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Four Klamath River Dams may be removed to benefit Salmon November 24, 2008 / www.great-lakes.org[/color] NEVADA CITY, CA (ENS) - Four dams on the Klamath River that have blocked salmon runs upstream to their spawning areas may be removed in the year 2020 under an historic agreement among federal, state and corporate parties. Dam removal will re-open over 300 miles of habitat for the Klamath's salmon and steelhead populations and eliminate water quality problems such as toxic algae blooms caused by the reservoirs. The federal government, California, Oregon and the PacifiCorp electric utility on November 18 announced an Agreement in principle to remove the four dams as part of a broader effort to restore the river and revive its ailing salmon and steelhead runs and aid fishing, tribal and farming communities. The agreement is intended to guide the development of a final settlement agreement scheduled to be signed in June 2009. "This is a historic announcement and the culmination of years of hard work from the numerous negotiators from the federal government and the states of California and Oregon, and PacifiCorp representatives who have worked toward a common goal of how best to protect the uniqueness of this region," said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. "We have agreed to a path forward that will protect fish, PacifiCorp customers and the local cultures and communities in the two-state Klamath River basin," Kempthorne said. The U.S. will make a final determination by March 31, 2012, whether the benefits of dam removal will justify the costs, informed by scientific and engineering studies conducted in the interim, and in consultation with state, local, and tribal governments and other stakeholders. At that point, the U.S. will designate a non-federal dam removal entity to remove the dams or decline to remove the dams. The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon river system in the United States. Today, due to the dams, poor water quality and too little water left in the river, the Klamath salmon runs have are less than 10 percent of their historic size. Some species, such as Coho salmon, are now in such low numbers in the Klamath River that they are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Assuming a final agreement is reached next year and pending congressional approval, PacifiCorp will set aside millions of dollars for immediate environmental improvements. The funds would be used to implement numerous measures that will enhance habitat, improve water quality, increase fish populations, and benefit fisheries management in the basin. "This careful effort to balance the complex needs of numerous interests within the community is exactly the type of approach PacifiCorp takes every time we sit down to the settlement table," said Greg Abel, PacifiCorp chairman and chief executive. A study by the California Energy Commission and the Department of the Interior found that removing the dams and replacing their power would save PacifiCorp customers up to $285 million over 30 years. PacifiCorp agrees to contribute as much as $200 million to cover the cost of removing its four dams and restoring the river. Dam removal funds would be obtained from ratepayers in Oregon and California before removal begins. The impact to customer bills will be less than one percent. If the costs of dam removal exceed PacifiCorp's contribution, California and Oregon together would contribute up to $250 million. Current estimates of dam removal costs range between $75 million and $200 million.

