Week of August 8, 2005

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Indiana

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World News

Angler floored by monster catch

A fisherman's holiday that ended with a monster catch in Spain left him reeling from the weight of his 7' 7" record-breaking haul.  When the 21 lb catfish took the bait and Duncan Rooke, a 32-year-old gas engineer from Surrey, England picked up his rod, he said the weight was "obscene".

 

He said five people were needed to help bring the 15-stone fish on to the banks of the Ebro, near Barcelona, in July. "It dragged me down the rocks. I nearly went in. God knows how I didn't."

 

The female wels catfish took the bait of two halibut pellets on July 6 at the end of a week-long fishing holiday. "When you hook one they are just unbelievable," said Rooke.  "I knew I was toppling and I just let my weight go backwards and fell. Then it pulled me back on to my feet." He said: "They are scary things when you catch them. You have to grab their bottom

jaw."

 

"They will shake their head and do a death roll like a crocodile. It can dislocate your arm. You just have to keep hold of it. They just close their mouth and hold on and try to take you back in with them." He said he stood in the river holding on to his catch for more than an hour.

 

During that time the anglers weighed the fish and had the catch independently witnessed before they posed for photographs.  The proud fisherman - who weighed a stone less than his catch - burped the fish and rubbed its stomach before sending it back into the river.

 

"You have to make sure they get plenty of water in their gills and get rid of all the air out of their stomachs," he said.  According to the Catfish Conservation Group, the largest freshwater fish previously caught by a Briton weighed in at 211 lb.


New - Search engine for GLSFC web site

Need help cruising our web site? Researching for info from our archives? 

 

We have over 10 years of  records of "Weekly News", five years of "New Product Reviews" , reams of files and web pages regarding all kinds of recreation, conservation and Aquatic Invasives Species.  Use our search engine, compliments of Google, to find what you're looking for on our web site. 

 

As a federally recognized non-profit organization, the GLSFC   

has been donated this search engine by Google as an important tool in your searches. No advertising or clutter, but a great tool for browsers�� Google does NOT clutter any search efforts with any advertising or pop-up ads.

 

With over 5,000 pages, 450,000 links and over ten years of information inventory, a search engine for www.great-lakes.org will prove to be a great asset for our many visitors. 

 

Thanks to our Vice President Bob Mitchell and the research by our webmaster Bob James for this new resource.


Galley Cuisine

Galley Cuisine

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

1 sweet potato

Brown sugar

Marshmallow

Cinnamon sugar

 

In a bowl melt 7 or 8 marshmallows over the stove. Cut the

sweet potato into 8 equal pieces. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes on 350 degrees. Take the 8 pieces out of the oven and sprinkle with brown sugar, top with the melted marshmallow and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Put back in the oven at 275 degrees until the sweet potatoes are soft.

(By Chef Jim Bucko, Radisson Hotel, Merrillville, IN )

 


National

Shark Fisherman Reels In Record Tuna

Fisherman Dan Dillon went out to sea in search of shark. He returned empty handed, at least as far as sharks are concerned.   Dillon, however, did reel in an 873 lb bluefin on July 9, 2005, the biggest tuna on record in Delaware.

 

Dillon, 39, a real estate executive from

Herndon, VA, said the monster fish was caught 40 miles off the southern Delaware

coast.   He used an 80 lb test monofilament line on an 80 lb class reel, using a bluefish fillet as bait.  Measuring 9' 7" in length, 80" in girth, the fish outweighed the state's previous record catch by more than 500 lbs.

 

 

 


Robin, Not Crow, May Be West Nile Culprit

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) � The American robin, not the crow, may be the more potent source for West Nile virus, according to new research. A DNA analysis of blood taken from the abdomens of 300 mosquitoes trapped in Connecticut over the past three years found that 40 % fed on the blood of the red-breasted songbird and only 1 % on crows, said Theodore Andreadis, chief medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

 

His findings have been turned over to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for publication in the agency journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.  West Nile virus has

been identified in more than 200 species of birds, according to the CDC.

 

"I'd be surprised if the American robin would be very important," said Komar, who had not yet seen Andreadis' data. "I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that crows are not important. If this study analyzes mosquitoes where there are lots of robins but no crows that could be misleading.   "What mosquitoes feed on is a very complicated and very large puzzle. We need more data," Komar said. "Sometimes researchers will find one piece that fits. All the pieces are required."


Contest Rewards Kids for Wearing Life Jackets and Telling Us About It

The National Safe Boating Council�s Boating Safety Sidekicks want kids to tell us the reasons why they wear their life jackets. We hope that by hearing these stories their parents, brothers, sisters, families and friends will realize how important it is for children as well as adults to wear their life jackets.

 

The "Why I Wear My Life Jacket" contest is requesting essays or short stories from kids between the ages of 4 and 15, explaining the importance of wearing a life jacket and why they choose to wear one. The stories should be between one and two pages and discuss their various boating experiences and why they have worn a life jacket while on the water. The entries can be mailed or emailed to the National Safe Boating Council

at Sidekicks Life Jacket Stories, P.O. Box 509, Bristow, VA 20136 or to [email protected].

