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Week of January 16, 2006 |
New law requires wildlife agency to keep hunting, fishing fees
Boat Owners can easily renew watercraft registrations online
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National
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Bass Pro Shops coming to Massachusetts Premier Outdoor Retailer to Open Their First New England Store Foxborough, MA -Known as the home of the 3-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, Foxborough, Massachusetts will also soon be known as the home of America�s most popular outdoor store, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.
Bass Pro Shops announced they will build one of their superstores with an 8,000 � 10,000 sq ft restaurant that will be located adjacent to Gillette Stadium at 1 Patriot Place in Foxborough. This highly visible and accessible location near Gillette Stadium will enable BPS to better serve all outdoor enthusiasts that visit and live in this beautiful area of the country.
Laser arcades, climbing walls, archery ranges, fine gun rooms, NASCAR shops and more add to the family |
entertainment. The store will also include an expansive boat showroom featuring a complete selection of Tracker, Nitro and Tahoe boats built by Tracker Marine Group - the world�s largest manufacturer of fishing boats.
Outdoor education is also a key component to Bass Pro Shops strong commitment to our natural resources and the sportsmen and sportswomen who enjoy them. Weekly free outdoor skills workshops are offered at all stores for kids, women, novice adults and families. It is also not unusual to see Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, school and church groups, and others on field trips to Bass Pro Shops stores to learn about the great outdoors in the comfort of the great indoors of Bass Pro Shops.
Known for their great customer service, Bass Pro Shops is expected to hire approximately 300 outdoor enthusiasts from the area. Employment information is available in the career opportunity�s section of www.basspro.com . |
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Ted Kennedy's Hypocrisy: His Club Discriminated Breaking news from NewsMax.com When Ted Kennedy tried to chastise Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito for his one-time membership in a group opposed to admitting more women and minorities to Princeton, the pot was calling the kettle black.
Sen. Kennedy still belongs to a social club for Harvard students and alumni that was thrown off campus nearly 20 years ago after refusing to allow female members, an investigation by the Washington Times reveals.
According to the membership directory of the Owl Club, Kennedy updated his personal information as recently as September 7. Ironically, the Owl Club, long reviled at Harvard as "sexist," was evicted from the campus in 1984 for violating federal anti-discrimination laws authored by Kennedy. But according to the Times, Harvard views organizations such as the Owl Club quite differently from fraternities and sororities, which are considered a form of housing and therefore are not coeducational.
Kennedy's hypocritical attack on Alito over his membership in |
CAP would come as no surprise to readers of the blockbuster new book "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy" by bestselling author Peter Schweizer.
In his book Schweizer discloses that while Kennedy has fought for the estate tax and spoken out against tax shelters, he has repeatedly benefited from an intricate web of trusts and private foundations that have shielded most of his family's fortune from the IRS. One Kennedy family trust wasn't even set up in the U.S., but in Fiji.
Schweizer also reveals that while Kennedy has championed the development of alternate energy sources, he opposed a plan to build a wind-power generating facility to provide clean, cheap power to Cape Cod. The reason: The wind turbines would be positioned off the coast from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis, in one of the family's favorite yachting and sailing areas.
Schweizer's "Do As I Say" has been touted as a must-read by Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and many others.
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Snakehead found in Tennessee lake MEMPHIS, Tenn. --A Snakehead has been found in a Memphis lake, the first of its kind to turn up in the wild in Tennessee. A 17-inch snakehead found dead last month in a small lake in Shelby Forest State Park has wildlife agents worried that others of its kind might be lurking nearby.
At first, authorities thought the snakehead might be a goldfish, Oscar fish or other breed often kept by aquarium owners. But biologists at the University of Memphis said no such luck. Now, wildlife agents are preparing their electronic gear and other equipment for a fish count in Poplar Tree Lake. If other snakeheads are found, the 125-acre lake popular with pole-and-bobber anglers, canoeists and picnickers may have to be drained. |
State wildlife management rules list the snakehead as "injurious to the environment," and they are illegal in Tennessee. It is also illegal to release any fish in Tennessee waters that is not native to the state.
