Weekly News Archives

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Billfish Conservation Act Becomes Law

The Billfish Conservation Act has been enacted into law, effectively banning the importation of all billfish into the continental U.S... Although there are no commercial fisheries targeting billfish in the US, the US has been the largest importer of billfish in the world, importing about 30,000 billfish annually.

With the largest buyer out of the market, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), who championed the bill, will now turn their attention to the international challenges facing these imperiled species. And with populations of three species of marlin having declined by more than 50%, their efforts come not a moment too soon.

spearfish) in the United States, while still allowing for traditional fisheries within the State of Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Area. Swordfish are not included in the prohibition. Marlin, sailfish and spearfish, collectively called billfish, are some of the world�s most majestic marine fish. They are apex predators that play a critical role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems. Billfish are also highly esteemed by recreational anglers the world over, and catch-and-release fisheries for these species support many marine jobs and generate billions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

Unfortunately, the world�s billfish stocks are seriously imperiled from non-U.S. commercial fishing. Billfish are primarily caught as by-catch in commercial tuna and swordfish fisheries, but the by-catch is harvested and sold internationally, with the United States serving as the world�s largest importer of billfish.

Triton Boats extends Aluminum Production Line
Premier Boat builder offers 7 new aluminum boats
MURFREESBORO, TN � Fishing Holdings, LLC dba Triton Boats, a leading manufacturer of fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, announces that it will soon begin manufacturing two new series of aluminum boats. The newest line of X Series and Utility Series aluminum boats will be manufactured in a new state of the art dedicated facility located in Flippin, Ark.
 
Triton�s Aluminum facility includes existing manufacturing space as well as office and administrative areas. The company will invest $2.5 million to transition and expand the facility and plans to create more than 50 new jobs over the next several months.
 
Known for quality and performance, Triton�s dedication to develop an extended aluminum lineup is a reflection of continued commitment to its loyal and diverse customers. Triton is continuing to build on the tradition and heritage of a company that produces quality from top to bottom. The  
 

newest members of an already successful fiberglass line up are tailored to fit every need for pursuing both angling and hunting.
 

The new aluminum boat line will initially include three Triton X Series models and four Triton Utility Series models designed to reach a wide variety of anglers and hunters with a broader line of Aluminum models to follow.  Triton Aluminum boats are scheduled to begin production during the fourth quarter of 2012.
  
www.tritonboats.com

 About Fishing Holdings
Fishing Holdings, headquartered in Flippin, AR, is owned by an affiliate of Platinum Equity.  Fishing Holdings is a premier manufacturer of fiberglass fishing boats, including the legendary Ranger, Stratos and Triton brands.  More details, product info and specific offerings can be found by visiting www.rangerboats.com,  www.stratosboats.com  and www.tritonboats.com

Problem with Mustang Inflatable PFDS

The Coast Guard has become aware of certain Mustang Survival Inflatable PFDs with Hammar MA1 hydrostatic (HIT) inflation systems which may not inflate and require a new re-arm kit to properly inflate by manual or automatic activation. This safety alert identifies which products are affected. Certain inflatable PDFs may be subject to delayed or non-inflations.

To determine if you are impacted please follow the instructions below.

USCG Approval Mustang Product

N/A                         MA7214 HIT inflatable re-arm kit

N/A                         MA7218 HIT inflatable re-arm kit for LIFT

160.076/8611/0   MD0450 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT

160.076/5204/0   MD0451 Inflatable Vest PFD with LIFT (no harness)

160.076/5201/0   MD3183 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT

160.076/8608/0   MD3184 Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (with harness)

160.076/5300/0   MD3188 Inflatable Work Vest/PFD with HIT

160.053/116/0     MD3188 Inflatable Work Vest/PFD with HIT

If you have a re-arm kit MA7214 or MA7218 you need only to check the lot number on the CO2 cylinder label. If your CO2 cylinder is marked with lot numbers 404121 or 404122 please contact Mustang Survival�s customer service group at 1-800-526-0532.

