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Week of October 8, 2012 |
| Fishing beyond the Great Lakes |
| Hunting & Shooting Products/Issues |
| National |
| Regional |
| General |
| Illinois |
| Pennsylvania |
| Other Breaking News Items |
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Fishing beyond the Great Lakes
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Disappointing returns of wild Atlantic Salmon to most Canadian rivers ST. ANDREWS...The Atlantic Salmon Federation has announced that there has been a major decline in this year's return of wild Atlantic salmon to most Canadian rivers. In Newfoundland and Labrador, returns have decreased from 2011 by 25-30% on average, with counts on some rivers, like Harry's, down by as much as 50% and Sandhill River down by as much as 60%. |
Overall the larger salmon that return to Canadian rivers from the Greenland feeding grounds are down, but not extremely so. However, grilse (salmon that spend one winter at sea) have decreased in all regions.Low adult returns in 2007 and sea survival this past year could be contributing factors.
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Hunting & Shooting Products/Issues
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EOTech HHS II hi-lighted by Field & Stream 2012 Hunting Award of Best of the Best Although labeled For Law Enforcement/Military Use, the EOTech Holographic Hybrid Sight II is a rugged combo with definite varmint hunting applications. It consists of two units�a 1X EXPS holographic weapons sight and a G33 3.25X magnifier�with individual lever-operated quick-detachable bases. The former provides fast target acquisition for close-range shooting; the latter is used for longer shots.
The HHS II provides an unparalleled advantage when transitioning from short to long range shooting. The EXPS2-2 offers true 2 eyes open shooting, a transversely mounted lithium 123 battery, 7 mm raised base offering iron sight access, and easy to adjust side buttons. The G33 3x magnifier with switch to side mount provides superior light transmission with a large field of view. Both units offer an adjustable, locking, quick detach lever for easy attachment and removal.
This EOTech HHS combo kit combines the speed of the EXPS holographic weapon sight and the extended range versatility of the G33.STS magnifier. The HHS is ideal for fast action and long range shooting, and helps ensure accurate shooting from zero to 500 meters by utilizing the G33's Quick Switch to Side magnifier mount.
Operating buttons are located on the side of the EXPS making it easy to use in conjunction with other rail mounted accessories like the magnifier or night vision and thermal units. |
EOTech is a division of L-3 Communications, employs some 51,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in New York City. L-3 is a major contractor in Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C3ISR) systems, aircraft modernization and maintenance, and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms.
Specifics Include: 3x magnifier with Switch-To-Side mount Reticle is a 65MOA circle with two 1MOA aiming dots Single transverse 123 battery to reduce sight length Shortened base only requires at most 2 3/4 inch of rail space Battery cap and latch are eliminated and replaced with a simple O-ring, tethered cap; better sealing is achieved Average battery life at brightness level 12 is roughly 600 hours Side buttons with an adjustable, locking, quick detach lever for easy attachment and removal
Brightness Adjustment Range: 146,000:1 brightest to lowest Power Source: (1) 123 lithium battery Battery Life: 600 continuous hours at nominal setting 12 Brightness Settings: 20 settings with scrolling feature Auto Battery Check Indicator: Flashing reticle upon start-up Auto Shut-down: At 8 hrs- programmable to 4 hrs
About $1,059.00
[email protected] www.eotech-inc.com |
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Bushnell G-Force 1300 ARC Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell introduces a rugged new
compact lightweight unit for 2012. The
It has a 6x magnification eyepiece with adjustable diopter setting. The unit is fully waterproof and has the patented Bushnell RainGuard HD permanent lens coating for a clear bright view in inclement weather. The G-Force 1300 ARC uses Bushnell Vivid Display Technology, which provides a bright clear display that is easy to read in both low light or bright conditions.
It also has the Bushnell Angle Range Compensation (ARC) technology, which calculates the hold for rifle or archery shooters based on the angle to the target. In addition, it is enhanced with Variable Sight-in Distance |
(VSI) for rifle shooters, allowing them to set the holdover/bullet drop information, available in either MOA or inches, and select between 100, 150, 200 and 300 yard sight-in distances for accurate information at the push of a button. VSI also provides users with shot angle information from -90 to +90 degrees.
The G-Force 1300 ARC uses the new E.S.P. (Extreme Speed Precision) turbo processor for faster target acquisition. Accuracy is 1/10 yard at 5-125 yards. The unit is built with a rugged metal housing and features a rubber armor coating. It also comes with a built in tripod mount.
