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Michiana Steelheaders Buffalo Bill Memorial Lake Tournament

Saturday April 22, 2006 - Blow date April 23, 2006

Registration Fee $75.00 before April 15th, after April 15th $100.00

Late Registration April 22nd, 6:00 am to 6:30 am cash

Captains must be members of the Michiana Steelheaders - $15.00 membership dues

All fishing times are Central Standard Time (Michigan City Time)

Fishing period starts at 7:30 am (no lines in the water prior to 7:30 am)

ALL DNR RULES APPLY

Payout: top six places and big fish.

Cash prizes based on 50 boats - All boats go out of Michigan City Port

FREE SLIP

For more information call Parker�s Bait Shop - 574-255-7703

For more info go to:  www.michianasteelheaders.com/   [email protected]

Lack of Oxygen in Water Can Mean Way Too Many Male Fish

WASHINGTON (AP) - Dead zones -- oxygen-starved patches of ocean -- may be turning normal breeding grounds into the equivalent of male-dominated locker rooms for fish.   In lab experiments, newly born male zebrafish outnumber females 3-to-1 when oxygen is reduced. And the precious few females have testosterone levels about twice as high as normal, according to a scientific study released Wednesday.

Scientists are concerned that might reflect life in the dead zones, too.

Earlier studies also have found reproductive problems for males in other species in oxygen-starved waters. And though all the research is done in controlled laboratories, scientists say the gender bending is something that could explain what they are seeing in the nearly 150 dead zones worldwide.

This could be a serious problem because with the expansion of dead zones -- such as the massive Gulf of Mexico area now the size of New Jersey -- fish die, and those that don't die may not be able to keep the species alive, scientists say.

Having too many males "is not a good strategy for survival," said Alan Lewitus, who manages the dead zone program for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The world's dead zones add up to about 100,000 square miles and most of those zones are man-made because of fertilizer and other farm run-off, said Robert Diaz, a professor of marine sciences at the College of William and Mary. More than 30 dead zones are in U.S. waters and are part of key

fisheries.

The stress of hypoxia -- the lack of oxygen in water -- tinkers with the genes that help make male and female sex hormones, said study lead author Rudolf Wu, director of the Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation at the City University of Hong Kong. Wu's peer-reviewed study will appear in the May issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Wu restricted the oxygen of zebrafish, which are freshwater aquarium fish, but said similar changes are possible in other species of fresh and saltwater fish. Fish often change genders during their lives, but this is different, he said.

"Since development of sex organs is modulated by sex hormones, hypoxia may therefore affect sex determination and development," Wu wrote in an e-mail interview. "Hypoxia covers a very large area worldwide, many areas and species may be affected in a similar way."

Wu and others said oxygen starvation may be a more powerful sex hormone-altering problem than the chemical pollution that has gotten widespread attention.

In the Gulf of Mexico, sexual development problems have been found with shrimp and croakers, said Nancy Rabalais, executive director of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.   The trend is worrisome, said Peter Thomas, professor of marine sciences at the University of Texas.   "Hypoxia is emerging as a really important stressor, possibly of even greater significance than chemicals," Thomas said. "When it does act, it shuts things down completely."

House committee votes to ban Asian carp

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Judiciary Committee on March 29 voted to ban imports of Asian carp, a fish that officials from Great Lakes states fear will wreak havoc on the lakes' ecosystems.

"This invader is a threat to the Great Lakes' multibillion-dollar fishing industry, and Wisconsin's fishing tradition," said Rep. Mark Green, R-WI., the bill's sponsor. "We have an obligation to stop it while we can."

The bill would ban the importation and interstate transfer of Asian carp, which southern fish farmers depend on to control

parasites.

Some carp have escaped the farms and made their way north along the Mississippi River and its tributaries and could soon push into the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes region, the world's largest surface freshwater system, already is battling other exotic species, such as zebra mussels.

The voracious carp, which often leap out of the water, can grow to more than 100 pounds. The bill passed the committee without dissent Wednesday. Southern lawmakers are likely to oppose the legislation on the House floor.

U.S. puts machine-guns on Great Lakes coast guard vessels

CBC News  - For the first time since 1817, U.S. Coast Guard vessels on the Great Lakes are being outfitted with weapons � machine-guns capable of firing 600 bullets a minute. Until now, coast guard officers have been armed with handguns and rifles, but the vessels themselves haven't been equipped with weapons.

