Georgia
Dead NARW Off Georgia Coast Found With Blunt Force Trauma
Dead NARW Off Georgia Coast Found With Blunt Force Trauma
Last week NOAA Fisheries reported the second North Atlantic right whale (NARW) death of 2024 — a juvenile female identified as the offspring of Pilgrim (#4340). The body was reported to be “heavily scavenged” by sharks, and there were concerns that a necropsy would not be possible due to the condition of the whale. However, thanks to a team of partners, the carcass was able to be brought to shore and examined.
According to NOAA, experts who conducted the necropsy found evidence of blunt force trauma, including fracture of the skull…
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Import Ban on Russian Seafood Into U.S. Receives Extension To May
In the final days of 2023, President Joseph R. Biden signed an Executive Order on “taking additional steps with respect to the Russian Federation’s harmful actions.” The U.S. had already banned imports of Russian seafood, but the latest Executive Order closed a loophole that allowed Russian-caught seafood, processed in China, to enter the country. The government gave U.S. importers a deadline of February 21 to bring in any Russian-origin seafood that was already under contract or written agreement prior to December 22…
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The Retail Rundown: Finalizing February’s Features
Retailers are finalizing their February features while actively preparing for spring demand, which is bolstered by seasonal factors like warmer weather along with holidays including St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
Retail features are shifting from red meat and poultry towards seafood as Lenten observers begin the 40 days of fasting and reduced meat consumption.
The seafood complex continues to hold the top spot within total protein features, accounting for 37% this week. Beef follows with 21% of retail buying opportunities, while pork closes in at 19%. Chicken claims almost 16% of ad space, nearly…
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FFAW Responds To ASP’s Tie-Up Grievance
The (crab) claws are back out ahead of the 2024 snow crab season in Newfoundland and Labrador.
All eyes are on the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) as the two groups reportedly work towards a pricing formula. But while many in the industry are looking towards the future and the start of the season, the two parties have been pulled back into the drama of last year.
On Tuesday ASP revealed that they are making some progress with the grievance they filed against…
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BBRSDA Promotes Lilani Dunn To Executive Director After Andy Wink’s Departure
The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) confirmed on Wednesday that they have promoted Lilani Dunn to Executive Director. Dunn, who joined the BBRSDA in 2020 as their Head of Marketing, replaces Andy Wink, who departed in December 2023 after six years.
Dunn is a seafood veteran who headed up marketing at Orca Bay Seafoods before joining BBRSDA in March 2020.
“We, the board, are looking forward to having Lilani in this new role in leading our organization into the future,” said Fritz Johnson…
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Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Now Bans All Commercial Fishing
It’s been seven years since former President Barack Obama declared two areas of canyons and undersea mountains of such importance ecologically that they should be protected from all development with one 7-year exception: fishing for red crab and lobster could continue until September 2023.
Now, the transition period of seven years is over and in a final rule published last week, the full fishing ban within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is complete. The rule will take effect March 18, …
Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries
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NPFMC to Lean on Stakeholder-Led Approaches to Minimize Bycatch and Crab Mortality
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has decided to not go forward with analysis of proposed annual static groundfish fishery closures in areas of the Eastern Bering Sea where Bering Sea Red King Crab feed and mate. The closures were proposed as a way to help stocks recover by minimizing observed and unobserved crab mortality. Two reasons were given for not going forward: uncertainty about whether the closures would benefit the king crab and fears that fishing effort would be pushed into areas where…
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BM Supermercados of Spain Endorses Best Aquaculture Practices Program
Spanish retailer BM Supermercados is endorsing the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification program, the latest step in its commitment to sourcing responsible seafood for its stores.
BM Supermercados belongs to Grupo Uvesco, which has 300 stores, an online store, four logistics platforms, and a team of more than 6,000 professionals. Since its formation in 1993, it has expanded across Spain in Madrid, Ávila, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra and La Rioja, solidifying its place as a leader in quality food, value creation and employment…
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Vietnamese ‘Shrimp King’ Minh Phu Reports First Loss After 7 Years
Minh Phu Seafood Corporation, Vietnam’s leading shrimp exporter, reported a net loss of VND195 billion ($7.54 million) in 2023, the first loss after seven fiscal years.