 

A first, second, and third prize winner will be announced in the following age groups: 4 to 7 years old, 8 to 11 years old, and 12 to 15 years old. Winners will receive a $100 dollar savings bond! Awards will be given based upon good grammar, punctuation, composition, and the story told. Entries should include your name, age, and mailing address.

 

For more info go to www.boatingsidekicks.com  or www.safeboatingcouncil.org , or to submit your entry. The deadline for entries is November 1, 2005. The winners will be announced the first week in December on the "Sidekicks" and the Council�s web sites.


FishAmerica and NOAA Award Grants for Fisheries Habitat Restoration

Alexandria, VA�The FishAmerica Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration�s (NOAA) Restoration Center awarded 22 grants totaling more than $785,000 for fisheries habitat restoration projects located in communities in twelve states. The projects range from improving fish passage in the Betsie River (Michigan) watershed of Lake Michigan to recreating oyster reef fisheries habitat in San Francisco Bay to restoring hurricane-damaged fish habitat in Florida. This is the first year the partnership will fund projects in the Great Lakes watershed. 

 

The grants were awarded to local watershed associations, conservation clubs, and local and state agencies. Over the course of the projects, it is estimated that more than 1,400 volunteers will donate 15,000 hours to restore sport fish spawning and rearing habitat, improve water quality and improve fish passage for salmon, trout, striped bass, bluefish, snook, tarpon, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder and other sport fish. 

 

The twelve states receiving funding are: Alaska, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington state. 

 

In the United States, saltwater recreational fishing is a $31

billion industry while fishing in the Great Lakes adds an additional $7.3 billion to the economy. Overall, American anglers spend $41.5 billion in retail sales and generate $116 billion in economic benefits for the nation each year.

 

Grants awarded in the Great Lakes:

Michigan:

The Conservation Resource Alliance was awarded $20,000 to improve fish passage along Dair Creek in the Betsie River watershed of Lake Michigan, a popular fishing spot for local anglers. 

 

New York:

The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District was awarded $50,000 to stabilize and restore the streambanks of Chautauqua Creek, a major tributary of Lake Erie. A prime trout stream, the creek�s lower five miles provides spawning and rearing habitat for coho, Chinook, steelhead, and brown trout. 

 

Pennsylvania:

The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust was awarded $42,800 to remove the Bethayres Dam along Pennypack Creek in the Delaware River watershed, initiating the restoration of fish passage to nearly thirty miles of valuable spawning and rearing habitat for many species of anadromous fish.


Regional

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for August 5, 2005

Lake Level Conditions:

Lake Superior is currently at the same level as last year, while the remaining lakes are 5 to 9 inches below the levels of a year ago.  Dry conditions this spring and summer are the main reason that water levels on the lower Great Lakes are below last year�s levels.   Looking ahead, Lake Superior is expected to remain steady over the next month.  Lakes Michigan-Huron and St. Clair are expected to fall 2 to 3 inches over the next month while Lakes Erie and Ontario should decline by 5 inches.  Levels on Lake Superior over the next few months will be similar to the summer of 2004, whereas levels on the lower Great Lakes will continue to be lower than the summer of 2004. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information.

 

Current Outflows/Channel Conditions:

The Lake Superior outflow through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron is projected to be above average during the month of August.  Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are anticipated to be below average during August.  Flows in the Niagara River are expected to be near average while St. Lawrence River flows should be below average in August.

 

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.  Users of the St. Marys River should be aware that regulated flows will be variable from August 3rd to August 14th due to flow measurement work in the St. Marys River.   

 

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels Data Summary

 

 

Superior

Mich-Huron

St. Clair

Erie

Ontario

Expected water level for Aug 5 in ft

601.7

578.1

574.1

571.6

245.6

Chart datum, in ft

601.1

577.5

572.3

569.2

243.3

Diff from chart datum, in inches

+7

+7

+22

+29

+28

Diff from last month, in inches

-2

0

-2

-1

-4

Diff from last year in inches

0

-6

-9

-5

-9


General

Anglers and Boaters Score Major Conservation Victory

Efforts by angler and boater groups key in reauthorization success

ALEXANDRIA, VA � After close to two years of Congressional action and three years of strategic planning and consensus building by leading angling and boating organizations, the most significant legislation for sportfishing and boating since 1984 is now waiting for President Bush�s signature.

 

The centerpiece of the legislation is the successful capture of the federal fuel tax on motorboats and small engines which will now be dedicated to sportfish restoration, angler and boating access and boating safety. The Act will consolidate the receipts of the new Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and distribute them according to a simpler and more equitable formula supported by the American Sportfishing Association and a coalition of 33 other fishing and boating organizations.

 

Formerly known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, this reauthorization will recover approximately $110 million per year of federal fuel taxes currently being paid by anglers and boaters which was being diverted to the general treasury. The capture of the fuel tax will significantly boost funding revenues for the Fund to approximately $570 million per year for important angling and boating programs such as fisheries monitoring; habitat conservation and restoration; fishing and boating access facilities such as docks, piers, and boat ramps; and education and safety programs for anglers and boaters. State wildlife and natural resources agencies, which receive the funds, will see an annual increase anywhere from $1.1 to $5.5 million dollars for conservation management. Funds are appropriated to the states for sportfish restoration and boating programs based on license sales and water area.