Watershed separation urged to control flow of invaders November 19, 2008 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca CHICAGO-The so-called Windy City is often blamed for being too thirsty-and given its daily draft of two billion gallons of Great Lakes water, via a controversial diversion, you can understand why-but Huron dwellers should be equally concerned about stuff that Chicago is poised to spew up this way. In particular, we might worry about a certain filter feeder of foreign extraction, hearty appetite, and striking heft. The Asian carp, introduced to the Mississippi River in the late 1990s, gets so big (100 pounds is not unusual) that people have actually been injured by this acrobatic invader, which has a habit of flinging itself at high speeds into boats, or across the seats of personal watercraft. If you don't believe us, check out Asian Carp Invasion Pt. 1 on YouTube. The risk to human safety pales, though, next to the threat posed to the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Known to consume 20 percent of their body weight in plankton per day, these bottom eaters would deplete food sources for other species and potentially decimate commercial and sport fisheries across the basin. For the moment, this remains a hypothetical disaster, but it's not that farfetched. As we speak, the fish is almost literally knocking on Lake Michigan's door. "It's coming up the Illinois River, and it's just 15 miles below the site of the current electric barrier," says Joel Brammeier, vice-president for policy with the Alliance for the Great Lakes, an environmental advocacy group. Carp plucky enough to test the fence will receive a non-lethal jolt, and drift back down the Illinois (which flows toward the Mississippi), where environmentalists and fisheries officials want to keep them. But the barricade may not work indefinitely. "It's been a good deterrent, but it's not a 100 percent solution," warns Mr. Brammeier. "If you rely on a power supply and there's a chance of human error or a natural disaster, something can always go wrong." The present barrier, moreover, is only intended to be temporary, yet a permanent version, while essentially built, "is not yet functional because of safety issues with barge traffic," says Mr. Brammeier. "This has been dragging on at least three years." In the meantime, Mr. Brammeier's environmental organization, with financial help from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, has devoted a lot of time and study to the problem, and has come up with what it feels is a more foolproof, if seemingly extreme, answer. In a nutshell: re-engineer the Chicago Waterway System so that nothing equipped with fins, shells or feelers has any way of moving between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. The term the alliance uses is "ecological separation," which it defines, in a 100-page report issued last week, as "no inter-basin transfer of aquatic organisms via the Chicago Waterway System at any time," with a commitment to "100 percent effectiveness." As sweeping as it sounds, the strategy wouldn't put a plug in the transfer of H20 from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, nor would it necessitate a complete overhaul of waterworks in the area, stresses Mr. Brammeier. "It would not change the way the water flows, or mean we have to re-plumb northeastern Illinois," he says. Some relatively major changes to infrastructure would need to take place, however, and there would be an impact on commercial and recreational boat traffic, Mr. Brammeier admits. "Our proposal is to create a physical separation close to downtown Chicago," he says. "All the water would still be flowing through, but boats wouldn't have the same access to Lake Michigan; they'd have to go through a boat lift and be sterilized." Six areas are identified in the study for possible structural changes, such as new locks and concrete walls. While this might sound like a major reshaping of the Chicago waterscape, it bears remembering that the whole system is unnatural to begin with: over 100 years ago, the watershed here was totally reconfigured to reverse the flow of the Chicago River and link Lake Michigan with the Mississippi via a complex network of canals and rerouted streams. This occurred, in part, to provide water to places south of the Great Lakes, but also to protect Chicago's water supply, which is derived from Lake Michigan. "The system is designed to send storm and sanitary water to the same place, pushing it to the Mississippi River," says Mr. Brammeier. The Great Lakes alliance scheme wouldn't undo that network entirely, but simply stopper up the places where invasive species could sneak through from one watershed to the other. "It wouldn't mean re-engineering the entire city," says Mr. Brammeier. "There are ways of creating a separation that don't require that drastic a solution. All to most of the water flowing to the Mississippi still would." If a bit ended up flowing back into Lake Michigan, that would just be an ecological bonus, in his view. "Any water Illinois can put back into the Great Lakes is a good thing," says the alliance rep. The study released last week is the outcome of a process that began in 2003, says Mr. Brammeier, when the Chicago Aquatic Invasive Species Summit was convened by the city's mayor and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to explore answers to the problem of scary stowaways and fish-farm escapees encroaching upon the Great Lakes, of which the Asian carp is only the latest example. Already, Mr. Brammeier notes, the shipping route at Chicago has contributed to the ingress of such exotic pests as zebra mussels and round gobies. Indeed, more than 150 invasive species have now been identified in the Great Lakes, and many have made their way into the lakes from the south. As costly to governments, and inconvenient to marine traffic, as an "ecological separation" might be to realize, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is confident that most stakeholders, including the shipping industry, are hospitable to the idea. To Mr. Brammeier, it's essential that a solid, long-term strategy is put in place to staunch the flow of invasive species, in particular the Asian carp, before more damage is wrought. "Once this gets in, the effects are potentially catastrophic," he says. "With invasive species, you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube." His organization is now calling upon the US Army Corps of Engineers to grab the tiller for their own "full-scale feasibility study on the same issue," says Mr. Brammeier. "Our study is a first draft at this type of work, and we'll be encouraging the corps to get started on their own plan. We recognize it won't happen overnight; it will take a couple of years and a few to $10 million to do an appropriate study, but we have to get serious about a real solution." The entire report on invasive species prevention, as drafted by the Alliance for the Great Lakes, is viewable online by visiting www.greatlakes.org.

Ship sinking plan not off shoals yet November 18, 2008 Michael Jiggins / Brockville Recorder A provincial Ministry of Natural Resources official says it’s premature to suggest there’s clear sailing for plans to sink a 2,800-tonne warship in the St. Lawrence River. Jim Fraser, MNR area supervisor in Kemptville, said Monday that concern over the artificial reef project’s impact on the river’s fish habitat is just one of several regulatory hurdles still in the way. “We’re trying to work proactively with the proponent, but there’s a number of hoops still to go through,” said Fraser. His comments follow remarks at a city council meeting last week by a Brockville and District Tourism Advisory Committee member indicating approvals were close at hand. “Everything looks good, we’re looking at … perhaps the sinking going forward perhaps after Labour Day. It’s amazing news,” committee member Laura Good told councillors. She was referring to plans by the Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Association (EOARA) to purchase the decommissioned HMCS Terra Nova, a 372-foot anti-submarine destroyer escort built in 1956. The EOARA is seeking approval to sink the warship in 130 feet of water in the St. Lawrence about four kilometres east of Brown’s Bay. The $2-million project has the support of municipal, provincial and federal politicians who are eager to reap its economic benefits. Proponents have said it could attract up to 6,000 divers annually, generating $8 million a year for the region’s tourism economy – good news for a region battered by economic bad times. While Fraser said there are still several approvals required, the major unresolved question is clearly what impact scuttling the massive warship will have on the sturgeon population. He said the location selected by EOARA is considered a sturgeon nursery by fish biologists, an area where the young fish “spend their formative years.” Stressing he’s not a biologist, Fraser stopped short of describing the sturgeon population in the Brockville area of the St. Lawrence as endangered. However, he added, “There has been a noticeable decline in the sturgeon fishery since the ’60s. It’s always a concern when that takes place.” Sturgeon, which can grow to three metres in length, are identified as a threatened species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Fraser said the MNR asked EOARA representatives in an earlier meeting to explore alternative locations. “But they’ve narrowed it down to one site,” he said. Despite the lingering debate over fish habitat, Fraser stressed there’s nothing to suggest the ship sinking is sunk. “Nothing is ruled out as of yet,” he said. Dan Humble, EOARA member and a dive shop owner near Mallorytown, was reluctant to say much about the status of the project. “We’re moving ahead,” said Humble, noting the group faces a key meeting with government officials in Toronto on Dec. 9. “We want to see what happens then,” he said. When he was re-elected last month, Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown said securing approval for the ship-sinking project was a priority for him. He said the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is awaiting MNR’s approvals to be in place before proceeding with its review of the proposal. Negotiations with the Department of National Defence to purchase the ship are also on hold, said Brown. “That meeting in Toronto is very key and I’m very encouraged that we’re going to get an important outcome because this is such an important project,” said Brown. He said he believes divers and sturgeon can co-exist and, further, that alternative fish habitat could be created away from the warship site if necessary. “We do care about the environment, but there has got to be a way to make this work,” said Brown. Meanwhile, if the sturgeon issue is resolved, two less-difficult issues remain to be settled with the ministry, said Fraser. Those are determining who owns the section of riverbed – almost certainly the Crown, said Fraser – and whether there are existing tenures or leases in place for submarine telephone or hydro cables. When those title searches are complete, he said a tenure agreement would have to be drafted with EOARA. And Fraser noted those are just the hurdles the project faces with MNR. Other ministries will require proof the ship has been stripped of any potential contaminants, while an environmental assessment, possibly including public consultation, is also required.

