2023 SEWE - Garden and Gun / Cocktails and Conservation

Dr. Jennifer Rehange and T. Edward Nickens

A popular diversion on SEWE weekend is going over to the Garden and Gun magazine offices at the Old Cigar Factory on East Bay Street, in order to listen to a guest speaker address conservation issues. Sunday at SEWE '23 welcomed Dr. Jennifer Rehange form the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust to speak about saltwater species and any current events regarding them and her work. Moderator T. Edward Nickens shared that the recent discovery of pharmaceuticals during a study of bonefish would be topic number one.

Sunday at SEWE in '23

"Not only did we find traces of common pharmaceuticals in samples of blood and skin of bonefish, the average was seven different kinds of drugs," said Rehange. "Of course, this is coming from humans and the pills we take and the excrement we produce, which releases lots of pharmaceuticals into our wastewater treatment regime. The good news is that bonefish stocks seem to be doing well right now, and are actually on the rebound, but this information will surely steer us in new ways when it comes to habitat conservation."

The audience of avid anglers was able to ask questions in this very informal setting, and the subject of tarpon coming up to the Carolinas coast more and more from Florida was discussed. It is believed that they may be increasing their range with warming ocean temps, and S.C. fishing guides have been fishing for them with Regulations put in place in 2013 and N.C. fishing guides are getting ramped up for more visits from the Silver King.

Attendee Gift Bag from Duck Head

To view past blog entries from the BTT Lowcountry tarpon tourney click 2013 - 2012 - 2011

To view past blog entries from Garden and Gun Conservation and Cocktails click on 2019 - 2018