Weekly News

Great Lakes invasive species council proposed

LANSING, MI (AP) ďż˝ Michigan Republican senators detailed a proposal Monday that would establish a Great Lakes regional council to help determine how to protect against aquatic invasive species. The arrangement would be similar to a compact on water withdrawals created by the region's eight states and two Canadian provinces in 2005, said Sen. Howard Walker of Traverse City.

The proposed bill would create an aquatic invasive species advisory council with a panel of experts aimed at protecting the Great Lakes basin. The panel would work on a plan to prevent and monitor aquatic invasive species throughout the region.

The council would work with state departments and

agencies to update and implement Michigan's invasive species management plan. The council also would review state law to recommend strengthened protections. "We cannot continue to deal with threats as they present themselves," Walker said in a statement. "We need a long-term and a short-term plan in place now."

The legislative package could be formally introduced this week.

Supporters said aquatic invasive species already have affected tourism, fishing and related activities in Michigan. The potential threat that's been getting the most publicity lately is the Asian carp, but many invaders already are present in the Great Lakes basin including quagga mussels and sea lampreys.

DNR hosts meetings for proposed Northern Lake Michigan Walleye guidelines

The Michigan DNR will host two public meetings in July to gather input on proposed walleye management guidelines for the Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit.

The draft walleye management guidelines will help direct future management of walleye fisheries in northern Lake Michigan and the lakes and rivers contained within the Lake Michigan basin of the Upper Peninsula. Establishing management guidelines allows the DNR to coordinate the purpose and direction of walleye management activities throughout the unit.

The proposed walleye management guidelines build on a foundation of previous public input by citizen committees and angling groups, and incorporate the latest in sound science regarding walleye management. Detailed information on the biology and management needs of walleye, as well as specific strategies and actions for future management of walleye populations and habitat can be found in the draft plan.

"Walleye management and stocking efforts underwent some major changes in the past few years, due to the discovery of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a fatal infectious fish disease, in the Great Lakes region," said Jessica Mistak, fisheries supervisor of the DNR's Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit. "Walleye stocking in our inland lakes was put on hold until research on the disease

and its potential impact on our hatcheries could be completed. We've recently been given the go-ahead to resume stocking walleye in our inland lakes, and these guidelines will play an important role in how we move forward with walleye management in the Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit."

Interested parties are encouraged to attend upcoming public input meetings to review the draft guidelines and provide public comment. The dates, times and locations of the meetings are as follows:

► Wednesday, July 13, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time), Escanaba DNR Pocket Park, 2401 12th Ave. N., Escanaba

► Wednesday, July 20, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Central Time), Dickinson County Library, 401 Iron Mountain St., Iron Mountain

For Draft guidelines: www.michigan.gov/fishpublicinput. Comments will be accepted through Aug. 3, 2011, and may be submitted by email to [email protected], or regular mail to DNR Fisheries Div, 6833 US Highway 2, Gladstone, MI, 49837.

For more information on the proposed walleye management guidelines for the Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit, contact Jessica Mistak at 906-786-2351, ext. 127. More information about fisheries management in Michigan can be found online at www.michigan.gov/fishing.

DNR auction for State-Owned Land begins

The Michigan DNR announced that 45 parcels of state-owned land in six Michigan counties will be offered for sale by sealed-bid auction at www.michigan.gov/landforsale.

The parcels, located mainly in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan including Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Gladwin, Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties, have been reviewed by the DNR and approved for sale as surplus land.

These properties range in size from less than an acre to 120 acres. They vary in character from riverside and lakeside parcels to forested properties to a parcel within the city of Sault Ste. Marie adjacent to a golf course. A parcel with an existing communications tower and a property with Lake Michigan frontage are also being offered.

ďż˝This annual auction is part of the Department of Natural Resourcesďż˝ long-term approach to land management,ďż˝ said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. ďż˝We work very hard to find the right balance between ensuring ample opportunity for public recreational access to state lands, while also providing an easy way for individuals to buy land for their own personal use.ďż˝

Information on the auction and on other land available for purchase, including photos, property descriptions, terms and conditions and instructions to submit a bid, is available at www.michigan.gov/landforsale by clicking on Land Auction.

Sealed bids must be postmarked by midnight on Aug. 8, and will be opened on Aug. 17. There is a minimum bid for

each parcel. Property information and bid forms are also

available upon request to the Real Estate Services Section, P.O. Box 30448, Lansing, MI 48909-7948 or by calling 517-241-2742.

Stokes said the DNRďż˝s Land Consolidation Initiative, an ongoing review of state-owned land, gives the department the chance to look at properties that are outside the boundaries of state parks, forests, game areas and recreation areas to determine if they are surplus to management needs.

Proceeds from land sales are used to improve recreation opportunities for the public and to enhance management capabilities on existing state land.

Any parcels not sold through the auction process are posted to the www.michigan.gov/landforsale website and offered for sale year-round. Currently, 140 properties, ranging in size from less than an acre to 200 acres, are available for purchase on the website on a first-come, first-served basis. The majority of these parcels are located in northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, but there are also several properties for sale in the southeast and southwest Lower Peninsula. A number of properties are not easily accessible by the general public.