MNR, Geological Survey ship count Lake Superior fish November 18, 2008 / tbsource.com Officials with the MNR and the U.S. Geological Survey have been trawling the North Shore of Lake Superior in the middle of the night, trying to find out just how many lake herring, or ciscoes, there are in this area. The MNR and U.S. Geological Survey have been busy this week as they try to measure the herring stocks on this side of Lake Superior. It's a species that is not only difficult to count, but difficult to catch as well, as they manage to avoid being caught in nets during the daytime. U.S. geologist Dan Yule said his crew does their best work at night, using a combination of sonar equipment and trawling nets. The ciscoes feed on plankton, and help the food chain by becoming food themselves for larger fish in Lake Superior.

Coho home in Lake Ontario once again November 19, 2008 By Katie Strachan / The Oshawa Express Three years ago, Lake Ontario anglers learned fast and furious how important re-stocking fish is for the love of their sport. Because natural reproduction among fish is so low in Lake Ontario, the coho salmon all but disappeared when the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) stopped restocking the game fish in 2005.“The fishery is primarily dependent on stocked fish as very little natural reproduction occurs,” explains Jeremy Holden, Fisheries Biologist with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). Fortunately, local Oshawa Creek, Wilmot Creek and Lake Ontario anglers will soon welcome the popular game fish back to their waters.“We are pleased to be able to revive the coho stocking program through our involvement with Ringwood,” says Mike Reader, Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Ringwood is the fish culture station where the fish are hatched.“The partnership has been so successful that it has allowed us to over deliver on the expectations set out for us when we took on the hatchery,” adds Reader. Coho salmon are known for making fast and furious sport fishing. The MNR have been collecting eggs since Nov. of last year in order to re-stock the lake. According to Holden, the fish were raised in the Ringwood hatchery until just weeks ago when they were released back into the Credit River, where they will live over the winter months. Come spring they’ll move to the lake and continue to grow and develop for about two years before returning to Credit River where they’ll spawn and die. Anglers are particularly excited about the re-stocking as coho salmon are schooling fish, which make them easier to catch.“Boat anglers appreciate the schooling nature making for fast and furious action when a school is located,” says Holden. They also spend much more time in the river and are more active than the Chinook salmon, which they are often compared to. People often mistake them for rainbow trout as well.“Overall coho are great salmon for the pier and stream fisherman . They stay silver and active much longer in the same stream than Chinooks, and they are more eager to take baits while in the river,” says Glenn Anderson, President of the MEA. Coho salmon usually live for three or four years. They are typically 18 to 24 inches in length and can weigh in excess of 20 pounds. A local from Pickering set the Ontario record for the largest coho salmon caught in Pickering back in 1999. The salmon weighed 28.64 pounds. “The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the Metro East Anglers (MEA) were able, thanks to the support of the MNR and private industries … to revive the stocking program,” says Holden. Ringwood has already begun collection of coho salmon eggs for next year’s stocking.

Georgian Bay watershed still troubled 'Valuable resource' needs to be protected, conference-goers told November 21, 2008 SHAWN GIILCK / ENTERPRISE-BULLETIN A recent two-day conference on the Lake Huron - Georgian Bay watershed showed local waters are still troubled. According to Georgian Baykeeper Mary Muter, "a wide range of stakeholders met at Blue Mountain to discuss action needed to protect the valuable resources" of the lakes in an invitation-only meeting held at Blue Mountain Resort. The meeting was not publicized, she added, "because the government agencies don't want to be quoted," particularly on subjects such as ballast water management. Muter said the participants included Mayor Ellen Anderson of the Town of Blue Mountain; Mayor Deb Shewfelt of Goderich; Saugeen First Nation representatives; staff from Environment Canada, Parks Canada, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs; and a number of Conservation Agencies, and staff and volunteers from environmental non-government organizations such as the GBA Foundation; Lake Huron Coastal Centre; Georgian Bay Land Trust, and Rebecca Pollock, Greg Mason and Glenda Clayton of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve and Eric McIntyre of the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council. Among the recommendations coming our of the conference was that mandatory ballast water treatment regulations are urgently needed, Muter said, to combat new influxes of invasive species such as zebra mussels, quagga mussels, round gobi and the VHS virus. The latest threat is a "tiny shrimp that will wipe out native species and has recently been found in harbours on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay," Muter said. "It appears we are on the verge of almost total collapse of the deep water fishery. How bad does it have to get?" he asked. "Everyone present at these meetings and at umpteen similar meetings agrees that action is needed now - not another day should go by. Our federal government needs to announce immediately that they will impose ballast water treatment regulations effective January 2010 so shipping companies can begin now to get the available technology installed." Participants at the conference also heard that McMaster University wetlands biologists have begun to assess the wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay, which is a first. "The final part will be to get the wetland assessments into local municipal planning documents for protection,"Muter said. "Participants at these meetings discussed the need to be able to attach economic value to wetlands, beaches, and fish habitat so that funding for prevention of degradation can be put in place rather than the much larger funding needed for restoration. There seemed to be lots of energy for prevention, but funding was seen as the biggest barrier," he said. Roy Schatz from the GBA Foundation commended the "excellent work of so many different organizations and volunteers" while noting that "we can only hope for vernment support to fund this important work."

