Spiel

....Coho

Lake Erie gives up record fish to Newark man who arrowed it Friday, July 25, 2008 Steve Pollock / toledoblade.com Lake Erie, already known for its highly rated walleye and smallmouth bass fishing, may be notching another list-topper in its Sandusky Bay. That would be carp. A state bowfishing record for carp - 38 inches long, 47.65 pounds - recently was certified by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio, in conjunction with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Rich Cady of Newark, Ohio, used a bow and arrow to subdue this record 47.65-pound carp in Sandusky Bay, near Lake Erie. It is the second bowfishing record in just two years from the shallow western Erie bay, supplanting a 40 1/4-pound carp taken in June, 2006. "That's where the big ones are," said Rich Cady of Newark, Ohio, the man who arrowed the new record. "I've been trying to set the state record the last 13 years." Cady, who has been bowfishing for carp since the late '80s, is obviously serious about the pursuit. He and buddies Gary McGirr of Newark and Jack Brooks of Buckeye Lake like to prowl the shallows of the bay in Cady's 18-foot flat-bottom boat, the bow of which is rigged with a shooting platform. They pussyfoot along on an electric trolling motor, watching for big fish. On May 28, Cady spied and shot the 47-pounder, an egg-laden prespawn female. McGirr was along the night Cady took the record carp, which had a girth of 31 1/2 inches. His previous best on the bay was a 35-pounder. The record was taken near the old causeway across the bay. But as Cady notes, "it's just hit or miss. They're everywhere." He uses a "just plain old" recurve bow of about 50-pound draw, with Muzzy fish-tips on fiberglass arrows and an AMS Retriever bowreel. For details on certifying record fish in Ohio and a list of state record fish of all species, visit online at outdoorwritersofohio.org, or call Tom Cross, OWO record fish chairman, at 937-386-2752. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Thirteen-year-old Madison Mehl of Haskins caught a few small bluegills when she was a little girl, but never landed a "real" fish until she went on a recent family fishing vacation at Chub Lake near Thessalon, Ont. She proceeded to land a 32 1/2-inch, 10-pound, 8-ounce walleye, which is a notable 'eye anywhere but especially so in the cold, slow-growing waters of northern Canada. A color photograph of teen and fish shows the deep, dark coloration of walleyes found in rocky, cold, northern waters. The daughter of Scott Mehl and Billy Jo Mehl, Madison was part of a crew that included her dad, brother James, 9, and her friend, Lauren Kessler, 12. The girls will be in the eighth grade at Otsego Middle School. "We've been going there for the last 18 years," said Scott of the family fishing vacation ritual. As for Madison's catch, he added, "it was phenomenal. When we got back to camp everybody was down there [at the dock]. "We went out in late evening, almost dark, to a spot I have fished for years," Mehl said. They dropped lime-green jigs tipped with minnows straight over the side in 25 to 30 feet of water, and in less than a half-hour Madison had the lunker walleye aboard. Her grandmother, Barbara Mehl of Holland, initially called attention to the catch. "I just thought it was kind of odd that a 13-year-old would even be interested in fishing." Obviously, some of them are, and they get results. Madison's fish now is in the hands of Mark Lodzinski at Artistic Touch Taxidermy in Oregon and ultimately headed for a wall to spark memorable tales. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excellent walleye action is being found just off the mouth of the Portage River at Port Clinton in 13 to 19 feet of water, according to Rick Catley at Rickard's Bait on Catawba Island. "It's picked up in the last week there," Catley said. "I don't know what the fish are feeding on, but there must have been 70 boats there." The action is occurring off G and H Cans, the southeasternmost along the boundaries of the Camp Perry Firing Range. Drifters are casting both mayfly rigs and traditional weight-forward spinners, or dragging bottom-bouncers with worm harnesses to take limits, Catley added. Gold or chartreuse are the colors. Dead calm and then too-windy conditions inhibited fishing in the extreme western end of the lake at midweek, but action there is expected to resume when conditions settle, said Rick Ferguson at Al Szuch Live Bait. Try off Crane Creek and northwest of West Sister Island to the Toledo Ship Channel. Yellow perch action is slowly picking up, as can be expected for the season. The Ohio Division of Wildlife's picks for perch are off Lakeside, Cedar Point, and west of Kelleys Island. Some anglers also are finding perch around the reefs off Davis-Besse. Dan Tucker reports fish running three to a pound, which is not bad. Inland, the Maumee River finally is clearing and reaching normal summer pool after too much rain and high, muddy water for too long. As a result some smallmouth bass action has picked up (catch and release, please), and so has the action for channel and flathead catfish. "Flatheads are back in the holes," said Chris Martin at River Lures in Grand Rapids. "They're flathead crazy," he said of area fishermen. In other fishing notes, Frank Merritt, ecology director at Pioneer Scout Reservation in Williams County, reports good catching of bluegills at the state's popular, productive Lake La Su An impoundments near the reservation. "In 1997 when I took over for my first full year as ecology director," Merritt said, "I established a 'fishing outpost' where we took Scouts and Scouters to La Su An and fished Lake Wood Duck. This has been a popular outing over the years, with the total number participating usually between 10 and 20. "I have introduced a large number of individuals from Ohio and Michigan to the wonderful resource at La Su An and have convinced more than one southeast Michigan resident that the fishing is better in Ohio there than in southeast Michigan. "This last week was, however, amazing … we took a total of 50 people to Wood Duck and they caught 74 fish in about 2 1/2 hours on a hot sticky night. "Anyone who doubts the quality of the northwest Ohio fishery after that is a total fool."

