4-year-old Cannon Moreno with his 17 1/2” trout. Thanks to Waddie & Lisa Stringo for a fun fishing trip. Might add…the only fish caught that day!

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is seeking applicants for an Ad Hoc Private Recreational Data Collection Advisory Panel. The panel will provide guidance to the Council relative to the collection of private recreational angler data.

Applications will be accepted through October 17, 2011.

Panel members are not paid, but are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for attendance at all meetings. Anyone interested in serving on the Ad Hoc Recreational Data Collection Advisory Panel should submit a letter and resume to:

Phyllis Miranda; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
2203 N. Lois Avenue, Suite 1100
Tampa, FL 33607

Materials may also be faxed to: 813-348-1711; or e-mailed to phyllis.miranda@gulfcouncil.org. Resumes and letters should be received no later than close of business October 17, 2011.

Clint Black with a Rett child

The “Reeling It In For Rett” Registration Celebration will be held in Seabrook, September 10th and promises to be a lively time for all involved. The Celebration begins at 5PM at Seabrook’s Miramar Park and runs through 10PM.

The tournament, taking place in Galveston Bay, is the first of several events scheduled for October 21, 23 and 24 during Kevin and Clint Black’s annual “Spending Time Ending Rett” fundraiser to benefit the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF). “Reeling It In For Rett” begins at 5:00AM with the awards ceremony following at Outriggers.

As with the Registration Celebration, there will be delicious food, and live music from Katy’s popular singer/songwriter Kevin Black and son, Coleton Black at the awards gathering. There will also be plenty of door prizes for those who weren’t so lucky with the fishing.

In addition to the fishing tournament, included in the three-day event will be the “Tee It Up For Rett” golf tournament on Monday, October 24 at Magnolia’s High Meadow Ranch Golf Club, the “Stroll Across Texas” strollathon in Conroe on October 23, followed by the Young Singer/Songwriter Showcase at Founders Plaza. The main event will be the “Spending Time Ending Rett” Concert at Conroe’s Crighton Theatre beginning at 7PM. The event features two-time Male Vocalist of the Year Clint Black with brothers Kevin and Brian and nephew Coleton Black.

Kevin lost his 16-year-old daughter, Cortney, to the devastating neurological disorder and since that time, Kevin and Clint have been dedicated to helping find and fund a cure for the syndrome.
Clint says, “The effort to find a cure is paramount. To go beyond that, [the purpose is] to raise awareness for the families so they can stop chasing their tails and learn what they’re dealing with.”

Rett syndrome—not to be confused with Tourette syndrome– strikes all races and ethnicities, females much more so than males. The neurological developmental disorder is caused by a gene mutation (MECP2) on the X chromosome. Children are born healthy and, many times, develop normally until a period of regression occurs.

Loss of productive hand movement and motor skills, gastrointestinal/nutritional, cardiac problems, breathing issues and seizure disorders are all associated with Rett in varying degrees of severity. Loss of communication skills is common; thus, the girls are called “Silent Angels.”

One of the most tell-tale signs of Rett syndrome is unusual hand movements. Seemingly harmless hand-wringing or head-tapping can be an indicator of the disorder. With Cortney, Kevin states it was continual reaching; “It was always like she was saying ‘Pick me up! Pick me up!’”

Last year’s “Spending Time Ending Rett” event raised approximately $250,000 for IRSF. All proceeds from this year’s benefit, again, go to IRSF in hopes that very soon there will be a cure, or reversal. Kevin says he looks forward to the day “when it’s just gonna take that ‘one more dollar,” and, like all Rett parents, feels that day can’t come soon enough.

“It’s so exciting to be a part of this effort to find a cure for Rett syndrome,” states event coordinator Dave Clements. “These ‘Silent Angels’ are so very beautiful and so motivational– and to think that one day we can say we helped make a difference for these kids and their parents is so very special.”

The “Reeling It In For Rett” Registration Celebration is a time for fishing participants and event sponsors to get together for great food, lots of fun, and a special acoustic performance featuring Kevin and the next generation of musical talent, Coleton Black.