Steelhead show makes Fairview's Trout Run must-see November 07. 2008 Chris Sigmund / Erie Times-News There's a waiting line of thousands, queued side-by-side like anxious kids trying to score tickets to a Miley Cyrus concert. At Trout Run in Fairview Township, however, the massed steelhead are the show. The big trout are an annual phenomenon throughout the fall and winter on the Lake Erie tributaries as they migrate inland to spawn. And at the fishing-protected nursery waters of Trout Run, the run draws a steady stream of curious visitors who look on in wonder at nature in action. Steelhead -- some as long as 3 feet -- fight their way out of the lake and into the small stream mouth, through a long pool and up a short natural cascade. The dorsal fins and backs of the swarming fish are easily visible from a distance. About 100 yards inland comes the first ladder step, a barrier about 15 inches high leading into a concrete pen sealed at the south end by a 3-foot weir, or gate. When the weir is in place, the creek becomes nearly impassable, but the steelhead haven't been told; they thrill spectators with their determined attempts to get to the creek's next level. Some manage to flop around the sides of the shallow, rushing waters before launching themselves into the air, and a few actually make it over the obstacle. It's a show that never gets old for the thousands of people who take it in each year. "I love nature, and this always amazes me, so I took my buddy here to see it,'' said Rich Whipple of Chippewa, Beaver County. "I've never seen anything like this before,'' Whipple's friend Jason Wade said. Whipple said Trout Run has a hypnotic effect. "I took my daughter here last year when she was 7, and she watched for three hours hoping to see a fish make it up to the next level,'' he said. "We saw two steelhead make it.'' But, by design, the majority of steelhead that enter the small stream at the foot of Avonia Road go no farther. The Trout Run nursery area, like Godfrey Run just to the west, serves as a collection area for the agencies that make the steelhead fishery possible. The spawning streams are not conducive to reproduction, so the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and cooperative organizations such as 3-C-U Trout Association, Pennsylvania Steelhead Association and Northwest Pennsylvania Sportsmen Coalition help matters along. The groups help the Fish and Boat Commission stock 1.15 million steelhead fingerling each year, putting in place the quarry that drives local and visiting anglers to spend as much as $10 million annually. On Wednesday at 9 a.m., the first of at least seven brood collections this winter will take place at Trout Run. Thursday at the Fairview State Fish Hatchery off Route 5, eggs carefully stripped from hens, or females, will be fertilized with milt taken from the bucks. Netted, spawned-out fish will be released into area tributaries. Spawning date at the Fairview hatchery is Nov. 25, and fertilized eggs will later be transported to the Linesville and Tionesta hatcheries to be nurtured. In the spring, smolt will be released into tributaries they'll then consider their home waters and return to as adults -- some to be netted as part of the brood collection process. The entire process is funded by fishing license purchases. When collection is complete, the Trout Run weir is opened and fish move upstream. Many running steelhead will survive the winter inland, especially on larger streams such as Walnut Creek and Elk Creek, then return to the lake in the spring. "On those streams, there are no barriers like on Trout Run, where the second ladder is nearly three feet and impossible to jump unless the creek is very high,'' said commission fisheries biologist Chuck Murray, who is based at the Fairview hatchery. "Fish can migrate several miles, like on Conneaut Creek in Ohio, where they travel up to 70 miles into Crawford County. But that's nothing, since the native species on the West Coast go up to a thousand miles to spawn.'' A thousand miles or 1,000 yards, the migration draws people who usually see such exhibits only on the National Geographic Channel. On a particularly cold and windy fall morning, with waves battering the shoreline, a group of Romanian natives who now live in Canada braved the weather to watch the activity. "This is unbelievable. I've seen nothing like this,'' said Lucua Todos, of Mississauga, Ontario. Her mother, Viorica Pascalau, who does not speak English, was visibly excited. Florian Surghe of Toronto, a frequent angler on the Erie tributaries, has his own ideas about the stream and the fish in it. "This is nice, but the fish are stressed,'' Surghe said. "Just look. Their gills are on top of the water, and that stresses them out. They should dig this deeper, so they're not on top of the water. The steelhead are still feeding, unlike the salmon, whose digestive system shuts down when they go to spawn, and then they die. There's not enough water here. They dug a hole deeper at the Manchester Hole, on Walnut Creek. They should do that here.'' Joe Foltyn of Erie, who is a winter steelhead guide, finds serenity at Trout Run. "I take my 11-year-old son here, and I tell my mother, 'I'm going out for therapy.' This is therapy,'' Foltyn said. Therapeutic, or simply fascinating, Murray said Trout Run compares to another regional fish attraction. "It's like the Linesville Spillway at Lake Pymatuning, where the people feed the carp with bread, and the ducks can actually walk on top of the fish,'' Murray said. "Only that's an area set up for display. It's not like that at Trout Run. Still, it's very interesting seeing nature in action.'' The Fish and Boat Commission spent $200,000 in 2006 to acquire 3.5 acres at Trout Run, and a dedicated parking area has been created. Murray said plans now are under way to enhance the viewing area to the east side of Avonia Road. "Trout Run is a special attraction, and the new area would have a rail, maybe a bridge, and a much safer way to look at the fish,'' Murray said. "There used to be a bridge over the stream before, but that wore down badly. You see a lot of rocks and breakdowns now.'' In the meantime, catch the steelhead show. It's free outdoor entertainment, and the long-running event can last until April. Video