If you have a PFD listed above refer to the sewn-in approval label to determine if it was �Made in Canada� and the �MFG DATE� is April or May 2012. If so, you will need to check the lot numbers of the CO2 cylinder. The CO2 cylinder lot number is visible through the yellow bladder fabric. Manually unpack your PFD by opening the zippers and unfolding your PFD. Find the CO2 cylinder that is attached to the round inflator within the yellow bladder. Press the yellow bladder fabric against the cylinder to read the label to view the lot number through the fabric. If your CO2 cylinder is marked with lot numbers 404121 or 404122, please contact Mustang Survival�s customer service group for instructions and to arrange for a replacement inflator assembly.

All other CO2 cylinder lot numbers are satisfactory. Repack your PFD so it is ready for use per the instruction manual. Mustang Survival Customer Service Group: 1-800-526-0532 Additional information is available at www.mustangsurvival.com/HIT. Please note the following photographs.

Salazar approves massive Wyoming wind farm project

Landmark project would scar federal BLM lands, wildlife

CHEYENNE, WY. (AP) - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday authorized what he described as potentially the largest wind energy project in the United States, if not the world: A Wyoming wind farm with up to 1,000 turbines that would provide electricity to some 1 million homes.

Roadwork and groundwork could begin next year for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. After that, turbines could go up over a three-year period within an area covering 350 square miles of the hilly sagebrush country south of Rawlins in south-central Wyoming.

Most of that area is among the 245 million acres nationwide overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management � hence Salazar's role. Salazar highlighted the project as an example of President Barack Obama's "all of the above" strategy for renewable energy development and fossil fuel extraction onBLM and other public lands.

"Our strategy is getting us within grasp of energy independence in the United States," Salazar said.

The project is one of seven renewable energy projects Interior announced in August that it would expedite for review. Others include the 100-megawatt Quartzsite concentrating solar energy plant in Arizona, the 750-megawatt McCoy photovoltaic project in California, and the 350-megawatt Silver State South solar energy generation plant in Nevada.

"These are going to be landmarks in America. They are going to be what people think about when they think about the American West. And they are going to completely change the way that we think about energy production," said Neil Kornze, acting deputy director of the BLM.

The Chokecherry/Sierra Madre wind project is owned by the Power Company of Wyoming LLC, a wholly owned affiliate of Denver billionaire

Phil Anschutz's The Anschutz Corp.  The project is expected to generate up to 3,000 megawatts when completed, bringing to 10,000 megawatts the amount of public-land renewable power that the Interior Department has authorized under Obama, Salazar said. That's enough energy to power more than 3 million homes.

Salazar signed a record of decision for the plan and spoke at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. The school offers technical training for jobs in wind power, and Salazar's audience in a cavernous wind energy lab included about 40 students. The project will create an estimated 1,000 construction jobs at its peak and 114 new, permanent operations and maintenance jobs, according to the BLM.

"One reason to be here is to celebrate jobs that are coming from wind energy throughout the United States. We know there are tens of thousands of jobs now being created by wind energy," Salazar said.  Salazar's signature means the BLM now can begin site-specific environmental analysis to help plot specific layout of the project's turbines, roads and power lines.

Roadwork at the site could begin in 2013, followed by installation of some turbines in 2014, said Bill Miller, president and chief executive of Power Company of Wyoming.  The project "won't be 1,000 at once" but more like 300 to 400 wind turbines installed each year over a three-year period, he said.  "We can accelerate that to some degree, or we could slow it up to some degree, depending on what the requirements are at any given point," Miller said.

Remaining permits still needed include one from the state Industrial Siting Council. The council reviews plans for major industrial projects proposed in Wyoming.

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for Oct 12, 2012

WEATHER CONDITIONS

During the past week temperatures were well below their seasonal averages and precipitation was held to a minimum across the entire Great Lakes basin. The lack of precipitation so far this month continues the trend of below average precipitation for the Great Lakes basin. Across the entire basin, weekend temperatures can be expected to rebound to near their seasonal averages or above.  However, the warmer weather will be ushered in by a fairly strong low pressure system with a strong possibility of soaking rainfall especially across the Lake Superior basin.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

The water level of Lake Superior is 3 inches lower than the level of one year ago, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 14 inches lower than its level of a year ago.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 17, 19, and 12 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 3, 4, and 3 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.

