Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant will host a workshop on Georgia shrimp in Brunswick, Ga., on Nov. 18 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Participants will learn about the economic importance of the shrimping industry in Georgia and the connection between the success of the industry and the health of coastal ecosystems.
“During my time working with the industry, I’ve watched shrimp landings get whittled down to a fraction of what they once were, not by overfishing but because of economic challenges,” says Lindsey Parker, fisheries extension agent and captain of the R/V Georgia Bulldog. “If we can help people understand this and get them excited about local shrimp it could help keep the industry around.”
The workshop will include a trawl with Captain Parker aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog, a 72-foot shrimp boat that has been converted into a multipurpose fishery research vessel. The crew will share information about black gill, a parasitic infection impacting shrimp populations, before demonstrating techniques used in the field for sampling and collecting data on shrimp with black gill.
Additional activities include presentations from resource managers at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources on the management and status of the shrimp fishery, and lessons on how to throw a cast net for those interested in recreational harvesting methods.
The Georgia shrimp workshop is part of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Coastal Stewards program, designed to promote stewardship of the coast by engaging adults in lecture, lab and field activities through a series of workshops.
Cost of the workshop is $85 and includes lunch. Registration is due by Nov. 16. To register, contact Kayla Clark at 912 598-3345 or kayla270@uga.edu. More information is available here https://gacoast.uga.edu/events