Weekly News Archives

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S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie�s ICE OUT PARTY

The SONS of Lake Erie�s ICE OUT PARTY will  be held Sunday, April 3 at the East Erie Turners at E. 9^th and  Parade Sts, Erie, PA , from 1-6 PM. Admission is $5.00 for adults and 33.00 for kids under 12, payable at the door. 

Free hot dogs and refreshments will be furnished throughout

the afternoon. There will be numerous door pries and games

for our enjoyment.  The highlight of the day will be the �FANTASTIC FIN AND FUR DRAWING�.  Raffle tickets for the drawing are $5.00 each, which will give you a chance to win one of 12 great prizes. The grand prize is a 2004 Yamaha �Bruin� 4x4 automatic with trailer.  For more info call: 814-453-2270

Some People never learn

Law-abiding citizens continue to be targeted

In their efforts to "control crime," Britons incrementally were prevented from owning certain kinds of guns and then eventually prohibited from owning any kind of gun. The crime rate increased because "control" efforts addressed only guns 

and not criminals. 

Now, British subjects last week  were told that because of increasing gang-related crimes, knives may no longer be purchased by anyone under the age of 18.

Marc Marcantonio lands line class world record Walleye

The IGFA has now certified Marc Marcantonio�s Columbia River Walleye as the official World Record for the 6 lb-test line class. The record fish weighed in at 13.75 lbs, beating the previous 6 lb line class world record of 12 lbs caught in 1995.

The walleye was caught in Washington State's Columbia River in the Lake Wallula section at TriCities during a Northwest Bass Tournament on September 25, 2004.  The

walleye was caught while vertically dropshotting the edge of the main river channel in 27 ft of water. It was caught using the following tackle: 

-Lamiglas Titanium TBS663 spinning rod

 -Shimano Stradic 2500MG reel

 -Gary Yamamoto Sugoi 6 lb test fluorocarbon line 

 -Gamakatsu #4 Dropshot Hook 

-3/8-ounce QuickDrop Dropshot Sinker 

-4" Clearwater Tackle Tapeworm (Sand #110)

The fish was released alive at the same spot after weighing on certified scales, and taking measurements and photos."

California now top boat registration state

The top 20 boating states accounted for three out of every four of the nearly 12.8 million boats registered in the U.S. in 2003, according to NMMA's 2003 U.S. Recreational Boat Registration Statistics Report.

NMMA uses registration data supplied to the U.S. Coast Guard by the states to develop the registration statistics report.

The top five states, in terms of registered boats in 2003 were:

California 963,379,

Michigan 953,554,

Florida 939,968,

Minnesota 845,279,

Texas 619,088.

California added more than 65,000 boats to its registration total in 2003, moving up two places to claim the top spot from Michigan, which lost roughly 47,000 from its fleet.

Regionally, the South Atlantic region (DE, D.C., FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) is now number one in rank, eclipsing the Eastern North Central region (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI). There were 2.558 million boats registered in the South Atlantic Region in 2003; a 1.0 percent increase compared to 2002. Total registered boats fell 3.6 percent in Eastern North Central region, which counted 2.554 million registered boats.

Call of the Mild � a benefit to American security

The need to open the 1002 area

By Gale A Norton
Washington � Even though it is noon, the landscape is pitch black. The wind chill stands at 70 below zero. A lone man drives across a vast frozen plain on a road made of ice. He sits atop a large, bug-like machine with enormous wheels. He is heading for a spot on the tundra pinpointed by satellite imagery to explore for oil. When the spring thaw comes and the road melts, any evidence that a man or a machine ever crossed there will be gone.

This is the world of Arctic energy exploration in the 21st century. It is as different from what oil exploration used to be as the compact supercomputers of today are different from the huge vacuum tube computers of the 1950s. Through the use of advanced technology, we have learned not only to get access to oil and gas reserves in Arctic environments but also to protect their ecosystems and wildlife.

Technological advances in oil exploration are at the heart of a debate over America's energy future. Congress will soon decide whether to open up a sliver of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - called the 1002 area - to energy development. Opponents will pretend that new, less invasive technology doesn't exist. It is important for Americans to understand that it does, and that it works.

