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Week of September 7, 2009 |
| Beyond the Great Lakes |
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| General |
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Beyond the Great Lakes
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Pythons Netted in Undercover Investigation Twelve pythons, destined for illegal sale on Craig's List, never made it out the door of a New Port Richey, Florida home. A tip |
to officials led to the seizure of two adult Burmese, four adult reticulated, and six albino Burmese pythons. |
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Judge Will Consider RMEF Support of Wolf Hunting U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy on Friday granted a motion allowing the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to enter an amicus curiae brief supporting state-regulated wolf hunting in Idaho and Montana. A hearing on an emergency injunction |
filed by 13 environmental groups asking the judge to stop the hunt and return gray wolves to the endangered list is scheduled for later. Molloy's ruling could follow soon afterward. |
National
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Coast Guard proposes ballast water rules Wants limits on invasive species released by ships in US Ports http://fdsys.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-08-28/pdf/E9-20312.pdf WASHINGTON � The Coast Guard on August 27 proposed national standards for regulating the release in port of ships' ballast water, which can introduce new, sometimes detrimental species to U.S. ecosystems.
The plan would establish a limit on the number of invasive organisms that can be released along with a vessel's ballast water while the ship is in port. That limit would initially follow a formula used by the International Maritime Commission � a standard adopted by some states, but considered weak by many environmentalists.
There currently is no federal requirement to treat ballast water in order to kill living organisms. Oceangoing vessels must exchange their ballast or flush out their tanks in the open seas before entering a U.S. port, but the tanks might still contain species from distant waters.
The goal is to establish by 2016 a national standard similar to California's, which is considered 1,000 times more stringent than the limits set by the international commission's formula.
Interestingly, on August 27, 2009 the US Coast Guard announced their proposal for new ballast rules, and posted that announcement in the August 28, 2009 Federal Register. Sadly, their proposed implementation date for Phase One is 2012, with Phase Two for 2016, with for some situations as long as five years after that date, and built-in opportunities for even further delays.
Their public comment period allows for variations, modifications and built-opportunities for logistical and administrative delays; everything except a guarantee of adequate ballast control. The Guard is "proposing to require a practicability review, to be published three years prior to the first implementation date for the phase-two BWDS (Ballast Water Discharge Standard), in order to determine whether the technology to achieve and verify compliance with the phase-two performance standard can practicably be implemented, in whole or in part, by the applicable compliance date.
The Guard and industry officials acknowledge it is not clear whether it would be technologically possible to meet the stricter standards. The regulations include feasibility studies and the chance to revise the standards.
Conservationists are disappointed in the Coast Guard's timetable. Ships would have to meet Phase 1 requirements between 2014 and 2016, depending on a vessel's size, and might not be subject to Phase 2 standards for another five years. But Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Christopher O'Neil said the need to develop not only ballast treatment technology but also systems to test that technology is a slow process. "Currently, there isn't enough capacity in labs to determine that discharged ballast water would meet those stringent Phase 2 standards," he said. "You're developing a lot of moving pieces at the same time."
The Coast Guard has set the comment period at 90 days and will have 4 public meetings nationwide to facilitate additional public input. The meetings will be held in Seattle, WA, Chicago, IL, New Orleans, LA and Washington, D.C. Exact dates have not been finalized yet but will be announced in the Federal Register and updated here as arrangements are completed
Ballast water helps keep ships stable while they take on or unload cargo. Vessels can acquire ballast water in home ports or elsewhere, taking in microorganisms and fish along with it and carrying them to new places. Efforts to fix environmental damage caused by organisms that travel along |
with ballast water can prove quite costly � an estimated $200 million a year for the Great Lakes alone.
For years conservationists, particularly anglers and boaters in the Great Lakes region, battled for tougher restrictions. They increasingly relied on individual states to adopt standards of their own, a complicating factor for shippers and less effective in fighting off unwanted species.
Federal legislation that would impose a national ballast water standard, 100 times stronger than the international standard, has been repeatedly blocked by the shipping industry. A GOP-sponsored bill currently in a House committee has gone nowhere. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., did not include the provision in a measure he had previously sponsored, after environmentalists asked him to drop it.
A federal court ruled during the Bush administration that EPA is empowered under the Clean Water Act to establish ballast standards. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson directed staff earlier this year to review the issue. I guess they�re still reviewing it, although they have had the document since it was approved 37 years ago, and were defendants a few short years ago in a federal suit they lost on the very same subject. The Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council was a participating plaintiff in that suit.