Click here for more information about the G-Force 1300 ARC.
About $ 399.99
800-423-3537 www.bushnell.com
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M-Pro 7, a leading provider of military-grade weapons maintenance products, has introduced M-Pro 7 Foaming Gun Cleaner. The combat-proven gun cleaning formula from M-Pro 7 is now available in an easy-to-use, fast-acting foam cleaner.
M-Pro 7 Foaming Gun Cleaner is vital to maintaining weapon reliability and performance. The deep-cleaning, spray-on foam penetrates quickly to remove layers of embedded carbon, copper and lead fouling. In addition to its cleaning power, the foaming |
solution conditions the bore to help prevent future build-up.
M-Pro 7 Foaming Gun Cleaner is odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable and biodegradable, making it safe to travel with and compliant with state and federal regulations. It is available in a 4 oz. pump-operated bottle
About $13.95
800-937-4677
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National
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Feds back research to stop Great Lakes invasions TRAVERSE CITY, MI (AP). � Federal grants will support stepped-up research into ways to prevent invasions of the Great Lakes by foreign animal and plant species, with special emphasis on refining techniques that detect their DNA in the water, officials said October 2. The USEPA said it was distributing $8 million among 21 universities and nonprofit organizations for invasive species research studies. In addition to warding off future attacks, the projects will develop alarms to signal when invasions are starting and new methods of controlling those already under way.
"These projects will improve the environmental health and economic vitality of the world's largest freshwater system," said Susan Hedman, chief of EPA's regional office in Chicago. The funding is coming from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program meant to make progress on the lakes' biggest ecological challenges, such as toxic pollution, wildlife habitat loss and harmful algae blooms.
More than 180 exotic fish, mollusks, bacteria and other species have made their way to the lakes, many in ballast water of oceangoing cargo ships that began visiting the region's ports after the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. They've caused hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of economic losses while upending native ecosystems.
Scientists believe dozens of other species are waiting in the wings � including Asian carp, plankton-gobbling fish that have infested the Mississippi River and its tributaries and are bearing down on Lake Michigan. DNA from Asian carp has been found in waterways near Chicago beyond an electric barrier meant to stop them. Their genetic material also has turned up in Lake Erie.
So-called "environmental DNA" is found in excrement, scales and |
mucous that fish leave in the water. Experts say its presence likely means live fish were in the area. But it doesn't reveal how many there are, and skeptics contend the DNA could have come from other sources such as fish-eating birds or bilge water deposited from boats. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study to clear up those issues.
Several of the newly announced EPA grants will fund research into making environmental DNA a more useful yardstick. The University of Notre Dame received nearly $600,000 to determine whether it can help with organisms other than fish, such as invertebrates and even plants. Environmental DNA "is becoming more and more accepted as a tool in detecting target species," said Scott Egan, a research assistant professor. "The earlier the detection, the faster we can avoid serious damages to the Great Lakes."
Michigan State University was awarded $600,000 for developing a hand-held device to analyze environmental DNA in the field, said Syed Hashsham, an environmental engineering professor. He and colleagues are working on ways to find the genetic material in large volumes of water instead of the small samples now taken.
A similar grant was approved for work at the University of Toledo on DNA diagnostic tests.
Other studies will focus on reducing Internet trade in invasive species, monitoring their presence in ship ballast and controlling invasive plants such as phragmites and purple loosestrife. Michigan State also got funding to experiment with chemical repellants that could prevent reproduction of parasitic sea lamprey, which feed on sport and commercial fish such as lake trout.
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High court rejects challenge to roadless ruleWASHINGTON DC (AP)--The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal challenging a federal rule that bars development on 50 million acres of roadless areas in national forests. The justices said Monday (October 1) they will leave in place a federal appeals court decision that upheld the so-called roadless rule that took effect late in the presidency of Bill Clinton. |
The state of Wyoming and the Colorado Mining Association said closing so much forest land to development has had serious consequences for residents of Western states and the logging, mining and drilling industries. The challenge centered on the contention that that U.S. Forest Service essentially declared forests to be wilderness areas, a power that rests with Congress under the 1964 Wilderness Act. The Forest Service manages more than 190 million acres of land. |
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USGS assessment of Shale Gas/Oil Resources in the Utica Shale: 38 trillion cubic ft The Utica Shale assessment covered areas in MD, NY, OH, PA, VA and W. VA The Utica Shale contains about 38 trillion cubic ft of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas (at the mean estimate) according to the first assessment of this continuous (unconventional) natural gas accumulation by the U. S. Geological Survey. The Utica Shale has a mean of 940 million barrels of unconventional oil resources and a mean of 9 million barrels of unconventional natural gas liquids.
