Weekly News

Torch Lake Atlantic Salmon Recognized As World Record

The Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has recognized an Atlantic salmon caught at Torch Lake in Antrim County last October as a world record for land-locked Atlantics. The record Atlantic salmon, caught by Indiana resident Tom Aufiero, weighed 26.12 lbs. Aufiero, who caught the fish while fly fishing with a shrimp pattern, released the fish after weighing it.

IGFA regulations require that scales used to weigh potential record fish must have been calibrated and certified as accurate within a year of the catch. Aufieroï¿½s salmon was weighed on an uncertified hand-held scale, but

the scale was sent to the IGFA, which tested it and certified it as accurate. The IGFA certified the record March 7, 2011.

ï¿½It doesnï¿½t surprise me to see a 26-pound Atlantic come out of Torch Lake,ï¿½ said DNR fisheries biologist Mark Tonello of Cadillac. ï¿½We know Torch Lake is capable of producing big lake trout, big muskies, and last year someone caught a 29-pound brown trout there.ï¿½

The previous IGFA all-tackle world record for land-locked salmon was a 24.11 lb specimen caught in Sweden in June 2010.

Torch Lake was last stocked with Atlantic salmon in 2008.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program June 3-5 in the UP

Women seeking to improve their outdoor skills can now register for the 14^th annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) summer program, held June 3-5, in Big Bay, a picturesque community overlooking Lake Superior 30 miles north of Marquette.

Sponsored by the MDNR, this BOW program offers instruction in more than two dozen kinds of outdoor activities, including kayaking, canoeing, fishing, mountain biking, fly-tying, archery, geocaching, boating and birding. Volunteer BOW instructors provide basic and advanced instruction that is uniquely tailored to each participant's individual ability, helping the participants learn the basics in a short amount of time.

The $175 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies (except as noted in

the registration materials). Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility at the universally-accessible Big Bay Health Camp, with numerous amenities, including a pool, sauna, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails and easy access to Lake Superior. The BOW summer program also includes special evening programs, such as birding hikes, group bonfires and more.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops are for women, 18 and older, who wish to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere. Early registration is recommended as the workshops tend to fill quickly. A limited number of BOW Scholarships are available to help low-income participants with the cost of registration. For class info and registration materials: www.michigan.gov/bow. For more information, contact Sharon Pitz at the DNR office in Marquette at 906-228-6561 or e-mail [email protected]. www.michigan.gov/bow.

Last Known Wolverine now on display at Bay City State Recreation Area

Michiganï¿½s only known wild wolverine is now on display at the visitor center at Bay City State Recreation Area. The animal was found dead by hikers last winter at Sanilac Countyï¿½s Minden State Game Area, where it had lived for much of the previous six years. The wolverine was first discovered by coyote hunters who treed it while running hounds near Bad Axe on Feb. 24, 2004.

It was the first wolverine ever verified as living in the wild in Michigan. Michigan is known as the Wolverine State because it was a center for trade in the early trapping

industry and wolverine pelts from the north and west of

Michigan came through the state. Biologists say that if wolverines were native to Michigan, they were extirpated about 200 years ago.

It is uncertain how the wolverine arrived in Michigan, though DNA evidence indicates it is related to animals native to Alaska. The wolverine was mounted by Bay Port taxidermist Sandy Brown; the mount recently won an award from the stateï¿½s taxidermy association.

Park interpreter Valerie Blashcka said the display has become quite an attraction. ï¿½Itï¿½s bringing a lot of visitors who have never been here before,ï¿½ she said. ï¿½Itï¿½s really exciting.ï¿½ The visitor center, located at 3582 State Park Dr., is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

DNR announces 2011 Demo Day Lower Peninsula Dates

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Accessibility Advisory Council (AAC) will be holding two accessibility demonstration days in 2011. Demonstration days give persons with disabilities, outdoor recreation professionals and equipment vendors the chance to meet and provide demonstrations for equipment designed to increase accessibility to the outdoors.