....Welcome aboard OnTheWater. We have lots of west arm Nipissing anglers here. I'm sure someone will give you the low down on August fishing in that area.

Cortland Flea Flicker Line

Beauty "eye", good job Shawn.

Glad all is well for Diane, Lew. Scary stuff this neuro surgery.

....So it doesn't just happen to me?

Scientists solve riddle of toxic algae blooms Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Ed Struzik / Canwest News Service EDMONTON - This is the time of year every cottage owner both loves and loathes. On the one hand, there's the lovely lakeside cabin, offering refuge from the hustle and noise of city life. On the other, there's the annual scourge of blue-green algae blooms spoiling the swimming, killing the fish and occasionally poisoning local drinking water. After a remarkable 37-year experiment, University of Alberta scientist David Schindler and his colleagues have finally nailed down the chemical triggers for a problem that plagues thousands of freshwater and coastal ecosystems around the world. By pumping various pollutants into Lake 227, a small pristine lake in the Experimental Lakes region of northern Ontario, they were able to pin down which chemical nutrients were key to triggering the blooms. "Phosphorous really is the key," says Schindler, whose study is highlighted in the U.S.-based Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. "Here in Alberta, it is especially important because the phosphorous content in the soil is naturally high, so you don't have to add a lot to create a serious problem." It's a global problem. In a commentary in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, American scientist Stephen Carpenter said global expansion of aquatic "dead zones" caused by algae blooms is rising rapidly. There are now 146 coastal regions in the world in which fish and bottom-feeding life forms have been entirely eliminated because of a lack of oxygen. One dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is about the size of the city of New Jersey and growing. Fifty years ago, no one knew what exactly caused algae blooms to appear on lakes and rivers. There was some evidence to suggest that carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, which are associated with agricultural runoff and waste water, were responsible. But small-scale experiments weren't able to show which were more important. Schindler seemed to solve the problem when he and his colleagues conducted a number of groundbreaking experiments in northern Ontario in the 1960s and early 1970s. In a famous 1974 aerial photograph published by the journal Science, two portions of their experimental Lake 226 were highlighted. One side was treated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. The other was treated with just carbon and nitrogen. The side receiving phosphorous rapidly developed a huge bloom of blue-green algae. The side not receiving phosphorous remained in near-pristine condition. The photo and the study that accompanied it were pivotal in convincing governments in North America and Europe to ban phosphates from detergents and to ramp up or build thousands of new treatment plants that removed phosphorous from waste water. That might have been the end of the debate. But over the years, the idea that nitrogen removal is needed to control the chemical buildup that causes algae blooms know as "eutrophication" has persisted. Schindler's latest series of long-term experiments shows that nitrogen removal completely fails to control blue-green algae blooms. He proved this by manipulating nitrogen and phosphorus levels on Lake 227 for 37 years. Nitrogen control, he found, only encouraged algae blooms. In a commentary published simultaneously in this week's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Carpenter predicts that a single-minded focus on nitrogen control would have disastrous consequences for aquatic resources around the world. Schindler warns that western Canada's struggle to control blue green algae is only going to get worse because industrial, agricultural and municipal growth is pumping more nutrients into water supplies that are decreasing in size and volume. Not only does the government have to pull out all stops to control phosphorous, he says, it needs to protect wetlands that remove these nutrients from runoff before they reach lakes and streams. It also needs to set up rules that create natural buffer zones that protect lakes and rivers from agricultural, municipal and cottage developments.

