have their pups. But the shrimp boats aren’t running and there are very few wild shrimp to be found in their usual feeding grounds either. Being on the water every day while operating a dolphin tour boat on Tybee Island, I’ve spent a lot of time observing dolphin behavior and have seen a marked difference in their patterns. They’re having to work harder for their food, which leaves less time for them to play and socialize. I have repeat guests onboard each year and even they’ve noticed the difference. The dolphins are warier and have become more standoffish,
The Trickle-down Effect By Captain J. Gary “Gator” Hill
O
nce again I’m late on deadline, but my name’s still at the top of the page so she hasn’t given up on me yet. So, without further ado, this month’s installment of “Where is he going with this?” is now in session. Our journey starts months ago, when the jaws of winter were clamped down tightly on much of the country. As the new year slid in, the temperatures slid down, and down and down. Not only temps on land, but water temperatures, too. It wasn’t long before water temps were down 12 to 15 degrees and kept falling. Normal winter water temps in the 60s were racing at break-neck speed to the low 50s, then fell further, into the mid- to low 40s. With these sudden drops, people who spend time on the water started seeing dead bait fish, then dead sea trout on the water surface. Most aquatic animals can handle temperature shifts, but only when given time to acclimate or move. Sadly, sea trout are very temperatureShrimp hauled in on a trawl early last summer. The shrimp population suffered sensitive and their population suffered greatly from the cold winter and the numbers just aren't here this year. greatly. Even our hardier reds (red Photo by Amy Thurman drum, spottail bass), took a hit due to the abnormally cold water. even displaying annoyance if boats stray to close while they’re hunting. Also impacted were the primary food source that these fish, and many I share their domain so I try and respect them and give them the space other local species, subsist on: the lowly shrimp. Which brings us to the they need to fish. trickle-down effect. Shrimp don’t do well in cold water at all. They'll I encourage all of you to do the same. Be aware of this while out normally migrate to warmer water when water temperatures drop but sharing the water with our dolphins and try not to press them while this year the sudden cold caught them unaware and before the little trying to get those views this summer. Not only is it illegal and will result guys could get gone it was too late. Not all died, mind you, some buried in steep fines, but it's harmful, even dangerous themselves in the mud, but huge numbers of the shrimp population for the dolphins. didn’t survive the cold and we’re seeing the effects of that now. How many of you have noticed the lack of shrimp boats operating? By May we usually see shrimp boats dragging the Savannah River entrance, Until next time, I'll see y'all on the water! like a taco truck riding through the neighborhood with his bell ringing. But not this year. Why is that? Because there’s nothing to fish for, or at least nothing to speak of. By this time of year most of the fishing fleets are working, and white shrimp should be coming in nicely but that just isn’t the case. Restaurants that depend on fresh wild shrimp are feeling the trickledown, charter fishermen are feeling it, as are bait houses and seafood
Email: jgaryhill@gmail.com
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Southern Tides Magazine
June 2018