The War of 1812 saw violent battles on Lake Erie and Lake Huron between U.S. troops and British forces, which were largely composed of militias from Britain's colonies in what is now Canada. After the war, the United States and Britain � and later Canada � agreed to demilitarize the Great Lakes waters.  

The Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817 allowed each country to station four vessels, each equipped with an 18-pound cannon, to safeguard the Great Lakes.  The antiquated treaty has recently been reinterpreted because of U.S. concerns about customs violations, human smuggling and international terrorism.

Each vessel is now equipped with a 7.62-mm machine-gun, a light military gun with the same caliber as a deer rifle but capable of shooting 600 bullets per minute.  The guns are typically mounted, but the U.S. Coast Guard said they will be stored below decks on the coast guard's 11 Great Lakes cutters and will be mounted only when needed.

Warning shots will be fired when vessels refuse to stop.  Staff members have conducted live-fire drills in the past few months in American waters off the coast of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

A Canadian Foreign Affairs official said Ottawa has agreed to read the treaty in such a way that coast guard vessels may be mounted with guns by considering them weapons of law enforcement rather than war.   Canada reserves the right to arm its own vessels as well, the official told CBC News.  Under the reinterpretation, which both sides say honors the spirit of the original treaty, vessels may be outfitted with machine-guns of sizes up to .50-caliber. That would be big enough to bring down a helicopter and shoot through a light-armored vehicle.

US Coast Guard officials said the United States has no intention of equipping the vessels with .50-caliber machine-guns at this point. Frederick Stonehouse, a Michigan-based historian who has written 26 books on the Great Lakes, said the Rush-Bagot treaty's references to wooden ships and cannons have long been obsolete.  However, Stonehouse said the spirit of the treaty remains both clear and respected by both sides.

"Certainly the Great Lakes [have] not had any military vessels stationed on [them] since � gosh, really since the advent of that treaty."

West Coast Waters Closed to Bottom Trawling

SEATTLE, Washington (ENS) - The destructive fishing practice of bottom trawling has been banned in federal waters off the U.S. west coast from Canada to Mexico.

On March 8, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) approved the plan developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council to establish and protect more than 150,000 square miles of marine waters off the West Coast as Essential Fish Habitat. The plan, which covers waters to a depth of 3,500 meters, is aimed at replenishing depleted fish populations.

Bottom trawling is the fishing practice of dragging large nets weighted with chains or other heavy gear across the seafloor to catch groundfish species such as rockfish, cod, and sole. Bottom trawls have been used throughout the North Pacific region, and are still permitted in the central and western Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea.

NOAA said that its own economic analysis of the closures, based on historic data on landings, shows that less than 10 percent of revenue from commercial fishing comes from areas that will be closed. That loss is expected to be made up as fishermen move their operations to areas that remain

open, NOAA said.  Although the NOAA Fisheries Service does not have regulatory authority over non-fishing activities that may damage habitat, the plan includes designating various habitats such as kelp, sea grass and estuaries as "habitat areas of particular concern."

The Council�s action was the culmination of three years of collaborative work coordinated and led by Oceana, and including the environmental organizations Natural Resources Defense Council, The Ocean Conservancy, and Environment California; recreational fishing groups United Anglers and Coastside Fishing Club, and the commercial fishing group Pacific Marine Conservation Council.

West Coast groundfish fisheries are in "serious trouble," says the Pacific Marine Conservation Council. The federal groundfish disaster declared in January 2000 continues, and many fishing families are scrambling to keep their fishing operations afloat.

Nine of the 83 managed West Coast groundfish species are listed "overfished" by the National Marine Fisheries Service. In response, the commercial fishing group supports buybacks to remove vessels from the fishing fleet.

Professor rejects worry over salmon PCB levels

Says meat and dairy products pose greater threat

People may worry about PCBs in salmon, but most Americans actually get their yearly PCB load through beef, chicken, pork and milk, says a University of Idaho professor in a recently published article.

In an article in the March/April issue of Aquiculture Magazine, Ronald W. Hardy, director of Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station, University of Idaho, says concerns about contaminants in salmon have been overstated, particularly within the context of the American diet.  Americans eat vastly more meat and dairy than they do salmon, he says, and both meat and dairy contain PCB levels as high, or higher, than salmon. Salmon also has health benefits that most meats lack.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American ate 62 lbs of beef, 57.5 lbs of chicken, 48.5 lbs of pork and 15.9 lbs of fish and shellfish in 2003. Salmon intake was 2.2 lbs that same year, hardy says. The PCB content of most wild and farmed salmon is about the same, in the range of 15 to 20 parts per billion (ppb). In contrast, butter contains 70 ppb, a chicken breast 32 ppb and a beef steak 22 ppb, Hardy says.