The two dates planned in the Lower Peninsula in 2011 are:

June 11 - ï¿½Tips-up for the Troopsï¿½ at Kensington Metropark and ï¿½Accessibility Demo Days.ï¿½ This event will focus on all areas of recreation and accessible equipment. Contact Rick Briggs at 810-229-5880 or [email protected] for specifics on the event. To sponsor this event or register as a vendor, contact Daryl Domke at 616-363-2140 or [email protected]. Vendor registration deadline is Tuesday, June 1, 2011. Everyone (including vendors and sponsor) will need to pay the entrance fees at Kensington Metropark ($5 day pass).

Sept. 10 - ï¿½DNR Accessibility Demo Dayï¿½ at the Michigan State U, Demmer Center, East Lansing, MI, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. This event will focus on all areas of recreation and accessible equipment. For more information or to sponsor this event or register as a vendor, contact Daryl Domke at

616-363-2140 or [email protected]. Vendor registration deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011. Vendors will need to pay the $35 vendor fee to the Demmer Center and complete the Demmer Center vendor application.

Types of adaptive equipment may include but is not limited to:

- Mobility assistive devices for recreation, hunting and fishing; 4 wheel-drive wheelchairs and ATV side by side

- Hand-cycling and biking

- Shooting technology

- Crossbows, modified bows and compound bows (All bows must comply with DNR regulations.)

- Adaptive fishing equipment

- Kayaking/canoeing

- Accessible hunting blinds

- Skiing ï¿½ water and snow

- Pickup truck and van conversions

- Other adaptive equipment for outdoor recreation

For more information, contact AAC member Daryl Domke at 616-363-2140 or [email protected] . Additional information can be found on the web at www.michigan.gov/dnraccessibility.

Lawmakers want to take the wind out of off-shore turbine sails

LANSING (CNS) ï¿½ Proposed legislation could keep wind turbines out of the Great Lakes, and thatï¿½s good ï¿½ or bad ï¿½ depending on perspective.

The sponsor, Rep. Ray Franz, R-Onekama, said the intent is to keep potential hazards out of the blue waters of the Great Lakes. ï¿½Itï¿½s not environmentally sound to have machines like these on our lakes. They are our greatest asset, and industrialization on them is a hazard to nature and the economy,ï¿½ Franz said.

The permanent nature of wind turbines and related structures creates problems not only for the environment, but also for ships, he said.ï¿½ If the basic structures are permanently fixed to the lake floor, it would be an obstacle for ships to sail around and create more dangers for them to deal with,ï¿½ Franz said. Aesthetic concerns are also a problem and a majority of residents in his northwest Lower Peninsula district oppose off-shore wind development, he said. ï¿½My district is home to one of the longest shorelines of any in the state. People donï¿½t want their view blocked by these big structures.ï¿½

But Hugh McDiarmid, communications director at the Michigan Environmental Council, said the proposed ban would be bad for the economy and environment. ï¿½Itï¿½s bad public policy. Renewable energy like this has been one of the only bright spots for Michigan in recent years, and this is the wrong message to send,ï¿½ McDiarmid said. He said that wind energy is a growing industry in the state and a ban could stunt that growth.

A recent report by the Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago said 120 companies in Michigan were part of the wind industry supply chain as of March. The report also said there are more than 4,000 jobs tied to the stateï¿½s wind industry. The Renewable Portfolio Standard signed by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2008, requires that 10 percent of a utilityï¿½s electric supply come from renewable energy sources by 2015.

McDiarmid said, ï¿½Wind power is one of the primary ways utility companies will reach that goal. This proposal would

seriously hinder their efforts.ï¿½ A February report from the Public Service Commission said that renewable sources

produced 3.6 percent of the states power in 2009, an increase from 2.9 percent in 2007. The report said that the proportion of renewable energy is expected to ï¿½increase significantly,ï¿½ with almost 93 percent of the anticipated increase coming through wind power.

