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National Fishing and Boating week under way

This year's National Fishing & Boating Week (NFBW) is sure to be the biggest and best since the event's inception. The fourth annual celebration of fishing and boating got underway June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 13.

In cities and towns from Seattle to Long Island, hundreds of on-water events are planned - including fishing derbies, regattas and festivals - all with the common goal of letting people experience fun on the water.

The festivities kicked off on June 5 in New York City, when Coach Johnson - avid boater and angler and legendary former NFL coach - made the ceremonial first cast of the week in Central Park. Coach Johnson was named the first NFBW honorary chairperson by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF), creator of NFBW and sponsor of the Water Works Wonders program and website.

"I have a ton of fantastic memories from my life in football, but nothing compares to the experiences I've had fishing and boating," said Coach Johnson, the two-time Super Bowl winner and honorary chairperson of National Fishing & Boating Week. "Now that I'm retired from coaching, these are the activities I enjoy doing most every day. They're not only a lot of fun, they let me do what's really important - spend quality time with my family and friends."

To help reacquaint lapsed anglers with fishing, most states
now sponsor free-fishing days when no fishing license is required. Many states have scheduled these days during NFBW, providing additional incentive for people to get out on the water. A complete state-by-state listing of free-fishing days can be found at www.WaterWorksWonders.org.  

Popularity of fishing and boating appears to be on the rise, with more than 1.5 million new anglers added in 2003 and tackle and boating sales up 3 percent in the first quarter of this year. More than 50 million Americans participate in fishing and boating every year; that's more than play golf and tennis combined.

According to RBFF, anglers and boaters are generally more concerned about conservation and the environment than non-participants. In addition, 83 % of state funding for managing and conserving aquatic resources comes from the sale of fishing licenses, and from excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel.

For a complete list of scheduled NFBW events, visit www.WaterWorksWonders.org , a valuable information resource for fishing and boating enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. The website also includes comprehensive how-to content as well as a zip-code searchable database of great places to go fishing and boating.

Freedom to Fish is now law in Maryland

Maryland Gov. Robert L. Erlich Jr. on June 25 signed the

Maryland Freedom to Fish Act into law, making it more difficult to close any of the state's waters to angling.

USFWS Goby Roundup/Carp Corral June 15 to 18      

Biologists Hope to Come Up Empty-Handed in Search for Carp & Gobies

The USFWS--along with a host of federal, state and regional partners--will again be searching the Illinois Waterway from the western Chicago suburbs to the La Salle-Peru area for invasive fish this June.

During the "Carp Corral/Goby Roundup,: June 15 to 18, biologists will attempt to determine abundance and upstream distribution of the bighead and silver carp�two invasive Asian carp species�and chart the downstream leading edge of the round goby.  Biologists will also collect fish health samples to detect pathogens such as the non-native spring viremia of carp virus.

Members of the media are invited for a first-hand experience with a field crew on Wednesday, June 16, or Thursday, June 17.  Sampling covers a 100-mile stretch of the Illinois Waterway from Alsip to La Salle-Peru. Abundant goby populations may be seen at the upstream sites and jumping silver carp will be collected at the downstream areas.  Contact Pam Thiel at 608-783-8431 by Thursday, June 10, for more information or to secure a space.  Space is limited and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

The interconnecting channels and natural rivers of the Illinois Waterway System in the Chicago area provide a direct link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin for non-native species to travel in either direction.  The Mississippi River Basin is the largest in North America and the Great Lakes Basin contains 20 percent of the earth�s fresh water.

Together these basins encompass portions of 30 states and two Canadian provinces.  The potential economic and environmental impacts of Asian carp, round goby and other invasive species are widespread and significant. 

An electrical fish barrier near Romeoville, Ill., in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal--designed to prevent and slow the spread of nonindigenous aquatic species--has been operational since 2002.  This experimental prototype barrier has been effective, but the electrified cables may only remain functional until next April, making it imperative that a new permanent barrier be erected as soon as possible.

"Plans are underway for construction to begin this month with completion by fall," said Wisconsin Sea Grant's Dr. Phil Moy, co-chair of the Dispersal Barrier Advisory Panel.