What this means is that animal per capita PCB intake from beef is about 640 ppb, about 700 ppb for milk and about 836 ppb from chicken. The average American is getting about 20 ppb from salmon each year, he says.  �Levels in most salmon are equivalent to the levels in English muffins,� Hardy says. �Go figure.�

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for March 31, 2006

Lake Level Conditions:  

All of the Great Lakes 1 to 6 inches below the levels of a year ago.    Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are below chart datum and are expected to rise 1 and 4 inches respectively in the next month.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are expected to rise 3 to 4 inches over the next month.  All of the Great Lakes have begun their seasonal rises, but 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 March. Flows in the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers are anticipated to be below average and about average during March respectively. The Niagara River and St. Lawrence River flows are expected to be above average in March.

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.

Majority favors scrapping gun registry

Poll shows Canada gun law waste of tax payer dollars

There is broad public support for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to dismantle the former Liberal government's controversial national gun registry, shows a poll by SES Research/ Osprey Media. More than half of Ontario voters - 55 % - either strongly or somewhat support Harper's campaign promise to end the program intended in part to curb gun-related crime.

"It's pretty clear the public preference is to scrap the gun registry and for Stephen Harper to deliver on that promise," said Nik Nanos, president of SES Research.   

Canadians have been debating the merits of the registry since the Liberals introduced the idea a decade ago.  Gun registry opponents have argued since the beginning that forcing legal, licensed gun owners would do little, if nothing, to deter gun

crime because the guns used in crimes are almost exclusively illegal guns imported from the U.S. by criminals and organized crime groups.

The national registry was originally supposed to cost $2 million but has ballooned to a scandal-inducing $2 billion -- plus $90 million a year in ongoing maintenance costs.   And most recently, an Orillia-area computer consultant who worked as a webmaster for the Canadian Firearms Centre warned the registry database has a security vulnerable not only to hackers but anyone with a home computer.

Men, at 61 %, were more likely than women at 49 % to support Harper's promise to scrap the registry.  Just 28 % of men would like to see the registry maintained compared to 35 % of women. "I don't think it means people don't like gun control," Nanos said. "They don't like this program and the waste associated with it."

Waders and Wading Boots shown to spread Whirling Disease

Preliminary results from an Oregon State University study have documented what many have long suspected, that waders and wading boots can transport both the triactinomyxon (TAM) and myxospore life stages of Myxobolus cerebralis. The study, conducted by Paul Reno and David Latremouille, further demonstrated that the transport of TAMs and spores can cause infection in both rainbow trout and Tubifex tubifex worms.

Movement of infected fish is thought to be the primary mechanism for the spread of whirling disease. Transport by wildlife and human activities has long been suspected as another important vector. Research has been ongoing to

document and quantify the spread of M. cerebralis through these mechanisms, however conclusive evidence has been hard to find.

Funding for several of these projects has been provided through the Whirling Disease Initiative, including the study referenced above, �The potential of vehicles and fomites to transfer the agent of whirling disease.�

The study, slated for completion in June 2006, has so far demonstrated the transport and infectivity of M. cerebralis on waders and wading boots. The researchers are also investigating the viability of M. cerebralis after ingestion by several bird species. Stay tuned for their final results.

Stocking of infected trout leads to criminal charges and fines   

landowners considering stocking private waters must be cautious to avoid whirling disease

In October 2005, a plea agreement in federal court led to criminal convictions and fines for one private hatchery owner. Dwight Babcock, owner of Cannibal Canyon Ranches in Marvel, Colorado pled guilty to seven criminal counts of knowingly selling, transporting and stocking wildlife illegally in New Mexico and Utah.

According to court documents, Babcock�s facility first tested positive for whirling disease in 1997. It tested positive again in 1998, 1999, and 2002. Babcock acknowledged that fish from his facility were unlawfully stocked into waters in Colorado on at least 25 occasions. Infected fish from Babcock�s hatchery were also stocked in New Mexico and Utah. According to Mike Japhet, biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), these introductions could have serious negative effects on wild trout waters and important cutthroat conservation waters in southwest Colorado.

�Responsible trout growers won�t mind showing a document that proves their hatcheries are free of whirling disease.�  A 

two-year investigation and prosecution led to Babcock�s criminal convictions and fines and restitution of $30,000. The fines include $4,800 to the federal government, and restitution of $15,000 to the state of New Mexico, and $10,000 to the Colorado State University Research Foundation to be used for whirling disease research.