The company, registered on the unlisted public company market UPCoM as MPC, recorded net revenues of nearly VND10.7 trillion ($436.2 million), down 35% year-on-year, according to its newly released financial statement.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, its net revenue reached VND3.22 trillion ($131.27 million), a year-on-year increase of 26.2%. However, rising cost prices…
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NaturalShrimp Develops and Patents First Shrimp-Focused Commercially Operational RAS
Biotechnology aquaculture company NaturalShrimp has developed and patented the first shrimp-focused commercially operational RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System). The goal of this system is to use electrocoagulation (EC) technology — commonly known as the passing of electric currents through water — to minimize labor costs, enhance efficiency, and reduce negative impacts on the environment — all while promoting responsible aquaculture practices.
While EC technology has been around for many years, NaturalShrimp has used it to develop a custom design specifically tailored to the aquaculture industry…
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Oman’s SIMAK Set to Boast GCC’s Largest Seafood Processing Capacity
The International Seafood Company (SIMAK), a subsidiary of Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), is developing a large canning plant for Tuna, Sardine, and Mackerel in the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD). This plant will boast the largest seafood processing capacity in the GCC region, according to an Oman News Agency report.
SIMAK, the sultanate’s flagship seafood cannery nestled within the Fisheries Zone of SEZAD, is poised to redefine the landscape of seafood processing and distribution in the Middle East region.
With an impressive processing inflow of 30,000 tonnes per…
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Vietnamese Expert: Conversing With the World’s Foremost Sea Cucumber Expert
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Quang Duy is widely recognized by the global scientific community as the foremost expert on sea cucumbers. He is credited with pioneering sea cucumber farming in Vietnam.
Towards the end of 2023, an event captured the attention of Vietnam’s seafood industry: Viet Long Capital announced a $5 million investment in the Vietnam Sea Cucumber Company to advance the cultivation, processing, and exportation of the prized sandfish. As aspirations for a multi-million-dollar industry burgeon and the vision of establishing Vietnamese sea cucumbers as a…
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Vietnamese National Program on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources Approved
Vietnam will investigate and evaluate biodiversity, aquatic resources, and the habitat of aquatic species in Vietnam’s waters, including deep sea areas, shallow waters, and underground water areas, under the national program on protecting and developing aquatic resources until 2030 approved recently by the Prime Minister.
The program requires that 100% of natural lakes, large reservoirs, and main river systems are investigated and assessed for resources and habitat of aquatic species.
Aquatic resource reserves are expected to increase by over 5% compared to the…
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ASP Gives Update On Tie-Up Grievance As They Work Towards ‘Timely’ Start to 2024 NL Snow Crab Season
It has been a little over two weeks since the last update on the 2024 Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab negotiations. And while the industry patiently waits for an agreement to be made between the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) and the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW), ASP revealed that they are making some progress with the grievance they filed against FFAW in July 2023.
To briefly recap, in 2023 the snow crab fishery in NL was delayed by…
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NTSB: 2022 Sinking of $1.2 Million Seiner Due to Flooding in Lazarette and Non-Working Bilge Alarms
The National Transportation Safety Board’s report on what caused the sinking of the 53-foot steel-hulled F/V Hotspur two years ago in Southeast Alaska was released last week. The cause was instability caused by below-deck flooding and bilge alarms that did not sound in time. Within 20 minutes from when the crew first noticed a list to port, the seiner, loaded with gear, a seine skiff on deck, and a water-filled fish hold, …
Photo of the Hotspur courtesy USCG.
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Washington AG Charges Tacoma Seafood Wholesaler With Felonies Over Failure to Report Purchases
Tacoma wholesale fish dealer Westlake Seafood has been charged with multiple felonies for allegedly failing to report thousands of dollars worth of sea urchin and Dungeness crab purchases to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The business, which operates a warehouse in the Dome District at 2615 E. N St., was formed in 2017 and on its website claims to export 90 percent of its live products to China and sell the rest in local and domestic markets. According to charging documents filed…
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Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry Charts Own Course Amid Global Competition
Despite its availability in over 150 countries, Vietnam’s shrimp industry is grappling with fierce competition from global counterparts, prompting the proactive application of technology and strategic planning as the sector is making endeavors to carve out its unique path forward.
A representative from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) revealed that Ecuador has substantially boosted its shrimp production, reaching an impressive output of 2.5 million tons.
