New Rules for Fishing Reef Species in Gulf - Charlotte County ...

The Lateral Line Volume 2, Issue 2
Page 5
RWMS (cont. from pg 2)
from a distance. Sometimes,
however, they need
to get in close to read the
registration numbers, especially
when boats are
oriented with bows toward
a sea wall.
Two of our research vessels,
a 17 foot Key West
center console fishing
boat and a 13 foot Boston
Whaler Sport, display
University of Florida and
Florida Sea Grant logo
decals. On occasion, the
crews also volunteer use
of their own boats, which
are not so marked.
Kids Cup Redfish Tracking (cont. from pg 3)
All of the information collected
(dart & sonic tag) is
coming back to you via this
website designed by Sea
Grant Extension with support
from Charlotte County
GIS. Every angler that
weighed a redfish in is
listed. The website interactive
map displays the area of
Charlotte Harbor where a
kid’s fish was caught, the
release location (Harpoon
Harry’s), and recorded fish
movement in a time series
loop which is being updated
as data is received. The data
link allows users to see a
listing of recorded movements
thus allowing users to
conduct their own research.
To Follow a Kids Cup
Fish:
http://
charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/
kidscup/index.html
Need Some Local Knowledge—
Call us and ask for a FREE
Boaters Guide!
Rip Currents...Don’t Let Them Catch You
Rip currents, often mistakenly
called undertows, can
pull even the most experienced
swimmers from
shore. Rip currents are
formed when water is
forced through a narrow
path causing it to rush out
to sea. Rip currents are frequently
seen around jetties,
groins, and other barriers,
and can extend 1,000 feet
offshore, reaching widths of
100 feet and speeds of up to
3 miles per hour.
Some rip currents are present
only a few hours; others
are permanent.
Telltale Signs of Rip Currents:
• A noticeable difference
in water color (either
murkier or darker)
• A difference in waves
(larger, choppier waves
in the rip current;
smaller, calmer waves in
front of the bar)
• Foam or objects moving
steadily seaward
• An offshore plume of
turbid water past the
sandbars.
What To Do:
If you find yourself caught
in a rip current, most importantly,
Don’t Panic.
Never swim against a rip
current. Instead, swim parallel
to shore until you are
out of the current. Rip currents
are rarely more than
30 feet wide. If you can’t
break free of the rip current,
float calmly until the current
dissipates, usually just beyond
the breakers. Once
free, swim diagonally to
shore.
Rip currents can be killers,
so be safe, be smart, and
know what to do.
“Never swim against a
rip current. Instead,
swim parallel to shore
until you are out of the
current.”
Rip Current