While wind development isnï¿½t exclusively done on the Great Lakes, McDiarmid said off-shore turbines would create more energy than those on land. ï¿½Lakes are better for capturing wind, which makes off-shore development a lot more lucrative,ï¿½ McDiarmid said. However, he acknowledged that off-shore turbines raise concerns different from those on land.

ï¿½Itï¿½s a bit more expensive to put them off-shore and itï¿½s more dangerous for the people involved and the environment when youï¿½re building in water,ï¿½ McDiarmid said. He said that aesthetics are another problem with off-shore wind development but that the legislation wouldnï¿½t be the right solution. ï¿½We are very supportive of wind energy but not in scenic or protected areas. More guidelines are necessary, but to say no wind at all is a very short-sighted solution,ï¿½ McDiarmid said.

Mark Clevey, manager of the renewable energy program at the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, said that off-shore wind development in the state is still in the planning stages. ï¿½There are virtually no off-shore projects as of right now because research still needs to be done,ï¿½ Clevey said. According to Clevey, there is not enough information available about wind speed on the Great Lakes, which would help determine where to place wind farms. Also, he said there is uncertainty about how the turbines would be fixed to the floor of the lakes. Floating platforms are being discussed also. However, Clevey said the chances are still good that wind farms will pop up in the Great Lakes in the near future.

The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo, is in the House Energy and Technology Committee.

Michigan proposes tougher BUI law

Michigan lawmakers are the latest to be considering a bill that would lower the blood-alcohol threshold for boaters from .10 to .08. State Rep. Matt Lori drafted a similar proposal last year, but it did not come up for a vote. He has reintroduced similar legislation for this session.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad last week signed a measure into law that sets the blood-alcohol limit for boaters at .08, down from .10.

ï¿½Ask the DNR One Hour Specialï¿½ to Air April 14 on CMU Public Television

Michigan residents will be able to have their questions on natural resources issues addressed by professionals with the Department of Natural Resources when Central Michigan University Public Broadcasting hosts the television program ï¿½Ask the DNRï¿½ on Thursday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m.

This one-hour edition of ï¿½Ask the DNRï¿½ will be hosted by Bob Garner, a former member of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission and former executive producer and host of the Michigan Out-of-Doors television show. Garner will be joined by DNR Law Enforcement Division Assistant Chief Dean Molnar, Conservation Officer Joe Molnar, DNR Wildlife Chief Russ Mason and DNR Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonello.

In addition to calling the programï¿½s toll-free number 800-727-9268, the public also can e-mail questions to ï¿½Ask the

DNRï¿½ prior to the broadcast. Viewers should use the title of the show as the subject line and e-mail questions to Brian Baker, the showï¿½s producer, at [email protected] no later than 5 p.m. on April 14.

The ï¿½Ask the Specialistsï¿½ series airs Thursday evenings on CMU Public Television, offering viewers access to a variety of professions each week. A service of Central Michigan University, CMU Public Broadcasting (WCMU) informs and entertains its audience throughout Michigan with programming and services that reflect and respect the cultures of our state and world. CMU Public Television includes WCML Channel 6 Alpena, WCMU Channel 14 Mt. Pleasant, WCMW Channel 21 Manistee, WCMV Channel 27 Cadillac and WCMZ Channel 28 Flint.

DNR to Propose Closing 23 State Forest Campgrounds

The Michigan DNR announced that the stateï¿½s Forest Recreation Program has seen a 63-percent decrease in funding in the last three years, resulting in the need for the department to close 23 under-performing state forest campgrounds in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula.

The order to close the 23 campgrounds will be submitted as a proposal at todayï¿½s Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting in Lansing, and will be eligible for action by DNR Director Rodney Stokes at the NRCï¿½s May 12 meeting in Flint. If approved at the May meeting, the closures would be effective on May 19, 2011.