In a noteworthy development, the Department of Science and Technology in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, along with…
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Senator Murkowski Addresses Alaska Lawmakers With Candor and Optimism
Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski’s signature probity was on display in her annual address to the Alaska State Legislature last week. Her remarks acknowledged the challenges, including political divisions, at play in the state and across the country, but highlighted the importance of solutions focused on issues, not party affiliation.
“As the elections approach, there’s going to be pressure to show whether you’re with the Republicans or with the Democrats, with probably very little in between,” she said. “So let’s show the country that sure we’ve got our differences…
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Dead NARW Off Georgia Coast Found With Blunt Force Trauma
Last week NOAA Fisheries reported the second North Atlantic right whale (NARW) death of 2024 — a juvenile female identified as the offspring of Pilgrim (#4340). The body was reported to be “heavily scavenged” by sharks, and there were concerns that a necropsy would not be possible due to the condition of the whale. However, thanks to a team of partners, the carcass was able to be brought to shore and examined.
According to NOAA, experts who conducted the necropsy found evidence of blunt force trauma, including fracture of the skull…
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Biden-Harris Administration Invests $3.9M for Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators Program
Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $3.9 million in awards to help small businesses improve climate resilience in communities across the nation through the Ocean-based Climate Resilience Accelerators program as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and in alignment with the National Climate Resilience Framework.
This investment, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, supports 16 awardees in 11 states to develop and advance new technologies for gathering coastal, ocean and Great Lakes data and observations — essential information to…
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Maine Wants to Lead in Offshore Wind; Governor Says She Has Location for a Key Wind Port
A state-owned site on the coast of Maine will serve as the location of an offshore wind port critical to developing the nation’s first floating offshore wind power research array, the state’s governor said Tuesday.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill last year that aims to see Maine procure enough energy from offshore wind turbines to power about half its electric load by 2040. An offshore wind port to build, stage and deploy the turbine equipment is a…
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Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture Grows Its Ranks
Fisherman, Food + Planet, RETI Center, Sea Pact, and Future Leaders join a growing chorus of diverse advocates for science-based aquaculture on the heels of Aquaculture America conference
On Tuesday the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture (CSA) announced new members, including three organizations focused on sustainability, a commercial fisherman, and five graduate students poised to become future leaders in the industry. The addition of these new members supports the CSA’s mission to take a stakeholder-led approach to sustainably and equitably launching offshore aquaculture in the U.S…
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France: 13M Investment for Commercial-Scale Shrimp and Greenhouse Farm
Agriloops, a French company combining shrimp and vegetable farming, has successfully concluded a fundraising round of 13 million euros to finance the construction of its first commercial-scale farm, Mangrove #1. Over the last 4 years, the French entrepreneurs have learned all about saltwater aquaponics, combining aquaculture and greenhouse growing to offer local, premium shrimp production. Now, they’re ready for the next step.
“Mangrove #1 is a key milestone to demonstrate the scalability and profitability of our technology. We are eager to demonstrate…
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Singapore Engineer Pivots From Oil Rigs to ‘Fish Farm of the Future’
A high-tech fish farm floats just off the coast of Singapore, part of a plan by a retired engineer who once built oil rigs to bring diners cleaner, healthier seafood.
The tiny city-state imports 90 percent of its food but hopes to locally source about a third of it by 2030 to guard against supply disruptions such as climate change, disease and conflict.
So officials are backing projects such as Eco Ark, a giant aquafarm that produces seabass, grouper and threadfin for restaurant tables…
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An Environmentally Friendly Way to Turn Seafood Waste Into Value-Added Products
Reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose: These are all ways we can live more sustainably. One tricky aspect of recycling, though, is that sometimes the recycling process is chemically intensive, and this is the case for recycling one of the world’s most abundant materials – chitin.
College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources Department of Nutritional Sciences researcher Yangchao Luo and his group have tackled this problem and found a way to sustainably recover chitin from seafood waste. Their findings are published in the International Journal of Biological…
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PODCAST: Wild Alaska Sole Association’s Pat Shanahan On The Need For A New Marketing Association
SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione welcome seafood marketing expert Pat Shanahan to the show this week. Shanahan joins the latest episode to talk about the formation of a new non-profit marketing organization, the Wild Alaska Sole Association (WASA), of which she has been hired to serve as Executive Director. Listen as Shanahan talks about why the association formed and its goals for the Alaska flatfish fishery.
