2002 GA-AFS Awards
Career Achievement
Distinguished Service
Fishery Worker of the Year
Certificate of Appreciation
Past President's Plaque
Best Student Papers
GA-AFS Career Achievement Award - Carl Hall
Carl grew up on a family farm in Vidalia, Georgia and attended public schools there. Upon graduation from high school in 1963, he entered Auburn University as a fisheries biology major. Carl received his B.S. degree in 1967 and his M.S. degree in fisheries from Auburn in 1970. He served in both the U.S. Army Reserve and Georgia Air National Guard prior to and after graduation from college.
He was first employed as the Coastal Region district management and striped bass program biologist with the Georgia Game and Fish Commission in April, 1970. He was promoted to regional supervisor in July 1971 in association with the reorganization of state government and subsequent formation of the Department of Natural Resources. Carl’s primary responsibilities during his career have included operational and fiscal management of the Coastal Region fisheries program, overseeing development of the Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery and the successful striped and hybrid bass production program, coastal streams surveys and inventories, extension services to pond and lake owners, aquatic education and boat ramp maintenance programs in the region, as well as extensive devotion to dealing with complex environmental and habitat loss and restoration issues, specifically problems associated with the Savannah River. He was very active in identifying research needs to address salinity impacts affecting the decline and survival of the Savannah River striped bass population from operation of the Corps of Engineers tide gate in Savannah Harbor and in partnering with other agencies over the years in gathering data which ultimately led to removal of the tide gate from operation in 1993. He oversaw a successful striped bass restoration stocking program in the 90’s to reestablish a striped bass stock in the river which presently supports an excellent catch and release fishery. He initiated and negotiated DNR partnerships with the Corps of Engineers for evaluating striped bass spawning habitat restoration options in the Savannah Back River, once the primary spawning area and assessing past impacts of harbor deepening projects. He was a primary interagency team member working in partnership with the Corps of Engineers to identify and develop solutions for successfully obtaining Congressional funding for restoration of old navigation cuts on the lower Savannah River. Carl is currently a member of the Georgia Ports Authority Stakeholders Evaluation Group for identifying studies and evaluating ecological impacts of the proposed deepening of Savannah Harbor by an additional 8 feet.
Carl enjoys fishing and SEC collegiate sports in his spare time. He is president of the Savannah Auburn Club. He and his wife, Martha, have two children. Brian, 26, graduated from Auburn University and Kelly, 21, is a rising senior at Auburn. Carl will be retiring this fall after almost 32 years of service with the Department.
GA-AFS Distinguished Service Award – Tom Reinert
Tom Reinert, a graduate student at the University of Georgia, has been a great help to the Georgia Chapter. Tom was instrumental in the design and development of the web page for the Chapter. The web page is a tool that was badly needed and has helped to to enhance communication among chapter officers and members, and also provides more visibility for the GA Chapter. Many Chapter officers and members recognized the value and benefits from a web page, but few possessed the technical knowledge and drive to make it happen. Tom was also one of the primary individuals that developed the University of Georgia Student subunit into a fully functioning and beneficial organization. The student subunit is extremely active in fisheries conservation, charitable activities, and community and university affairs. Much of this activity can be attributed to Tom’s ideas, leadership, and desire. Below, Tom (l) is pictured with GA-AFS Awards Committee Chair Scott Hendricks.
GA-AFS Fishery Worker of the Year Award – Wayne Clark
Wayne began his career with DNR in 1975 as a fisheries technician in Region 5 on Cordele Fish Hatchery. He later worked as a fisheries technician in Region 7 at Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery. In 1978 he transferred to Region 4 where he became area manager of Baldwin Forest Public Fishing Area. In 1979 he transferred to the Manchester District office and moved to his current position in Fort Valley in 1986.
Wayne’s duties include surveying reservoirs and streams throughout middle Georgia, conducting aquatic education programs for youth, and assisting private pond owners. He has also made significant contributions to the recovery of the robust redhorse, one of North America’s rarest fish species.
Wayne’s abilities, experience, and work ethic have combined to make him an extremely productive employee and a valued member of the Wildlife Resources Division team. Below, Wayne (l) is pictured with GA- AFS Awards Committee Chair Scott Hendricks.
GA-AFS Certificate of Appreciation – Clarks Hill Striper Club
The Clark Hill Striper Club stays involved with environmental and safety issues affecting Clarks Hill Lake. The club has stayed informed about pumback issues through agency contacts and has requested presentations at their meetings by GA DNR, SC DNR, Corps of Engineers, and Clemson University. They have reviewed documents relating to pumpback and provided thoughtful and reasonable comments. The club also notifies the Corps when they have a safety concern, such as missing buoys or unusable ramps that are not marked closed. Last year the club donated money to the SC Wildlife Federation and this year they are purchasing and donating equipment to GA DNR. Pictured below is Ed Bettross (center) of the GA DNR Thomson Fisheries office presenting the award to members of the Clarks Hill Striper Club.
GA-AFS Past President's Plaque -- Rob Weller, GA-DNR
Rob turned over the reigns to incoming President, David Higginbotham. Rob had a fine tenure as President, culminating in a great Annual Meeting in Augusta. His services are much appreciated by all. Pictured below is Rob (l) receiving his plaque from David.
The following presentations were judged as the top three among 13 student presentations at the 2002 meeting.
First Place: Mr. Steve Sammons, Auburn University. "Behavior, Movement and Home-ranges of Largemouth Bass During Large-scale Elimination of Hydrilla in Lake Seminole, GA"
Second Place: Mr. C.F. Cotton, R.L. Walker, and T.C. Recicar, University of Georgia. "Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Growth of Juvenile Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata, With Implications for Aquaculture"
Third Place: Ms. Whitney Garrison and Bill Davin, Berry College. "Zooplankton Biodiversity in Treated Versus Untreated Hybrid Striped Bass Rearing Ponds"
Left to right: Whitney Garrison, Steve Sammons, Chip Cotton