In Maryland in 2002, snakeheads were found breeding in a private pond. Authorities poisoned that pond and two others and found more than 1,000 juvenile snakeheads and six adults. The fish were traced to a Maryland man who discarded two fish after buying them live in a New York market.
Snakeheads also have been found in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania and California.
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Regional
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Chicago Waterway Barrier update The Chicago Waterway Electronic Dispersal Barrier Committee met on January 4, 2006. Chicago Army Corps Commander Col. Johnson gave the opening comments with a comprehensive status report on the barrier II construction and an update on Asian carp movement, activity and abundance in the Waterway system.
Construction of Phase A of Barrier II is scheduled for completion in mid-January and the safety/start-up testing phase will follow in late January. Completion of Phase B of Barrier II will soon follow and that Barrier I will continue to operate until both phases of Barrier II are tested and online. Johnson said it is anticipated both phases of Barrier II will be completed, tested and online by June. At that time Barrier I will be turned off.
Funding for the operation of Barriers I and II continue to remain elusive. Full construction costs are funded and the money has been turned over to the Corps of Engineers. The bad news is the Feds have only funded the operation of the |
electric barrier thru May 2006, and so Barrier I will be turned off when Barrier II is fully operational. The good news is the state of Illinois is on the bubble for funding the continued operation of the barrier, and through their contractual obligation, will assume responsibility for funding after federal $$ dry up.
Fortunately, the committee has four or five sources to go to and have requested funding from them for the following: 1. Long-term operation of Barrier II 2. Upgrading of Barrier I to a permanent status 3. Long-term operation of Barrier I to establish �redundancy� � this is, an enhanced effort to prevent movement of invasive species into the Great Lakes, or south to the Mississippi River system.
This funding is still not assured but 40 Great Lakes congressional leaders (Senators and Representatives) have gone on record thru a joint letter signed December 16, 2005 requesting this redundancy.
More details will be posted in our January newsletter. |
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Sea Grant Awarded $2.5 Million to Support Great Lakes and Ocean Sciences Education Science education in the Great Lakes region received a significant boost with the announcement of a $2.5 million grant for a regional Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) project.
Grade-school students, teachers, and citizens will have new opportunities to explore the Great Lakes and their connection to the world's oceans. Great Lakes scientists will also have chances to meet educators and the public through this project.
The National Science Foundation and NOAA-National Sea |
Grant announced funding support last week for COSEE Great Lakes, the eighth center in a nationwide network. Funds will be divided among seven regional Sea Grant programs to support a suite of educational opportunities united under the COSEE framework.
A primary objective is to improve communication between researchers and 4-10th grade teachers and students and enhance teacher capabilities for delivering Great Lakes and ocean science education. Over the five-year program, more than 2,000 teachers and 350 researchers throughout the region are expected to take part in COSEE Great Lakes activities and help educate new audiences. |
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Great Lakes Water Levels for January 13, 2006 Lake Level Conditions: All of the Great Lakes are 4 to 13 inches below the levels of a year ago. Lake Superior is expected to fall 3 inches over the next month. Lake Michigan-Huron is below chart datum and should decline 1 inch over the next 30 days. Lake St. Clair is expected to be at the same level a month from now. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are expected to be an inch lower in 30 days. Levels over the next few months on all the Great Lakes are expected to remain lower than 2005.
Current Outflows/Channel Conditions: The Lake Superior outflow through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron is projected to be near average during the month of January. Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are anticipated to be below average during January. Niagara River and St. Lawrence River flows are projected to be near average in January.
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. Ice information can be found at the National Ice Center web page. |
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Study funded to separate Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins Some $125,000 in funding from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the IJC, had been allocated to study the feasibility of permanently separating the two watersheds.
GLFC Communications Director Marc Gaden says: "Congress allocated over $2 million for a comprehensive study but the money has never been appropriated so we are helping fund the study to get some data on the feasibility of ecologically separating the two watersheds." |
The invasion of invasive species is costing the Great Lakes region over $1 billion a year in damage and control costs and there is a need for this study. Chicago Waterway Panel members are in general agreement on the need for this study, but recognize the separation would cost in the tens of billions and probably require congressional approval. Despite the logistics, the idea is gaining in popularity.