In past decades, Arctic oil development involved huge amounts of equipment that had to be moved over gravel roads and laid upon large gravel pads. The machines that transported this equipment often scarred the land, especially in spring and summer.

American ingenuity has tackled this problem. Today, oil exploration in the Arctic occurs only in the frozen winter. Workers build roads and platforms of ice to protect the soil and vegetation. Trucks with huge tires called rolligons distribute load weights over large areas of snow to minimize the impact on the tundra below.

Meanwhile, innovations in platform development and directional drilling mean that we need fewer and smaller pads

to tap into oil and gas reserves. From a single platform, we can explore an underground area nearly the size of the District of Columbia. Likewise, satellite infrared imaging helps energy companies to avoid key wildlife habitat and environmentally sensitive areas while 3-D seismic data imaging improves the chances of drilling a successful well by 50%, meaning fewer wells.

In 1980, when Congress created the refuge, it set aside the 1002 area for possible future energy development. To date, Congress has not approved this development because of environmental concerns. In the meantime, America's domestic production of energy has declined and we have become more and more dependent on imported oil.

As part of a comprehensive energy strategy of promoting conservation and reducing dependence on foreign oil, we must increase our energy production here at home. The 1002 area is potentially the largest untapped source of oil and gas on American soil. While we cannot promise that there will be no impact on the wildlife and habitat of the 1002 area, we can promise no significant impact.

In fact, legislation to open up the area passed last year by the House of Representatives laid down the strictest environmental standards ever applied to energy development and flatly stated that development must "result in no significant adverse effect on fish and wildlife, their habitat, subsistence resources, and the environment."

We can meet this standard because of the extraordinary advances in oil field technology. If approved by Congress, the overall "footprint" of the equipment and facilities needed to develop the 1002 area would be restricted to 2,000 acres, an area about the size of a regional airport in a refuge the size of South Carolina.

With this advanced technology and the strict requirements of the legislation, the American people will have access to much needed energy to heat our homes and run our businesses while being assured that the Arctic environment and its wildlife will be protected.

Gale A. Norton is secretary of the interior.

Missing Documents in Chambers Case suddenly found

 Interior Still Deciding Whether to Release Newly Located Records

Washington, DC � Under the pressure of a federal lawsuit, the Department of Interior has reversed itself and announced that the documents sought by Teresa Chambers do in fact exist and have not been destroyed, according to a letter released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Two weeks ago, Teresa Chambers filed suit in federal district court after the Interior Department said it no longer had the documents which show charges used as the basis to remove her as Chief of the U.S. Park Police last year were trumped up.

The key document being sought is a performance evaluation of Chambers prepared by Deputy Park Service Director Donald Murphy, who later charged Chambers with misconduct relating to breaches of chain-of-command and other performance-related issues. According to Murphy�s sworn testimony in depositions taken prior to Chambers� first hearing seeking reinstatement, his evaluation covered the periods during which her supposed misconduct occurred but his evaluation did not mention the issues or incidents that were later used as a partial basis for her firing last July.

�This latest about-face is just another illustration of duplicitous behavior by top Interior officials bent on removing Chief Chambers come hell or high water,� stated PEER General Counsel Richard Condit, who filed the suit on Chambers� behalf. �Chief Chambers should not have to go to federal court to get something that is supposed to be in her personnel file.�

While the Interior Department now admits that the document exists, it is still deciding whether or when to release it. Chambers is suing under the Privacy Act which entitles individuals to see records about them maintained by federal agencies, particularly records created as part of a federal employee�s personnel file. Chambers is suing the Interior Department because it is the parent agency of the National Park Service.

At the same time in a different forum, Teresa Chambers is also seeking reinstatement. Her appeal is now before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. Two of the six administrative charges that the Interior Department had leveled against Chief Chambers were thrown out at the trial level. If produced, Murphy�s evaluation could knock out two of the remaining four charges. The remaining two charges involve an interview Chief Chambers gave to The Washington Post, and those charges will also be subject to First Amendment and other separate federal court challenges if they are upheld at this stage.