Critics take aim at Cook County bullet tax

Won�t stop violence, will punish law-abiding residents

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle recently announced plans to penalize, through taxation, the sale of guns and ammunition sold in the City of Chicago and its suburbs.   This penalty is set to be proposed to the Cook County Board of Commissioners next week. Proposals such as this are frequently sold to the public as a way to reduce crime and increase tax revenue. However, this is nothing more than a politically motivated stunt to impose a punitive tax on a targeted group of law-abiding citizens who seek to exercise a constitutionally guaranteed right.  This proposed plan would subject purchases of any firearm or ammunition to an additional tax above and beyond the rate at which other goods and services in this area are taxed. 

Preckwinkle also seemed unclear on state law governing the purchase of bullets. She told reporters that "ammunition sales are not regulated, which means even ammunition used in illegal gun activity can be purchased legally." In fact, an Illinois firearm owners identification card is required for ammunition purchases.

There is no evidence to suggest those who would pay this tax are misusing firearms and causing violence in Cook County.  This penalty would only negatively affect law-abiding gun owners, and in this time of economic trouble would severely harm legitimate business owners inside Cook County as people look to avoid the penalties by purchasing guns and ammunition elsewhere.

Law-abiding gun owners in Cook County are already subjected to inequitable measures restricting their Second Amendment rights.   And now, with this so-called �violence tax,� a highly specific subset of Illinois citizens will be forced to foot the bill for the actions of violent Chicago gang members and criminals.

These sorts of measures constitute an attack on the wallets of those law-abiding citizens who are not the cause of this problem, while failing to address the real causes of Chicago�s escalating levels of violence.

There is no evidence to suggest that targeting law-abiding gun owners will solve Cook County�s crime problems.   In fact, the evidence points to the just the opposite, as a link exists between less restrictive firearm laws and lower crime rates � especially violent crime.  The percentage of the United States population in states that champion Second Amendment rights has increased, while the murder rate in this country has decreased dramatically - falling by more than half since 1991.  If Cook County were to adopt laws that target criminals instead of law-abiding citizens, the area may soon see a similar decrease in crime.

The intent and consequence of this measure will be to drive up the price of guns and ammunition, thereby burdening law-abiding gun owners and impeding their fundamental right to self-defense.  The 2013 spending plan that will contain this tax is set to be announced next week.

Crews again intensify monitoring in Chicago Area Waterway System
eDNA Results shows three consecutive eDNA rounds of positive results

CHICAGO- The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) on October 9^th announced intensive monitoring action will begin in the North Shore Channel of the Chicago River on Tuesday, October 16th, after three consecutive rounds of Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling yielded positive results for Asian carp DNA in the North Shore Channel.

IL DNR Aquatic Nuisance species coordinator Vic Santucci advised members of the Barrier Safety committee on October 10 that the response group will implement scheduled plans for intensive monitoring. Those plans call for a Level 1 response after three consecutive rounds of positive eDNA results in one area.  Three separate eDNA samples sets were taken at the North Shore Channel between June 11th and September 11th, revealing 17 positives for silver carp DNA out of 171 samples.

Biologists from the Illinois DNR, USFWS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be on the water with contracted commercial fishermen beginning Tuesday October 16th through Friday, October 19th. The crews will lay various net types throughout the North Shore Channel and in channel areas of the Chicago River. Agency electrofishing boats will sample fish in shoreline areas and will be used to drive fish towards the nets. Gears will be attended at all times and commercial and private

vessel traffic will be able to proceed with minimal interference. A notice to

mariners will be broadcast by the U.S. Coast Guard to further inform any water traffic during this effort, and daily updates will be posted on the ACRCC website http://asiancarp.us .

As an extra precaution, the ACRCC also will conduct intensive monitoring in a six-mile stretch of the Chicago River beginning near the Chicago lock, after one set of samples tested positive for eDNA in that area. While the North Shore Channel is regularly monitored for the presence of Asian carp, the level 1 response intensifies efforts with additional commercial fishing crews, agency electrofishing boats, and additional deep water sampling gear during an intensive four-day fishing period.

�While the science still does not tell us whether eDNA is from a live fish, a dead fish, or another source, finding three consecutive sets of positive samples triggers us to use significant resources to determine whether any Asian carp are present,� said John Goss, Asian Carp Director at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. �This is part of the ACRCC�s comprehensive Asian carp control strategy that includes continuing aggressive monitoring to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, developing cutting edge control technologies, and refining the use of eDNA.�

"The Army Corps are conducting studies on the variability of eDNA seeking to determine what the bottom line source is" responded Santucci to a query by the GLSFC.