In 2002, hydrologic separation was the No. 1 recommendation of nearly 70 scientists, engineers, invasive species experts, and top conservationists attending the Mayor Daley's Aquatic Invasive Species Summit. |
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Lake Michigan
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LAKE MICHIGAN FISHING SEMINARS
BEGINNING & ADVANCED LEADCORE FISHING |
MONO, BRAIDED, and WIRE LINE DIPSEY FISHING
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Illinois
Sampling finds new evidence of CWDNew cases found in Northern IllinoisSPRINGFIELD, IL. � Sixteen additional cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been detected in northern Illinois through sampling of hunter-harvested deer during the state�s 2005-06 deer seasons. The new cases include two deer taken by hunters in Ogle County, the first time CWD has been detected there.
The disease had been confined in northern Illinois in Boone, Winnebago, McHenry and northern DeKalb until the two new cases were detected in nearby Ogle County this winter. |
Illinois biologists have collected samples from more than 2,500 deer in seven northern Illinois counties so far during the 2005-06 firearm and archery deer seasons and from suspect animals reported to the IDNR.
Confirmed CWD cases by countyBoone-53 Winnebago-42 McHenry-9 Dekalb-6 Ogle-2 |
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Anti's Seek to End Hunting on Refuge Anti-hunters are pressuring federal officials to ban hunting and trapping on an Illinois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
The Animal Protection Institute (API), a national anti-hunting group, is urging its supporters to demand that refuge officials prohibit hunting and trapping on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge near Marion, Illinois. The antis� action is in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service�s Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) to guide refuge management. Proposed in Sept. 2005, it recognizes hunting and trapping as �compatible� with the purposes and goals of the refuge and recommends that the activities continue.
The API initiated a similar letter writing campaign in 2005, |
demanding that refuge officials change long-term use plans for 39 North Dakota refuges and ban hunting, fishing and trapping. Animal rights groups have also tried to ban hunting, fishing and trapping on refuges via the courts.
In 2003, the Fund for Animals filed a lawsuit challenging the USFWS�s decision to open hunting on 39 refuges since 1997. U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina granted a motion by the Dept. of Justice, U.S. Sportsmen�s Legal Defense Fund, Safari Club International and others for a partial dismissal of the suit in September.
Public comment on the Crab Orchard NWR plan will be accepted until Jan. 17, 2006. |
Michigan
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Granholm Reappoints Charters to NRC LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has announced that Keith Charters has been reappointed to the Natural Resources Commission. Charters of Traverse City, is the owner of Charters' Consulting and chairperson of the Natural Resources Commission. Mr. Charters is reappointed to represent Republicans for a term expiring December 31, 2009. |
The Natural Resources Commission establishes general policies for the Department of Natural Resources and hires the department's director. The commission also has exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game. This reappointment is subject to Article V, Section 6 of the Michigan State Constitution of 1963. It stands confirmed unless disapproved by the Senate within 60 days. |
Minnesota
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Minnesota State Forests certified as sustainable State boasts largest certified forest land in America St. Paul - Governor Tim Pawlenty announced that Minnesota's state forest lands have achieved an economic and environmental milestone through certification as sustainable forests. This accomplishment follows through on a commitment made early in the Governor's term to achieve sustainable status on all state forest land. Today's certifications make Minnesota the largest certified forest land base in America.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently manages over 4.8 million acres of state forest lands for multiple uses, including recreation and timber production. Certification as a sustainable forest involves a rigorous on-the-ground review by independent third party auditors of all aspects of the forest management practices used by the DNR. Examples of the practices include reforestation, harvesting methods, maintaining water quality, and managing for a wide variety of wildlife and plant species. Once the standards for long-term sustainability are met, certification can be awarded.
In 2003 the Governor's Task Force on the Competitiveness of Minnesota's Forest-Based Industries recommended the state |
seek certification of its lands as a way to insure that an adequate supply of certified wood fiber would be available to paper and wood products mills in Minnesota. Certification was seen as a key factor to improve the competitiveness of Minnesota's forest products industry.
