16A The Madison Enterprise-Recorder www.greenepublishing.com OUTDOORS Friday, June 8, 2007 FWC Rescues Four Fishermen After 27-Hour Ordeal An offshore patrol of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Con- servation Commission (FWC) rescued four fishermen in good condition May 9, 27 hours after their 18-foot run- about sank in rough seas off Hernando Beach. Rescued were the owner and operator of the boat, Rodney D. Rogers of Weirsdale, Bill Broyles and Arthur Hall of Fruitland Park, and Carl L. Tucker of Leesburg. The search began after a worried girlfriend called the Coast Guard at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to report the men were 14 hours overdue. The Coast Guard called the FWC to join in the search-and- rescue mission. The only in- formation the agencies had was that three men had left Homosassa at 8 p.m. Tuesday and were expected back home by 10 that night. The FWC dispatched two of its offshore patrol boats, the Guardian and the Fincat, to the Homosassa area to join the effort. Another FWC offi- cer went to Homosassa to gather shore-side information and locate the truck and boat trailer. A check of boat registra- tions indicated the group may have been using an 18-foot runabout. Spearfishing gear found in the truck and infor- mation about bait the men had bought led Lt. Ken Mazzeo, skipper of the Guardian, southward and off- shore to a popular spearfish- ing spot. After searching for about an hour, Mazzeo rea- soned that rough conditions from the 15- to 20-knot wind may have forced the men to fish closer to shore. The crew of the Guardian picked up a radar contact 11 miles off Hernando Beach and investigated. At 3 p.m. they found the four fishermen clinging to the capsized hull of their boat in 17 feet of water where it had overturned the day before. Mazzeo believes the men were alive because of three things they did right: they wore their life jackets; they stayed with the boat; and they anchored the boat to prevent it from drifting. In recent years, the FWC has acquired a fleet of off- shore patrol vessels of vari- ous sizes and capabilities through cooperative agree- ments with NOAA. Some of the newer vessels are state-of- the-art designs, capable of speeds over 40 knots under rough-sea conditions. They also are equipped with in- frared television monitors and other sophisticated tools. The .agency operates off- shore boats in two distinct classes. The Guardian is an example of the Endurance Class offshore patrol boats, ca- pable of extended patrol in off- shore areas in various weath- er conditions. They range from 45 to 85 feet in length. These vessels have berthing and support facilities and can operate on multi-day missions without returning to port. Intermediate Class off- shore patrol boats, like the Fincat, are a new and develop- ing concept within the fleet. At around 32 feet long, they are somewhat larger than standard near-shore patrol vessels. They are capable of short-duration day patrols of offshore areas in varying weather conditions. "This case is proof positive that the FWC's Offshore Pa- trol initiative is working to protect Florida's citizens and natural resources." said Capt. Brad Williams, supervisor for the FWC's offshore patrol fleet. "The FWC recommends boaters leave a float plan with someone on shore, in case of emergency," Mazzeo said. "Also, it's important to have all the required safety equip- ment, be aware of weather and sea conditionsand have a radio or cellular phone for communication."" For more information on boating safety, visit MvFWC.com. . Burning Swamp Will Not Stop Planned Dedication Ceremony For New "Okefenokee Swamp" International Rate Postage Stamp The scene depicted in the new 2007 Scenic Amer- ican Landscape series: "Okefenokee Swamp" In- ternational Rate Postage Stamp shows a tranquil lake enshrouded in mist, somewhere deep within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. If you could visit that same loca- tion today, you might en- counter a different scene from the one captured in Mr. Jose Azel's captivating, photograph, used as the basis for the new stamp. The mist would be re- placed with smoke, and the water levels would be much lower. This is a typi- cal scene throughout the Okefenokee Swamp today, as the Big Turnaround Complex' (Wildfire) contin- ues to burn. The irony of the situation is that if you revisit that same lake six months to one year from now, you'd probably see the exact scene captured so eloquently in Mr. Azel's photograph. "The Oke- fenokee Swamp is a re- silient, ecosystem," says Jim Burkhart, Superviso- ry Ranger at the Okefeno- kee National Wildlife Refuge, "It can heal itself rather quickly" As the Oke- fenokee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Folkston .Post Of- fice prepare to hold a special dedi- cation ceremony. on June 1, 2007 to commemorate the release of the U.S. Postal Service's '"American Land- scape Series: Oke- fenokee Swamp" International Postage Stamp, the Big Turnaround Complex wildfire " continues to burn -within the ,Okefenokee NWR. Currently, the fire has