You realize of course Brian that if I screw up I won't be able to fix any of your rods. As for how many, I still don't have one for every application and I'm fixing on having two or three for every application so I best not mess with Canuck2fan's rod.

....Bailing bucket?

.....Congrats to you and your wife. Sounds exactly how it went for me, number three was my son, finally. When he was born my daughters were 1 and 2 years old. You and your wife are gonna be busy.

.....Leave the plug out of my front livewell, makes a handy latrine for the womens. Oh wait that's also where Gerritt keeps his fish.....LOL

Worked like a charm.

....Wonderful read John, I thoroughly enjoyed every word and read most of it aloud to the GF.

.....Good advice above but you are driving right past one of the best smallie rivers in southern Ontario where you can use it. Try exploring the Grand River in the Cambridge area. It's bass heaven.

....Good stuff Art. I was wondering as I read if a couple of those were blues but you've answered that question already. You know I'd be willing to drive down there for some of that action. I'm going to have to arrange it one year.

....I wish I hadn't clicked on either of those songs.....*gag*

Cormorants provide a valuable service in China July 19, 2008 TERRY SPRAGUE / intelligencer.ca Despite all attempts locally to control the population of cormorants, it seems likely they are here to stay. If those in both the commercial and sports fisheries are concerned about their presence, then perhaps it's time to give up the futile task of controlling them, and start contracting out their services. That's what they do in some parts of China, and Bloomfieldarea resident Ingrid Harrington was there recently to watch how it's done. "Cormorant fishing is an ancient custom," she explains, "and it is now a tourist attraction in some areas." While some tourists sit mesmerized and watch the stage show from the riverside banks, other tours permit people to get right on the boats with the fishermen and the cormorants. That is where Ingrid found herself one day as she photographed the procedure, and even had herself photographed while holding two of the fishing cormorants. The cormorants used for fishing are a species known as the great cormorant, a species widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. It is larger than the double-crested cormorant we see here in the Bay of Quinte area. In North America, the great cormorant is confined primarily to coastal areas, from southern Newfoundland to southern Nova Scotia. Like most birds, it is given to wandering, and there have been three confirmed sightings in the Quinte area, dating back to 1979, and the most recent, just four years ago, at Prince Edward Point. Although just a rare tourist here, in China the bird is put to work with no apology. Trained when young, a band is fastened near the base of the bird's throat, allowing the bird to swallow only small fish, but retaining any larger fish. The cormorant's wings are sometimes clipped to prevent the bird from flying too far from the workplace, and a length of string is tied around one leg which can be snared by the fisherman, and the bird brought back to the boat. By gently squeezing the bird's throat, the cormorant is coaxed into disgorging the fish into the boat, and is then returned to the water repeatedly to bring in additional catches. An experienced cormorant owner can often grab the fish before the cormorant attempts to swallow. When the day's work is done, the band is removed and the bird is rewarded by being allowed to enjoy its own meal, without sharing. If it has been a good day, one good cormorant alone can feed an entire family. The birds are fed and housed by their owners, and remain there as they await their next summons. Most commercial fishermen in China now use nets, living in modern boats and catching fish with elaborate net traps. While the traditional mode has been employed for more than 1,300 years, today it is primarily a tourist attraction. The stage show is a popular attraction during the peak tourist season, or demonstrations can be arranged for an evening's entertainment afloat. The boats are simple structures -- narrow rafts, consisting of a half dozen round bamboo trunks bound together and upturned at the stern. Standing on the raft, the fisherman uses a pole to propel himself along, his cormorants