A bighead carp was found 21 miles below the electrical barrier, about 50 miles from Lake Michigan, but to date no bighead or silver carp have been collected above the barrier.  However, reproducing populations of bighead and silver carp have expanded into lower portions of the Illinois River to the Starved Rock Lock and Dam and the Iowa-Illinois boundary waters of the upper Mississippi River, as well as in the Missouri, Ohio and lower Mississippi rivers.

Marc Gaden, spokesman for the bi-national Great Lakes Fishery Commission, adds "We must do everything possible to halt these biological invasions.  With the fate of both the Great Lakes and Mississippi River fisheries at risk, there are elevated concerns for the future."

Now these damaging invasive species are moving even

farther north and posing a threat to the Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary waters of the Upper Mississippi River.  After a commercial fisherman netted a bighead carp last fall within 80 miles of Minneapolis, in Lake Pepin, the Service and the Minnesota and Wisconsin DNRs commissioned a study to identify ways to slow or stop the advance of these non-native Asian carp.  Deterrents recommended include physical barriers, technological barriers such as those that use electricity or acoustics to repel fish, harvest, biological controls, and chemical controls.

The Service will work with the Minnesota and Wisconsin DNRs, as well as officials from Iowa and the Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the report and propose actions.  In addition, resource professionals from across the country met in May to begin developing an Asian carp management plan that will include strategies to limit the spread of Asian carp, prevent additional introductions and reduce the impacts of existing populations. This group, called the Asian Carp Working Group, (a new sub-committee of the ANSTF and which the Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council was invited to become a member and participate, ) will use assistance from other agencies and organizations as it develops and implements the management plan.

�Asian carp have become extremely abundant in stretches of the upper Mississippi and lower Illinois Rivers,� said Pam Thiel, project leader for the Service�s La Crosse, Wis., Fishery Resource Office and coordinator of the Carp Corral/Goby Roundup.  �They can upset the natural balance of the ecosystem, and in addition, the silver carp can actually jump high out of the water and into your boat, thus causing a safety hazard for boaters and skiers.�

Bighead and silver carp, native to large rivers of Asia, were brought into the U.S. by private fish farmers in the early 1970s and began appearing in public waterways in the early 1980s.  These species are plankton feeders, eating microscopic plants and animals, and can reach weights of more than 80 pounds.  They compete for food with larval and juvenile fish, as well as adult paddlefish, gizzard shad, bigmouth buffalo, and native mussels.

The round goby, a non-native fish from the Black and Caspian seas, was first discovered in North American waters in 1990 and has since spread to all of the Great Lakes. A bottom-feeding species known for its aggressive feeding and defensive behavior, and prolific reproductive rate, the exotic round goby are a threat to native fish and a nuisance to anglers.

The goby has been moving inland from Lake Michigan toward the Mississippi River basin via the Illinois Waterway System since 1993.  Last year, monitoring efforts detected round gobies seven miles farther downstream than where they had previously been collected�near the I-55 Bridge by Joliet and 55 miles inland from Lake Michigan, approximately 18 miles downstream from the electrical barrier, and about one sixth of the way down the length of the Illinois Waterway toward the Mississippi River.

The Carp Coral/Goby Roundup surveillance is critical in determining if Asian carp have moved upstream of the electrical barrier near Romeoville on their way to Lake Michigan and if round gobies have made their way farther downstream.

IJC - Great Lakes Governors/Ministers urged to share cost of electric fish barrier

In a letter to Governor Bob Taft, chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, the International Joint Commission (IJC) urged the governors and ministers of the Great Lakes states and provinces to meet an urgent U.S. $1.8 million funding shortfall to complete the construction of a permanent electric barrier in the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal. The barrier is needed to prevent the imminent introduction of Asian carp to the Great Lakes and the potential destruction of this great sport and commercial fishery.

"Failure to prevent the introduction of this invader may result in severe economic and ecological damage to the Great Lakes ecosystem, perhaps even exceeding the damage caused by previous introductions of the sea lamprey and zebra mussel," state IJC Canadian and U.S. co-chairs Herb Gray and Dennis Schornack.