DNR offers $150,000 Lake Erie Coastal Management Assistance Grants

The ODNR Office of Coastal Management is accepting applications for at least $150,000 in grants for projects that preserve, protect and enhance Ohio�s Lake Erie coastal resources.  To qualify for the available funding, applicants must provide at least 50 percent of the project�s total cost.

The Coastal Management Assistance Grants are available to communities, local governments, nonprofit organizations, state agencies, planning commissions and educational institutions. Funding priorities for this round of grants are: watershed planning to address coastal nonpoint pollution, balanced growth planning and implementation, and water quality-focused education and outreach.

Applications and guidelines for the Coastal Management Assistance Grants are online at LakeErie.ohiodnr.com/Grants or by contacting the Office of Coastal Management at 419-626-7980. Grant applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7. The grants are awarded on a

competitive basis and will be announced in the spring of 2013 for projects that begin July 1, 2013.

ODNR�s Office of Coastal Management annually dedicates a portion of its federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funding to the Coastal Management Assistance Grants program. More than $3.5 million in Coastal Management Assistance Grants has been awarded since the program was federally approved in 1997. A list of all previous grant awards is available on the grants website.

For interested applicants, the 2012 grant application workshops will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at the ODNR Division of Watercraft Office, located at 1150 E 49th Street, Cleveland, and on Thursday, Nov. 1 at the Hancock County Agricultural Service Center, located at 7868 County Road 140, Findlay. Participants will learn about multiple grant programs, meet the grant administrators and ask questions.

Photo Contest entry deadline extended to January 31

HARRISBURG, Pa. � Picture yourself as the winner of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission�s (PFBC) annual photography contest. There�s still time since the PFBC has extended its deadline for entries to January 31, 2013. Past winners have seen their works featured in Commission publications such as Pennsylvania Angler & Boater magazine and enlarged as visuals for PFBC sportshow exhibits.

The contest is a great way for angling and boating photographers to not only show their craft but to also show their appreciation for the Commonwealth�s fishing and boating opportunities and aquatic resources. There are three judged categories this year with highly valued top prizes.

The category �Anglers and Boaters� invites photographers to participate with submissions showing themselves and family members on the water. �Waterway Scenics� invites inspiring environmental images of your favorite Pennsylvania stream or lake. The category �Reptiles and Amphibians� encourages photographers to capture a moment when they may see a frog, toad, snake, turtle, salamander or skink in their native habitat.

To obtain an entry form, complete with contest rules and past winning entries, visit www.fishandboat.com/photocontest.htm.

Contact: Spring Gearhart, Editor, Pennsylvania Angler & Boate, 717-705-7844, [email protected]

Homes, private lands not covered in proposal aimed to halt pests

The Wisconsin DNR wants to tighten the noose around the forests� most damaging invaders by reducing to 10 miles the distance from which a state campground user may carry in firewood.

Paul DeLong, the state�s chief forester, says the increased presence of invasive pests such as the emerald ash borer, beech bark disease, and oak wilt is behind the recommendation to go before the Natural Resources Board on October 24.

The current rule states only firewood originating from 25 miles or less may be brought onto a state forest or state property or wood that comes from a vendor certified by the state as treating their wood to stop the transmission of pests or diseases. �Buying local or certified firewood is an excellent way to prevent the movement of pest and disease that can damage our forests and community trees," DeLong said.

If DeLong�s recommendation is supported by the board at their October

meeting, a draft rule change would be prepared and be slated for public

hearings. If ultimately approved, the new rule would take effect in roughly two years.   DeLong says slicing the allowable travel distance for firewood onto state property to 10 miles will better protect trees � a valuable state natural resource important to the state�s economy.

�This is the prudent step to take when it comes to the health of the state�s forests,� DeLong said. �It is important to note private homes and private property would not be affected by the suggested reduction in the distance firewood may be transported. This only pertains to state lands � notably state campgrounds.�

Delong also stressed the offer to reconfigure that distance limit from the current 25 miles to a new 10 mile limit is simply that � an idea. �This is up for discussion with the Natural Resources Board. It is not yet a proposed rule to be officially considered by the public or the Legislature. If the board approves us to move forward, we will develop a draft proposal and begin seeking public input on the idea.