The state reserves aboriginal antiquities and may reserve mineral rights on the parcels being sold. The DNR recommends all purchasers do their own research as to suitability of the parcel for the purpose intended, and conduct a personal inspection of the desired parcels whenever possible. The DNR makes no representation or claim as to fitness for purpose, access, condition or restrictions.

DNR offers womenďż˝s salmon fishing weekend in U.P. Aug 12-14

Women interested in learning more about the sport of salmon fishing can now register for a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Great Lakes salmon fishing workshop to be held on Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula Aug. 12-14.

ďż˝Salmon fishing on the Great Lakes requires some special knowledge and skills, but once mastered, it can be one of the most exciting fishing experiences Michigan has to offer,ďż˝ said Upper Peninsula BOW chairwoman Sharon Pitz.

Participants in this advanced-level ďż˝Beyond BOWďż˝ salmon fishing workshop will leave from the Fairport Marina, located at the tip of the Garden Peninsula in Delta County, and will experience trolling for salmon in the waters of northern Lake Michigan. Guidance will be provided by several experienced salmon anglers.

The workshop will include multiple fishing trips departing from the marina, the first on Friday evening with others planned during the day Saturday and on Sunday morning. All fishing and safety equipment will be provided. However, all anglers will need a valid Michigan All-Species fishing license and should bring clothing and outerwear for a variety of weather conditions, including non-slip footwear. The $200 registration fee also includes two nights lodging and Saturday evening dinner.

Enrollment for this Beyond BOW workshop is limited to eight participants and the registration deadline is July 29. The registration form, maps and other event information can be found online at www.michigan.gov/bow. For more information, contact Sharon Pitz at 906-228-6561.

Michigan fishing licenses can be purchased online at www.mdnr-elicense.com, at DNR Operations Service Centers or at any authorized license vendor.

DNR completes walleye survey on Delta County's Ford River

The Michigan DNR has completed its first walleye spawning survey on the Ford River in Delta County. The data gathered during the survey will aid in the future management of walleye populations in Bays de Noc and its tributaries by documenting walleye spawning migration patterns, age structure of spawners, presence of stocked versus naturally-reproduced walleyes, and the estimated size of the spawning population.

"This was our first survey of the Ford River, so it will set the benchmark for comparison with survey results from other rivers or future Ford River surveys," said DNR Fisheries Research Biologist Troy Zorn. "There has been concern among anglers on Bays de Noc that recent poaching activity severely impacted the spawning population of walleye in the bays. The good news, at least for the Ford River, is that we documented a number of large spawning walleyes and many smaller walleyes in the river this spring.

Though rough estimates gained from the surveys can only provide a snapshot of the spawning run for a single year, and the size of the run can vary several fold from year to year, a general idea of the health of the fishery can be obtained once several yearsďż˝ data are compiled.

ďż˝Natural reproduction from walleye spawning runs in Green Bay tributaries is key to sustaining the walleye fishery in Bays de Noc and other waters,ďż˝ Zorn said. ďż˝Maintaining healthy fish populations along the Lake Michigan shoreline

is a priority for us, the anglers, and the communities that rely on the economic boost that a strong fishery can provide.ďż˝

One factor of key interest to DNR fisheries researchers is the presence of invasive zebra and quagga mussels in Bays de Noc, and determining current and potential future impacts the mussels may have on the local walleye population. The mussels increase water clarity and can negatively impact forage fish populations, which in turn could significantly alter seasonal walleye movement and distribution patterns.

Zorn added that the information gathered through the Ford River survey ďż˝ and other surveys completed on additional tributaries of Bays De Noc and Green Bay ďż˝ will play an important role in guiding future river management, and in determining the influence of habitat characteristics, stocking, and other factors, on walleye spawning runs.

Similar spawning surveys have been performed for the first time in recent years on the Cedar, Menominee, Tahquamenon, Escanaba, Whitefish, Rapid and Manistique rivers. The spawning surveys typically last from two to four weeks, with DNR crews able to survey, on average, one river each spring.

For more information about the spring walleye spawning surveys, contact Troy Zorn at 906-249-1611. To learn more about fisheries management in Michigan, go online to www.michigan.gov/fisheries.

New web feature makes it easy to find lake maps, amenities

MADISON -- A new "Find a Lake" feature on the Wisconsin DNR website gives boaters and anglers an easy way to find new waters to try out. Users can search for lakes by region, alphabetically by lake name, or by features like boat ramps, beaches and parks. They can get maps and detailed lake information, and learn about boat access, local boating ordinances, and other facilities.

Wisconsin Lakes Fast Facts

►Wisconsin has 15,081 documented lakes; about 40 % have been named and most lakes are smaller than 10 acres,

New web feature makes it easy to find lake maps, amenities

Farmer gets six years for boat bombings

New web feature makes it easy to find lake maps, amenities

Wisconsin Lakes Fast Facts

State Fish Pages

Illinois - Indiana - Michigan - Minnesota - Ohio - Pennsylvania - New York - Wisconsin - Ontario