 

The Fund amounts to about $570 million per year which is ultimately parceled to state fish and wildlife agencies as a primary source of their overall funding. For more than 10 years, only a portion of anglers and boaters' federal motor boat fuel taxes were directed to the Aquatic Resources Trust

Fund, a user-pay/user and resource benefit fund that provides revenues for fishing and boating programs across the nation. The reauthorization captures the entire amount of the fuel tax. In addition, the Congressional action also distributes approximately $87 million of previously unappropriated revenues to various accounts within the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.

 

The Transportation Bill also included two other significant victories for sportfishing. They are: $10 million for fish passage improvement under the U.S. Forest Service road system; and $1 million for highway signage to direct anglers and hunters to access points.

 

Specifics Include:

►       Reauthorize the Marine Sanitary Devices pump-out program, Boating Infrastructure Grant Program, and Outreach programs � these programs would have expired under ARTF including the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.

►       Boating Safety Grants will now have guaranteed funding � this program will now receive 18.5% of the total, increasing 2005 funding from $64 million to approximately $100 million in FY 2006.

►       Dissolve (spend down) the Boat Safety Account � the balance currently in the account plus the interest (approximately $87 million) will be distributed over the next five years to accounts in the fund.

►       Most programs will be funded by a percentage � All programs, except administration and multi-state grants which remain a fixed amount, are assigned a percentage to allow a more simple and fair process, when the amount of funds increase or decrease so will all of the programs based upon their percentage. 

 

Percentages are as follows:

  ●        Sport Fish Restoration        57%

  �         Includes 15% for Boating Access

  ●        Boating Safety Grants        18.5%

  ●        Coastal Wetlands Act         18.5%

  ●        Boating Infrastructure        2.0%

  ●        Outreach (RBFF)                  2.0%

  ●        Clean Vessel Act                  2.0%


Numbers show MAATS was a record-breaker

The final figures are in, and they confirm that the fifth MAATS attracted a record number of buyers to Las Vegas last month.

 

The Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show drew nearly 2,400 people to the Las Vegas Hilton and Convention Center July 20-22, according to the show�s producer, the National Marine Manufacturers Association. That total includes 455 buyers � the most ever for MAATS and a 17 % increase over the 2004 number.  Those buyers were there to see the boating accessory products of 368 exhibitors � also a record number. There were 1,300 individual buyer/supplier meetings, at which those products were shown off in a private setting, away from the show floor.    

Helping swell attendance was the co-location of MAATS with ICAST (the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades), the sportfishing industry�s principal trade show. �There were a number of buyers that attend ICAST every year that came to MAATS for the first time,� said MAATS manager Kathleen  Clickett. She said the benefits of co-location are obvious: People can see the new products in both industries on a single trip.

 

MAATS and ICAST both return to the Las Vegas Hilton and Convention Center July 19-21 next year.

 

 


Invading Carp cause Tennessee fishery headache

By Bryan Brasher, Commercial Appeal

As a fisheries biologist for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tim Broadbent specializes in identifying problems and figuring how to solve them. That's what makes the issue of silver carp and bighead carp so frustrating for him.  

 

Broadbent has identified the problem. He knows the two giant exotic species are swimming and breeding freely in many Tennessee reservoirs. He knows where they came from. He knows they could eventually make trouble for many native game fish species. Frankly, he doesn't know what he or anyone else can do about it.   "The way these fish have taken hold is really incredible," Broadbent said. "In places like the Mississippi River, their numbers have just exploded -- and with so many fish in an area so large, I'm not sure there is anything that can be done to control them."

 

Silver and bighead carp are Asian species that were imported into the United States and raised in American hatcheries for sale to pond owners with aquatic weed problems. Since the mid-1980s, the fish have escaped hatchery ponds during floods and are now becoming a nuisance across the country.

 

Broadbent said the fish can be found throughout the Mississippi River system and in many parts of the Tennessee River, including the popular fisheries of Kentucky and Barkley lakes. They are also abundant in Reelfoot Lake.

 

Both species grow to weights of 50 pounds or more and reproduce with remarkable speed. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the fish were first found in the Missouri River during the 1990s. Despite that recent introduction, they may already be the most abundant large fish on the lower portion of that river.

 

Because the fish feed on plankton, many fisheries biologists believe they will eventually have a negative impact on game fish species like bass, crappie and bluegill -- all of which feed on plankton at some point during their development. Because of their sheer size and numbers, the carp species also

destroy shallow-water habitat and have been known to consume the larvae of game fish species.

 

Besides causing problems for other fish, the carp can create true dangers for humans. Silver carp are capable of jumping 6 to 8 feet out of the water. They have been known to jump into moving boats, sometimes causing injuries and even structural damage to the boats. There are also documented cases of silver carp knocking riders off personal watercraft and causing skiers to fall.