Governors weigh in on Carp Barrier November 17, 2008 / www.great-lakes.org The following is a letter a letter from Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle on behalf of the Council of Great Lakes Governors to Secretary Gates and Secretary Chertoff regarding the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal dispersal barrier. The letter was prompted by a recent article written by investigative journalist Dan Egan in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel over the delay and reluctance of the US Coast Guard and US Army Corps of Engineers (Chicago office) to turn on Barrier IIA: The Second letter is from the Chairman of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to the editors of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also weighing in on the urgency needed to complete and operate the barrier at maximum force. October 31, 2008 Secretary Robert M. Gates U.S. Department of Defense Washington, D.C. 20301-1400 Secretary Michael Chertoff U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 Dear Secretary Gates and Secretary Chertoff: As you know, the Great Lakes are at risk from the grave threat posed by Asian carp and other harmful aquatic invasive species. Without the completion and operation of an effective barrier system in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the Asian carp may soon enter the Lakes through the Illinois and Chicago River systems. These carp potentially threaten public safety and the ecological integrity of the world’s largest freshwater system. The Great Lakes Governors, Mayors, Members of Congress and many others have worked tirelessly to secure Federal support for the barrier, and each of the Great Lakes States have made financial contributions to support the barrier when construction was delayed due to Federal funding shortfalls. Nearly one year has passed since Congress enacted the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which provided the necessaryauthorization and appropriations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for completion of the barrier. Yet despite these enormous efforts, the Great Lakes still remain vulnerable as the U.S. Coast Guard performs additional tests and delays continue to prevent the full operation of the new barrier system. While we recognize there are safety concerns related to the barrier, these concerns must be more quickly assessed and resolved. We therefore ask you to provide us with a detailed work plan and timeline to complete barrier construction and testing, and then to begin operation at full capacity as soon as possible. More than 35 million Americans depend on the Great Lakes, and our region’s commercial and sport fishing industries contribute significantly to our regional economy. Our region, and our nation, cannot afford continued delay. Sincerely, Jim Doyle / Governor of Wisconsin Chair, Council of Great Lakes Governors ********************************************** And From Dr. Michael Hansen, Chairman of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission: Dear Mr. Kaiser, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has exhibited true leadership during the past several years in dealing with the major invasive species problem posed by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, an artificial connection between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. However, Journal-Sentinel reporter Dan Egan’s article (November 10) reflects growing disappointment and frustration among many over the excessive amount of time taken to fully activate the new high-powered electrical barrier on the canal. As designed, the new barrier is much stronger than the experimental barrier, and such strength is needed to block the migration of fish like the Asian carp. Unfortunately, it has been proposed that the barrier be operated at only a fraction of its potential. Those of us who have supported the project have always expected the corps to operate the barrier at full strength. Carp are voracious feeders and could destroy the Great Lakes’ fragile food web if they were permitted to enter. As they have demonstrated on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, the carp also pack a powerful punch by flying out of the water when startled and inflicting serious harm on people and property. This barrier is needed now to protect the Great Lakes’ environment and to protect millions of people who boat and water ski on the lakes from these “flying” fish. We have only one chance to get this right. For what are we waiting? Dr. Michael Hansen, Chairman Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Professor, University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point