�Now that they have found the documents that Chief Chambers has a right to see by law, what is Interior waiting for?� Condit asked, noting that Chief Chambers was stripped of her badge, credentials and side arm and marched out of Interior headquarters under armed escort on December 5, 2003. �Teresa Chambers� case is about whether a public servant can be fired for telling the truth but it is apparent that there is no sanction in the Interior Department for avoiding the truth.�

Senators pledging to help Boy Scouts
Introduce bill to protect organization from legal attacks by ACLU, others
A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., introduced legislation yesterday to make sure the Boy Scouts of America can use government facilities for gatherings, meetings and events.

The ''Support Our Scouts Act of 2005" would protect the organization from attacks by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups challenging federal support for the BSA because the organization administers a religious oath and prohibits homosexuals as scout masters. The bill says no federal law, directive, rule, instruction or order should limit any federal agency from providing support to the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. The legislation removes any doubt that federal agencies may welcome Scouts to hold meetings and go camping on federal property.

An ongoing lawsuit by the ACLU says federal support of the group, including about $2 million annually for the National Scout Jamboree, amounts to religious discrimination and violates the separation of church and state.

The Pentagon last year settled one such lawsuit by telling military bases around the world not to become direct sponsors of Boy Scout troops or Cub Scout dens. Military personnel can now sponsor Boy Scout groups only in their civilian capacity.

The threat of lawsuits by the ACLU has forced the BSA to pull the charters of thousands of scouting units from public schools. In a letter sent to the BSA last month, the ACLU vowed to take legal action against public schools and other taxpayer-funded governmental agencies that charter Scout groups.

Right-to-Carry 2005

There are 38 RTC states, an all-time high. Gov. Bob Taft signed Ohio�s RTC bill into law on Jan. 8, 2004. Two days earlier, New Mexico�s Supreme Court upheld that state�s RTC law. New Mexico had adopted its RTC law in 2003, as did Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, where legislators overrode Gov. Bob Holden�s veto of the state�s RTC bill. Of the 38 RTC states, 34 have "shall issue" RTC laws, which provide for carry permits to be issued to applicants who meet uniform standards established by the state legislature.

Alabama, Connecticut and (as indicated by a recent survey of issuing authorities) Iowa have fair discretionary-issue systems, and Alaska and Vermont respect the right to carry without a permit. Alaska added its no-permit-required law in 2003, but still has its shall-issue provision. Sixty-four percent of Americans live in RTC states.

• The right to self-defense is a fundamental right. The U.S. constitution, the constitutions of 44 states, and the laws of all 50 states recognize the right to use arms in self-defense. RTC laws respect the right to self-defense by allowing individual citizens to carry firearms for protection.

• More RTC states, less crime. The nation`s violent crime rate has decreased every year since 1991 and in 2002 hit a 23-year low. In the same period, 17 states adopted and 13 states improved RTC laws. RTC states have lower violent crime rates, on average: 24% lower total violent crime, 22% lower murder, 37% lower 

robbery, and 20% lower aggravated assault. The five states with the lowest violent crime rates are RTC states. (Data: FBI)

• RTC and crime trends. Studying crime trends in every county in the U.S., John Lott and David Mustard found, "allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons deters violent crimes and it appears to produce no increase in accidental deaths. If those states which did not have Right to Carry concealed gun provisions had adopted them in 1992, approximately 1,570 murders; 4,177 rapes; and over 60,000 aggravated assaults would have been avoided yearly....(T)he estimated annual gain from allowing concealed handguns is at least $6.214 billion....(W)hen state concealed handgun laws went into effect in a county, murders fell by 8.5 percent, and rapes and aggravated assaults fell by 5 and 7 percent." ("Crime, Deterrence, and Right To Carry Concealed Handguns," 1996.)

The following indicate permit revocation rates for states that report such data.

• Florida: 798,732 issued, 146 (0.02%) revoked due to firearm crimes by licensees. (Dept. of State, 10/1/87-2/29/02)

• Kentucky: 71,770 valid permits, 585 (0.8%) revoked for any reason. (State Police, 10/1/96-12/31/01)

• Louisiana.: 15,319 issued, 67 (0.4%) revoked for any reason. (State Police, (11/1/96-2/28/02)

• Oklahoma: 35,329 issued, 108 (0.30%) revoked for any reason. (SBI, 2/28/ 2002)

• North Carolina: 47,046 issued, 242 (0.5%) revoked for any reason. (SBI, 12/1/95-9/29/01)