perched on his outstretched arms, and diving on command. What brings the audience back to the 21st century may be a cellphone protruding from the fisherman's pocket! In China, the Lijiang River in Guilin is one location where serious cormorant fishing continues. It is an area that is practically the stereotype of everyone's popular image of China, with its rice paddies, water buffalos and coolie hats. Elsewhere, ancient cormorant fishing is largely a performance, both to preserve a way of life, and to provide a hands-on entertainment opportunity for visitors like Ingrid who came away with an even greater appreciation for the country and its way of life. The classic humanitarian proverb, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime," actually has its roots in China. Ingrid is one person who believes the proverb is quite true in the country of its origin, even if it is sub-contracted out to cormorants!

Missing boy's body found in lake July 16, 2008 Douglas Gloin / barrysbaythisweek.com The search for Combermere-area teenager Brandon Zilney ended tragically yesterday when the missing boy’s body was found in Kamaniskeg Lake not far from where his empty boat was found near a cottage beach late last Thursday. A cottager spotted the body of the missing 15-year-old floating face down in the water close to shore at around 9 a.m. A cause of death had not yet been determined yesterday. A five-man crew from the OPP’s underwater search and recovery unit had been on the lake looking for the body when the discovery was made. The officers’ search area was 5½ to 6 kilometres long. “The problem was there was no definitive search area,” says OPP Constable John Edwards, the team leader. “We knew where he’d left from and his destination, and where the boat was seen floating along the way. “It was a huge search area. No one saw him; they just saw his boat.” Wind conditions made it more difficult to pinpoint a precise search location. Police used a five-side scan sonar, which searches the bottom of the lake. Lake depths in the search area ranged from two feet to 135 feet. “We wouldn’t be here if this young kid had had a life jacket on,” says Constable Sheldon Lapworth. The boy was boating to work at the Chippawa Cottage Resort Thursday morning but never arrived, police said. He was last seen heading out from Hinterland Beach, which sits in a relatively sheltered bay. It was a dull day with a strong northwest wind and the waters were very choppy, several residents said. And the waves get even worse when a boater passes from the bay on to what’s known as “the big lake” – a stretch of water Brandon would have to take to get to work. His four-metre Princecraft aluminum boat with a six-horsepower motor was found Thursday evening. Inside were an orange lifejacket and Brandon’s identification. The boat’s discovery touched off an intensive search. An OPP helicopter, its searchlights beaming down over the dark waters, made passes over the area through the night, while officers walked the shoreline and questioned cottagers as to whether they might have seen Brandon or his boat. The hunt continued each day until Tuesday’s sad discovery. Ann Farrington and her husband Larry were at their Oil City cottage when a police helicopter started making passes over the area, which is close to where Brandon’s empty boat was discovered. “I was almost asleep and Larry was sitting out on the porch when all of a sudden the helicopters started,” she says. “It came up over the cottage and down over the lake. “ Soon after, OPP officers on foot arrived and asked whether all the boats on the Farrington’s beach belonged to them. They walked the beach with their flashlights throughout the night, and returned there Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Ann Farrington said Brandon’s mother also joined in the search. “His mother was out looking and I said, ‘I wish there was something we could do to help you.’ And she said, ‘I just have to keep busy.’” “The police were absolutely wonderful,” Mrs. Farrington said. “They were very well-mannered and very intent on finding this young man.” At times there were up to four police boats involved in the search. This is the second fatal tragedy of the year on Kamaniskeg. In February, two students from Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy in Barry’s Bay drowned when the minivan they were in broke through the ice.