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Thai Union Provides Update on Red Lobster in Q4 Results Amid Exit From Seafood Chain
Thai Union released its Q4 2023 results, shedding more light on the seafood giant’s decision to sell its stake in Red Lobster.
As SeafoodNews reported last month, Thai Union confirmed that they intend to “pursue an exit of its minority investment in Red Lobster.”
“The combination of COVID-19 pandemic, sustained industry headwinds, higher interest rates and rising material and labor costs have impacted Red Lobster, resulting in prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders,” Thai Union CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said…
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The NFI Sushi Council Begins Inaugural Year
The industry group will work to enhance food safety and product integrity
The National Fisheries Institute is pleased to announce the formation of the NFI Sushi Council. A pre-competitive stakeholder group, the Sushi Council is made up of harvesters, processors, distributors, and end-users at retail and foodservice working to enhance sushi product integrity and promote industry-led food safety.
“Sushi has achieved household status and is a major contributor to U.S. seafood consumption,” Chairman Michael McNicholas, of Culimer USA LLC, said…
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Unified Command Transitions F/V Aleutian Storm Grounding Response to Sanctuary
It’s almost all over for the F/V Aleutian Storm.
After days of transferring fuel, gear and miscellaneous off the vessel and several failed attempts to refloat it, Mother Nature took over. Days of pounding surf after the vessel ran aground on Feb. 9 left gouges and holes in the hull and drove it deeper in the sand.
Now, as of Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s …
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Alaska: In Crabbers’ Turbulent Moment, Edmonds Seafood Processor ‘Saved Our Season’
When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”
When a seafood processing plant in Alaska shut down in the middle of crabbing season, fishermen found themselves in a pinch.
Under the state’s quota system, harvesters can only catch a set amount of crab each year. And they must deliver 90% of their catch to a processor with a corresponding quota.
With the Peter Pan Seafood facility closed this winter in King Cove, there was no one to…
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Nova Sea to Acquire 33.4% Stake in Torghatten Aqua, Becoming the Company’s 2nd Largest Shareholder
Norwegian farmed salmon producer Nova Sea will acquire a 33.4% stake in Torghatten Aqua. The purchase makes Nova Sea the company’s second-largest shareholder, behind Trøndelag Helgeland Invest, which owns a 39% stake.
This new partnership means Nova Sea and Torghatten Aqua will eventually collaborate on farming operations. Nova Sea will provide investment and development company Torghatten Aqua with increased access to capital and expertise, while also contributing to sustainable growth and development in the Helgeland region of…
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Georgia
A Georgia Wildlife Haven Forged by Fire and Peat Nears UNESCO Recognition – Inside Climate News
FOLKSTON, Ga.—The world’s smallest heron hops from blade to blade in a patch of tall grass, testing its footing above the dark water as it searches for an evening meal.
“This was already worth the trip out today,” Joshua Howard said earlier this month from a gray flat-bottomed tour boat just a few yards away. The tiny creatures, called Least Bitterns, are secretive birds, not easy to spot.
With one quick movement of its neck, which seems to take up most of its body, the tiny heron plunges into the water and comes up with a fish. Howard and his guide continue down the swamp between walls of Spanish moss-adorned cypress trees and alligators, hoping to find more of the birds and wildlife that call the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge home.
By July, the vast swamp Howard has visited since childhood and still tries to reach at least once a week could be internationally recognized as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
The Okefenokee, on the Florida border in southeast Georgia, hosts the largest blackwater swamp in North America, a slow-moving wilderness roughly five times the size of Atlanta. It began forming hundreds of thousands of years ago, as the Atlantic Ocean retreated and left behind Trail Ridge, a long, low fossilized beach dune, and a shallow depression that trapped water between the ridge and higher uplands to the west.
The Okefenokee is a blackwater swamp, meaning its dark waters are stained by tannins released from decaying vegetation and cypress trees. Beneath the dense canopy, the water takes on the color of steeped tea, reflecting cypress trunks and drifting lily pads like dark glass.
The refuge was established in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, following a series of visits from Cornell biologist Francis Harper. Harper had come to admire both the swamp’s landscape and its people, but it was his wife—who had once tutored Roosevelt’s children—who ultimately helped push the president toward protecting the land.