• South Carolina: 33,492 issued, 164 (0.5%) revoked for any reason. (SLED, 8/96-5/26/02)

• Texas: 223,584 issued, 1,772 (0.8%) revoked for any reason. (DPS, 1/1/96-5/1/02)

• Tennessee.: 130,187 issued, 1,126 (0.9%) revoked for any reason. (DPS, 12/96-5/4/02)

• Utah: 44,173 issued, 565 (1.3%) revoked for any reason. (Dec. 31, 2001)

• Virginia: 172,347 issued, 372 (0.2%) revoked for any reason. (State Police, 7/95-4/02)

Wyoming: 7,480 issued, 20 (0.3%) revoked for any reason. (Dept. of Criminal Investigation, 10/1/94-2/02)

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for March 18, 2005

Current Lake Levels: 

All of the Great Lakes are 4 to 13 inches above last year�s levels.   Lake Superior is 1 inch below its long-term average, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 10 inches below its long-term average. Lake St. Clair is 2 inches above its long-term average, while Lakes Erie and Ontario are 9 and 7 inches above their long-term averages, respectively.

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 March.  Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are anticipated to be below average.  Flows in the Niagara and St. Lawrence Rivers are all expected to be above average in February.

Temperature/Precipitation Outlook: 

A storm system developing in the central plains will push

toward the Great Lakes basin on Thursday.  Several inches of snow are forecasted to fall across the western basin late Thursday and into Friday.  A rain and snow mix is expected across the region Saturday and Sunday.

Forecasted Water Levels: 

Lake Superior is nearing the end of its seasonal decline and should rise an inch during the next month.  Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are beginning their seasonal rises and should increase 3-4 inches during the next month.  Note that ice conditions on Lake St. Clair may create rapid fluctuations in the levels over short periods.

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.

Carp Fund Barometer

Donation          Ranking

$    1 � 10   Alewife

$  11 � 20  Yellow Perch

$  21 � 50   Black Bass

     Berg, Jeffrey W.

     Cozzie, Ken

     Fuka, John J.

     Gold Coast Charter Service

     Reider, Robert

$  51 � 100   Coho Salmon

     Couston, Tom

     Yahara Fishing Club

$  101 � 200   Walleye

     Chagrin River Salmon Association

$  201 � 500   Brown Trout

     Northeast Wis. GL Sport Fishermen

     Detroit Area Steelheaders 

     Klavon, Patrick  

$  501 � 1000   Steelhead

$  1001 � 5000   Chinook Salmon

$  5001 � UP   Lake Trout

Current Total= $1,315.00

More Record Fish Caught on Rapalas in 2004 than on Any Other Lure

International Game Fish Association Announces 2004 Records

MINNETONKA, Minn. (March 15, 2005) - Minnetonka-based Rapala Corporation, member of the Rapala VMC Group, announced that the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) recognized that more record fish were caught on Rapala lures in 2004 than on any other lure.  Rapalas were responsible for 14 IGFA tracked records including five new world records. 

The new records only help bolster Rapala�s standing as the brand of lure which has caught the most world record fish as recorded by IGFA.  Rapala continues to hold the record for world records!  Among the new world records was a Barracuda (Guinean) in line class 30lb/15kg caught on a Rapala CDMag 18. The Barracuda was caught in Macha Branca, Luanda, Angola and weighed in at 38lb 8oz.

IGFA maintains and publishes world records for saltwater, freshwater, fly fishing catches, U.S. state freshwater records, and junior angler records, awarding certificates of recognition to each record holder.  IGFA is recognized as the official keeper of world saltwater fishing records since 1939. IGFA

entered the field of freshwater record keeping when Field & Stream transferred its 68 years of records to the association in 1978.

�The records are a feather in our cap,� says Lori Peterson, director of marketing for Rapala. �We build our lures to catch fish big and small, but it is gratifying that the lures are able to attract and land the big ones in various species - the really big ones.�

Mike Leech, Ambassador at Large for IGFA stated, �Rapala lures seem to consistently be the leading brand we see on record applications.� 

Rapala will receive an award recognizing having set the most records at the Second Annual World Record Achievement Awards Celebration to be held at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, April 9, 2005, in Dania Beach, Florida.  Each year the IGFA recognizes tackle companies for setting the most records with their various products.