 

Duane Chapman of the U.S. Geological Survey said the impact of a silver carp is like being hit with a bowling ball. The U.S. Geological Survey is currently studying several methods for controlling carp populations and keeping certain areas free of the fish. They're experimenting with pheromones that attract the carp and make them easier to net. They are also working with chemicals and electrical currents that repel the carp.

 

"It's certainly conceivable that a fisherman catch a net full of juvenile carp below a dam on the Tennessee River and mistake them for shad," Fiss said. "Then they leave and go to another lake, thinking they've got a bucket full of bait when they're really transporting an exotic species.   "They're probably in our free-flowing rivers to stay. But there's no reason why they should end up in other tributaries across the state."

 

Regional Distribution

  ● Silver and bighead carp can be found in the following areas:

  ● The length of the Mississippi River, including all portions that flow through Tenn, Mississippi, Ark, Ill, Wis and Min.

  ● The Hatchie River in Tennessee.

  ● The Tennessee River near Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.

  ● The Arkansas River just upstream of Pine Bluff, Ark., and on the southern portion of the river between Dam No. 2 and the Mississippi River.

  ● Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee.

 


 

Lake Ontario

Rainbow smelt making Lake Ontario comeback

7/18/2005   Lake Ontario's rainbow smelt population, which was near collapse three years ago, is on the rebound, say scientists who have been studying the lake's ecosystem.  The proliferation of zebra mussel beds on the bottom of the lake, however, continues to hinder efforts to assess data.

 

In a technical review released late last month by New York Sea Grant, government agencies studying the freshwater

ecosystem in Lake Ontario received good marks, said David B. MacNeill, the program's fisheries specialist. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and the state Department of Environmental Conservation test the water and measure the fish populations in two research boats three times a year.

 

The data is obtained through hydroacoustic sampling - sonar devices towed behind the boats - which uses sound waves to measure fish populations without disturbing the sealife.


Illinois

DNR Announces Reservation System for 2005 Controlled Pheasant Hunting Permits

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - Permit reservations for controlled pheasant hunting at nine Illinois DNR sites are available through an internet-based reservation system again this year.  The nine sites are the Green River State Wildlife Area in Lee County, the Des Plaines Conservation Area in Will County, Kankakee River State Park in Kankakee County, the Iroquois County State Wildlife Area, Moraine View State Recreation Area in McLean County, Sand Ridge State Forest in Mason County, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area in Cass County, Eldon Hazlet State Park in Clinton County, and Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park in Jefferson and Franklin Counties.

 

The controlled pheasant hunting website, developed by the IDNR and LRS Webservices of Springfield www.LRSIDNRPermits.com, is available to view application instructions, controlled pheasant hunting sites, season dates and regulations and to submit permit reservations.

 

Three two-week random drawing periods for permit reservations are scheduled.  The first drawing period open from 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 through midnight on Aug. 14 will be available to Illinois residents only.   The second drawing from

12:01 a.m. on Aug. 15 through midnight on Aug. 28 will be available to Illinois residents not entered in the first drawing, Illinois residents who are unsuccessful in the first drawing, and to non-residents.  The third drawing from 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 29 through midnight on Sept. 11 will be available to residents and non-residents who want a second permit.

 

Hunters are required to pay for permits in advance through the secure Internet registration system, using a credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa).  DNR Controlled pheasant hunting permits are $15.  A prorated transaction fee of from $2.25 to $3.75 dependent on the number of reservations requested will be assessed for each successful transaction.  Credit cards will be billed for hunters successful in the drawings. There continue to be no fees for the Illinois Youth Pheasant Hunt.  Dates for the youth pheasant hunt vary by location and more information is available on the controlled pheasant hunting web site.

 

Interested hunters without computers are encouraged to gain access to the controlled pheasant hunting reservation system by checking with extended family or friends or by using a computer at their local public library.  Completing a permit reservation on the internet should take less than five minutes.


Indiana

Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery renovation

Hatchery repair will ensure long-term strength of trout and salmon program

The Indiana DNR will begin rehabilitating Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery near Walkerton in fall 2005. Mixsawbah SFH is one of two state hatcheries producing Chinook and Coho salmon, along with two strains of steelhead trout, for stocking into Lake Michigan and Lake Michigan tributaries.

 

DNR will begin hatchery reinvestment at Mixsawbah SFH. A recent DNR Hatchery Facility Needs Assessment identified Mixsawbah's piping problems as the number-one infrastructure concern in the state's hatchery system.

 

Hatchery manager Tom Schwartz says repairs will shut down the hatchery for about a year. "When Mixsawbah was constructed 30 years ago, welded steel piping was used for the hatchery's water supply system," said Schwartz. "Much of the steel piping has corroded. It's just a matter of time before a serious failure occurs. Temporary repairs have kept production going so far.

 

"Controlling the shutdown minimizes the impact to trout and salmon anglers and avoids catastrophic production losses that would occur if the water supply failed while fish were in the hatchery,"  Schwartz also says next year might be as good a time as any to stock fewer fish due to growing concerns about a dip in the Lake Michigan forage fish community.