Randle Reef team seeks $23 million November 21st, 2008 Jackson Hayes, Hamilton Spectator The team behind the Randle Reef cleanup project is still looking for $23 million, but remains confident it will be able to bury the toxic sediment by 2019. Comments about the budget and the $90-million plan to secure and cover up to 630,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment in Hamilton Harbour were made at a public meeting last night. The project team was on hand to answer questions about the process and possible impact of the planned nine years of construction. Project manager Roger Santiago, who said Environment Canada would not let him answer questions from the news media, told the assembly the Hamilton Port Authority and the city are working on raising the $30-million local share. “We are looking at stakeholder groups and there is a large amount of materials required,” he said, noting industries could donate steel and gravel instead of cash. The plan is to surround the area of heaviest coal tar contamination, roughly 7.5 hectares beside U.S. Steel Canada’s Hamilton Works, with a large wall. Sediment would be dredged from elsewhere in the harbour, dumped into the structure and capped with clean fill. Re: ‘Randle Reef team seeks $23 million’ (Nov. 19) The City of Hamilton is being asked to come up with $23 million to cover its share of cleaning up Randle Reef. The Ontario and federal governments have agreed to put $30 million each toward the cleanup cost of $90 million. Hamilton is being treated unfairly. On Jan. 28, 2007, the federal government announced it and the province of Nova Scotia would spend $400 million on the cleanup of the Sydney tar ponds, $280 million from Canada and $120 million from Nova Scotia. Previously, Canada spent $66 million on environmental studies and other cleanup attempts on the ponds. The City of Sydney, with a population of 26,000, is not being asked to contribute to the cleanup. Hamilton’s municipal tax base is not designed to carry out the cleanup of international waters, the bottoms of the Great Lakes. This is the role of the provincial and federal governments. Hamilton should not need to go with an outstretched hand for the cleanup of Randle Reef, the second-worst pollution spot in Canada next to the tar ponds. It is the duty of the upper levels of government. It was the violation of federal and provincial laws that allowed this mess to accumulate. Hamilton has been burdened enough with downloading. The federal government needs to be held to the same standard as in Sydney, N.S. It should claim 70 per cent of the cleanup of Randle Reef and let the city take care of what the city was designed to do. One-third of the surface would be planted to encourage wildlife use, and Cheriene Vieira from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment said the remaining two-thirds would be asphalted for use as a docking and container facility. Federal and provincial governments have already committed $30 million each, leaving the team to scrounge up the last $30 million. The HPA has agreed to kick in $7 million, but the economic crisis and Hamilton’s budget squeeze have some questioning the chances of securing the remaining $23 million. Brent Kinnaird of the HPA said it was confident despite the market downturn. “We’re just waiting to see who else will be able to come to the table.” Construction is slated to start in April 2010. Bruce Mackenzie, Hamilton

Economy sinks Simcoe ice fishing derby November 12, 2008 John Slykhuis / yorkregion.com The sinking economy has claimed its first local victim. The Lake Simcoe Ice Fishing Contest, the biggest one-day winter angling tournament in Canada, has been cancelled. In its heyday, the event attracted close to 5,000 anglers from across the province and the United States, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for local businesses, especially gas stations, bait and tackle retailers, bars and restaurants. Local service clubs that assisted will also be hit. Long-time Original Ice Fishing Contest organizer Larry Boziak of Manitoba told Focus on Fishing columnist Wil Wegman last week this popular winter tournament will be on hiatus in 2009. “The economic times are just too tough at this point for us to come to Keswick and in order to deliver the high quality event that Lake Simcoe anglers are accustomed to from our organization, we felt it best to sit this winter out in Ontario,” he said. Mr. Boziak still plans on running events out west and hopes to the contest will return in 2010. Georgina Chamber of Commerce president Dan Fellini called the cancellation “very regretable. This certainly won’t do anything to help the people in that industry.” Mr. Fellini has spoken with Mayor Rob Grossi about contacting sponsors to try and hold another one-day event this winter, he added. When told of the cancellation, perennial Ice Fishing Contest competitor and former champion Gerry Draper of Jackson’s Point said, “That’s really going to hurt. Guys were already talking about it. Guys here at the Bass Pro, I was talking to them and they gave me their e-mail so I could tell them when it’s going to be.” Anglers from as far as Thunder Bay and Montreal were planning on coming, he added. But it’s still full steam ahead for the 15th annual Canadian Ice Fishing Championship Feb. 23 and 24, organizer Rocky Madsen said. He is also reviving the Great Georgina Ice Fishing Derby with the town Jan. 30 to Feb. 15 and his perch tournament Mar. 8, so there is some good news for local businesses who rely on the multi-million dollar ice fishing industry. The three tournaments will offer about $100,000 in cash and prizes. Mr. Madsen will have to make some adjustments to the CIFC, with major sponsor Sorel cancelling, again for economic reasons, he said. “I lost Sorel. (They) pulled out. That’s $10,000 and $5,000 in clothing,” Mr. Madsen said. “But I’m working on a few other sponsors. I’ll still make this go, we just have to watch our expenses.” Mr. Madsen can understand Mr. Boziak’s problem because he has to relocate his huge organizing team from Manitoba to Keswick, while he is based in Sutton. Uncertain ice conditions because of mild winters have also affected the Manitoba crew’s ticket sales, Mr. Madsen said. “That’s why I have it here. We draw from the city.” Mr. Madsen has seen long-range weather prognostications calling on a “carbon copy” of last year’s winter, with a cold start, mid-January thaws, then bitter cold. “It looks (as if) it’s going to be another late winter.” For more see his website http://www.georginafishingseries.ca/ Complete details can be found at http://www.originalicefishingcontest.com/

....Absolutely awesome bow Jack! The mighty ole Niagara has coughed up a few of those for me in the past and I remember each one like it was yesterday.

....Good Lord there's a lot of fine eating in dem pictures.

....I'm with Bernie on this one Peter. The propeller hub is hopefully the problem and the least costly to remedy. Sorry to hear it screwed up your fishing trip. As a side note it'd be wise to invest in a spare, I'll always have one on board with a spare prop.

....Nice to have you on board Paul.

....That is incredible, sheeeeesh I'd need a bigger fireplace mantle for that rack.

....Hope it was a great day Lew and may a great year follow.

....Good stuff guys. I'm still trying to find time to throw a line for steelies this fall.