The refuge’s latest conservation effort now depends partly on another layer of federal and international politics. The Okefenokee’s UNESCO nomination comes amid renewed uncertainty over the United States’ relationship with the organization.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump moved to again withdraw the United States from UNESCO, though the withdrawal would not take effect until December—months after a decision on the Okefenokee nomination is expected. The United States also remains part of the World Heritage Convention, the international agreement governing World Heritage Sites.
In addition, World Heritage designations have continued in the United States during previous periods when the country was formally withdrawn from UNESCO, including under both Trump and President Ronald Reagan. The Okefenokee effort has also received support from prominent Republicans, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, who served as Trump’s agriculture secretary.
Still, regardless of shifting politics around UNESCO, the landscape at the center of the nomination remains largely unchanged.
Today, the Okefenokee stands as a protected wilderness of blackwater channels, peat and dense wetland forests, supporting a rich array of wildlife and plant life.
A great blue heron and a barred owl perch among Spanish moss in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Ryan Krugman/Inside Climate News
As Howard floated through the swamp at the refuge’s eastern entrance for about an hour and a half, he saw nearly 200 alligators, owl fledglings, hawks, herons and more. What he somewhat incredulously called an “above average” number of encounters was partly driven by drought conditions that pushed animals toward remaining water, though abundant wildlife sightings are far from unusual.
Across the swamp, an estimated 15,000 alligators inhabit the blackwater alongside almost 250 bird and 64 reptile species. Black bears and bobcats move through the uplands, and there are rumors of Florida panthers wandering the refuge. It is also a stronghold for endangered species, including red-cockaded woodpeckers, wood storks and eastern indigo snakes.
To fully experience the Okefenokee, visitors often paddle deep into the backcountry by canoe or kayak, traveling through areas inaccessible to motorboats. Along the way, they pass open prairies filled with lilies, wildflowers and carnivorous plants, including the Okefenokee giant pitcher plant, which can grow more than four feet tall and traps insects inside its tubular leaves.
Some visitors spend nights on raised wooden platforms scattered throughout the swamp, with multi-day trips carrying paddlers far into the blackwater wilderness. Yet even with those routes, only about 5 percent of the Okefenokee is currently accessible to humans.
Despite being one of the best-preserved wetlands in North America, and especially on the eastern seaboard, the Okefenokee has repeatedly faced pressure from industry and development. Before it became a wildlife refuge and federally designated wilderness area nearly a century ago, logging companies cut through vast cypress forests, disrupting habitats and the natural systems that shaped the swamp.
Later, the Suwanee Canal Company attempted to drain the Okefenokee to clear the way for development. The company planned to carve a canal through Trail Ridge and connect the swamp to the Suwannee River, but water repeatedly flowed back into the basin. The project ultimately collapsed, driving the company into bankruptcy before the canal could be completed.
More recently, the Okefenokee has faced renewed pressure from a high-profile mining dispute near Trail Ridge and continued development across the Florida border. Yet the swamp’s beauty and biodiversity continue to draw roughly 800,000 visitors each year—and now the attention of UNESCO.
The Okefenokee was first placed on the United States’ tentative UNESCO World Heritage list in 1981, but the nomination stalled for decades. In 2023, the Department of the Interior authorized work on a formal nomination, a push driven in large part by advocates including Kim Bednarek, executive director of Okefenokee Swamp Park.
The nonprofit, which runs tours and educational programs near and in the refuge, helped lead the campaign and raise money for the years-long nomination process. To qualify, researchers and advocates had to demonstrate the swamp’s “outstanding universal value,” the central standard for World Heritage designation.
The nomination was formally submitted in January 2025. Later that year, scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which advises UNESCO on natural sites, visited the swamp as part of the evaluation process. Advocates are now awaiting a recommendation from the organization ahead of a final decision expected this July at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Busan, South Korea.
UNESCO’s standard of “outstanding universal value” is reserved for places considered significant not just to one country, but to humanity. Advocates and scientists argue the Okefenokee qualifies because of its biodiversity and the remarkable condition of its peatlands, which have remained largely intact for thousands of years and are a natural carbon sink.
Peatlands form when organic material builds up faster than it decomposes. In the Okefenokee, still blackwater, low oxygen levels and acidic conditions—created largely by tannins from cypress trees—slow decay enough for layers of plant matter to accumulate over thousands of years.
