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Neville with record vermillion snapper.

The GADNR announced a new men’s state saltwater gamefish record for vermilion snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens), also known as beeliners.

Mark Brandon Neville, of Richmond Hill, landed the 5-pound, 11.68-ounce vermilion snapper on Monday, April 11, 2022, at Artificial Reef DW, about 70 nautical miles east of Sapelo Island. Neville’s catch beats the previous 3-pound, 11-ounce record of Scott Funderburk of Guyton from 2018.

Neville, 34, caught the fish while jigging in about 160 feet of water. His catch was weighed at DNR’s Richmond Hill Hatchery using a certified scale.

Vermilion snapper are found in the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Hatteras, N.C., to southeastern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. They can live up to 15 years, grow to be as long as two feet and weigh up to seven pounds. In 2020, recreational anglers landed approximately 2.5 million pounds of vermilion snapper, according to NOAA

Fisheries.

Neville will receive a certificate acknowledging his record catch, and the record will be added to the list published at CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords. It will also be included in the 2023 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide.

For the current list of men's and women's saltwater fishing records, as well as information on how to submit a catch to the Georgia Saltwater Gamefish Record, please visit CoastalGaDNR.org/RecreationalFishing. Applications should include color photographs. There are minimum weights for several species.

Anglers wishing to enter a fish for a new state record must have the fish weighed on a Georgia Department of Agriculture certified scale in the presence of at least one witness. Certified scales can be found at local seafood markets, grocery stores and agricultural supply stores. During business hours, anglers can have their catch weighed at the Coastal Regional Headquarters, One Conservation Way in Brunswick.

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to serve on its volunteer advisory council. The council provides NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries with advice and recommendations on the management of the sanctuary. • Citizen-At-Large, 3-year term • Conservation (2 seats), 3-year term • Education (K-12), 3-year term • Fishing Industry, 3-year term • Research (Non-Living Resources), 3-year term

Applications are due by June 1, 2022. Late applications will not be considered. Applications should include (1) a completed and signed application form, and (2) responses to the 10 written questions in the application.

The SAC application form is available at bit.ly/ReefSeat

Please also contact Scott Kathey for support materials which will assist in fully understanding the role and responsibilities of council members. scott.kathey@noaa.gov or (912) 598-2381.

Applications can be emailed to Scott Kathey or physically mailed to Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA 31411.

You are invited to join the Georgia Coastal Management Program in partnership with Coca-Cola United for an upcoming Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop.

Did you know: A rain barrel can save most homeowners 2,000 gallons of water each year which can be used for watering gardens, washing cars and other projects around the house?

At the workshop, rain barrel installation, maintenance and safety are discussed, along with instructions for the conversion kit which includes ALL parts needed for installation. Staff will be on hand with the hardware supplies and tools necessary to help you assemble the barrels on-site – ready to take home and use. The conversion kit uses a diverter system which eliminates the need for cutting off gutter downspouts, mosquitoes and over-flow valves.

The workshop will be held at the GADNR Coastal Regional Headquarters in Brunswick, GA.

Registration fee is $35 and includes the 35 gallon drum, instructions and all supplies needed to build your own rain barrel. Please note that if registering for this workshop you must attend the educational presentation and construct your rain barrel at the workshop. Registration will be limited and is available on a first come basis through the links below- these are specific to each workshop so please ensure you click on the link that corresponds to the month you are interested in. June 23rd, 2022 9AM-11AM rainbarrelworkshop_june2022_brunswick.eventbrite.com July 20th, 2022 9AM-11AM rainbarrelworkshop_july2022-brunswick.eventbrite.com

We will be sending out more information prior to the workshop for registered participants but please feel free to contact Kelly Hill with questions at any time: Kelly. Hill@dnr.ga.gov or (912) 264-7218.

BoatUS is advising boaters with vessels that have a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation to be wary of any letter arriving by U.S. mail offering renewal. While the Coast Guard does send official annual renewal notices by U.S. mail, other notices being received by BoatUS members are not from the Coast Guard but rather third-party companies whose name or return addresses may appear similar to that of the official U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC).

BoatUS members have complained that these letters direct them to websites that may be mistaken for the actual Coast Guard NVDC located in Falling Waters, West Virginia, and appear to show a significant increase in the annual fee to renew Coast Guard documentation.

While third-party companies may legitimately provide services to assist with vessel documentation renewals, the Coast Guard’s own renewal process is simple for most vessels and the price ranges from $26 for one year up to $130 for a 5-year expiration, which is often much lower than what third-party services may charge.

To renew, go to the Coast Guard National Documentation Center website at www.uscg.mil/nvdc and click on “instructions and forms,” then “Certificate of Documentation Application for Renewal.”

To be documented, a vessel must measure at least five net tons and, with the exception of certain oil-spill response vessels, owned by a U.S. citizen. Boats about 27 feet in length or longer generally meet the weight requirement.

Why do boat owners choose to federally document vessels with the U.S. Coast Guard versus the more common practice of state registration? The boat was purchased with a bank loan and the lender required it, or the boat has plans to travel beyond U.S. waters. A Certificate of Documentation is internationally recognized and makes it easier for American vessels to enter and leave foreign ports.

BoatUS also advises boaters who may have received mail that they believe is misleading or deceptive to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (877) 876-2455 or through its website postalinspectors.uspis.gov. BLACKBIRD CHARTER CO.

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