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Trent River pollution posed no possible risk to humans October 31st, 2008 Jack Evans / Trenton Trentonian Pollution levels will diminish naturally, say reports Scientific studies resulting from the discovery of toxic dioxins and furans in surprisingly high levels around the mouth of the Trent River were exhaustive, said Wayne Herrick, former project manager for the massive investigation. But even that effort left some nagging doubt by members of the Quinte Watershed Cleanup at their annual meeting Tuesday night at the Quinte Conservation board room. Besides being project manager during the three-year intensive study, Herrick was also chairman of the Trent River Mouth Sediment Investigation Steering Committee, and remains a program specialist with the Ministry of the Environment’s Eastern Region office at Kingston. Herrick traced discovery of the abnormally high levels to tests around the Trent River mouth as early as 2000, confirmed in further testings in 2001 and 2004. He said the levels reached as high as 2,000 parts per trillon deep (two feet) into the sediment in some sections of the mouth and 700 on the surface of sediment. The control levels guidelines for Canada are 21.5 parts per trillion, he noted, and all furans are targeted for reduction from the Great Lakes Basin under a Canada-Ontario agreement. Samplings, laboratory tests, analysis and experiments were carried out by eight agencies over a three-year period, he said. Dioxins and furans, apart from being toxic, also tend to be accumulative in their buildup in living things and also long lasting., However, he added, there are various levels of toxicity among the 17 or so types of such substances, normally associated with industrial chemicals. The ones found at Trenton tend to be in the lower hazard area of toxicity, but “There’s no such thing as a good dioxin,” he said. Agencies involved included his own, plus Environment Canada, City of Quinte West, Lower Trent Conservation, Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan, the Hastings-Prince Edward Counties Health Unit and the Ministry of Natural Resources. With such a large team, they had access to extensive backup support for samplings and testing, plus sophisticated, modern laboratory facilities to speed up the work. The final reports showed a five-prong program. The first was assessing risk to human health; second was effect on aquatic life, third was ongoing sources of the contamination, fourth was remedial action required and fifth was to ensure all actions recommended are taken. Assessment of the first concern, human risk, was completed by July of 2006 and showed no possible hazards. Assessments for aquatic life threat were completed a few months later, early in 2007. As suspected, the source was ultimately traced to seepage from the Domtar plant where, with co-operation from the company, improved practices were implemented to further reduce leakage, much of which had already been done in previous years. All of the studies and assessments did result in “some modifications” to the Ministry of Natural Resources sport fish eating guidelines. Otherwise: “The water is safe to drink, to swim in or all other forms of recreation. There have been no adverse effects on the benthic (invertebrates) population and the concentrations, barring further buildup, will continue to diminish naturally. There remains an on-going need for monitoring plus checks on improvements at the former Domtar, now Norampac, site. He figured the entire project cost would approach $1.4 million. He noted that the complete results of two major reports are on line at the Ministry of Environment site. Manfred Koechlin, treasurer of the group, said he was surprised that it took until 2000 for any dioxins or furans to show up. The Watershed Cleanup group had observed signs of cancerous growths on fish and other signs of toxins at least 20 years or more ago. He also complained that the company involved, in his opinion, is “one of the worst corporate citizens,” and said that even their new treatment for toxin treatment is a burning process that now spreads them “all over Eastern Ontario.” Another person complained that the studies presented were not “peer reviewed” by independent, private scientists. Finding the high levels of dioxins and furans at the mouth of the river generated major headlines when they were first presented to Lower Trent Conservation several years ago. In a sparsely attended meeting, Eldon Burchart was returned as president for another term.

Lake Ontario anglers welcome coho back O.F.A.H. and partners work to net anglers more options October 29, 2008 Thanks to the efforts of Ontario's largest conservation organization, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), the Metro East Anglers (M.E.A.), and others, Lake Ontario recreational anglers are enjoying the comeback of the coho salmon. This fall, coho salmon will once again be stocked into Lake Ontario through the O.F.A.H./Toronto Sportsmen's Show Ringwood Fish Culture Station, and work on next year's coho salmon cohort will also get underway. As a result of budget cutbacks, the Ministry of Natural Resources was forced to abandon their Lake Ontario coho stocking program after the 2005 stocking. Coho are a popular game fish targeted by boat and stream anglers, who would have lost this great recreational opportunity, had it not been for the efforts of the O.F.A.H., M.E.A. and Ministry of Natural Resources staff. "We are pleased to be able to revive the coho stocking program through our involvement with Ringwood," said Mike Reader, O.F.A.H. Executive Director. "The partnership has been so successful that it has allowed us to over deliver on the expectations set out for us when we took on the hatchery." M.E.A. President Glenn Anderson is enthusiastic about the renewed coho program in Lake Ontario. "Overall, Coho are great salmon for the pier and stream fisherman. They stay silver and active much longer in the stream than Chinooks, and they are more eager to take baits while in the river." The entire provincial quota of Lake Ontario Coho and Chinook salmon are raised at the O.F.A.H./Toronto Sportsmen's Show Ringwood Fish Culture Station in Stouffville. Rainbow and brown trout, as well as Atlantic salmon, are also produced at the hatchery. Fast Facts: - Ringwood Host club, the Metro East Anglers and other O.F.A.H. member clubs deliver thousands of volunteer hours annually - Ringwood is funded through industry support and O.F.A.H. fundraising - no membership dollars are used - Coho salmon fall yearlings are stocked into the Credit River in October, where they over-winter before migrating to the lake - New hatchery volunteers are always welcome - contact Ringwood at 905-640-6204 With 83,000 members and 655 member clubs, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the leading fishing, hunting and conservation organization in Ontario. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

