Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 27, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 3, 1996 Page: 14 of 14
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Page 6B-Palados Beacon-Wed., July 3,1996
No license needed for certain radio equipment on recreational boats
Until further notice from the Federal Communi-
cations Commission (FCC), you do not need a
license to operate radio equipment on board recre-
ational vessels and private aircraft operating do-
mestically (in U. S. territory).
This applies only to vessels and aircraft which
are not required by law to carry a radio, which
includes most recreational boats, you can use a
marine VHF radio, any type of EP1RB, and any type
of radar without a license. However, if you use a
single sideband radio, satellite communications, or
telegraphy, you must continue to be licensed by the
FCC. If you currently hold a license, there? i& no need
to cancel it, return it to the FCC, or request a refund
at this time. . s '
Even though a station license is not required, you
must continue to follow the operating procedures
forcalling other stations, maintaining a safety watch,
and relaying distress messages as specified in the
FCC Rules. You may identify your vessel over the
air using your current FCC-issued call sign or the
name of your vessel. H.
On April 12, the FCC asked the U. S. Coast
Guard to suspend enforcement activities related to
recreational vessel licensing while the FCC consid-
ers the elimination of foe licensing requirement.
(Thanks to Walt Gemon of foe New Orleans
FCC Office for supplying this information.)
SHRIMP EMBARGO UPDATE
As of May 1, the U. S. State Dept, has embargoed
as many as 35 counties, prohibiting them from
shipping shrimp into foe U. S. market unless certain
conditions are met, Thes- conditions are that the
shrimpers in the embargoed nations must assure
that proper measures are taken to protect endan-
gered or threatened sea turtles.
Thirty-six (of foe total 70-plus) countries ship-
ping shrimp to foe U. S. have been certified
9.7 inches, however, most mature at a larger size.
Sn^&ojKrstates show different results. In
Alabama, wyW&ofthe fern a'es over 12.3 inches
were matuFeand the youngest was four years old. In
South Carolina, researchers found that first matu-
meeting the criteria as follows: most the Gulf/ rity for males was 9.2 inches and 12.8 inches for
Ifkd because their females. All males were sexually mature at 12.4
Caribbean countries (13) are certified because their
governments require turtle excluderdevices CTEDs)
in shrimp trawls. Twenty-force countries are certi-
fied because their fishing environment does not
poseathreattosea
turtles (most are
nations that pro-
duce coldwater . _ _..... , .
Shrimp). I M '-m BY NANCY L WEBB, Ag.nt-M.rin.
[Coastal Currents
BY NANCY L WEBB, ItoUgo"** County Ext*
FLOUNDER BIOLOGY
With the growing number of recreational fisher-
men and changes around the Gulf in southern floun-
der regulations, more people have become inter-
ested in the biology of this fish. Its Latin name
Paralichthys lethostigma literally means “parallel
fish that forgot its spots”. Its range in the U. S. is
from North Carolina through Texas. They can be
found from* 100 miles up the Mississippi River in
fresh water to foil-strength seawater off of our
coast, although most studies show that they are most
common in more moderate salinities.
Research in Texas shows that southern flounders
move offshore and spawn during October-Decem-
ber. In Louisiana the peak of spawning is in Decem-
ber with some occurring in January. The smallest
male capable of spawning found in a Louisiana
study was 6.8 inches long.Thesmallest female was
inches and all females at 15.2 inches.
Female southern flounders will spawn several
times in a short spawning period producing about
100,000 eggs
each. Spawn-
ing appears to
be triggered
by watertem-
-ZZ'.
peratures of about 56-degrees and nine hours of
light. Spawning usually occurs between 5-9 a.m.
After hatching, larval southern flounder grow
most rapidly in high salinity waters. Young floun-
ders begin to appear in the Louisiana inshore estu-
aries between January and April and range in size
from 1/4 inch to 2 inches in length. Flounders, like
other fish, hatch with one eye on each side of the
head. Movement of the right eye to the left side of
head begins when the fish is 1/3 to 1/2 inch in length
^ is complete when foe fish is 3/4 inch to 1 inch
in length. At this time the left side develops its daric
color and the right side turns white.
Female southern flounders grow more rapidly
than males. A study in Georgia show no males more
than 16 inches long and one in Texas showed no
males over 12.8 inches long. Female flounders
grow rapidly their first two years and then slow
down. Approximate lengths at ages for females are
as follows: age one 10-inches, age two 16.7-inches,
agethree 18.8-inches, age four 19.6-inches,age five
20-inches, age six 20.4-inches and age seven 20.5-
inches. Few females live beyond seven years old
and almost no males make it past three years old.