“We do not have a similar peatland in the world in the subtropics,” said Hans Joosten, one of the world’s leading peatland experts. According to Joosten, the swamp’s location—sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic—provides the humidity and rainfall needed to sustain this rare subtropical peatland.
An inch of peat can take more than 50 years to form. In parts of the Okefenokee, those layers reach more than 15 feet deep, storing an estimated 124 million tons of carbon and forming one of North America’s most significant peat systems.
Many of the estimated 15,000 Alligators in the Okefenokee are tagged as part of research initiatives. Credit: Ryan Krugman
The swamp’s Muscogee Creek name, often translated as “land of the trembling earth,” reflects what lies beneath its surface. Deep peat can shift, swell and occasionally rise toward the top, where visitors may see methane bubbles break through the blackwater or floating mats of peat drifting at the surface. Those peat mats can become platforms for new plant growth, reshaping the swamp as they move and settle.
The biodiversity hotspot is supported by another cycle, one much faster than peat formation. The swamp is frequently reshaped and renewed through natural wildfires. The fires clear dense vegetation and invasive species, return nutrients to the soil, and maintain the open conditions needed for fire-dependent ecosystems like the longleaf pine, one of the most endangered forest types in North America.
“To be put on the same list as places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone would just be amazing,” Howard said with a Southern drawl as he floated along the remnants of the Suwannee Canal.
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Howard, tall and broad with silvering hair and an easy smile, had arrived at the swamp after a long day working as a school administrator in Charlton County. “You want to know why I think this place deserves to be on that list?” he asked. “Because when I got here this evening, I was stressed and now I am not.”
Howard has been coming to the swamp for almost 50 years and has spent the last seven serving as president of Friends of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit that helps raise money for its preservation. While the group is not directly involved in the UNESCO bid, Howard said its members strongly support the designation.
If approved in July, the designation would make the Okefenokee Georgia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first national wildlife refuge in the country to receive the status.
For Bednarek, the recognition would do more than honor the swamp’s ecology. It could fundamentally change how the Okefenokee is seen internationally. National wildlife refuges typically operate with far less tourism, funding and global visibility than national parks.
“They have this iconic brand that refuges don’t,” Bednarek said. UNESCO World Heritage status, she said, functions differently. “It’s a global brand that people travel far and wide to see.”
For now, though, the Okefenokee remains what it has long been: a slow-moving wilderness of blackwater, peat and cypress.
As dusk settled over the swamp, Howard’s guide cut the boat motor and the sounds of insects and distant birds filled the blackwater again. Methane bubbles continued rising quietly to the surface, signs of the trembling earth beneath the water.
In July, delegates in South Korea will decide whether the Okefenokee receives World Heritage status. But the swamp itself will keep moving at its own pace.
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Ryan Krugman is a recent graduate of Columbia University’s Climate School focusing on climate change reporting and communications. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University where he studied Environmental Science and Sociology. As a former Inside Climate News fellow, he is now reporting on climate and environmental issues in New England and Georgia.
Live updates from Athens, Georgia as the Bulldogs take on Liberty in game two of the Athens Regional.
The Georgia Bulldogs are back in action this afternoon as they are set to take on the Liberty Flames for game two of the Athens regional. The Dawgs are coming off a dominant victory over Long Island =, in a game that concluded earlier this morning following a rain delay.
With a win, the Bulldogs will advance to face the winner of a matchup between Liberty and the victor of Boston College and Long Island. First pitch for that game is scheduled to take place this Sunday at 5 p.m. As action continues in Athens, stay tuned with Bulldogs on SI for more updates from today’s game.
Georgia Bulldogs vs Liberty Flames Live Updates:
Editor’s Note**: This article will be updated periodically as action continues throughout today’s game
Top of the First (UGA at Bat)
- Tre Phelps singles to left center field for his first hit of the afternoon.
- Daniel Jackson homers to right center field. Georgia leads 2-0.
- Rylan Lujo flies out to right field.
- Brennan Hudson is walked on a 3-1 count.
- Kenny Ishikawa flies out to right field.
- Ryan Wynn grounds out to second base to retire the side. Georgia leads 2-0.
Bottom of the First (Liberty at Bat)
- Tanner Marsh singles to the pitcher.
- Riley DeCandido strikes out swinging.
- Tanner Marsh steals second to put a runner in scoring position.