Using a federal/nonfederal cost-share process, the U.S. Government has already contributed $5 million toward the

project, and the State of Illinois has contributed $1.7 million as the local cost-share partner.  Due to changes to improve the barrier design and unanticipated costs, an additional $1.8 million is needed to complete construction of the permanent electric barrier by a September 30, 2004 deadline.

"Specifically, we urge all the governors and the provincial ministers to join their colleague in Illinois and the federal government in fully funding the construction of a permanent barrier.  ... Illinois cannot serve as the single rubber stopper at the bottom of the Great Lakes basin," the letter states.

Two species of Asian carp that are within 50 miles of Lake Michigan could soon gain access to the Great Lakes through the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal. A temporary, experimental electric barrier built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has served as the last line of defense in preventing the movement of Asian carp into the Great Lakes; however, the temporary barrier is near the end of its expected lifespan and some of its components are failing.

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for June 4, 2004
Current Lake Levels: 
Lake Superior is currently 5 inches above last year's level, but 4 inches below its long-term average for June.  Lake Michigan-Huron is now 13 inches above its level of a year ago, but still 12 inches below its long-term average water level.  Lake St. Clair is 8 inches above last year and 4 inches below long-term average.  Lake Erie is currently 7 inches higher than last year and is at its long-term average, while Lake Ontario is 2 inches higher than last year and 5 inches higher than average.

Current Outflows/Channel Conditions: 
The Lake Superior outflow through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron is expected to be near average during the month of June.  Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are expected to be below average during June, while Niagara and St. Lawrence River flows are expected to be near average.

Temperature/Precipitation Outlook: 
High pressure will be in control of the weather across the

Great Lakes basin to start the weekend.  Sunny skies and
temperatures in the 70s are expected across the region.  The next chance for rain will come Sunday as a storm system pushes into the basin.  Unsettled weather is expected to return mid-week.

Forecasted Water Levels: 
Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron will continue their seasonal rise over the next month.  Lakes St. Clair and Erie are expected to reach their seasonal peaks later this month and are forecasted to remain fairly steady over the next four weeks.  Lake Ontario is nearing its seasonal peak and is expected to decrease one inch over the next month. 

Alerts:
Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels.  Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings.

Just for Kids Fishing Derby � June 13

Join a friendly fishing competition that is just for kids 15 and under. Bring your own gear. Bait will be provided while

supplies last. 8 a.m. - noon at Du Page County, IL Blackwell Forest Preserve Lake in Warrenville. Register the day of the event. Call 630-933-7248.

Fishing for Beginners � June 19

Learn fish ecology and identification as well as fishing techniques and regulations, Saturday, June 19. Anglers 16 and up must have a valid Illinois fishing license. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 3 - 5 p.m. at East Branch/Glen Ellyn Road Lot in Glendale Heights. For reservations call 630-933-7248.  Offered by the DuPage

County Forest Preserves.

Fly-Fishing Merit Badge Introduction - Boy Scouts, learn the ins and outs of fly-fishing, and discover the steps involved in earning a merit badge. 9 - 11 a.m. at Blackwell in Warrenville.  For reservations call 630-933-7248.  Offered by the DuPage County Forest Preserves.

June Fishing Clinics in Central New York � June 13

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Kenneth Lynch announced that two Family Fishing Clinics will be held in June. The first occurred June 5, 2004, at Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge. A second will take place on Sunday, June 13, 2004, at the Falcon Sportsmen Kid's Fishing Derby at Falcon Sportsmen Club in Auburn.

Each session will consist of five 15-minute breakout stations with instruction in common fishing tackle and  techniques; fish identification and biology; conservation and ethics; aquatic ecology; and fish preparation and cooking.  During the second

half of the session, the group will split time between casting practice and fishing.

During the clinic, fishing rods, tackle, bait and educational materials will be provided.  No fishing license is required during the event. Sign-up is by preregistration only and is limited to 100 individuals per session. Children under age 16 must be supervised.  The second DEC fishing clinic will be held during the Falcon Sportsmen Kid's Fishing Derby on June 13, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and will take place at the Falcon Sportsmen Club, Turnpike Road, Auburn. For more information, contact Tim Noga at (315) 252-1321.