The Colorado DOW certified the Cannibal Canyon Ranches facility as free of whirling disease in 2005. Despite his record, Babcock is currently allowed to release fish and sell fish for food in Colorado. However, he will not be allowed to release or export fish to New Mexico.

Illegal stocking of whirling disease-positive fish poses a significant threat to coldwater fisheries. Rigorous inspection and certification programs administered by state agencies can help reduce the risk of whirling disease introduction. All landowners considering stocking private waters must be cautious to avoid whirling disease and other potentially serious fish diseases. Landowners should ask hatchery operators for a copy of the hatchery�s certification of whirling disease status. As Japhet notes, �Responsible trout growers won�t mind showing a document that proves their hatcheries are free of whirling disease.�

Missouri boaters could pay hefty registration fees 

A bill raising boat registration fees � in some cases quadrupling them � has received initial approval from the Missouri Senate.  Fees would increase from $10 to $25 for vessels smaller than 16 feet, and for boats between 16 and 26 feet the fee would increase from $20 to $55.

Fees would go from $30 to $100 for vessels between 26 and

40 feet, and fees for any boats longer than 40 feet would increase from $40 to $150.  Boat registrations are good for three years.  The first $2 million collected from the fees would go into the state�s general fund, and additional money would go toward the state Water Patrol Fund.  The bill has one more vote in the Senate before heading to the state House of Representatives.

America's Waterway Watch

A Marine program akin to neighborhood watch programs

With reports of increased threats of a terrorist attack on our shores, the United States Coast Guard is requesting the assistance of America�s 70 million boaters and others, who work, play, or live around our waterfronts, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas to become part of our nation�s first line of defense, called America�s Waterway Watch (AWW). America�s Waterway Watch is an outreach program akin to neighborhood watch programs in many local communities but is focused strictly on marine-related areas.

With over 95,000 miles of shoreline, 300,000 square miles of waterways, 6,000 bridges, 360 ports of call, and thousands of marinas, the United States Coast Guard simply cannot be everywhere at once. We need all the eyes and ears of those who frequent our waterways to be on the lookout for suspicious activities that might threaten our homeland security.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary, the volunteer civilian component of Team Coast Guard, currently with around 28,000 members, is helping the active duty Coast Guard get that message out to the boating public. "We are appealing to all those people who live, work or boat on our waterways, says Mike Renuart, the Auxiliary National Liaison for AWW. "They are the very people who know the absolute difference between what is normal or routine and what is out of place, peculiar, unusual, or a

possible threat."

The AWW program has a central phone number, 1-877-24-WATCH (1-877-249-2824), where the public can report suspicious activities. This information goes to the National Response Center located at U. S. Coast Guard headquarters, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If what�s seen poses an immediate threat, boaters should call local authorities by dialing 911, or the U.S. Coast Guard on Channel 16 of their VHF-FM marine radio. If someone sees something that looks suspicious, boaters should call the AWW toll-free number.

The AWW program is already working. For instance, Sayed Abdul Malike, a suspected terrorist with known connections to Al Qaeda, was apprehended back in 2003, based upon a tip from a local charter boat captain.

Your local Coast Guard Auxiliary unit has several promotional tools to help spread the word including an AWW decal for the helm of your boat, a wallet card, poster, brochure and a video that marina owners, operators, or other presenters can use to educate their residents, tenants, or customers.

For more info on America�s Volunteer Lifesavers: www.cgaux.org/  For more information about America�s Waterway Watch, visit www.americaswaterwaywatch.org

Sierra Club�s anti-hunting face

Joins with HSUS to oppose wildlife management

The Sierra Club has once more revealed its anti-hunting face. The powerful environmental group has joined forces with the nation's leading anti-hunting group, the Humane society of the United States (HSUS), to derail a plan to control Oregon's swelling cougar population.

The United Sportsmen�s Alliance reports the two groups sent a joint letter to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) urging them to postpone a decision on the 2006 Cougar Management Plan. The plan allows ODFW personnel to take cougars in areas prone to complaints prior to their becoming a nuisance or posing a danger to pets, livestock or people. Both groups want the ODFW to include inefficient, non-lethal methods including the administration of contraceptives in the management plan.

This is not the first time the Sierra Club has allied with the HSUS. It is, however, another instance in which the Sierra Club cements its status as no friend to sportsmen. For example:

► In 2002, again in Oregon, the Sierra Club filed suit in district court and stopped an elk study in the state that addressed the

need for cougar population reductions, i.e. hunting.