The Utica Shale lies beneath the Marcellus Shale, and both are part of the Appalachian Basin, which is the longest-producing petroleum province in the United States. The Marcellus Shale, at 84 TCF of natural gas, is the largest unconventional gas basin USGS has assessed. This is followed closely by the Greater Green River Basin in southwestern Wyoming, which has 84 TCF of undiscovered natural gas, of which 82 TCF is continuous (tight gas).
"Understanding our domestic oil and gas resource potential is important, which is why we assess emerging plays like the Utica, as well as areas that have been in production for some time" said Brenda Pierce, USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator. "Publicly available information about undiscovered oil and gas resources can aid policy makers and resource managers, and inform the debate about resource development."
The Utica Shale assessment covered areas in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Some shale rock formations, like the Utica and Marcellus, can be source rocks � those formations from which hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, originate. Conventional oil and gas resources gradually migrate away from the source rock into other formations and traps, whereas continuous |
resources, such as shale oil and shale gas, remain trapped within the original source rock.
These new estimates are for technically recoverable oil and gas resources, which are those quantities of oil and gas producible using currently available technology and industry practices, regardless of economic or accessibility considerations.This USGS assessment is an estimate of continuous oil, gas, and natural gas liquid accumulations in the Upper Ordovician Utica Shale of the Appalachian Basin. The estimate of undiscovered oil ranges from 590 million barrels to 1.39 billion barrels (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively), natural gas ranges from 21 to 61 TCF (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively), and the estimate of natural gas liquids ranges from 4 to 16 million barrels (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively).
USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of onshore lands and offshore state waters. The USGS Utica Shale assessment was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol.
The
new assessment of the Utica Shale may be found
online. To find out
The Utica Shale is a formation in the Appalachian Basin that lies beneath the Marcellus Shale. It was recently assessed for the first time by the USGS, and is estimated to contain 38 TCF of natural gas, 940 MMB of oil, and 9 MMB of natural gas liquids.
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EPA Awards Grant to Protect Women and Children from Mercury
in Lake Superior Fish
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mercury levels. Patients will also be counseled to promote safe fish consumption choices.
The work supported by the grant will build on an earlier EPA-funded study which was completed last year by MDH. In that study, 1,465 newborns in the Lake Superior Basin � including 139 infants from Wisconsin and 200 from Michigan � were tested for mercury in their blood. The study found that 8 % of the infants had mercury levels higher than those recommended as safe by EPA.
Today�s announcement is the most recent in a series of announcements to highlight EPA�s 2012 GLRI grants. Over the last three years, the GLRI has provided more than $320 million to clean up toxic contamination in Great Lakes Areas of Concern and to reduce the risks associated with toxic substances in the Great Lakes ecosystem. The GLRI, initially proposed by President Obama in February 2009, is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in more than two decades.
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Regional
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Feds back research to stop Great Lakes invasions TRAVERSE CITY, MI (AP). � Federal grants will support stepped-up research into ways to prevent invasions of the Great Lakes by foreign animal and plant species, with special emphasis on refining techniques that detect their DNA in the water, officials said October 2. The USEPA said it was distributing $8 million among 21 universities and nonprofit organizations for invasive species research studies. In addition to warding off future attacks, the projects will develop alarms to signal when invasions are starting and new methods of controlling those already under way.
"These projects will improve the environmental health and economic vitality of the world's largest freshwater system," said Susan Hedman, chief of EPA's regional office in Chicago. The funding is coming from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program meant to make progress on the lakes' biggest ecological challenges, such as toxic pollution, wildlife habitat loss and harmful algae blooms.
More than 180 exotic fish, mollusks, bacteria and other species have made their way to the lakes, many in ballast water of oceangoing cargo ships that began visiting the region's ports after the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. They've caused hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of economic losses while upending native ecosystems.
Scientists believe dozens of other species are waiting in the wings � including Asian carp, plankton-gobbling fish that have infested the Mississippi River and its tributaries and are bearing down on Lake Michigan. DNA from Asian carp has been found in waterways near Chicago beyond an electric barrier meant to stop them. Their genetic material also has turned up in Lake Erie.