Rock’s Mill dam decommissioning being studied Plan no longer a source of contention July 18, 2008 By Jeff Helsdon / tillsonburgnews.com Rock’s Mill Dam is on the road to decommissioning. Long Point Region Conservation Authority, which owns the dam, hosted a public meeting in Springford Monday night to explain its plans. About 15 people turned out for the meeting, which is about a third of the crowd that appeared when the authority first suggested decommissioning the dam in the late 1990s. What was a contentious topic then, didn’t meet any resistance Monday night. Constructed in 1911, Rock’s Mill dam was originally built to provide power to the adjacent grist mill. LPRCA purchased the property in 1978 and rented it to the Noels brothers. The property was sold again, but the authority purchased it back earlier this year. Paul Gagnon, the authority’s lands and waters supervisor, explained an engineer identified a number of structural problems in 2001. In addition, the reservoir created by the dam warms the water downstream below the dam. Gagnon pointed to research that shows there is a 2° to 3° Celsius difference in water temperature above and below the dam. “When you warm that water up, you take away biodiversity, you take away habitat,” he said. Water quality is further degraded by Canada geese that don’t migrate south and defecate in the system year-round. Carp that make a home in the reservoir uproot natural vegetation and stir up the water, further degrading water quality and warming the water. Following meetings in 2002, the municipalities along the watershed decided not to put money into the maintenance of the dam. A bottom draw in the dam was opened last fall to draw down the reservoir above the dam, and a fence to hold back the silt was installed downstream. With the water level down, further problems were uncovered. Tree roots had created holes in the dam berm and beavers had made multiple holes in it. Gagnon explained the bottom draw has kept the reservoir down during low-flow times, but it builds back up after heavy rainfall and melting. The plan is to keep the bottom draw, which is on the side of the dam, open and to cut a notch in the centre of the dam to allow the water flow to continue while the water is high. In more detail, the proposal is to remove 18.41 metres, or one-third, of the arch and 7.85 metres of the apron that is below the dam. After the dam has been altered, the upstream banks will be planted with annual rye to prevent erosion. Next spring, trees will be planted along the bank. Removal of the dam will not affect the water levels in wells of adjacent property owners. Irrigation from the creek, which was a big issue the last time removal of the dam was suggested, can still take place from deeper pools in the creek. One of the benefits of removing the dam will be opening up the habitat above the stream to migratory trout. Following the public meeting, a report will go to the conservation authority board. If decommissioning is approved, and it is to take place this year, it must be completed by Sept. 30 so it won’t negatively impact spawning trout.

