Savannah Harbor Project

Attendance

This is the first meeting of the Committee, which was established as a component of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project Stakeholders Evaluation Group (SEG). At the July 13, 1999 SEG meeting, the need for a special committee to help facilitate resolution of overall fisheries and aquatic resources issues was discussed. Following discussion at that meeting, the fisheries commitee was established. The purpose of todays meeting was to identify the appropriate role of the committee, membership, organizational matters, and a preliminary list of fisheries and aquatic resources issues to be discussed.

The meeting began at 9:00 am, with some representatives present by telephone.

Initial discussions centered on the purpose and function of the committee. There was general agreement that a committee of fisheries agency representatives could assist GA Ports Authority in identification of issues, concerns, and potential general mitigation approaches for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. The existing striped bass committee would not be replaced by the broader fisheries committee. The fisheries committee would provide a forum for discussion of fisheries and aquatic resources topics and questions by appropriate aquatic and fishery resource agency representatives in SC, GA, and the Federal agency community. Membership would not be limited, and attendance may vary depending upon the issues available for discussion at scheduled meetings. The fisheries committee would not assume overall responsibility for decisions that would more appropriately rest with GA Ports Authority under State and Federal statutes, but would make recommendations to the Authority.

Ongoing fishery studies were briefly reviewed, and opinions were solicited on additional resource management questions that may need to be discussed at future meetings. Among the issues/questions identified for further discussion were:

1. A general life history study may be needed to identify key habitats and/or nursery areas that may potentially be affected by project alternatives, or alternative mitigation strategies. Little basic life history work has been completed in the Savannah estuary other than for striped bass. What is the spatial distribution of nursery habitats for key species? This study need could complement the ongoing modeling studies.
2. Mark Collins, SCDNR Marine Resources was not present at the meeting, but had recommended to Press Brownell the possible need for a hydroacoustic study to determine if major spawning aggregations of sciaenids may occur in the lower harbor area.
3. Have we identified all the important questions that should be addressed with regard to shortnose sturgeon?
4. American shad are an estuarine-dependent species, and evidence exists that juveniles use some of the same habitats as striped bass, although no survey of their spatial distribution and habitat use patterns has been done.
5. Ed Eudaly noted that a study may be needed to determine use of different marsh types by early life stages of estuarine and fresh water fish species. Dissolved oxygen depletion zones could block movement of early life stages.
6. Carl Hall questioned if the committee should consider entire basin when examining fisheries issues and questions.
7. More information may be needed on dissolved oxygen tolerance of early life history stages of species other than sturgeon. The Gulf Breeze EPA Lab is looking at DO tolerance of shortnose sturgeon. Do we need to do literature review/possible additional studies for other species? Bill Bailey volunteered to check with Gulf Breeze on the status of the sturgeon DO study, and for advice on DO tolerance literature review for other species.
8. Cumulative Impacts of dredging + harbor expansion. This question should be discussed at our next meeting.
9.  

There was considerable discussion of the need for a chairman. Press Brownell proposed that we not have a chair, but try to get assistance from GA Ports to provide an administrative person to schedule meetings, make copies, and help summarize meeting notes and recommendations. Further, we could decide among ourselves at each meeting who would be the appropriate person (volunteer) to make reports to the SEG at their monthly meetings. We also could rotate chair duties each meeting, just to keep one person from being encumbered with that additional duty all the time.

1. Bill Bailey and Press Brownell will prepare a meeting summary, and try to schedule the next meeting.
2. Bill Bailey will contact Gulf Breeze Lab to get a status report on the shortnose sturgeon DO tolerance study, for our next meeting. Also check on literature review possibilities.
3. Press Brownell will coordinate with Mark Collins to get an update on the ongoing shortnose sturgeon study, for our next meeting.
4. The committee report to the SEG will request that GA Ports Authority provide administrative/facilitation support to the fisheries committee.
5. Press Brownell will report on the committee meeting at the next SEG meeting.