Tab R, No. 1
GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
ACTIVITY REPORT FOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES (MDMR)
Activities June - July 2010
Artificial Reef Bureau
During this time period approximately 2,000 tons of concrete rubble was deployed on the newly
permitted Jail House Key located in Hancock County. The deployment should be completed around
the first of August.
Finfish Bureau
Finfish and DEQ personnel continued to collect water and tissue samples related to the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. These samples will be used to create baseline data which will allow for assessments
of the impacts of the spill on our coastal environment. These samples are intended to verify that
Mississippi seafood is safe to consume. Additionally, we are collecting tissue samples from fish and
crustaceans for analysis by NOAA and the FDA to reopen areas closed in June for commercial and
recreational fishing.
Finfish personnel and the CCA are working together to schedule and carry out Casting for
Conservation Kids fishing tournaments for 2010. DMR personnel assist at these tournaments with fish
identification, knot tying, casting, boat and water safety, and bait distribution. These tournaments
utilize EDRP II public outreach funds.
Seafood Technology Bureau
 21 of the MS certified seafood dealers have temporarily closed shop due to this oil spill crisis.
 A total of 76 additional inspection visits to the Mississippi seafood processing facilities, seafood
markets and seafood dealers as additional monitoring services and technical assistance have been
extended due to the Gulf Oil Spill. Sensory evaluations inspections were conducted on select
seafood processing places. These additional inspections are intended to assure that the seafood
being sold is safe for consumption.
Type of Permit
Total
Temporarily
Closed
Crab Processor (CP)
Intrastate Oyster Reshipper (RSI)
Intrastate Oyster Shellstock Shipper (SSI)
Intrastate Oyster Shucker-Packer (SPI)
Oyster Reshipper
9
1
1
1
4
3
1
1
1
0
Oyster Shellstock Shipper
Oyster Shucker – Packer
Shrimp Processor
17
3
19
7
3
5
Grand Total
55
21
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Shellfish Bureau
Oyster Harvesting Totals: 199,568 sacks from 9,941 boat trips through March 31, 2010. The oyster
season closed April 1st 2010.
Bids for the fall cultch plant were reviewed and awarded to Mississippi Marine in June. However, due
to the oil spill, this cultch plant has been postponed and will be rescheduled for spring of 2011.
The Deer Island restoration project continues to be in progress. This project uses five gallon chicken
wire bags filled with oyster shells that are placed at the water’s edge to prevent shoreline erosion.
Due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill the shellfish staff has participated in numerous conference calls
and meetings with various state and federal agencies reviewing the NRDA process. The staff has also
participated in collecting baseline data samples, phytoplankton samples and tissue samples. The tissue
samples are being tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s).
Most of the shellfish staff completed the 24 hour OSHA HAZWOPER training sponsored by NOAA.
Two Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs) stations are being sampled twice each month, no HAB have been
detected to date.
Shrimp and Crab Bureau
Mississippi waters opened to shrimping on June 3, 2010 at 6 a.m. Post-larval shrimp sampling
indicated good numbers of brown shrimp for the 2010-2011 Season. Trawl sampling of juvenile
brown shrimp indicated high abundance as well, as springtime conditions were favorable for shrimp
growth. Good catches were reported on opening day, however only 70 vessels were counted in an
aerial survey. After many area closures resulting from encroaching oil, all Mississippi waters closed to
shrimping (along with all other fisheries) on July 1, 2010.
2010-2011 Live Bait Shrimp inspections and licensing of 16 dealers, 13 vessels and 6 transport
vehicles were completed.
The Shrimp and Crab Bureau Director continues deployment at the Mobile, AL Deepwater Horizon
Incident Command Center since April 29. She has been active in the Environmental Planning Section
protecting sensitive areas including on-going boom strategies and shoreline cleanup policies, as well as
guidance for the Vessel of Opportunity Program (VOO). Bureau staff has been instrumental in
extensive baseline and response sampling and sentinel flights.
The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, using BP monies, is funding DMR projects to address
potential increased recreational and commercial fisheries interactions with sea turtles. These include
providing all commercial and recreational fishermen with NOAA sea turtle guidance documents on
protection, disentanglement and resuscitation, providing free TEDs to skimmer trawl shrimpers to use
voluntarily, and an observer program to collect data on the situation once fisheries reopen.
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Marine Patrol
JEA Summary

The following is a list of the number of contacts checked during the month of June
2010.
 Ted's/Brd's
134
 Reef Fish
91
 HMS
13
 Miscellaneous Fish
75

The following is a list of the JEA time for all Marine Patrol Officers during the month
of June 2010

Man Hours 979

Sea Hours
357

Three turtle violations made during this time, all related to exceeding allowable
skimmer tow times.
Below is a list of the number of citations issued by Marine Patrol from July 2009 to June 2010.
 Shrimp - 17
 Crab - 44
 Oyster - 147
 Netfish - 25
 Live Bait - 3
 Misc. Seafood - 4
 Fishing - 249
 Boating Safety - 273
 Marine Litter - 15
 Miscellaneous – 33
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