 

DNR plans to minimize the loss of fish production at the hatchery by releasing more but younger trout from Bodine State Fish Hatchery in Mishawaka. Bodine SFH is Indiana's second Lake Michigan trout and salmon hatchery. DNR is also negotiating fish trades with neighboring states to help minimize production losses.

 

State fisheries biologists predict a 60 percent reduction in Coho salmon stocked into Indiana tributaries of Lake

Michigan during 2006. Lake Michigan anglers will notice these Coho stocking adjustment effects in spring 2008. The adjustments should impact Coho tributary fishing during 2008 and 2009.

 

Chinook salmon stocking impacts are expected to be minimal due to planned fish trades, a long-standing fish stocking practice in which states assist one another when fish shortages or surpluses occur.

 

The hatchery shutdown will also temporarily stop spring stocking of Skamania steelhead trout in 2006 and 2007. Spring-stocked Mixsawbah Skamania steelhead take 14 months to raise.

 

The DNR will offset Mixsawbah's steelhead by stocking younger steelhead raised at Bodine SFH. Bodine SFH will raise Mixsawbah SFH's 180,000 Skamania steelhead to a size of 4-or-more inches and stock them in September. Any impact to the Lake Michigan stream Skamania fishery will occur during the third summer following stocking of smaller Skamania trout. Bodine SFH will also raise Mixsawbah's 120,000 winter-run trout assignment to a size of 2.5-or-more inches and stock in September.

 

Indiana's Lake Michigan brown trout stocking will not be affected by the shutdown. Indiana trades fish with Illinois to obtain brown trout.

 

"Our reinvestment in Mixsawbah far outweighs the short-term impacts to the fishery that anglers may see," said Lake Michigan Fisheries Biologist Brian Breidert. "Fortunately, the trout and salmon adult fish harvest is made up of fish between 2 and 5 years old, resulting in generation overlaps during spawning migrations. Careful planning will allow Mixsawbah hatchery to be up and running in time to receive salmon eggs in the fall of 2006."


Go FishIN workshop August 27

The Indian DNR Go FishIN education program is offering a free workshop on August 27 at Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation in Carmel. The workshop runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go FishIN workshops are for Hoosiers interested in using sport fishing to teach youngsters about resource conservation.

 

"Go FishIN teaches beginner anglers all they need to know to take kids fishing," said Go FishIN coordinator Amanda Wuestefeld. "And expert anglers will learn activities that teach kids aquatic ecology, fish biology, and outdoor ethics."

The program offers textbooks, loaner educational equipment and fishing equipment for volunteers to use in their community. Go FishIN fits easily into elementary, middle and high school classes, including biology, chemistry, math, language arts and social studies. Workshops are offered at various Indiana locations throughout the year. Class sizes are limited and reservations are required.

 

For info, reservations and dates, call  317-562-1338 or: http://www.in.gov/dnr/nrec/


Michigan

DNR Completes Repairs to Presque Isle Dam

Michigan DNR wildlife officials announced reconstruction of the Presque Isle Dam south of Marenisco in Gogebic County has been completed, reestablishing the 800-acre Presque Isle wildlife impoundment.

 

"The impoundment has long been cherished by local residents for wildlife viewing, trapping, fishing and other recreational activities, such as canoeing and kayaking," said Robert Doepker, western Upper Peninsula wildlife management supervisor.

 

The Presque Isle Dam suffered significant damage during

spring floods in 2002 and it took the cooperative efforts of private citizens and several organizations, working in partnership with federal, state and local governmental agencies, to secure the funding needed to repair the dam.

 

A small grant for funding the dam repairs was obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). But even with the FEMA grant, Doepker said the state still lacked the total funds to cover engineering and construction costs. The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and Ducks Unlimited both stepped in to provide the additional funding needed to complete the project.


Ruling opens access to private beaches

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- People can stroll along Michigan's 3,200 miles of Great Lakes beaches whether lakefront property owners like it or not, the state Supreme Court ruled. The court on July 29 unanimously sided with Joan Glass, who sued her neighbors over access to the Lake Huron waterfront. The neighbors said she was trespassing.

 

The justices disagreed over the appropriate boundary of the public area, but a five-member majority held that the public can wander anywhere between the water's edge and the ordinary high water mark. About 70% of Michigan's shoreline along the three lakes is privately owned, said the Surfrider Foundation.

 

A Court of Appeals panel determined last year that walking in

the water is the only way to avoid trespassing. The Michigan Court of Appeals had ruled that the state owns the land below the high water mark, but owners of shoreline property had the right to exclude people from using it. In part, the clash was triggered by a sharp decline in Great Lakes water levels in the late 1990s. The drop-off exposed wide areas of previously submerged bottomlands, raising the question of who owned them. Over the years, courts have dealt with the issue, but disagreement persisted.

 

Generally, land below the high water mark belongs to the state and is open to everyone under the public trust doctrine, a position supported by several groups including the Land Use Institute.

 


Fourth Annual Great Lakes Bat Festival Aug 12-13

Iron Mountain is going batty again this summer with the fourth annual Great Lakes Bat Festival Aug. 12-13.  The Michigan DNR, in cooperation with other groups, and the city of Iron Mountain are sponsoring the festival.  The two-day festival will take place at various locations in and around Iron Mountain, and there is no cost to attend most activities.