Some senators wrote the Obama administration last month urging the EPA and the Coast Guard to work together to develop a single, strict standard. EPA's position is if the Coast Guard and EPA propose different standards, the stronger one would be followed.
The proposal which was published August 28, 2009 in the Federal Register is followed by a 90-day public comment period.
Comments and related material must either be submitted to the online docket via www.regulations.gov on or before November 27, 2009 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date.
You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket number USCG�2001�10486 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one of the following methods: (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. (2) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M�30), U.S. DOT, West Building Ground Floor, Rm W12�140, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE. Washington, DC 20590� 0001. (3) Hand delivery: Docket Management Facility (M�30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12�140, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE. Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202�366�9329. (4) Fax: 202�493�2251.
If you submit a comment, the Coast Guard is asking you include the docket number for this rulemaking (USCG�2001�10486),
To submit your comment online, go to www.regulations.gov and click on the ��submit a comment�� box, which will then become highlighted in blue. Insert ��USCG�2001�10486�� in the Keyword box, click ��Search��, and then click on the balloon shape in the Actions column.
The full 44 page document is available at: http://fdsys.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-08-28/pdf/E9-20312.pdf
Better late than never, and As one conservationist said: "32 years late, but who's counting..."
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Country Music Celebs Embrace Hunting, Fishing National Hunting & Fishing Day Sept 26 SPRINGFIELD, MO--In the 37 years since Congress formalized National Hunting and Fishing Day, a variety of celebs have volunteered to serve as honorary chairman, lending their fame to help build public support for sporting traditions. Sports pros, actors and other personalities have served (see list below). But history shows that country music/entertainment has produced the most flag-bearers for the hunting, fishing and conservation community.
That's no surprise, according to a marketing exec with Capitol Records Nashville. She says country music, like hunting and fishing themselves, reflects a lifestyle. Other genres are more about emotion and instrumentation.
Luke Bryan, the country sensation proudly presiding over the |
Sept. 26, 2009, celebration of NHF Day, is a case in point. Bryan's hunting and fishing passions helped shape him as an artist, and continue to influence his path to stardom. "Hunting, fishing and the outdoors make up who I am as an artist and a person. I'm proud of my love for the outdoors and my true fans will appreciate that about me" Bryan said.
The lifelong sportsman recently hosted Yahoo! Music's first-ever Country Music Wednesdays on Twitter. He was featured by USA Today and named among "Country's Hottest Guys" by PEOPLE Country magazine. Bryan's debut album, "I'll Stay Me," continues to build success with Top 10 hits in "All My Friends Say" and "Country Man." He's been a Billboard magazine new face to watch and invited to tour with Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley and Kenny Chesney. He's now headlining a full slate of shows through 2009. A highly anticipated second album is due out this fall. |
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Coast Guard enrolls ship in ballast water treatment test program WASHINGTON � The U.S. Coast Guard announced August 7 the enrollment of a fourth ship into the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program, as part of several Coast Guard initiatives aimed at reducing the introduction of non-indigenous species to U.S. waters.
The U.S. flagged S/R AMERICAN PROGRESS, owned by SeaRiver Maritime, became the latest ship to participate in the STEP program. The S/R AMERICAN PROGRESS carries petroleum cargo between Texas and Florida.
The Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program is designed to facilitate the development and installation of experimental shipboard ballast water treatment systems aimed at removing or deactivating organisms that may be present in a ship�s ballast water. STEP participation is free of charge and is available to all vessels subject to the Coast Guard�s Ballast Water Management regulations under Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 151, Subparts C and D. The impacts of non-indigenous species on our environment, food supply, economy, health and overall biodiversity of our waterways are significant and increasing. |
The ballast water treatment system used aboard the S/R American Progress is called BalPure 2000 and is manufactured by Severn Trent DeNora. The system uses electrolytic cells to generate biocides from ions found in seawater. Presently, the predominant method of reducing the number of non-indigenous species in ballast water is conducting a procedure called a mid-ocean exchange, a procedure that not all ships can safely or reasonably conduct.
Through the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program the Coast Guard will grant conditional equivalencies for accepted vessels as an incentive for vessel owners to participate in shipboard evaluations of prototype treatment systems. More information on the Coast Guard�s ballast water program and STEP application packages are available online at www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg522/cg5224/step.asp.
