In Brief . ... sources Department has instituted a new system of marking crab traps. In July, all commercial crab fishermen were given 60 days to mark each of their pots with special identification tags provided by the Marine Resources The Florida , Division. Crabbers have for years been Tagged Shrimp, and required to mark their pot floats with identi fication numbers, but that system Artificial Reefs has not prevented the theft of the crab pots, the Department reports. The tamper-proof plastic tags were pro­ vided at no cost to the crabbers by con­ servation officers who placed them on the pots .... · ... The Atlantic very valuable tagged shrimp along .... Biologists from South Carolina Technological Conference is with their regular hauls in recent weeks, and Georgia began a cooperative study, scheduled for 5-8 November 1978 at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart­ funded in part by the National Marine the Williamsburg Lodge. Wil­ ment reports. The tagged shrimp are Fisheries Service, early this year to de­ liamsburg, Va., reports John Long, part of a scientific study being con­ termine how better to manage the de­ Secretary, 23rd AFTC. It's purpose is ducted cooperatively by that Depart­ clining population of shad and other to provide a forum where fisheries ment, the National Marine Fisheries related fish species, the South Carolina technologists can discuss research ob­ Service, Texas A&M University Sea Wildlife and Marine Resources De­ jectives and methods, exchange re­ Grant Program, Mexico's lnstituto Na­ partment reports. The shad catch in search concepts and hypotheses, and cional de Pesca, and other Gulf coast South Carolina peaked at 577 ,000 present informal reports on researches states. The aim is to learn more about pounds in 1889 and has declined ever completed or in progress. More than 50 the movements, migrations, growth since, according to the Department. speakers will participate and proposed rates, and mortality of brown shrimp, Last year's commercial landings for the topics include energy, underutilized the most important commercial marine state totaled about 80,000 pounds species, economics, composi­ species for Texas fishermen. The tag­ worth about $53,000, although the De­ tion, quality, and . Forms for ged shrimp, if picked by computer, partment believes that much of the shad papers, reservations and registration could bring from $50 to $200, if the catch may go unreported because of the are available from John Long, Secre­ whole shrimp with tag attached is re­ nature of the . The study will tary, 23rd AFTC, Department of Food turned to state or Federal fisheries involve interviews with fishermen and Science and Technology, Virginia biologists. seafood dealers, as well as review all Polytechnic Institute and State Univer­ research done over the years on these A recent South Carolina Marine sity, Blacksburg, VA 24061 .... fish in both states .... Resources Division study indicates that · ... Intensively exploited for many . Cheaper animal , substi­ anglers there spend some $10 million years by commercial trap fishermen tuted for more costly fish in com­ per year at artificial reefs. and recreational divers, the Florida mercial fish rations, could save That's about 20 percent of the total lobster, Panutirus argus, fishery is and ranchers, as well as state economic impact of all offshore fishing showing signs of -smaJI and federal hatchery operators, a con­ on the State of South Carolina during catches of small despite greatly siderable amount of money, according 1977. Meanwhile, the Division filled a increased effort-reports the Univer­ to researchers at Oregon State Universi­ 100-foot tugboat with 6,000 baled tires sity of Miami's Rosenstiel School of ty's Department of Food Science and and sank it on their4KI artificial fishing Marine and Atmospheric Science. Technology. Testing to see if the fish reef 3 miles off Kiawah Island. That Thus, specialists from that School, the were eating more fish than they reef. which now consists of 36,000 University of Florida's Department of needed, the researchers found that the tires, 7 ship hulls, and 70 discarded Food and Resource Economics, and the fish require a diet containing 10 percent auto bodies, provides good angling for Florida Department of Natural Re­ fish oil instead of 50 percent. In trying sheepshead, black sea bass, , sources have combined forces to formu­ various cheap, readily available energy and cobia. It is one of nine such reefs late management policies aimed at pro­ foods to replace fish oil, the researchers built by the Department to enhance tecting the stock while helping the found that trout and salmon grew well ing ... fishermen keep lobster on the on a diet containing , and fish feed menu ...... To help prevent the growing manufacturers are now reported look­ · ... Texas, and other Gulf coast problem of crab pot theft, the South ing at ways to incorporate animal fats shrimpers, have been harvesting some Carolina Wildlife and Marine Re- into commercial fish rations ....

40 Marine Fisheries Review