 

The bat festival is a must-see when coming to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The festival features bat experts from around the Great Lakes region including Dr. Allen Kurta from Eastern Michigan University, author of "The Mammals of the Great Lakes Region." Live bats from around the world will be shown during a variety of programs presented by the Organization for Bat Conservation, including vampire bats, common Great Lakes bats, and several species of large flying fox fruit bats from Africa. A Michigan United Conservation Clubs staff biologist will be on hand with live species of Michigan's native wildlife.

 

On Friday, Aug. 12, interpretive underground iron mine tours will be available from 7 to 9 p.m. CST at the Iron Mine in Vulcan, seven miles east of Iron Mountain on US-2.

Interpreters will showcase the historical role of mining in the development of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the habitat that mines provide for bats. No registration is necessary. The tour is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a $6 fee for admission.

 

On Saturday, Aug. 13, free public programs will run continually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST at Pine Mountain Resort in Iron Mountain. Programs will include live bats and other Michigan wildlife, a look at how abandoned U. P. mines provide critical habitat for bats, building your own backyard bat house, friendly ways to deal with nuisance bats, managing your land for wildlife and bats, bat research efforts, kids' activities, a bat store with lots of fun stuff to take home and more.

 

Join researchers and biologists Saturday evening for a free outdoor program at the Millie Hill Mine bat viewing site in Iron Mountain. This outdoor program starts at 7 p.m. CST and promises to be great family fun. Experts will set up special nets to capture dozens of bats as they emerge. The mine is home to thousands of bats that use the underground haven to sleep through the winter. The public will get a chance to see up close this incredible winged nightlife.


DNR Exhibit Brings Great Outdoors to U.P. State Fair Aug. 16-21

Upper Peninsula fair-goers will be treated to a sampling of Michigan's natural wonders and recreational adventures at the DNR Pocket Park open Aug. 16-21 at the 2005 U.P. State Fair in Escanaba.

 

The one-acre Pocket Park, developed, designed and built by DNR staff, features interactive displays, daily seminars, demonstrations and hands-on activities for all ages, to allow fair visitors to sample and learn about hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities.

 

The Pocket Park, located just inside the main gate of the fairgrounds features a pond stocked with about 6,000 hybrid bluegills for catch and release fishing, pellet gun and archery

ranges, an authentic fire tower suspended 12 feet off the ground and accessible by ramp or steps, a U.P. minerals display and extensive native plant landscaping.

 

 

In addition, more than 20 outdoor-related presentations, including live birds of prey and reptiles, outdoor cooking and camping, tree stand safety clinics, Safari Club International's Sensory Safari, activities for children, and much, much more are scheduled throughout the week of the fair.

 

There is no fee to participate in any of the activities in the Pocket Park. Fair visitors are encouraged to come to the Pocket Park, catch a fish, shoot bow and arrow, or pellet guns, see and touch the live animals and enjoy this beautiful oasis at the U.P. State Fair.


DNR Invites Public Comment on Walloon Lake launch site Aug 31

The Michigan DNR announced a public information meeting to review a concept plan for a boating access site on the southwest side of Walloon Lake.

 

The public is invited to express thoughts and concerns at the

meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the Boyne City Public Library. DNR Parks and Recreation officials will be on hand to answer questions and take comments.  The proposed site for the launch is located on an approximately 220-acre site owned by the DNR since 1943.

 


Minnesota

DNR and Step Outside outdoor education program runs August 6-14

Minnesota Step Outside week began Saturday, Aug. 6, with fishing clinics, a fish hatchery tour and other traditional outdoor activities. The events will continue through Sunday, Aug. 14.

 

Step Outside, a national outdoor education program, is working with the Minnesota DNR to promote traditional outdoor activities like target shooting, archery, hunting and fishing.

 

"This is a great family opportunity," said Jenifer Matthees, the DNR's Minnesota Aquatic Education coordinator. "These

events are designed to connect kids and families to the outdoors. It's a great time to meet new people, learn new skills and enjoy the summer."

 

Check the Step Outside online events calendar for details on these events:

 - Aug. 6 - Festival of Fish at Fort Snelling State Park

 - Aug. 6 - fishing clinic at Itasca State Park

 - Aug. 12 - fish hatchery tour at Sibley State Park

 - Aug. 13 - outdoor sports at Three Rivers Park.

 

Additional events may be added throughout the week. For the latest schedule, visit www.stepoutside.org


Industry, five states to study walleye survival at tournaments

Walleye caught at Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tournaments this summer will not only thrill anglers, they'll help researchers study survival rates at catch-and-release tournaments.

 

FLW Outdoors, a major corporate tournament sponsor, will join the Minnesota DNR and four Midwest states in the two-year study, which aims to minimize the effect of tournaments on walleye populations. "Walleye angling has changed since we last looked at tournament survival," said Jack Wingate, DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife research manager. "This is an excellent example of tournament sponsors working with natural resource professionals for the good of the resource."