► The Sierra Club opposed the bear hunts in New Jersey in 2003 and 2004, as well as opposed a bill to allow Sunday hunting in that state.

► In 1995, the Sierra Club sued in district court and halted black bear hunting in Washington's Cascade Mountain range.

► In 2005, the Sierra Club joined anti-hunting groups in threatening to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if the Florida black bear is not listed as an endangered species.

► In 2002, a Florida Sierra Club chapter endorsed People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' mantra and advocated a vegetarian lifestyle.

► As far back as 1976, Sierra Club lawyers joined in a New Jersey lawsuit to force inclusion of anti-hunters on the Fish and Game Council. The suit failed.

The Sierra Club wants sportsmen to believe that it is on their side. However, one just has to look at its record to realize that its agenda does not advocate the sporting lifestyle or traditional wildlife management practices.

Veterans Lose GI Bill after 10 Yrs 

Many veterans are unaware that their GI Bill benefits will expire after ten years and just over 50% of eligible veterans use their GI Bill at all. You only have ten years to use your GI Bill from your date of discharge. Remind your loved one or friend of this important but limited benefit.

Since the GI Bill currently pays out over $1000 a month, or $37,000 over 36 months, you could be missing out on a huge benefit. To learn more about your GI Bill benefits, visit the www.Military.com  Education Center. To learn more about GI Bill benefits and military-friendly schools, go to:  http://edu.military.com/education/gi_bill/index.jsp

DD 214 Now Online for Veterans 

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access their DD-214 online: www.vetrecs.archives.gov .

This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents.

Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time.

Go to: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html

Outdoor World Women�s Day May 13

Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops

Gurnee, Ill. � Ladies, have you heard about the great outdoors, but not sure where to find it? Look no further, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Gurnee, Illinois is proud to present their First Outdoor World Women�s Day to be held on Saturday May 13, 2006.   Join Bass Pro Shops as they take the opportunity to celebrate the role women play in the great outdoors and answer questions from ladies who are new to the outdoors or who have never experienced the outdoors but would like to try.

Brenda Valentine, �The First Lady of Hunting� and Bass Pro Shops/RedHead pro staff member, will be conducting seminars on Women in the Outdoors and how things may have changed over the years. She will also conduct a question and answer session on any and all questions that women have about situations in the outdoors, but have been afraid to ask.

Patricia Strutz, owner of �A Blond and Her Boat� guide service, will be discussing how to get more women involved in fishing, including how to choose female friendly gear. She will also be conducting hands on seminars using various fishing

equipment, including the feared baitcaster.

Many events are scheduled for women to try including fishing, archery and simulated shotgun shooting. There will be many clubs and organizations that serve the Outdoor Woman on hand to talk about the opportunities for women and outdoor sports.

Bass Pro Shops is having a boot party! Women will have the opportunity to find the right pair of boots for all occasions. Lots of different sizes and styles will be available to try.

Dan Basore will bring in some of his antique fishing lures which showcase the history and contributions of women in the fishing industry.

Bass Pro�s own Chef Cory will be preparing some of their Uncle Buck�s food products for sampling. This will be a great day to celebrate Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Women! Come in and join the fun!!! For more information, please contact Bass Pro Shops Promotions Manager Tisma Juett at 847-856-1229  [email protected] .

Mishap sends 800,000 gallons of sewage into lake

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A mishap sent an estimated 800,000 gallons of partially treated sewage into Lake Michigan at the Jones Island Waster Treatment Plant on Wednesday, March 29.  The mistake occurred as the facility tested a new computer operating system, said Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District spokesman Bill Graffin.

He said workers were testing gates for an underground channel at the plant when the gates opened on Wednesday morning. The gates were closed in about 30 minutes, he said.

Dumping partially treated sewage is banned but allowed during heavy rains or other periods of wetness.  Considering recent weather has been dry, the discharge could be in violation of the district's state operating permit, said Jane

LeCapitaine, a spokeswoman for the private firm that runs the sewer system for the district.

The effluent was disinfected and solids had been filtered from it, she said. But the sewage bypassed one of three treatment stages at the plant. It may take several days to determine if the concentration of the discharge also violated state pollution standards, she said.  State pollution standards had never been violated when sewage was dumped in the past after heavy rain swamped the system, Graffin said.

Environmental and conservation groups have been concerned over Milwaukee's history of past "accidental" discharges and overflow incidents in times of heavy rainfall, and last year filed a federal lawsuit over the tehe dumping incidents.  Many consider this latest incident but one of a continuing pattern.