Potential STEP applicants should, prior to submission of an application, contact Lt. Cmdr. Brian Moore of the Coast Guard�s Environmental Standards Division (CG-5224) at 202-372-1434 or at [email protected] to discuss the criteria for acceptance, application process and documentation requirements. |
Regional
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Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Sept 4, 2009 Weather Conditions This past week the Great Lakes basin experienced mild temperatures and sunny skies due to the presence of a high pressure system. The high pressure system should remain over the Great Lakes basin throughout the holiday weekend maintaining the mild temperatures that were experienced this week. Next week, the high pressure system should move to the east of the Great Lakes basin, allowing for a chance of scattered showers throughout the week. Lake Level Conditions Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie are expected to be 2, 10, 8 and 6 inches, respectively, higher than their levels of a year ago. Lake Ontario is at the same level it was a year ago. Over the next month Lake Superior is expected to remain steady. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are expected to decline 2, 6, 4 and 7 inches, respectively, over the next 30 days. Over the next several months, Lake Superior is predicted to be near its level of a year ago. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie are forecasted to remain at or above last years levels over the same time period. Lake Ontario is forecasted to be near or below its levels of a year ago over the next six months. Current Outflows/Channel Conditions In August, the outflow from Lake Superior through the St. Mary's River and the outflow from Lake Michigan-Huron |
through the St. Clair River were below average. The Detroit River carried near average flows during August. The flow in the Niagara River and the outflow from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River were above average in August. Alerts Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings.
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Fishery Commission Soliciting Award Nominations Each year, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission honors individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions to Great Lakes science, policy, and management. The commission is pleased to announce that it is now accepting nominations for three annual awards, described below:
The Jack Christie/Ken Loftus Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions toward Understanding Healthy Great Lakes Ecosystems The Buzz Besadny Award for Fostering Great Lakes Partnerships, The Vern Applegate Award for Outstanding Contributions to Sea Lamprey Control.
The commission welcomes your nominations for these |
awards, which will be presented during the commission�s annual meeting in June, 2010. Members of the Canadian and U.S. Committees of Advisors are particularly encouraged to submit nominations, given your knowledge of Great Lakes management, research, and policy.
The form for submitting a nomination is online at www.glfc.org/aboutus/awards.php and is designed to be convenient. Please feel free to forward this announcement to your colleagues in the Great Lakes community. Nominations are due by November 13, 2009. Nominations submitted within the previous three years will be considered for 2010 and do not need to be resubmitted. For more information about the awards and for a list of past recipients: www.glfc.org/aboutus/awards.php |
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Lake Trout intelligence and its relatives Lake Trout are a favorite once native species for fisheries managers who opine for the restoration of the Great Lakes to their original once glorious status � whatever that may be.
Well known fisheries managers, supervisors and biologists like Ebner, Eshenroder, Gorenflo, Hansen, etc. make no bones about their desire to re-establish lake trout to its original status as the top predator of the Great Lakes. And get rid of the enormously successful Pacific Salmon program because of alleged biological conflicts.
Others, like Krueger, McLeish, Newman, Smith, Johnson, Goddard and other equally well known scientists who feel it would make their jobs of managing Great Lakes fisheries programs so much easier, less costly and reduce manpower secretly would like to also see lake trout re-established and crash the alewife population. It�s not clear whether these folks have really thought this scenario thru and understand the economic ramifications of their secret desires.
Most anglers - and that is in the high 90 percentile, like things the way they are � a nice five species mix of Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Steelhead, Brown Trout and Lake Trout - all top predators they can target at different times of the day or year, in deep or shallow water, in the open lake or related streams. Versatility and diversity is what drives this multi-billion dollar economic machine, eight billion dollars by some accounts, and the lowly alewife plays a key role in the whole scheme of things. This is what sells fishing licenses and salmon stamps. This is what generates excise taxes on fishing tackle for the Sportfish Restoration Act. This is the hard currency that goes right back to state fishery agencies, for management programs and salaries.
One of the biggest problems with today�s fisheries managers � and the college programs they signed up for to secure their degree, is their lack of any education in economics, what really runs the money energy machine in the Great Lakes region. They never took Economics 101. It is a simple course that should be a requirement in their quest for their degree at Michigan State, or Wisconsin or the other state supported universities that carry prestigious Natural Resource curricula, |
but it isn�t.