 

The $253,000 study, set to begin this summer, will be implemented by the U of Minnesota and Mississippi State U.

Other states involved are Iowa, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Walleye will be studied at 12 Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League Tournaments in the cooperating states. Tournaments will be held in accordance with existing state laws.

 

The effects of tournaments on walleye populations will be analyzed through computer models using data collected from the 12 live release tournaments. A survey and focus group meetings of anglers, biologists and the industry will be used to determine socially acceptable levels of survival in tournament-caught walleye.

 

"Through this important cooperative venture, we hope to improve the walleye resource for everyone," said Wingate. "The results of this study will help determine how future tournaments are permitted."  A final study report is expected in December 2007.


Cooperative enforcement effort uncovers license fraud

A Canadian resident recently pleaded guilty to defrauding the Minnesota DNR and will be required to pay more than $800 in fines. He will also lose hunting and fishing privileges in Minnesota for one year.

           

Ernest "Danny" Lee Calvert, 48, of Fort Frances, Ontario, was found to have obtained Minnesota hunting and angling licenses using false information. The recent conviction resulted from an investigation started in 2003 when Minnesota Conservation Officer (CO) Lloyd Steen of Ray received a call from Ontario CO Mike Veniot, who believed Calvert was actually a Minnesotan trying to obtain a Canadian resident hunting/fishing license. Steen said Calvert had a cabin on Rainy Lake and had previously lived in International Falls for years.

 

Veniot had placed a stop order on issuing a new Ontario hunting/fishing license until Calvert could prove residency. During an interview, Calvert said he was an Ontario resident who had been living in Fort Frances for several years. Calvert also had an Ontario driver's license, a Canadian insurance card, dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship and an Ontario hunting/fishing license from 2002.

A further check found Calvert had also purchased a Canadian angling and hunting license in 2001, owned a pickup truck licensed in Ontario and jointly owned a house in Fort Frances. Calvert was issued a new license for 2003. A residency check indicated Calvert moved from the United States to Canada in 1997 and lived in Fort Frances since 1999.

 

The break in the case came when Minnesota DNR records showed Calvert had purchased resident hunting and angling licenses in 2000-2002 and should have paid an additional $374 in nonresident fees.

           

"This investigation shows that Calvert clearly attempted to cheat the state of Minnesota out of five nonresident license fees in three separate years by illegally claiming he was a Minnesota resident," Steen said. "This case could not have been made without the cooperation of the Ontario officers."

 

"This is not the big overlimit cases you often read about," Veniot said, "but it sends an important message to violators who think that since we are two separate countries, that they can get away with a natural resources crime. Nothing could be further from the truth."

 


Application deadline for Camp Ripley archery hunts Aug. 19

Hunters interested in the 2005 regular archery deer hunts at Camp Ripley near Little Falls are reminded that the Aug. 19 application deadline is fast approaching. The Minnesota DNR began accepting applications for the hunts on July 1.

 

This year's hunts are scheduled for Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 29-30. Hunters can only choose one of these time periods on their application. This year, participants will be allowed to use bonus permits and take up to two deer during their hunt. So far slightly more than 1,000 hunters have applied for the 4,500 available permits (2,250 per two-day hunt).

 

Hunters may choose from four options to apply for the Camp Ripley deer hunts: through the DNR's computerized Electronic Licensing System (ELS) at any one of 1,800 ELS agents located throughout Minnesota, by telephone at 1-888-665-4236, at the DNR License Center in St. Paul or through the DNR's Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/index.html. The application fee for the hunt is $8 per applicant. Those who apply by phone or Internet will be charged an additional convenience fee of $3.50 per transaction. Mail-in application forms will not be accepted.

 

To apply, resident and non-resident hunters will need one of the following: a valid state driver's license or state issued

identification card with current address, a firearms safety certificate number or a MDNR number found on a recent Minnesota fishing and hunting license. It is important that the identification card used reflects the current mailing address; this is where your winning notification will be sent if you are successful in the computer preference drawing. Applicants must be at least 12 years old prior to Oct. 20. In addition, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1980 must have a firearms safety certificate, a previous hunting license or other evidence of successfully completing a hunter safety course to obtain a license to hunt or trap in Minnesota.

 

Hunters will be asked a series of questions when applying for the permit. It is best to prepare for these questions by completing a worksheet prior to making an application. Hunt Application Worksheets are available on the DNR's website, from the DNR License Bureau, or from an ELS agent. Hunters may apply as individuals or as a group of up to four individuals. When applying as a group, all valid group members will receive a permit. All group members [maximum of four (4) people] must apply for the same Camp Ripley hunt time period.

 

The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR coordinates the hunt with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.


Pesticide suspected to be cause of Clear Lake fish kill

Results of an investigation by the Minnesota Dept of Agriculture officials into a fish kill in Clear Lake at Waseca have determined that a pesticide used to kill mosquitoes, which is highly toxic to fish, was present in water samples taken following the incident.  An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 adult black crappies died suddenly in late June.