Brent Jones is in charge of the fishing tournament and says, “Everyone is invited and should join us ‘Reeling It In For Rett.’ With fishing, food, and music, we truly have something for everyone. In fact, if you don’t want to fish, you can still come join us at the awards celebration [at Outriggers] for lots of fun and great music for only $30.00. One-hundred percent of the proceeds goes to IRSF.”

Kevin, in addition to his Rett projects– keeps a full schedule touring; performing at public, private and corporate events. His latest album, SOLD OUT: LIVE AT DOSEY DOE, has put him on the musical map once again, following Dream On—his popular studio album from 2002. On November 4, Kevin will be performing Proud to be an American at the prestigious Operation Military Salute at Houston’s Second Baptist Church, honoring the Texas Heart of Service Award recipients.

This year was full of surprises for the country superstar Clint Black. In May, he learned through a 3 AM NASA Tweet that his song, Galaxy, woke up the crew of Endeavor and Expedition 28 on their last day at the space station and his original song, A Better Life– from the inspirational documentary, Unbeaten–made the 2011 short-list of Oscar nominated songs. Clint will soon be starring in Flicka 3, along with wife, Lisa Hartman Black.

Seabrook Mayor Glenn Royal says, “We need to work together to try to end Rett; anytime we can end a disease or disorder, we all benefit. We are proud to be a part of this.”

To learn more about the special three-day event or to make a donation, please visit www.SpendingTimeEndingRett.com.

The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will conduct an Archery Hunt and Rifle Hunt for white-tailed deer and feral (wild) hogs. We are now able to process permit applications online. Apply now at www.aransaspermits.com.

The Archery Hunt will be held for nine days from Saturday, October 1, 2011 through Sunday, October 9, 2011. A maximum of four hundred permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis for the 36,225 acre Archery Hunt Area. Fees are $65 per adult hunter and $35 per youth hunter for the nine-day hunt. Online and by mail, permits will be issued by Kinsail Corporation. By mail, applications and fees must either be received or postmarked by September 17, 2011 to be valid. In person, if permits are available, applications will be accepted at the Visitor Center beginning September 30th. Each hunter is required to submit a separate Big Game Hunt Application Form (3-2356). Each hunt permit is valid only for the named permittee. Money order, personal check (made to:Kinsail Corp.) or credit card per hunter per hunt are accepted as payment. Cash payment will be accepted at the Visitor Center beginning September 30th. Do not mail cash.

The Rifle Hunt will consist of four hunts on alternate weekends (Saturday and Sunday), November 5-6 and 19-20, 2011 and December 3-4 and 17-18, 2011. For each of the four hunt weekends, 100 permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis for the 19,668 acre Rifle Hunt Area. Fees are $135 per adult hunter and $67.50 per youth hunter for both days. Online and by mail, permits will be issued by Kinsail Corporation. By mail, applications and fees must either be received or post marked no later than two weeks prior to your preferred hunt weekend. In person, if permits are available, applications will be accepted at the Visitor Center beginning the Friday scouting day before your hunt. Each hunter is required to submit a separate Big Game Hunt Application Form (3-2356). Hunters may submit applications together and hunt as a party. Each hunt permit is valid only for the named permittee. Money order, personal check (made to:Kinsail Corp.) or credit card per hunter per hunt are accepted as payment. Cash payment will be accepted at the Visitor Center beginning the Friday scouting day before your hunt. Do not mail cash.

Each permit is valid only for the weekend specified.

To obtain more information about the Archery or Rifle Hunts, please call the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge at (361) 286-3559 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.

Hosted by the San Antonio Bay Partnership

Sept. 22, 2011 – 5:30 – 8:00 pm

The University of Houston – Victoria
University Center – Multipurpose Room
3007 N Ben Wilson St, Victoria, TX, 77901

Interested members of the public and stakeholders are invited to attend a Sept. 22 meeting of the San Antonio Bay Partnership where updates will be provided on efforts to develop and implement a management plan for the San Antonio Bay/Guadalupe Estuary System.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 8:00pm at the University of Houston-Victoria, in the University Center — Multi-Purpose Room.