State to limit Public ATV access on Adirondack Forest Preserve

DEC Calls for Amendments to Unit Management Plans in the Adirondacks

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin M. Crotty announced a series of proposed amendments to Unit Management Plans (UMPs) and associated administrative actions that will address public all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use on certain roads within the Adirondack Park.  The proposed amendments will ensure that ATV access on State Forest Preserve lands will conform to the State Vehicle and Traffic Law and the Adirondack State Land Master Plan, will not facilitate trespass on private lands, and will not cause environmental degradation.

�Amending these Unit Management Plans represents another significant step New York State has taken to ensure the continued protection and health of the Adirondack Park,� Commissioner Crotty said.  �The amendments are necessary to ensure that ATV access in these areas is consistent with State law and policy.  As the stewards of nearly three million acres of land in the Adirondacks, we are committed to preserving the region�s unrivaled resources so that they may be enjoyed by generations of New Yorkers.�

DEC carefully evaluated the 54 roads that are currently open to ATV access within the Aldrich Pond, Independence River, Black River and Watson�s East Wild Forest areas to determine which roads were suitable for continued public ATV access.  DEC concluded that all such roads should be closed to unlimited ATV access by the general public, with five roads to be opened by seasonal permit only, for a period not to exceed three years.

Based on the assessment, DEC has submitted a package of proposed amendments to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) to amend UMPs for Aldrich, Independence River and Black River Wild Forest areas, and proposed administrative actions for Watson�s East Wild Forest area that will lead to the elimination of public ATV access on 49 roads, effective after its

consideration.  The proposed amendments will be available for public comment until APA considers the proposal for approval at their July meeting.

Under the proposed amendments, the five roads that will be opened under temporary revocable permit (TRP) include: the Jackworks and Maple Hill Roads in the Aldrich Pond Wild Forest, and the Herkimer Landing, South Shore and Wolf Lake Landing Roads in the Black River Wild Forest.  These roads will be opened for permitted use only from September 1st to December 15th, to allow hunters access to primitive camping sites.   These roads are slated to be rehabilitated for automobile and truck access by 2006 at which point public ATV access will be eliminated.  The State Vehicle and Traffic law prohibits the use of ATVs on roads that are opened to motor vehicle use unless the purpose of such opening is to provide ATVs with access to adjacent trails and areas which they could not otherwise access. 

If the proposed amendments are approved by APA, DEC will begin immediate enforcement of the road closures to ensure that the public understands the need to eliminate illegal and inappropriate ATV use on State Forest Preserve lands and to ensure that the resources of the Forest Preserve are protected. 

As part of his 2004-05 Executive Budget, Pataki proposed legislation to provide for public education, enforcement and funding, all of which are essential to controlling ATV use on State Lands.  Passage of the Governor�s proposed legislation would enhance DEC�s efforts to properly manage ATV use in New York State.  DEC is also developing an ATV policy for the Forest Preserve, State Forest, and conservation easement lands.  It is not the policy of DEC to provide riding opportunities on State lands.  Motor vehicle use, however, provides a means of access to DEC programs such as hunting and fishing.  This policy will establish a set of criteria for evaluating the suitability of roads for ATV access in limited circumstances in compliance with existing law.

Workshop on American Shad - June 16

Commission to Let Teachers Go Wild  about Shad          

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is offering a workshop to teachers that will focus on the American shad.  The workshop will provide background information, activities and resources to teach students about this important and historical fish and its significance to Pennsylvania.  Participants will also take part in a field trip to the Commission�s Van Dyke Research Station along the Juniata River.

The program is appropriate for primary or secondary teachers in formal or non-formal settings.  Participants will receive Project Wild Aquatic (a national curriculum guide), shad-adapted lesson plans, and additional resources for the classroom.  Act 48 hours apply.  The shad workshop will be held June 16 from 9 AM to 5 PM at Little Buffalo State Park, located in Newport, Perry County.  While the workshop is offered free of charge, pre-registration is required.  Interested parties should call 717-732-8400 ext. 8634 or ext. 8639 to register.

Boat wakes traveling high onto shore, damaging property

MADISON -- Recent heavy rain has swollen rivers and lakes across the southern one-third of Wisconsin increasing the chances that shoreline property and structures will be damaged by boat wakes washing much higher than normal onto shore.