Ladies of the Lake bare their souls, in new fundraising calendar July 18, 2008 Miriam King / bradfordtimes.ca When the Ladies of the Lake first decided to “bare all” in their Naked Truth calendar, in 2006, it seemed like little more than a “gimmick” – hardly the sort of serious initiative that was needed to save Lake Simcoe from further degeneration, as growth pressures continue to erode the natural heritage of the watershed. The “gimmick” ended up raising awareness of the challenges facing the lake, from invasive species to Phosphorus pollution, putting Lake Simcoe front and centre in the minds of residents and politicians alike – and raising $250,000 for education projects. The Ladies are doing it again. With a $30 million Lake Simcoe Clean-up Fund established by the federal government, and a Lake Simcoe Act introduced by the Ontario government this summer, they haven’t rested on their laurels, but once again have bared their souls to create a new Ladies of the Lake Calendar. With dramatic photographs by photographer Jim Panou, the focus this year is on a traditional First Nations message of hope, guidance, and Thanks, for the scenic beauty and natural resources of Lake Simcoe. The theme, which came out of the Citizens’ Action Plan to Save Lake Simcoe (funded by the Ladies of the Lake in partnership with the Windfall Ecology Centre), is “Drink it. Swim it. Fish it. Love it.” Wearing costumes, and their familiar yellow t-shirts and blue feather boas, the Ladies of the Lake welcomed press and special guests to the launch of the 2009 Calendar, held at Crate’s Landing in Keswick. Sponsors for the event were BrightStar Corporation, which is building the condominium development on the site to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) standards, and the appropriately-named “Naked Grape” winery. Ladies of the Lake had its roots in “frustration,” co-founder Annabel Slaight told the crowd. The lake was “sick - not due to any one thing, but because of thousands of things people were doing to it.” Slaight and co-founder Jane Meredith “moved from frustration to action,” with the help of friends and neighbours, and the “Ladies of the Lake” – now about 100 strong – was born. The 2009 calendars are available for only $15 apiece, and include a set of 16 “Lake Simcoe Action Cards”, that provide helpful environmental tips and information for residents. “We’ve kept the price low so everyone can help the environment by purchasing a few extra as gifts,” Slaight said; funds raised will be directed towards a new Youth initiative. Among the invited guests were York Regional Councillor Danny Wheeler; MP for York-Simcoe, the Hon. Peter Van Loan, and Ontario Minister of Culture, Aileen Carroll, who brought greetings from Environment Minister John Gerretsen. “We listened, as the government, and we will continue to listen to the people,” Minister Carroll said, referring to the new Lake Simcoe Act, introduced last month. “You have animated this process… bringing government and the people impacted, together.” In addition to the launch, John Blackburn presented a $15,000 donation to the Ladies of the Lake from BrightStar Corporation - and John Faggiani, of Naked Grape, announced a campaign that will donate $1 from the sale of every bottle of Naked Grape wine at the LCBO later this summer, to the Ladies of the Lake. And a note of interest to Bradford West Gwillimbury residents: One of the photographs in the calendar was shot in the Holland Marsh, in a field of carrots - featuring strategically placed baskets.

Region extends special pick-ups for dead carp 2008-07-18 Scott Howard / mykawartha.com Durham Region has bowed to public pressure and will continue curbside pick-up of dead carp until the end of the month. Plans to halt the collection of the dead fish were in place Wednesday (July 16) when the Citizen went to press, but were changed a day later. "We had a number of residents call in and request that we continue pick-up," said Joanne Paquette, communications officer for the Durham works department. The fish have been washing up on Lake Simcoe and other downstream water bodies for weeks now. Tests have still not shown the exact cause of the die-off. Brock Mayor Larry O'Connor also questioned why the Region had planned to stop collection. "Pick-up will continue until the end of the month and then will be adjusted accordingly. Our residents they can expect pick-up to continue to service their needs," he said in an e-mail. Collection will come Monday, Wednesday and Friday of next week (July 21, 23, 25) as well as Monday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 30.