Guys like Bill Taylor (Dr William�) just don�t get it; and Taylor is a commissioner of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and chair of Michigan State�s Natural Resource program.
Now these fish aren�t all that smart either. Lake Trout are known to eat their young, spawn in the open lake so passersby can feed on those tasty hi-protein morsels, and pass up a dinner of native herring for a non-native Alewife - a fatty diet of thiaminase and high protein. Admittedly, it is a diet that doesn�t do much for the Lake Trout reproductive process, but then remember they aren�t very smart. A favorite angling lure with a high success ratio is a shiny silver spoon emulating an alewife. As I said, not too smart, huh?
Interestingly, the thiamine thing doesn�t inhibit Pacific salmon from having a good time and reproducing in our once polluted lakes.
Steelhead will often hit a piece of pink yarn, simple fluff we once stole from our grandmas knitting basket. Chinooks and Cohos will hit most anything you tie on to the end of line, so long as you run it in front of their nose and make them angry. Open lake Brown trout think they�re being cagy by feeding at night in the shallows where boating anglers can�t get at them. Sure.
Angling is really more sophisticated than that, we spend a lot of money and time pursuing a great recreational sport and aren�t always 100% successful, but you get the idea, huh?
Resource managers are looking for a stable ecosystem, elusive for over 70 years, and we can�t fault them for that. It would make their lives and jobs much easier but that doesn�t come without consequences. By some accounts it�s like walking a tightrope. Just for starters they have millions of anglers and charter captains to contend with. Then they also have the economy created by this vast fishery. Some say they created this problem, thru ignorance, indifference and bad management. Others call it a stroke of luck. Maybe we aren�t so dumb after all. |
General
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Mercury Marine union petition asks for new vote More than 200 union members at Mercury Marine have signed petitions calling for a second vote on a labor contract that was rejected last weekend, but union officials say there won't be a second vote unless changes are made to the proposal, according to reports.
The union voted overwhelmingly last Sunday to reject what Mercury says was its final proposal. That plan expires this weekend.
"As we've stated since presenting our best and final contract proposal on Aug. 18, we won't make changes to this contract because (a) it contains changes that are necessary for Mercury to lower its cost structure and emerge from the current economic downturn as a stronger company better equipped to operate in a smaller, much different marine market, and (b) it now appears the union is asking for changes to be made simply to create an appearance of change, and to engage in such an open sham is not something the company would take lightly," Mercury spokesman Steve Fleming said in an e-mail to Soundings Trade Only.
Following the plans' rejection by the union, Mercury announced it would begin the process of moving from Fond du Lac, Wis., to its plant in Stillwater, Okla. Mercury is still deciding if it will also move its corporate headquarters to Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle issued a statement |
Thursday saying the state has offered "an aggressive package" that would allow Mercury to continue operations in the state.
"Mercury Marine is offering a remarkable opportunity to consolidate hundreds of jobs here in Wisconsin. Let me assure the Fond du Lac community that this incentive package is largely based on Mercury Marine's continued and long-term presence in Fond du Lac," the governor said.
"This incentive package is built on economic development programs created in my recent budget with these situations in mind," Doyle continued. "These incentives are 'performance-based' and in order for the company to maximize the full value of the incentives, it must meet certain milestones including the creation and retention of nearly 2,700 jobs and maintaining a significant presence in Fond du Lac for 12 years.
Fleming said this morning that Mercury has enjoyed a "great relationship" with the Fond du Lac community for many decades, but also has "a wonderful affiliation with the people and governments of Stillwater and Oklahoma." See Related ArticlesMercury urges union to vote yes Mercury, union aim to finalize negotiations by Monday Mercury, union meet about Wisconsin plans Mercury Marine downplays talk of move Mercury Web site to update future plans
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Lake Superior
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Tribes retrieve lost nets from Lake Superior Houghton, MI � Tribal wardens Dan North and Jim Stone successfully retrieved about 3,000' of gill net aboard the enforcement vessel Mizhakwad in June. They were removed from Lake Superior in the Houghton area. The nets, of unknown origin, appeared to have been in the lake for a period of years, according to GLIFWC Enforcement Chief Fred Maulson. Most nets were "extremely deteriorated," the contents rotten, and no identification tags were found.