Meeting topics will include:

• Drought – how it is impacting San Antonio Bay

• Environmental flows – a summary of recommendations about how much water should flow into the San Antonio/Guadalupe Estuary from the San Antonio, Guadalupe and nearby rivers to maintain a sound ecological environment.

• Wetlands Inventory – a demonstration of how the public can use Google Earth to access a recently completed inventory of San Antonio Bay Wetlands that will be used to restore habitats.

• National Estuaries Day – activities on Sept. 24

• An update on SABP funding and work plan

About the San Antonio Bay Partnership

The San Antonio Bay Partnership is a group formed to develop and implement a management plan for San Antonio Bay and the Guadalupe Estuary through public and stakeholder involvement and scientific research. The plan is intended to protect, restore and enhance the natural resources and human uses of the bay and estuary.

About San Antonio Bay

San Antonio Bay is one of the seven major estuaries along the Texas Coast and receives flows from the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers. Located on the middle Texas coast, the estuary also includes several smaller bays — Guadalupe, Espiritu Santo, Mission Lake, Hynes and Mesquite. San Antonio Bay supports a diverse range of ecological resources and human uses, including an eco-tourism industry, commercial and recreational fisheries, water-contact recreation, minerals extraction, petrochemical processing and real estate development.

The San Antonio Bay Partnership: Motivated and Moving Forward Together

Ever wonder what happens to the water flowing down the San Antonio and Guadalupe Rivers? Well, most of it winds up in San Antonio Bay, where the fresh water derived from spring flow and runoff in these watersheds mixes with water from the Gulf of Mexico to create and sustain one of the seven major estuaries along the Texas coast. The San Antonio Bay / Guadalupe Estuary System, which includes San Antonio Bay along with the minor bays of Guadalupe, Espiritu Santo, Mission Lake, Hynes and Mesquite, covers approximately 205 square miles of the middle Texas coast. This estuary system is a unique complex of ecologically and economically valuable resources and which is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of both human activities and natural events.

A range of stakeholder groups that have an interest in, and impact on, the continued health of the San Antonio Bay / Guadalupe Estuary System including: commercial and recreational fisheries, ecotourism, water recreation, petrochemical processing and real estate development just to name a few. In addition to providing for these human uses, the San Antonio Bay / Guadalupe Estuary System provides a myriad of valuable ecosystem services and ecological resources, including marsh complexes which are the winter home for the last wild flock of the endangered Whooping Crane (Grus Americana).

On Jan. 12, 2010, a meeting was held at the University of Houston – Victoria to determine if there was interest in developing a program to protect and conserve San Antonio Bay. More than 80 stakeholders indicated they were willing to participate in a process to develop a management plan for the San Antonio Bay / Guadalupe Estuary System through public involvement and scientific research. Thus, the San Antonio Bay Partnership was formed.

During subsequent meetings SABP stakeholders, representing diverse interests, drafted and adopted a “SABP Purpose and Goals Statement” and got to know their neighbors from throughout the river basins and bay area.

In November 2010, the SABP held a “Science and the Stakeholder Workshop” in Victoria. At the workshop, scientists explained the “Status and Trends Reports” that represent the first step in developing a bay management plan. The reports will characterize the ecological, economic, and recreational resources associated with San Antonio Bay/Guadalupe Estuary System.

The San Antonio Bay Plan will be a comprehensive, science-based “blueprint” for protecting, restoring and enhancing both the ecological resources and the human uses of the San Antonio Bay/Guadalupe Estuary System.

The SABP invites interest individuals, enterprises and entities to join the plan development process.

An SABP stakeholder and public meeting will be held on Sept. 22, 2011, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at the University of Houston-Victoria, in the University Center – Multipurpose Room, 3007 N Ben Wilson St., Victoria, TX, 77901.

For more information, contact Laura Raun at 512.797.9925.