After hatching, southern flounder larvae eat mi-
croscopic floating animals (plankton) and as juve-
nile fish eat bottom animals. At about six inches
long they adopt their adult diet of fish and shrimp.
One study in Lake Ponchartrain showed thru 89% of
their diet was fish, with 41% being anchovies (sar-
dines). In Barataria Bay, another study showed that
94% of their diet consisted of mullets and ancho-
vies.
In Texas they have noted it as the fish that is the
dominant predator of shrimp in the spring and that
most of their food was anchovies, mullets, shrimp,
menhaden (pogies) and croakers. In Mississippi,
southern flounders’ stomachs most frequently con-
tained fish, with 1/3 having shrimp in them. Inter-
estingly, as flounders get larger they don’t eat larger
fish, they just eat higher numbers of small ones.
Recreational harvest of southern flounder was
generally equal to, or larger than, foe commercial
harvest until 1991, with two especially good years
in 1983 and 1986. Since 1991 the commercial
harvest has been larger, although there has been no
long-term downward trend in recreational harvest
Very few recreational fishermen target flounder as
they do speckled trout or rcdfish. Louisiana has
been the largest commercial harvester of flounder in
the Gulf for quite a few years.
SITUATION
And foe rains finally came! As of the writing of this news ar-
ticle, up to 6 1/2 inches were received in some parts of
Matagorda County with rain Still falling. A majority of the
county received from 4 to 5 inches. The moisture that we re-
ceived and are receiving was welcomed by nearly all in the agri-
cultural industry. The Sequent rainfall, overcast days, and high
moisture will not benefit the rice that is blooming at this lime.
We would expect possibly to see some blanks as a result of the
continual rainfall and continual overcast conditions that we have
had over die past 4 or 5 days. The high moisture conditions with
high temperatures will also increase diseases such as sheath
blight. As has been mentioned to you before, after rice is in per-
manent flood, rainfall is not necessarily needed for this com-
modity.
~ The rainfall .should help all of.our cottop„ latet, planted gram
sorghum, and Group IV soybeans. The grain sorghum that would
be harvested foir week, had it not rained, will not-benefit from
the rainfall received. We will have some additional lodging
where we have charcoal rot problems. The rainfall should in-
crease boll size and should increase numbers of bolls in some
cotton fields throughout the county. This would also be true for
foe Group IV soybeans as it should increase pod development
and numbers of pods.
Pastures, hay meadows, turf, lawns, trees, ornamentals, etc.,
are the largest benefactors of the rainfall received. We have also
had enough rain to replenish some of the water that has disap-
peared from stock ponds throughout the area.
A significant number of cattle have been moved from
Matagorda County because of the drought conditions during the
past few weeks. With this rainfall, this process should diminish
or be eliminated for the time being. While the recovery of pas-
tures and hay meadows will not be overnight, at least the process
can begin with the moisture that we have received. Future
weather conditions will detennine.tbe amount of recovery of
pasture grasses as well as hay meadows.
All turfs, ornamentals, lawns, pecans, trees, etc., will certainly
benefit from the moisture received.
While some crops will have some problems as a result of the
moisture received, all agriculture will certainly benefit from the
rainfall. After 6 months of virtually no rain throughout foe area,
it was certainly good to see that it can rain again.
ABSENTEE FARM & RANCH LANDOW1
CONFERENCES
NERS
There will be 3 Absentee Farm & Ranch Landowners Confer-
ences held. One of them will bdlaftd in Houston on August 9-
10. If you would like to have more information on this, please let
us know and we will be happy to send you a leaflet on it.
RICE FIELD DAYS
You are invited to two field days sponsored by the Texas
A&M University Research and Extension Center. The 21st An-
nual Eagle Lake Field Day & Tour, northeast on Hwy 102, will
begin with tours starting from 4-5:15 p.m. on July 11. The 49th
Annual Field Day at foe Beaumont Research and Extension
Center, west of Beaumont off U.S, Hwy 90, will be held on July
18 with field tours beginning from 8-9:15 a.m.