So-called "environmental DNA" is found in excrement, scales and mucous |
that fish leave in the water. Experts say its presence likely means live fish were in the area. But it doesn't reveal how many there are, and skeptics contend the DNA could have come from other sources such as fish-eating birds or bilge water deposited from boats. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study to clear up those issues.
Several of the newly announced EPA grants will fund research into making environmental DNA a more useful yardstick. The University of Notre Dame received nearly $600,000 to determine whether it can help with organisms other than fish, such as invertebrates and even plants. Environmental DNA "is becoming more and more accepted as a tool in detecting target species," said Scott Egan, a research assistant professor. "The earlier the detection, the faster we can avoid serious damages to the Great Lakes."
Michigan State University was awarded $600,000 for developing a hand-held device to analyze environmental DNA in the field, said Syed Hashsham, an environmental engineering professor. He and colleagues are working on ways to find the genetic material in large volumes of water instead of the small samples now taken.
A similar grant was approved for work at the University of Toledo on DNA diagnostic tests.
Other studies will focus on reducing Internet trade in invasive species, monitoring their presence in ship ballast and controlling invasive plants such as phragmites and purple loosestrife. Michigan State also got funding to experiment with chemical repellants that could prevent reproduction of parasitic sea lamprey, which feed on sport and commercial fish such as lake trout.
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EPA Awards Grant to Protect Women and Children from Mercury
in Lake Superior Fish
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mercury levels.
Patients will also be counseled to promote safe fish consumption choices.
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Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Oct 5, 2012 WEATHER CONDITIONS During the past week there were moderate temperatures as well as some precipitation throughout the Great Lakes basin with the majority of the precipitation occurring over Lake Erie. For the month of September, the combined precipitation throughout the Great Lakes Basin was below average. There may be some precipitation throughout the weekend for most of the Great Lakes Basin with a chance of snow in the western Lake Superior basin. Expect temperatures to cool heading into the weekend and into next week over the entire Great Lakes Basin. LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS The water level of Lake Superior is 2 inches lower than the level of one year ago, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 13 inches lower than its level of a year ago. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 16, 17, and 11 inches, respectively, lower than their levels of a year ago. Over the next month, Lake Superior is forecasted to drop 2 inches from its current level, while Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to fall 3 inches. The water levels of Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are forecasted to fall 5, 5, and 4 inches, respectively, over the next thirty days. FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS Lake Superior's outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of October. Lake Huron's outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are |
also expected to be below average throughout the month of October. Lake Erie's outflow through the Niagara River and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are predicted to be below average in October. ALERTS Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are below chart datum. 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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General
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Walleye Central sold to Canadian company "Well��it has been a great ride for the past 17 years but it is time to move forward with some of the things that I haven�t had time to do in the past" said Scot Golden .
"I have sold
Walleye Central. It wasn�t a quick decision or an easy decision, this
website has been an integral part of my life for a long time. |
home and work
on the site�..almost every day�.weekends and
That is a long time to do double duty but WC has been and will still be very important to me and a big part of my life. It has been both a blessing and a curse, but for certain�.it has been worth every bit of time, effort and money I have put into it and evidently, it has become successful enough that VS wants it�..and I�m going to let them have it.
As long as I still get to work on it
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NMMA appeals E15 rulingThe National Marine Manufacturers Association filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to request a review of a recent ruling on E15. NMMA legislative director Jim Currie told Soundings Trade Only that the group had moved this week to ask the court to reconsider an August ruling.
�We are also reaching out to environmental groups and world hunger groups to come on board� with the NMMA�s effort to get the courts to review the decision, which allows gasoline with as much as 15 percent ethanol to be sold at pumps, Currie said. Several groups already have joined the NMMA in its opposition to the higher concentration of ethanol in gasoline.
In August, a three-member panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals |
for the D.C. Circuit dismissed the marine industry's challenge to allowing E15 into the fuel supply. The 2-1 decision was disappointing, but was procedural, Cindy Squires, the NMMA�s chief counsel of public affairs and director of regulatory affairs, told Soundings Trade Only in August.
Two judges said the plaintiffs did not have grounds to bring a case based on court precedents and therefore could not consider the merits of the arguments presented. The dissenting judge said the Environmental Protection Agency had clearly overstepped its authority.