Carp killer ID'd Ministry of Natural Resources has positively identified three strains of bacteria Sunday July 20, 2008 Bruce Hain / orilliatoday.com The carp die-off that’s plagued Lake Simcoe and Cook’s Bay for the past few weeks may be showing some signs of abating. Bloggers who have posted news on the Lake Simcoe & Area Message Board (www.lakesimcoemessageboard.com) in recent days have noted many fewer bodies floating in the water. And the Ministry of Natural Resources has positively identified three strains of bacteria resulting from laboratory testing including the presence of the koi herpes virus. Carp have been falling prey to pathogens, such as aeromonas hydrophila, a bacteria found in both fresh and brackish water that causes illness in fish. It may be passed on to humans through open wounds or ingestion and create gastroenteritis or septicemia, enterococcus, which can lead to bladder, prostate or epididymal infections, acinetobacter, a ministry spokesperson said. Swimmers are recommended to avoid areas where dead carp have been found. Testing of the species is continuing. Since late June, thousands of carp carcasses have washed ashore in different locations on the shoreline. The majority has been retrieved from the eastern shore of the lake in East Gwillimbury and in sections running north towards Lake Couchiching. However, the western side of Lake Simcoe, bordering on several Simcoe County municipalities, has been affected, too. Larry Allison, CAO for the Town of Innisfil, says although the issue of the dead carp hasn’t been particularly bad in the municipality, it has created a fair bit of work for area residents and town staff. Allison’s thankful the prevailing winds have meant the majority of the carcasses have washed ashore on the east side of Cook’s Bay. “We have picked up a number here, though,” Allison says. As of last Friday, “our parks department has collected about 200 (dead fish),” Allison reports. “Our operations staff has also picked up 70 bags from calls to town hall from residents. There has also been some indiscriminate dumping our road staff have taken care of.” “We’re keeping regular patrols out” this week to remove carp carcasses, he said. In Ramara Township, Mayor Bill Duffy reports residents of Lagoon City have found many carp floating in the canals and in other areas across the township. “It is suspected to be the same bacterium as caused the die-off in Lake Scugog last year,” Duffy says. “They say (the bacteria) has probably come down the Talbot River and come north. There have been reports of dead carp in Couchiching and the Black River.” Residents whose homes border a canal in the Bayou Park area north of Orillia have also reported large numbers of the fish floating belly up. “It’s disgusting,” said 12-year-old Ashley York. “We usually fish in here,” said Ashley’s mother, Bonnie. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” The County of Simcoe has been collecting bagged fish on regularly scheduled garbage days. “They have stepped up to the plate and I am thankful for that,” Duffy said. Kimberley MacKenzie, executive director of the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation, an offshoot of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), says she was kept busy last Friday assisting in carp cleanup in East Gwillimbury. The LSRCA has reported the situation occurring in Lake Simcoe “is similar to what occurred in Lake Scugog and the Kawartha lake system in the summer of 2007.” Fish samples have been sent to labs to try and determine what is causing the deaths. The organization is encouraging residents to contact their municipality by phone or to check local websites for carcass collection and disposal details. Anyone removing a dead fish is urged to wear gloves and then wash their hands thoroughly afterwards with soap and water. Any tools or containers coming into contact with carp should be cleaned and disinfected, too, the LSRCA recommends. The Ministry of Natural Resources has set up a hotline to report fish die-offs at 1-866-929-0994. In Barrie, call 739-4255 for removal. Throughout the county, dead fish can be dropped off at landfill sites such as the Mara transfer station, 5200 County Rd. 169, Oro landfill site at 610 Old Barrie Rd W. and the West Gwillimbury transfer station, located at 2960 Line 12. Related Story