The certifications were issued by the two leading independent forest certification organizations in North America, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). With this effort, Minnesota now becomes a leader in managed acreage according to the best conservation practices required for certification. As a result, forest products generated from these lands will enter the marketplace with a unique credential allowing conservation-minded consumers to select these products, and provide premium pricing to the producer.
In Minnesota, timber-related industries are estimated to employ over 30,000 workers, with total wages over $1.4 billion annually. Approximately 60% of forest land - 10 million acres - is owned and managed by county, state and federal governments, with the remaining 40% - 7 million acres - owned privately. |
Ohio
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New law requires wildlife agency to keep hunting, fishing fees COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gov. Bob Taft signed a bill last week requiring the state Division of Wildlife to keep fees it receives from hunters and anglers. The bill prohibits the Department of Natural Resources from taking fees for fishing and hunting licenses and using them to fund other non-wildlife programs. |
Supporters of the legislation say hunters and anglers have been promised in the past that the money wouldn't be used for other purposes. Hunting and fishing licenses each cost $19 for Ohio residents. There are also special permits for deer and turkey hunting. The bill becomes law in 90 days.
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Ohio records 12 boating related fatalities in '05 Number of fatalities is third lowest since 1960 COLUMBUS, OH - Twelve Ohioans died in boating related accidents during 2005, according to the Ohio DNR. The figure was the third lowest recorded in the state since 1960 and significantly below the 10-year seasonal average of 17 fatalities. A record low of seven boating-related fatalities occurred in 2004.
�None of these 12 victims was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident,� said Mike Quinn, acting chief of the ODNR Division of Watercraft. �Life jackets remain the most important safety equipment that Ohio�s recreational boaters have |
onboard.�
The 12 fatalities of 2005 resulted from 11 boating incidents, which occurred in Summit, Ottawa, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Clark, Jackson, Franklin, Muskingum, Fairfield and Mercer counties. The Mercer County incident claimed two lives. The fatalities were the result of overboard falls, boat capsizings or voluntary jumps into the water, reports showed.
All the victims were male, between 15 and 65 years of age. Eight of the 12 were 40 or older. Ohio registers about 418,000 watercraft; only seven states register more than that number. |
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Boat Owners can easily renew watercraft registrations online COLUMBUS, OH - Ohioans with watercraft registrations due to expire March 1 are urged to update their �paperwork� online through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) online registration renewal system at ohiodnr.com .
�It�s a fast and easy process that continues to provide added convenience for Ohio boaters and ensures they are ready for the upcoming boating season,� said Rick Barrera, manager of the Division of Watercraft�s registration and titling section.
Last year, a total of 5,890 watercraft registration renewals were completed through the online system, which can be accessed 24 hours each day through June 30.
Approximately 130,000 renewal notices are currently being |
mailed to watercraft owners with registrations due to expire March 1. Registrations are valid for a period of three years and fees remain unchanged from last year. Ohio has more than 414,000 registered watercraft and ranks eighth nationally in the number of watercraft registered.
Address changes for boat owners can also be made through the online system. Incorrect or outdated boat registration information must be corrected through a watercraft registration agent. Watercraft registrations that are being renewed or newly issued must also include a valid 12-character Hull Identification Number.
A listing of watercraft registration agents is available at www.ohiodnr.com and by calling the ODNR Division of Watercraft toll-free at 877-4BOATER (877-426-2837). |
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Ohio Seismic Network records 2.3 magnitude COLUMBUS, OH -An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 2.3 was recorded Friday, January 13 by Ohio�s Seismic Network at 10:32 a.m. in the Mentor-on-the-Lake area, east of Cleveland, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Initial data indicates the earthquake was centered beneath Lake Erie, about nine miles offshore. Another small earthquake was recorded in the same area a little more than one week ago. A magnitude 2.5 occurred on January 5 at 10:02 p.m. and was felt by lakeshore residents.
�These small earthquakes are important because they occur more frequently and help to identify the location of faults that may periodically produce larger, potentially damaging earthquakes,� said Michael Hansen, coordinator of the Ohio Seismic Network (OhioSeis). |
OhioSeis consists of 25 cooperative seismograph stations throughout Ohio located at colleges, universities and other institutions. The network is coordinated by the ODNR Division of Geological Survey. The networks� operations are managed from the Ohio Earthquake Information Center at the division�s facility at Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County. Each seismic station in the network continuously records ground motion for detection and location of local and regional earthquakes. All stations are connected to the Internet for real-time data access by researchers.