State forest campgrounds are not state parks. State forest campgrounds are rustic sites with fewer amenities than a state park. They are unstaffed and provide a more rustic, tent camping experience. Every state forest campground is located on a river or lake, and more than 60 campgrounds have nearby pathways for non-motorized trail recreation, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature observation. Accommodations range from five to 50 campsites, with group sites available. All campgrounds have vault toilets and potable water from hand pumps.

General Fund support for state forest recreation programs, such as the state forest campgrounds, has been reduced every year since 2009, when $72,200 was cut. In 2010, $24,100 was cut from the program, and in Fiscal Year 2011, the program is targeted for a $314,700 General Fund reduction.

ï¿½While revenue has remained even in the last decade, due to camping fee increases in 2002 and in 2007, state forest campground fees are now at the high end of the market at $15 a night per individual site,ï¿½ said Cara Boucher, assistant chief of the DNRï¿½s Forest Management Division. ï¿½Meanwhile, the number of registrations and campers has steadily dropped over the same period. Given the long-term trend of declining use and the inability to raise camp fee revenues, the only way to absorb the current cut in General Fund support is to close some campgrounds.ï¿½

To address the reduced camping demand and insufficient funding to maintain all state forest campgrounds, the DNR

will close underutilized campgrounds, Boucher said.

ï¿½We will preserve the campgrounds that perform well, and provide a diverse selection for the campers,ï¿½ Boucher said. ï¿½The campgrounds targeted for closure are under-performing and close to other state forest campgrounds, so we can still provide camping opportunities in those areas.ï¿½

Currently, the highest-performing state forest campground generates more than $40,000 a year annually in revenue, while the lowest-performing generates just over $300 a year.

The campgrounds targeted for closure are:

ï¿½ ● Beaufort and Big Lake state forest campgrounds ï¿½ Baraga County

ï¿½ ● Black Lake Trail Camp ï¿½ Cheboygan County

ï¿½ ● Lime Island State Forest Campground and Cabins and Munuscong River State Forest Campground ï¿½ Chippewa County

ï¿½ ● Manistee River Bridge State Forest Campground ï¿½ Crawford County

ï¿½ ● Deer Lake State Forest Campground ï¿½ Iron County

ï¿½ ● Bray Creek State Forest Campground ï¿½ Lake County

ï¿½ ● Blind Sucker #1, High Bridge, Holland Lake, Natalie and ● Reed & Green Bridge state forest campgrounds ï¿½ Luce County

ï¿½ ● Black River State Forest Campground ï¿½ Mackinac County

ï¿½ ● Little Wolf Lake State Forest Campground ï¿½ Montmorency County

ï¿½ ● McCollum Lake State Forest Campground ï¿½ Oscoda County

ï¿½ ● Pigeon Bridge and Round Lake state forest campgrounds ï¿½ Otsego County

ï¿½ ● Canoe Lake, Cusino Lake, Mead Creek and South Gemini Lake state forest campgrounds ï¿½ Schoolcraft County

ï¿½ ● Long Lake State Forest Campground ï¿½ Wexford County

To read the informational memo on the state forest campground closures provided to the NRC at the April 7 meeting, go to the NRCï¿½s website at www.michigan.gov/nrc and click on Agendas and Minutes to find the April 7 agenda. To read the memo, click on the box for the order on page two of the agenda.

DNR meeting, Moose Hunting Advisory Council April 13

The Michigan DNR announced the Moose Hunting Advisory Council has its first meeting on Wednesday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Holiday Inn located at 1951 U.S. 41 West in Marquette.

The seven-member council was created under a law passed by the Legislature in 2010. The council is charged with considering the impacts moose hunting would have on

the moose population and the various economic benefits

associated with moose hunting. The council could develop recommendations to the Natural Resources Commission (NRC).

The council will meet a number of times throughout the next year and must submit its report to the NRC, the Department and the Legislature no later than Dec. 22, 2011. At the April meeting, the council will discuss the charge of the group, review a DNR moose management scientific paper and discuss next steps.

Michigan proposes tougher BUI law

Michigan proposes tougher BUI law

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