 

"Permethrin, a pesticide used to kill mosquitoes, was detected in two of three water samples taken from Clear Lake," according to John Peckham, supervisor of the MDA agricultural chemical investigation unit. Permethrin was applied to a substantial part of the urban Clear Lake watershed on June 19 and June 20, approximately two days before the fish kill was first reported.

 

A significant rainfall event that occurred approximately 12 hours after the permethrin application took place is suspected of causing the pesticide to wash into Clear Lake.

"The next step," Peckham said, "is for the MDA to review its investigation and the DNR's investigation and make a final determination as to whether any state or federal pesticide laws were violated. It is unclear at this point whether it can be documented that there is a direct cause-and-effect link between a violation of state or federal pesticide law, the mosquito control application and the black crappie kill in Clear Lake."

 

Hugh Valiant, Waterville area fisheries supervisor, said "Even after losing large numbers of adult black crappies, our fish population assessment done during the week of July 18 sampled black crappies, along with other fish species of high recreational value. Prospects for angling in Clear Lake remain good."

           

The spraying was done by Professional Mosquito Control of Clearwater.


New York

USGS Confirms Snakeheads in NYC Lake

Invasive fish species threatens native fauna

U.S. Geological Survey fisheries biologists have confirmed the presence of the voracious non-native northern snakehead fish in Meadow Lake in Queens, NY. Five specimens have been collected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation from the lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park since early July. In the last 5 years, these adept predatory fish have been found in rivers and ponds in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, threatening the well-being of native aquatic species.

 

The northern snakehead is an air-breathing, freshwater fish native to waters ranging from southern Siberia to south-central China. This species is highly valued as a food fish in its native range, and was exported to the United States for live sale in some markets and restaurants before October 2002.

 

Juvenile and adult snakeheads feed almost exclusively on other fishes (90-95% of their diet). Northern snakeheads also 

protect their young through the post-larval stage, which further encourages the establishment of a feral snakehead population. Fisheries biologists consider the snakehead an invasive species because of the threat they pose to native species and aquatic ecosystems.

 

At present, researchers have not determined if the Meadow Lake population is established as a reproducing population. According to USGS fisheries biologist Walter Courtenay, however, the range in length of the collected specimens from 15 to 28 inches suggests the presence of two distinct year age groups of snakeheads in Meadow Lake.

 

A comprehensive snakehead fish study, including a biological synopsis, risk assessment, and accounts for each species, was conducted from September 2001 to September 2002 by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The entire report can be accessed online by visiting the USGS Web site at http://fisc.er.usgs.gov/Snakehead_circ_1251/index.html


Ohio

'Kids Fishing Camp August 14-16 and 18-20

Pete Scheid of Capt. Hook Fishing Charters is hosting an educational fishing camp and a place to get kids and their dads a chance to get away and spend some quality time learning to fish. Fees are $89.00 for 2 nights lodging.  All other expenses for kids are sponsored by various donors, including 2 days fishing and seminars.

 

This is a first annual event that has great possibilities.  This will be a sponsored event so it will cost the kids NOTHING to attend. The obvious rationale is to get the kids involved in 'big water' fishing on Lake Erie. They must be accompanied by a parent (or adult).

 

The itinerary looks like this:

  ● Meet up at The Pond, our resort community, 6 PM Sunday night,

  ● Have bon fire and eat dinner,

  ● Meet people, and talk fishing stories,  

  ● Monday morning breakfast, lure making, casting practice, and boat ride in a 25 acre lake to get you ready for the �big lake�  

  ● Monday afternoon hit the big lake for a fun filled afternoon of fishing for the big ones!

  ● Monday evening learn to clean your catch, and of course eat your catch  

  ● Tuesday, use what you have learned to compete in a tournament on our 25 acre lake, where there will be many donated prizes valuing from $100-$500

  ● Tuesday night, head back home with memories that will last a lifetime

 

The dates for our event are August 14-16 and August 18-20.

For more info go to: www.capthook.com  or email [email protected]  or call 1-800-453-8403

 


Pennsylvania

Commissioners Elect New Officers

Commissioners Richard Czop and Howard �Gary� Pflugfelder, Jr. were elected President and Vice President, respectively, of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) at the board�s July 19 meeting.

 

Commission President Czop was appointed to the board on June 28, 2002 from the Eighth District of Pennsylvania. His district includes Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties. Czop, who has been a fishing and boating enthusiast for most of his life, has previously served on the Boating Advisory Board of the Fish and Boat Commission. He also served on the Upper Providence Township Planning Commission for 16 years. Czop is chairman of the Board of Directors for Czop/Specter Inc., an engineering and land-

surveying firm.

 

Commissioner Vice President Pflugfelder has served on the Commission since 1990.  Pflugfelder is from the Sixth Commissioner District, comprised of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. Over the years, Pflugfelder has devoted himself to many aquatic-related organizations including the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Harrisburg River Rescue, Inc., Keystone Aquatic Club and the International Marina Institute.  He also served as Director for the Pennsylvania Marine Trade Association and was owner and president of the Harrisburg Seaplane Base, Inc. for twenty-three years. 

        

The newly-elected officers will serve a one-year term.


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