Jefferson, the newly released very early maturing variety
available for the 1997 crop will be highlighted during the lours
and in discussions. Information on the new fungicide Moncut
and other cultural practice research will be demonstrated. A new
initiative using Global Positioning Systems to conduct produc-
tion and quality research in fanners’ fields will be discussed. The
Beaumont field day will hear Steve Balas discuss the Texas Rice
Industry Beyond the Farm Bill.
For more information concerning the activities contact:
Beaumont Field Day: Shirley. Jordan (409)752-2741 Fax:
(409)752-5560. Eag!; Lake Field Day: Patricia Walker (409)234-
3578 Fax: (409)234-5077.
BLACK SPOT
The yellow rose of Texas often has Mack spots on it. Black
spot is a common rose disease aid there are common ways of
dealing with it. Extension Hart Pathologist, Dr. Larry Barnes,
says unlike rose downy mildew which needs cool temperatures
and high humidity, Mack spot can occur at almost any time.
•Barnes says fungal treatments and removal of damaged leaves
i are the key to controlling black spot. You should dip your prun-
ing sheers in bleach as you trim to keep them sanitary. Bamcs
says something many gardeners don’t realize is they need to
continually spray their roses with fungicide to keep black spot in
check. He recommends Daconil or Fungincx. Bamcs says other
chemical treatments are in development. Perhaps the most inter-
esting is work being done by Arm and Hammer to formulate a
Some swim while others sail
ONE WAY to beat the simmering summer heat around Palacios is head to the bay. While
swimmers enjoyed the refreshing cool waters, sailors from four states took to their sailboats
to compete in the Area MF’ Alter Cup Championships over on Saturday. The event drew a
number of sailors who raced around the course on South Bay. The winner advances to the
U.S. Mutlihull Championships in California. (Beacon Photo by Nick West)
Richnow, Evans place first
in Area 6F9 Alter Cup Trials
BY WARREN PIERCE
Area “F” Alter Cup Trails conducted in
Palacios over the weekend selected represen-
tatives from a seven-state area to compete in
the U. S. Sailing Multihull Championships to
take place in Redondo Beach, Calif, in
September.
A total of 14 teams from four states com-
peted Saturday in the medium to light air on
Tres Palacios Bay to complete three races.
Competitors came from Texas, Oklahoma,
Louisiana and Florida.
The Hobie Miracle 20, skippered by Billy
Richnow of LaPorte and crewed by Marty
Evan of Houston, took first place honors and
earned the right to advance to the U.S. Cham-
pionships.
Second place and the alternate spot went to
the boat skippered by John Tomko and
crewed by Dianny Fisher, both of Bulverde,
Tx.
Taking third place and second alternate
was Hobie 16 skippered by Roy Shaw of
Baycliff and crewed by Susan Welch of
Houston.
Race officers from Palacios, Corpus
Christi, Bay City, Houston and Oklahoma
City conducted excellent races over a highly
competitive course.
Cattleman’s group
sponsors tour of
research facilities
The Matagorda County
Cattleman’s Association will
sponsor a tour of research at:
Texas A&M University for all
county ranchers on July 18. >
The tour group will leave
from the Matagorda County
Office Building at 2200 7th
Street at 5:30 a.m. July 18 and
arrive at Texas A&M Univer-
sity Beef Cattle Center at ap-
proximately 8:30 a.m. The
group will travel to McGregor
Research Station at McGregor
where participants will review
cattle and research programs,
including crossbreeding and
carcass evaluations, and also
tour the station’s facilities.
Following lunch at the Mc-
Gregor Station, the tour will
return to College Station for a
four of foe Beef Citfle Center'.
The group will return to Bay
City between 7-8 p.m.
The cost is $10 per person
ami covers the cost of the meal
and van leasing. Space is lim-
ited to 20 and is available on a
first come, first serve basis.
Reservations must be made
by 5 p.m. July 12 by contact-
ing the County Extension Of-
fice at (409) 245-4100.
Palacios songwriter
releases two songs
on Hill Top Records
Two songs written by coun-
try songwriter Sam J. “Al”
Alcorn of Palacios have been
released on the cassette “Hill
Top Country” produced by
Hill Top Records.
The songs written by Alcorn
are “Stay Out of the Jail
House” and “My Tinted Ten-
Ten-Tennessee Red Head.”
They are sung by Rusty Strat-,
ton. 'tfW
Beacon Deadline: Noon Monday
Beacon Office Closed Wednesdays
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West, Nicholas M. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 27, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 3, 1996, newspaper, July 3, 1996; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth726898/m1/14/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Palacios Library.