An angler reported the nets and provided GPS coordinates for |
their locations. Once at the GPS location, wardens deployed a large metal drag with multiple hooks, pulling the drag across the lake bottom in grids around their marker. Once a net was hooked, the net-lifter was used to pull up the drag and the net. Following up on another complaint about possible "ghost" nets, GLIFWC wardens along with staff from the Michigan DNR, searched for nets in the Marquette area this summer as well. The complaint had also included GPS coordinates. Searchers completed a grid check and patrolled the area, but no nets were found. |
Illinois
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Illinois resident deer and turkey hunters can now purchase 2009 Illinois Archery Deer Hunting permits (combination archery and antlerless-only archery permits) and turkey fall archery permits over-the-counter from DNR Direct permit sale |
locations throughout Illinois, and through the DNR Direct online system (click the Online Licenses button on the IDNR web site at http://dnr.state.il.us). The archery deer and turkey seasons open Oct. 1. |
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Coffeen Upland Unit Youth Deer Drawing The IDNR will conduct a drawing on Sun., Sept. 20 for three youth to hunt deer during the Youth Firearm Deer Season, October 10-11. The special youth hunt will take place at the Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area�s Upland Management Area. Participating youth must have a valid Montgomery County Youth Firearm Deer Permit. To be eligible for the drawing, the youth�s name, mailing address, telephone number, and Montgomery County Youth Firearm Deer Permit number must be printed on a 3" x 5" postcard and received at the site office by the close of business on Sept. 18. Late entries will not be accepted. Entrants for the youth hunt are not required to be present at the drawing. The site mailing address is: Coffeen Lake SFWA, P.O. Box 517, Coffeen, IL 62017. For more information contact the site office at (217)537-3351 or [email protected].
Youth Deer Hunt Changes at Kaskaskia River SFWA: The IDNR will host the annual Special Youth Deer Hunt on the Baldwin Lake rest area at Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area on Oct. 10-11 with a different procedure than has been used in recent years. Instead of a pre-registration, the |
26 deer hunting locations at the site will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The special hunt area is between Baldwin Lake and the Doza Creek Waterfowl Management Area. The main gate at Baldwin Lake will be open until 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 for youth hunters and accompanying adults to select a deer hunting location and erect a deer stand. (Blaze orange required while at the site).
Hunting must be from an elevated stand at least six feet high and within 10 yards of the selected signed and numbered hunting location. Additional rules about the hunt and maps of the special hunt area and hunting locations will be available at the site�s check station next to the Baldwin Lake office on Oct. 9 and during the special two-day hunt. Participating youth must have either a St. Clair County or Randolph County Youth Deer Hunt permit and follow statewide regulations for the youth hunt. In addition to this special hunt at the Baldwin Lake rest area, the rest of the Kaskaskia River SFWA and Turkey Bluffs SFWA south of Chester are also open during the youth hunt. For more information, call Brian Mahan at 618/295-2877. |
Indiana
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Zebra Mussels Mean Trouble in Indiana In what officials say could mean big trouble for waters throughout the area, a lone zebra mussel was found attached to a rock in the St. Joseph River in Fort Wayne this month during routine sampling led by Saint Francis University assistant professor Warren Pryor. That could signal big trouble for waters in that area, much as the mussel's presences has affected others.
Though found in more than 75 bodies of water in 43 counties throughout Indiana, the discovery marks the first time that the mussel has been found in Allen County. Zebra mussels were also discovered earlier in the year in Sylvan Lake, the first find in Noble County.
Doug Keller, aquatic invasive species coordinator with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said the effect of zebra mussels can be devastating where the invasive species successfully colonizes. "Zebra mussels can rapidly multiply and are known for clogging drainage and filtration pipes," Keller said. "Besides pipes, they can attach to virtually anything in the water column, including rocks, limbs, piers or even boats."
Zebra mussels are originally from Europe and spread rapidly across North America in the 1990s. Aside from being a costly nuisance to humans, zebra mussels may also cause declines in fish populations. By filtering tiny plants, called |
phytoplankton, out of the water column, zebra mussels diminish the base of the food chain, potentially causing declines in all other aquatic life, including fish.
Keller said that few options for eradicating the mussel exist, short of eliminating every other living thing in the river. The best means of control, he said, is by educating boaters about preventing further spread of the mussel.
Typically, zebra mussels are transported by human recreational activities such as boating or fishing. A few simple tasks can prevent the spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species. Removing all aquatic vegetation and draining livewells, bilge, water lines and boat trailers at access ramps will prevent transport of the mollusk to other waters. Drying equipment after each use also is important.