Not enough alewives to support Lake Michigan salmon July 17, 2008 Cindy Hodgson / Herald Times Lake Michigan hasn't experienced the dramatic decline in salmon that Lake Huron has seen, but there are "certainly a few warning signs that are going on," said Steve Hogler, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist serving Manitowoc County. The problem in Lake Huron is there were more salmon than the lake could support because of a combination of stocking and natural reproduction along with a decrease in the small fish the salmon ate, which was a result of invasive mussels, Hogler said. A similar situation is occurring in Lake Michigan, Hogler said. The lake is seeing higher numbers of salmon and trout than it can support. The DNR is concentrating its studies on Chinook salmon. "You can only feed so many fish given what the forage levels are," Hogler said. Salmon and trout in Lake Michigan eat alewives, Hogler said, and those small baitfish are declining. However, Capt. Keith Heberlein of Willie Bee Charters in Two Rivers said there is a large baitfish population in the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area of Lake Michigan. "We're one of the hot spots for the bait fish," he said. Capt. Scott Langman of Bald Beaver Charters in Two Rivers said while the number of bait fish was down in recent years, it has increased this year. Fish locators are showing large schools of baitfish, and when the salmon are caught, "their bellies are full," he said. That's different than elsewhere on the lake, where Hogler said the salmon have emptier stomachs than in the past and some of their fat has been replaced with water. Along with alewives declining in Lake Michigan, some species of salmon and trout are reproducing naturally, something that wasn't expected years ago when stocking began. Chinook salmon, in particular, are reproducing at such a high rate that about half of the Chinook in Lake Michigan are naturally reproduced. The effect of the changes is being seen as Chinook salmon caught in Lake Michigan are becoming smaller, Hogler said. A few years ago, a 4-year-old salmon weighed between 20 and 30 pounds, said Capt. Chad Scheinoha of Chinook Express Sport Fishing Charters in Manitowoc, but now the average is between 14 and 20 pounds. Heberlein said he had been seeing smaller fish for the past three years, but "this year we're actually seeing larger fish." In general, though, the salmon are smaller, Hogler said. He said the number of Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan has remained "fairly constant" over the past years as the DNR attempts to control the population by reducing stocking. The Wisconsin DNR as well as other states that are responsible for Lake Michigan began a Chinook salmon stocking reduction in the late 1990s, Hogler said. In the most recent reduction, the number of Chinook salmon stocked on the Wisconsin side of the lake dropped from 1.4 million in 2005 to 1.1 million in 2006. Langman said he hopes the stocking reduction is happening soon enough, but they will just have to wait and see what happens in the coming years. It would be devastating to the local economy for charter fishing businesses to close, he said. "Hopefully some of the lessons learned on Lake Huron can be applied to this lake," Langman said.

The Beaver River Trail Conservation Area grows again July 14, 2008 / Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority NEWMARKET: The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) closed the deal on another purchase of land in the Beaver River valley to add to the Beaver River Trail Conservation Area last week. This is the second closing in recent months and it adds another 30.2 ha (74.6 ac) to the conservation area. The Beaver River wetland complex is one of the most environmentally significant areas in Lake Simcoe’s watershed. Largely undisturbed by human activities, the wetland complex provides habitat for wildlife, acts as a filter to improve water quality and stores large amounts of spring runoff preventing flooding down stream. For these reasons, the conservation authority’s Natural Heritage Land Securement Program has developed a plan to acquire land along the river to protect it in its natural state. LSRCA’s Chair, Virginia Hackson, said, “The growing Beaver River Trail Conservation Area is a unique opportunity for us to preserve a natural environment and provide the public with passive recreational opportunities for trail users of all abilities and interests.” The Beaver River Trail Conservation Area provides almost 13 km of easy hiking along the bed of an old railway line in the Regional Municipality of Durham. Views of the marshes in the Beaver River wetland complex are exquisite. Kayakers and canoeists can enjoy the meandering river and quiet shallow waters. The towns of Blackwater, Sunderland and Cannington offer quaint diversions. Between 1978 and 1994 the conservation authority purchased portions of the abandoned CN Rail railway that runs through the Beaver Valley. This created the Beaver River Trail Conservation Area with approximately 50 ha (123 acres). Since 2005 the LSRCA has secured an additional 175 ha, or almost 435 acres, of land with the help of a bequest from the estate of Katharine Symons (administered by the Nature Conservancy of Canada). Further financial assistance came from the conservation authority’s partnerships with Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Greenlands Program, Ontario Heritage Trust, the Regional Municipality of Durham, and Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation. “We’re pleased that so many other groups share our vision and will partner with us to save land in the Beaver River wetlands for future generations to enjoy in its natural state,” Brian Kemp, Director of Conservation Lands at the LSRCA, commented.