For more information on IGFA, or records tracked, contact IGFA directly at 954-927-8628, or visit  www.Igfa.org .

60 more boating writers join BWI

Boating Writers International says it has added more than 60 new members during the past year, bringing its roster to 430. BWI attributes the gain, in part, to its annual writing contest, which brought awards to 42 members at last month�s Miami International Boat Show. Supporting membership also has risen, and now includes nearly 90 companies.

Undoubtedly, there continues do be some serious fallout over the flap yet to be resolved between OWAA and once major supporter the National Rifle Association. To read the NRA

position statement click here: www.greatlakes.org/Wkly_news/02-07-05.html#OWAA_Loyalty_to_Sierra_Club_Forces_NRA_to_

Withdraw_Support

For more info on BWI contact: 

Greg Proteau, Executive Director
Boating Writers International

[email protected]     www.bwi.org
847-736-4142

Soldiers Offered No-Cost Degree Planning and Counseling

Many young soldiers and recent veterans spend countless hours trying to figure out which degree best suits their training, experience and interests. This can result in wasted time, money and effort, making it hard for military students to get started working toward the right degree for their unique needs and desires.

With this in mind, AutoDP� (Automated Degree Planning) supports military students with the Virtual Counseling Center (VCC) � with free counseling.  The VCC will put your Army (AARTS) transcripts to work for you and identify which degrees allow maximum application of all the credit earned you have earned -- in other words the quickest path to a cap and gown. AutoDP has already assisted tens of thousands of military students, by taking the guesswork out of setting their education goals and planning their degrees.

Here's How It Works:

The staff at the VCC uses the official AARTS transcript to create an electronic education record to determine which degree best meets the needs and desires of the individual military student. The VCC then identifies the most cost-effective colleges and universities that offer the degree programs that best match the student's needs.

This VCC support is free of cost, because it is built into both the Strategies for Success in College and Strategies for Veterans' Success in College, college courses offered by many colleges and universities including those belonging to the Service members Opportunities Colleges (SOC) and SOCAD. Both the Army Tuition Assistance Program and the GI Bill currently cover these courses, making this benefit free to the military/veteran student.

Remember - Virtual Counseling Center support is absolutely free for the duration of the course, plus one year thereafter. Visit www.virtualcounselingcenter.com for more information.

Lake Michigan Stocking Conference � April 9

The four Lake Michigan Management Agencies (ILL, IN, MI and WI) are sponsoring a chinook stocking conference April 9 in

Spring Trout Season Opens April 2

Illinois DNR Stocks Some Lakes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The 2005 spring trout fishing season in Illinois opens at 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold announced.

Stocking for the rainbow trout fishing program in Illinois is made possible through the sale of inland trout stamps to those anglers who participate.  The stamps are available for $6.50 each at IDNR offices in Springfield, Chicago, Alton, Bartlett, Benton, Clinton and Sterling, at many municipal, township and county clerks' offices, and at a large number of sporting goods stores and bait shops. 

Inland trout stamps, as well as fishing licenses, also may be purchased with a credit card at: http://www.great-lakes.org/licenses.html

To legally participate in the trout fishing program, anglers must have a valid Illinois fishing license and an inland trout stamp.  Annual fishing licenses for the 2005 season will be

valid through March 31, 2006. Illinois' 24-hour fishing license includes trout fishing privileges for the 24-hour period the license is valid.  A license is required unless the angler is under age 16, blind or disabled, or is an Illinoisan on active military service home on leave.

Anglers may not take trout from any of the stocked sites from March 15 until the opening of the season on April 2 at 5 a.m.  Anyone attempting to take trout before the legal opening will be issued citations.  Once the season opens, the daily possession limit for the spring trout season is five fish.

Anglers are reminded to check in advance for any site-specific regulations and the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location.  While the statewide spring trout season opens at 5 a.m. on April 2, some locations may have a later opening time.

For more information about the trout stocking program, contact the IDNR Division of Fisheries at 217/782-6424 or check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org.

Red Hills Lake Temporarily Closed to Fishing

Lake to Be Treated for Aquatic Species Invasion

A popular Southern Illinois state park will be closed to fishing while aquatic biologists take steps to control an exotic weed that is interfering with the natural ecosystem.  Fishing will be prohibited at Red Hills State Park from 8 a.m. Monday, March 21st until 8 am. Thursday, March 24th.