"Letting all equipment dry for five days after a boating trip will prevent the spread of both adults and larvae," Keller said. "However, if you plan to visit a body of water sooner, you can use a solution of 5 percent bleach and water to clean and disinfect all of your equipment."
The DNR has posted informational signs at all DNR-owned boat ramps to remind users of these procedures. For more information: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3123.htm, or contact Keller at (317) 234-3883. |
New York
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Plans to Close Hudson River Shad Fishery Closure designed to protect Dwindling Stock With the American shad population in the Hudson River at historic lows, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) plans to propose closing recreational and commercial fishing for American shad in the Hudson and prohibit commercial landings in marine waters.
DEC will hold three public information meetings in September to outline steps to be taken to save this historically important species. Public information meetings are scheduled for: � Monday, Sept. 14, 7 - 9 p.m., at Schodack Town Hall, 265 Schuurman Rd., Castleton-on-Hudson � Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2 - 5 p.m., Marine Resources Advisory Council Mtg, DEC Marine Resources Office, 205 Belle Mead Rd., East Setauket � Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7 - 9 p.m. at the DEC Region 3 Office, 21 S. Putt Corners Rd., New Paltz
In 2007, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission conducted a coast-wide assessment of American shad stocks, with New York biologists playing a lead role. The assessment concluded that the Hudson River shad stock has declined substantially since the 1990s-and now is at historic lows. Juvenile production dropped to a historically low level in 2002 and has not rebounded. Hudson River recreational and |
commercial fisheries were restricted in 2008 with the hope that it would trigger some improvement in production of young American shad. Because no change occurred, the DEC plans to pursue fishery closures.
Commissioner Pete Grannis said: "We have been closely monitoring the Hudson's shad population and hoped to see signs of rebounding, but unfortunately, that has not occurred. A closure now appears to be a necessary step to prevent the potential permanent loss of this historically and ecologically important species. We will continue to monitor Hudson shad populations with the hope that they will rebound to levels that will allow the fishery to reopen."
At the same time, DEC will implement a Hudson River American Shad Recovery Plan to help rebuild the stock. The recovery plan is available on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/ shadrecoveryplan.pdf . The plan outlines current and future studies to investigate the suspected causes of the stock's decline. Over-fishing, habitat loss, increased populations of predatory species and competition for food sources are among the many factors to be evaluated. At the public meetings, DEC staff will also discuss and explain the measures of the shad population status that would enable a reopening of the recreational and commercial fisheries. Renee Goodbee [email protected] |
Ohio
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Rainbow Trout Headed For Ohio Waterways Approximately 25,000 rainbow trout, measuring 10-13" long, will be released into 25 Ohio waterways this October, according to the Ohio DNR. The trout stocking program targets small inland waters, including state and community park lakes, as well as other easy-access lakes throughout the state.
The trout stocking program targets small inland waters, including state and community park lakes, as well as other easy-access lakes. Anglers age 16 and older must have an Ohio fishing license. Fishing licenses can be purchased online at www.wildohio.com and at any of the many license vendors around the state. Ohio residents who were born on or |
before December 31, 1937 may obtain a free license from any license vendor or from the division's Web site.
The 2009 annual resident fishing license costs $19 and is valid through February 28, 2010. A one-day fishing license may be purchased for $11. The one-day license may also be redeemed for credit toward purchase of an annual fishing license during the same license year.
Additional information about fall trout releases is available from Division of Wildlife district offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus, Findlay, and Xenia; or by calling toll free 1-800-WILDLIFE. |
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Ohio's Lake Milton Gets Additional Structure Seventy weighted wooden spools were introduced along the western edge of Mahoning County, Ohio's Lake Milton to serve |
as structure for fish. The work is part of a project to introduce 500 structures into the waters of northeastern Ohio annually. |
Pennsylvania
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Crossbows usage for hunting Legal without Restriction For 2009-10 Archery Deer and Bear Seasons There will be no restrictions on use of the crossbow during 2009-10 Pennsylvania archery hunting seasons. Preliminary approval to regulatory changes restricting the use of crossbows was made in July, but the Board of Game Commissioners deadlocked 4-4 on the measure, meaning the previously approved regulations would be adopted. |
The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the GLSFC, its officers or staff.
Reproduction of any material by paid-up members of the GLSFC is encouraged but appropriate credit must be given.
Reproduction by others without written permission is prohibited.
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