- Jordan Jaffe singles to right center field. Tanner Marsh scores. Georgia leads 2-1.
- Jaxon Sorenson is walked on a full count. Jaffe advances to second.
- Nick Barone reaches first on a fielder’s choice. Sorenson is tagged out at second. Jaffe advances to third and scores on a throwing error. Game is tied 2-2.
- Nick Barone is tagged out trying to steal second to retire the side. Game is tied 2-2.
Top of the Second (UGA at Bat)
- Jack Arcamone flies out to right field.
- Kolby Branch is walked on a full count.
- Ryan Black fouled out to the catcher.
- Tre Phelps is walked on a full count. Branch advances to second.
- Daniel Jackson is walked. Tre Phelps advances to second. Kolby Branch advances.
- Rylan Lujo grounds out to third to retire the side. Game is tied 2-2.
Bottom of the Second (Liberty at Bat)
- Easton Swofford grounds out to shortstop.
- Landon Scilley is walked on a 3-1 count.
- Kyle Hvidsten is walked on a 3-0 count. Scilley advances to second.
- Josh Campos lines out to right field.
- Tanner Marsh strikes out swinging to retire the side. Game is tied 2-2.
Top of the Third (UGA at Bat)
- Brennan Hudson flies out to right field.
- Kenny Ishikawa homers to right field. Georgia leads 3-2.
- Ryan Wynn homers to center field. Georgia leads 4-2.
- Nick Arcamone singles to right field.
- Kolby Branch pops up to shortstop.
- Ryan Black flies out to right field.
Bottom of the Third (Liberty at Bat)
- Riley DeCandido flies out to left field
- Jordan Jaffe grounds out to the pitcher.
- Jaxon Sorenson flies out to center field to retire the side. Georgia leads 4-2.
Top of the Fourth (UGA at Bat)
- Tre Phelps grounds out to shortstop.
- Daniel Jackson strikes out swinging on a full count.
- Rylan Lujo singles to left field.
- Brennan Hudson singles through the right side. Lujo advances to second.
- Kenny Ishikawa is walked on a full count. Hudson advances to second, Lujo advances to third.
- Ryan Wynn reaches first on a fielder’s choice. Ishikawa is tagged out at second to retire the side. Georgia leads 4-2.
Bottom of the Fourth (Liberty at Bat)
- Nick Barone grounds out to shortstop.
- Easton Swofford strikes out swinging.
- Landon Scilley grounds out to shortstop to retire the side. Georgia leads 4-2.
Top of the Fifth (UGA at Bat)
- Nick Arcamone strikes out swinging.
- Kolby Branch strikes out looking on a 1-2 count.
- Ryan Black singles to first base.
- Tre Phelps grounds out to third base to retire the side. Georgia leads 4-2.
Bottom of the Fifth (Liberty at Bat)
Top of the Sixth (UGA at Bat)
Bottom of the Sixth (Liberty at Bat)
Top of the Seventh (UGA at Bat)
Bottom of the Seventh (Liberty at Bat)
Top of the Eighth (UGA at Bat)
Bottom of the Eighth (Liberty at Bat)
Top of the Ninth (UGA at Bat)
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Storm activity is expected to fire up around midday, starting inland from the Gulf sea breeze. From there, storms will track eastward at 20-25 mph, and that faster movement is actually good news for flooding concerns.
Some minor, temporary flooding is possible through tonight, especially in low-lying areas and spots that typically flood during heavy rain events.
The best chances for stronger storms and heavier rainfall will be north and near I-10 during the afternoon and evening hours.
The Weather Prediction Center has placed roughly the northern two-thirds of the area under a marginal risk of excessive rainfall.
What to expect through the night
Rain chances will stay elevated into the evening but should taper off after midnight. However, inland Northeast Florida could see a late round of showers or storms develop due to enhanced west coast sea breeze.
Gusty winds and frequent lightning can’t be ruled out. Always have your indoor plan ready to go for shelter access.
Cooler temperatures, patchy fog round out the forecast
High temperatures will run below average, topping out in the mid-to-upper 80s. Overnight lows will range from the upper 60s to near 70 degrees across inland Southeast Georgia, with mid-70s expected closer to the Atlantic coast.
Patchy fog is expected early this morning and again Sunday morning. Brief periods of dense fog are possible, so drivers should use caution on the roads during those early morning hours.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
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