burned 264,000 acres in the refuge, since it began on April 16. "Fire is just as much a part of this swamp as water-lilies, alligators, and the cypress tress," says Burkhart "Without it, the swamp would become drier and transform into a forested bog, and we would loose many of the diverse plant and animal commu- nities that has made the Okefenokee a world-class resource." The Okefenokee Swamp needs fire to main- tain its ecological health and viability Fire is Na- ture's way of restoring, re- juvenating, and cleansing this ecosystem. Periodic burns in the swamp main- tain conditions, which sus- tain diverse plant and ani- mal communities. Fire in the wetland environment removes accumulations of woody vegetation that would, gradually encroach on the prairies and open marshes. In addition, the' ash from the fire reverses the acidification of waters in the swamp and im- proves water quality and conditions for fish and am- phibians. Fire in the swamp also benefits Visitor Use within the Okefenokee NWR by reducing the accumula-. tions of encroaching plant species such as titi, hurrah bush, and green briar along waterways and the popular day-use ,'and overnight boating trails. Without fire and in- tense manual labor the refuge's network of Wilderness boating trails would become overgrown and impenetrable. The Okefenokee Swamp is a dynamic envi- ronment. It is always changing. As soon as the fire moves on. wildlife will re-enter the burned areas, and within days, new growth will begin to, sprout. Of course, charred trees will be a reminder of the forces that govern this unique landscape, but in time, even these will be re- placed by a new crop of cy- press, pine, and/or bay trees. Rain will replenish the prairies and water- ways to create scenes once more like the one captured in Mr. Azel's beautiful pho- tograph. So what's the downside of fire in the Okefenokee? "There is always the dan- ger of the fire escaping the swamp," says SBurkhart. "Our '.!: primary concern is protecting life and public/pri- vate property. When it comes to fire in the swamp, we don't take chances. If we can let it burn within the interi- or, we will, but if it should try to leave the swamp, threatening, pub- lic or private property. then we '"""' will fight it ag- gressively." -- Even as smoke clouds billow into the sky, life in the Okefenokee Swamp will continue just as it has for thousands of years. In honor of this unique American landscape, both the Nationfal Wildlife Refuge System and the U.S. Postal, Service will cele- brate this and other unique American land- scapes through the special dedication: ceremony for the release of the Okefeno- kee Swamp international rate postage stamp. The ceremony, which is open to the public, will begin at 9:00am in front of the U.S. Tri-State Marine 8821 W. Tennessee St. Tallahassee 850 575-321)0 TiU IUnc 877 261-1625 Sikffs & SaBoats Mercury, Yamaha & Evinrude Outboards E rH Tdlon Ahimnum Sah & Fresh Come vlsl our lactory K -Sauthorized PubB&PSerSlca PaMIprtmot for fagt nfil ly _Loca wdat the comer of Ranger Bass Ski & Fish Boats MMUS Hwy.S moA W mGewte Rd htnon FW, & Ctltt Pontoos, Save up to $10,000 off of MSRP on select modelsll! We Have Used Boats AlsolHl The only mistake you can make Is go somewhere elsell! Post Office in downtown Folkston, GA. The Okefenokee Swamp stamp can be pur- chased' for 0.69 cents at post offices, beginning June 1st. A special pictori- al postmark designed specifically for the Folk- ston dedication ceremony will be available for Stamp collectors and general en- thusiasts, who may wish to get their starips cancelled. The postmark is only avail- able at the Post Office in Folkstofi, GA. The '_U.S. 'Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal -agency responsible for conserv- ing, protecting .and en- hancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wet- lands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery re- sources offices and 81 eco- logical services field sta- tions. The agency en- forces federal wildlife laws, administers the En- dangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores na- tionally significant fish- eries, conserves and re- stores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal govern- ments with their conser- vation efforts. It also over- sees the Federal Assis- tance program, which dis- tributes hundreds of mil- lions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunt- ing equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. The Enterprise-Recorder Fish & Game Feeding Chart How to use- The major and minor feeding limes for each day are bsted below. The major feeding times are the best for the sportsman and last about 2 hours, the minor feeding tumes can also have good success, but last only about I hour. Good luck and be careful out there. The Best Hunting &Fiing Boat h ev Made, excellent Handling Roomy Very st! The 4 Wheel Drive Of Marine Engines Mud, Vegetation, Shallow Water..NO PROBLEM! Toughest, Most Reliable, Most Proven On The Market Contact Eddie Shae 0. 'loriId at Go-Devil of N.Florida - 11 - m 1 L