Biologists from IDNR will be applying aquatic herbicides to  the lake in an effort to control curleyleaf pondweed.  It's an exotic weed that inhibits the growth of native plants in the lake. 

The 40-acre lake at Red Hills State Park is popular among

both anglers and those who enjoy boating. A dam constructed across Muddy Creek, a tributary of the Embarras River in 1953 created the 40-acre lake with a maximum depth of 30 feet and 2.5 miles of shoreline. Those who fish are likely to pull out largemouth bass, channel catfish, crappie, blue gill, and bullhead.

Red Hills State Park is located in southeastern Illinois, midway between Olney and Lawrenceville, on U.S. Route 50.  The 948-acre park includes high wooded hills, deep ravines, and springs that flow year-round.  The Red Hill is the highest point of land between St. Louis and Cincinnati.    A 120-foot tower and cross rise from the summit.

Black Bass Workshop Scheduled for April 22-23

Marks 5th year of resource mgmt, angling instruction

HARRISBURG: Officials from Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced that registration has begun for the 5th Pennsylvania Black Bass Workshop, April 22-23 at Blue Spruce County Park, near Ernest, Indiana County.  

The workshop is designed to offer anglers, resource and facilities managers an opportunity to hear discussions on both black bass and habitat management, angling and other aquatic resource subjects.  Boat launches and weigh-in facilities will also be covered.

Besides the PFBC and DCNR�s Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana County, other workshop co-hosts include: the Pennsylvania BASS Federation; U. S. Army Corps of Engineers; Marsh Creek Bass Club Ltd.; and Indiana County Parks and Trails.

Started in 1999 and held at different parks every year, the

workshop is designed to offer bass anglers, biologists, conservation officers, resource and facility managers a chance to exchange ideas and information pertaining to the management of bass fisheries, bass habitat, bass angling and recreational facilities.

The �Black Bass Habitat� theme focuses on black bass fisheries habitat management at national, state and local levels.  Discussions on black bass habitat management methods in lakes, impoundments and rivers are planned. Other topic discussions include: Keeping Bass Alive, Aquatic Vegetation Propagation and Answering Resource Questions.

The workshop is open to anyone interested in black bass conservation. Organizers invite attendees to share their knowledge and experience with other bass anglers, tournament organizers, fisheries biologists, park managers and state and federal agency administrators.

For more info and registration: Denise Darnley, Yellow Creek State Park, 170 Route 259 Highway, Penn Run, PA  15765-5941. Tel:  (724) 357-7913 or email: [email protected] .

Commission Moves to Boost Stocked Trout Size       

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission took action last week to boost by 30% the average size of the trout stocked from State Fish Hatcheries.     

Starting in 2007, the average trout stocked by the Commonwealth will weigh in at just under 2/3 of a pound, up from the present average of 0.44 pounds.   In addition to 3.2 million 11-inch trout, the Commission�s new production plan also calls for 30,000 trout averaging a whopping 2 pounds and 16 inches in length along with 9,000 golden rainbow trout averaging 14 inches and 1.5 pounds.  The Commission�s system-wide production goal will remain at the present 1.9 million pounds of adult trout annually.       

The Commission action is in direct response to angler preference documented by participants in the 2002

Pennsylvania Trout Summit and a working group of trout fishing interests who advise the Commission on management issues.  Given the cap of 1.9 million pounds of fish produced at State Fish Hatcheries, anglers indicated a strong preference for bigger, but slightly fewer trout as compared to more and smaller fish.  The production shift approved today increases the average weight of adult trout to be stocked by 30%, while only requiring a 20% cut in the total number raised.  Other shifts include increasing the percentage of rainbow trout in the stocking mix and some operational changes in feeding and breeding.

The proposed production shift would not apply to trout the Fish and Boat Commission receives from Allegheny National Fish Hatchery (100,000/year), those from the Tellico Adult Trout Contract (130,000/year), or those from the Cooperative Nursery Program (1 million/year).