DNR boating safety officials are asking boaters to slow down to a speed where their craft�s wake is not likely to cause damage on shore.  �We�ve received a significant number of damage and complaint calls from shoreland property owners in recent days,� said conservation warden Bill Engfer, chief of the DNR recreation enforcement and safety program. �We�ve got very high water conditions in many areas. In these current conditions, boaters operating at what are otherwise reasonable speeds are, in some cases, causing significant damage to property.�

Damages to yards, structures and other personal property 

have been reported according to Engfer. �Much of the damage is due to boaters unknowingly throwing high wakes onto shore. Boaters are responsible for their craft�s wake and in extreme cases can be prosecuted for causing damage by creating a hazardous wake.

�Boaters also need to be aware of the dangers of submerged objects that normally would be above water and visible,� warns Engfer. �In some places waters are high enough to hide shoreline structures, posts and wires.�

With more rain in the weather forecast, DNR officials note that while most of the current complaints are occurring in the southern one-third of the state, the affected area could expand.

�We�re asking boaters to be aware of their wake and the potential for damages to shoreland property and their own safety,� says Engfer. �It�s a �good neighbor� type of request that will maintain good relations between landowners and watercraft operators.�

Walleye bag limits will increase on some northern lakes

MADISON � Daily walleye bag limits increased May 28 on 93 lakes in the ceded territory of northern Wisconsin to reflect spearing harvest results by Wisconsin�s bands of Chippewa Indians.

Forty-three lakes are increasing from a daily bag limit of one or two to three walleye per day. Fifty lakes will go from an initial bag limit of two or three walleyes per day to the bag limit specified in the Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations 2004-2005, which in most cases is the state daily bag limit of five, according to Andy Fayram, who coordinates the treaty fisheries for the Department of Natural Resources.

The complete revised walleye bag limit is available at DNR license vendors as an insert to the current fishing regulations and is also available on the Fish Wisconsin page of the DNR Web site.

As part of a 1983 federal Appellate Court decision affirming Chippewa off-reservation hunting, fishing, and gathering rights, the six bands of Wisconsin Chippewa set annual harvest quotas for off-reservation lakes in the Wisconsin

Ceded Territory. To assure the combined tribal and recreational angler harvest does not exceed a sustainable

level, the state sets recreational bag limits in lakes declared for harvest by the Chippewa bands. In April, angler daily bag limits for walleye were set at one, two, or three fish per day for sport anglers in order to accommodate Chippewa spearing harvest goals. The bag limits on these lakes will be adjusted, starting May 28, to reflect actual Chippewa spring spearing harvest totals.

An administrative rule passed by the state Natural Resources Board in 1998 allows the department to adjust initial bag limits annually to reflect actual spring spearing harvests and projected summer harvests.

DNR Secretary Scott Hassett said the increased opportunities on 89 waters is good news for sport anglers and for local and state economies. The increase in bag limits boosts harvest opportunities for sport anglers while assuring that the tribes maintain their rights to set quotas and harvest the resource.

Of the 236 lakes still with reduced bag limits, 47 lakes will have a bag limit of two walleye per day, and 189 lakes will have a daily bag of three.

Lake Erie commercial fisher fined $7500 for over quota walleye

WINDSOR - A Kingsville commercial fisherman has been fined $7,500 and the commercial fishing licence owner ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to three counts of exceeding their 2002 walleye quota by 1,623 kilograms (4,348 lbs).

Gerry Penner, 50, of Kingsville, filled the walleye (also known as yellow pickerel) quota for a commercial fishing licence owned by 1277105 Ontario Inc. by November 27, 2002.  He then continued fishing for three more days between November 30 and December 3, 2002.

When a commercial fisher goes over quota, the extra fish

must be separated, recorded on the Daily Catch Report and turned over to a fishery officer during inspection.  If an inspector is not there, the extra fish must not be landed until an officer has been contacted for direction on their disposal.  Over quota fish still alive are returned to the lake.

Exceeding the quota is a serious concern to Lake Erie fishery managers and additional harvest must be surrendered to prevent profits being made from over-harvesting.

The case was heard by Justice of the Peace Maureen Ryan-Brode in the Ontario Court of Justice in Windsor on June 2, 2004.