The NMMA now has requested an en banc review, which means it is asking that all of the judges of the D.C. Circuit Court rule on the case, creating a chance to change case law and review the plaintiffs� arguments on the merits. |
Illinois
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Online Free Site Hunting Permits Hunters are reminded that Free Site Hunting Permits (windshield cards) to hunt upland, forest game and waterfowl at IDNR sites are available online from the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov. Click on �Hunting/Trapping� |
and then �Public Hunting Areas� to print these permits. Hunters are encouraged to view the link to hunter fact sheets also available at the site. For information or assistance, hunters should contact the site where they intend to hunt. |
Pennsylvania
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Drawdowns scheduled for High Point and Donegal Lakes Personnel from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Division of Fisheries Management and the Bureau of Property and Engineering Services will begin drawing down two lakes in Southwest Pennsylvania next week in order to control vegetation growth.
The drawdowns will occur at High Point Lake, located in Elk Lick Township in southern Somerset County, and at Donegal Lake, located in Donegal Township in Westmoreland County. The drawdowns will begin the first week of October and will continue until March 2013.
Drawdowns are used to manage aquatic plant growth and fish population,� said Area Fisheries Manager Rick Lorson. �Aquatic plants provide very good habitat for both young and adult fish. However, too much vegetation, defined coarsely by the PFBC as surface area coverage exceeding 30 percent of a lake, impacts fishing and has the potential to disrupt the |
balance of fish populations in a lake.�
High Point will be drawn down by approximately 10 feet and Donegal by about eight feet. The lakes will remain open for fishing during the drawdown period, but anglers fishing from the shore should be prepared for muddy conditions. Boating will be limited to light craft, carry-in boats. Trailer-boat access will be very limited during the drawdown period.
Drawdowns have been used previously at both lakes and have been effective at reducing aquatic plant surface coverage at each lake. The surface growth at High Point was reduced by 91 percent and at Donegal by 43 percent.
The PFBC will examine the aquatic plant levels in the lakes in August 2013 to determine if the drawdowns were successful at reducing the aquatic plants in the lakes. |
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Commission to Draw Down Mountain Springs Lake HARRISBURG, Pa. � The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced today that deficiencies at Luzerne County�s Mountain Springs Lake have prompted the agency to completely drain the reservoir and proceed with plans to breach the dam. �Commission engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection routinely inspect the dam, and during a recent inspection we found large cracks in the concrete,� said Jack Rokavec, PFBC chief of engineering. �Excessive seepage has also been observed through the embankment. The dam is more than 100 years old and was designed and built prior to current dam safety regulations and engineering standards of practice.�
The drawdown is expected to begin in mid-October and may take more than a month to complete. The lake can be drained at a rate of about one foot per day, depending on weather. The actual breaching of the dam is not expected to take place until late 2013 or early 2014. |
At this point, the PFBC has no plans to rebuild the dam. Agency waterways conservation officers say the lake receives minimal use, in part because of the difficulty reaching it. The lake is accessible only by a five-mile, unpaved road through State Game Land 57. Also, agency biologists report that the lake is a poor fishery because of the acidic water. Biologists do not plan to conduct a fish salvage prior to the drawdown because of the poor condition of the fishery and because the condition of the access road prohibits them from getting the necessary equipment to the lake.
The lake will remain open to public use until the water level reaches a point where it may be unsafe for anglers. At that point the lake will be closed and signs will be posting alerting anglers of the closing.
The 40-acre lake is located in Luzerne County and borders Ricketts Glen State Park and PA State Game Land 57. It was previously lowered in 1999 by approximately two feet due to structural concerns with the dam. |
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(Click on title or URL to read full article)
Federal judge recommends partially upholding
Mohawk land claim
Wind Power Costs Continue To Add Up Canada�s Liberals should heed a call from Ontario�s Environment Commissioner to prohibit wind turbines from bird and bat migratory routes, PC Energy Critic and Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said. In his annual report, Gord Miller notes birds and bats can be injured or killed in flight if they collide with wind turbine blades or towers. Fedeli says this is just the latest reason to follow the Ontario PC plan to cancel the Feed-In-Tariff program, which subsidizes wind power producers, driving up hydro rates and killing jobs and investment in the province.
Chinook roam the Great Lakes
Recruiting for fishing log book cooperators |
The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the GLSFC, its officers or staff.
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