Ohio has felt more than 185 earthquakes since 1776, and 15 of them have caused noticeable damage. Ohio�s most seismically active regions are northeast Ohio along Lake Erie in Lake and Ashtabula counties, as well as western Ohio, including Shelby and Auglaize counties. Ohio�s largest earthquake on record occurred March 9, 1937 in Shelby County. The 5.4 magnitude event caused considerable damage to the Village of Anna. |
Pennsylvania
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At-Large Boating rep sought for PA Fish & Boat Commission HARRISBURG -- The Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation has announced it is looking for a qualified candidate to serve as the at-large boating commissioner on the board of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
�We are searching for a person experienced in boating and water safety education who is also a registered boat owner in Pennsylvania,� said Andy Talento, a member of the council�s fish and boat subcommittee. �Pennsylvania ranks 12th in the country in terms of registered boats, with more than 2.5 million people enjoying the activity on Pennsylvania waters.�
Of the 10 seats on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, two of them are charged with representing boating interests.
The at-large boating seat is presently filled by Commissioner |
Paul J. Mahon of Clarks Green, Lackawanna County, whose term expires next month.
Candidates will first interview with the fish and boat subcommittee of the advisory council and will be rated not only on responses, but also on past volunteer experience with water and boating safety, as well as water conservation and restoration. Governor Edward G. Rendell will select the final candidate. Upon Senate confirmation, the successful candidate will serve an eight-year term.
All commissioners serve without compensation, but do receive travel reimbursement.
Individuals interested in applying should send a resume and detailed cover letter to Robb Miller, Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., 7th Floor, P.O. Box 8767, Harrisburg, Pa. 17106-8767. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Feb. 3. |
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PFBC looking for BOD candidates HARRISBURG -- The Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation is looking for a qualified candidate to serve on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission�s District 6 board of directors, which is comprised of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties.
The qualified candidate will serve an eight-year term and replace Howard E. Pflugfelder of New Cumberland, Cumberland County, whose term expires next month.
Candidates will first interview with the fish and boat subcommittee of the advisory council and will be rated not only on responses, but also on both professional and volunteer |
experiences with fishing, boating, stream restoration and other conservation activities. Governor Rendell will select the final candidate. The Senate must confirm the Governor�s nominee.
All commissioners serve without compensation, but do receive travel reimbursement.
Anyone interested in applying should send a resume and detailed cover letter to Robb Miller, Governor�s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., 7th Floor, P.O. Box 8767, Harrisburg, Pa. 17106-8767. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Feb. 3. |
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Commission Commits $200,000 for Erie Property Acquisition Effort The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has committed $200,000 to a consortium working to acquire a 3.5-acre parcel of land that includes 450 feet of Lake Erie frontage.
By notational vote, PFBC Commissioners have unanimously agreed to support efforts led by Fairview Township, Erie County, to secure in public ownership property along Avonia Road. The property sits across from Trout Run, an important steelhead trout nursery water. The Commission has fish collection facilities on Trout Run that it uses to collect steelhead brood stock for management purposes. The location is also extremely popular for both fishing on the lake and for fish watching. Lack of parking and space for access improvements historically has been a significant limiting factor for the public�s use of the area.
If the purchase is secured by the Township, the |
Commission�s grant would be the first expenditure from a new program that collects fees from recreational anglers in Lake Erie and its tributaries and invests them in public access. The monies raised by the sale of Lake Erie Permits are placed in a special account that may only be used to improved public access to the lake and its feeder streams. The permits were sold for the first time in 2005, generating approximately $600,000 for the fund.
Fairview Township has agreed that it will use the site, in part, to improve access to both Lake Erie and Trout Run. The Township will grant to the Commission conservation or access easement that will allow for public access along the lake shore in perpetuity. An agreement between the Township and the Commission will include specific provisions for the protection of the Commission�s interests, the angling public, and the development of parking facilities that can be accommodated on the site. |
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