PFBC commission looking for public input

Looking for name changes and a new catch/release program

PFBC Commissioners are soliciting public comment on potential changes in special trout fishing regulations for consolidation.  The Commission is asking for anglers to provide input on a proposed consolidation and simplification of existing special regulations programs, as follows:

1. Establish a new program called Catch and Release Fly-Fishing Only.

The Heritage Trout Angling Program and the Delayed Harvest Fly-Fishing Only Program will be eliminated, and all waters currently in them (7 waters in the Heritage Trout Angling Program and 26 waters in the Delayed Harvest Fly-Fishing Only Program) will be designated into the new Catch and Release Fly-Fishing Only Program.  This program will provide year-round angling with no harvest, no hourly restrictions, no restriction on wading and no requirement for barbless hooks.  During the substantial public commentary regarding the proposal to permit all-tackle on delayed harvest waters during the harvest season, a large segment of the fly-fishing community indicated a preference for no-harvest in the current Delayed Harvest Fly-Fishing Only Program.  The main change for current delayed harvest fly-fishing only waters is the removal of the former summer harvest season.

2. Rename All-Tackle Trophy Trout to Trophy Trout All Tackle.

This program will offer year-round angling with a 24-inch minimum length limit, a one trout daily creel limit and no wading restriction.  The area of the Allegheny River, Warren County, will be moved from miscellaneous special regulations to the Trophy Trout All Tackle program.

3. Rename the existing Trophy Trout Program to Trophy Trout Artificial Lures Only Program.

All existing waters in the program will remain, and all waters in the existing Catch and Release Program will be designated to the Trophy Trout Artificial Lures Only Program.   Tackle for this program will remain artificial lures only as currently specified for both programs, except barbed hooks will be allowed.  Fishing will be permitted year-round with no hourly restriction and no taking of baitfish or fish bait.  A 24-inch minimum length limit and a one trout per day creel limit also will apply.

4. Create a new program called Catch and Release All Tackle.

Two miscellaneous special regulation waters, Spring Creek, Centre County, and Valley Creek, Chester County, will be designated into this program.  Existing prohibitions on wading, barbed hooks and hours of fishing on waters in various special regulation programs are also being considered for elimination.

Sunbury Access Closed for Improvements

Work to improve the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission�s (PFBC) Sunbury Access Area is underway.

PFBC construction crews will spend approximately six weeks replacing the existing boat launch ramp with a cast-in-place concrete ramp, installing gabion baskets to stabilize the shoreline, paving the parking lot and enhancing shoreline fishing opportunities. The completed project will cost

approximately $106,000.

The Sunbury Access site is located along Route 147 at the south end of Sunbury and provides free public fishing and boating access to the Susquehanna River.  The access will be closed during construction, so boaters and anglers looking for alternative launch sites can visit the �County Guides� section of the PFBC�s web site at www.fish.state.pa.us .

Province ensures Conservation of Ontario Wolves

Introduces New Closed Season for Hunting and Trapping in two regions

TORONTO � The Ontario government is implementing the strongest measures ever taken to conserve and protect the province�s wolf population, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today.

"By introducing a closed season in central and Northern Ontario, we are protecting wolves in areas that have resident wolf populations," said Ramsay. "We want to ensure that wolves continue to play a key role in Ontario�s ecosystems."

Effective this year, the closed season will run from April 1 to

 September 14 and will cover all of central and northern Ontario, excluding the islands of Manitoulin, Cockburn and St. Joseph, which do not have resident wolf populations. These restrictions also apply to coyotes due to the difficulty in distinguishing between the two species in the wild. The coyote season in southern Ontario remains open all year.

The announcement reflects public input into a November 2004 posting on the Environmental Registry website of the proposed wolf strategy and conservation actions. The government is continuing to review comments about other aspects of the wolf strategy and conservation actions.

Robbery victim charged after shooting at thief with own gun

Canada's National Post reports that Toronto Police last week arrested a man who allegedly disarmed an assailant who was attempting to rob him. The man then tried to shoot him with his own gun. Officers arrived at an apartment building at 200 Sherbourne St. at around 10:40 a.m. after receiving

reports of gunfire, Toronto police Sergeant Barry Radford said.  While there they discovered that a 48-year-old man who had been the victim of an attempted robbery had successfully disarmed one of his two assailants before trying to gun him down. He now faces a number of weapons-related charges. His two assailants escaped on foot.