Revamped fish hatchery doubles capacity Saturday, October 25, 2008 Alana Toulin / The Chronical Journal Consider it a luxury condo for young fish. With $17 million invested into it, the newly reopened Dorion Fish Culture Station has everything a gilled creature needs to thrive as it grows. The recently completed three-year expansion project features upgrades including an enclosed building to protect the fish against predators and the elements, a specialized isolation facility, a waste treatment program for the water discharged from the hatchery and even an energy-efficient geothermal heating system. “This is really a state-of-the-art facility for fish culture,” said station manager Sohail Siddiqui. “It‘s the most modernized fish culture station (in Ontario) right now.” The goal is to produce enough fish to help stock area lakes and restore some of the declining fisheries. With the revamp, production capacity at the Dorion station has doubled. Right now they‘re working mainly with lake trout, but there will be opportunities to produce other species native to the Great Lakes, said Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield. “We‘re able to produce about 1.4 million fish and then about 700,000 eggs,” she said. “We‘ll be able to use that to transport to Northwestern Ontario, but also to southern, eastern, and western Ontario because of the size of the station.” The Dorion Fish Culture Station can also be used as a space for research. “If one of our scientists decides they would like to do particular research on a particular fish, then this is where they would come to do it. They have been doing this in other hatcheries so it could happen here as well,” she said. And when work is done to help restock Great Lakes with fish, the effects are felt beyond biodiversity and the environment, Cansfield said. “It gives us an opportunity as well to help with tourism in the north, which is critical. We can stock the lake and it encourages people to come and enjoy Northwestern Ontario,” she said, adding that it‘s important for people to be able to enjoy recreational fishing and fishing for food.

Missing men’s boat found Sunday, October 26, 2008 / The Chronicle-Journal Teams searching for two missing anglers north of Manitouwadge have found the pair‘s boat. The two missing middle-aged men, one from Manitouwadge and the other from southern Ontario, were to have returned Thursday after fishing on White Otter Lake. Divers were called in Friday to help with the search. OPP officials said that searchers on Friday found articles including a life jacket and a boat believed to belong to the missing men. As of Saturday evening the search continues. The missing men have not been identified.

....Ah man you guys is making me extremely jealous. Certainly a kind of day I'd love to share in and having enjoyed the company of both Doug and Cliff I can't see how it'd be a bad day even if the fishing wasn't explosive. Well done guys!

Groundbreaking Ceremony Launches Environmental Restoration Project in Newmarket Creek adjacent to Southlake Regional Health Centre to be restored October 1st, 2008 / www.lsrca.on.ca NEWMARKET – Representatives from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), Southlake Regional Health Centre, the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation, the Town of Newmarket and the Regional Municipality of York gathered at the Southlake Regional Health Centre campus on Friday September 26th to break ground on the Eastern Creek Naturalization Project. The Eastern Creek Naturalization Project will restore and naturalize a 185-metre long section of Newmarket's Eastern Creek, adjacent to Southlake Regional Health Centre. The project will help improve water quality, reduce erosion, create more habitat for fish and other wildlife, and create a more natural setting for hospital patients, visitors and local residents to enjoy. “The environmental concern at this location is that there are no buffers between the hard urban surfaces and the creek to filter-out contaminants from urban run-off,” said Virginia Hackson, Chair of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and Councillor for the Town of East Gwillimbury. “Working together, we will remedy this problem to ensure the long-term health of our environment.” The project will take an estimated four to six weeks to complete and will cost an estimated $225,000. After the creek restoration is complete, the project funding partners and local residents will be invited to plant trees and shrubs on the project site. An area of 1,900 square metres will be planted. “The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority has shown consistent leadership by helping private landowners and municipalities take-on environmental stewardship projects,” said John Taylor, Regional Councillor for the Town of Newmarket. “This project demonstrates what can be accomplished when organizations partner to make real progress towards a healthier environment.” The project received funding contribution from Southlake Regional Health Centre. Southlake has continually demonstrated its commitment to local environmental issues and is the recipient of the 2008 Sunoco Earth Day Award. Southlake also received special recognition from the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources for their energy and water saving efforts. “As Southlake Regional Health Centre grows, it is vital that we take into account the state of our local environment and help protect and restore it wherever possible,” said Daniel Carriere, President and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre. “Any organization, no matter what size, can partner with the conservation authority to ensure the environmental health of the property they do business on.” The project also received funding contribution from the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation, the charitable arm of the LSRCA that represents residents of the Lake Simcoe watershed with a concern for the health of their local environment and Lake Simcoe. “This project would not be possible without the generous contributions of our donors and partner organizations,” said Kimberley MacKenzie, Executive director of the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation. “This transformation in the heart of Newmarket will demonstrate to the community what can be achieved when donations are made to help nature heal.” The Eastern Creek Naturalization Project is made possible by a partnership between the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, Southlake Regional Health Centre, the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation, the Regional Municipality of York, through the Lake Simcoe Water Quality Improvement Program, the Town of Newmarket, the Government of Canada, through Environment Canada, York Environmental Stewardship, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, York Bassmasters, and the Bogart Creek Restoration Committee. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority has worked with private landowners and municipalities to complete over 950 protection and restoration projects under the Lake Simcoe Water Quality Improvement Program since 1989.

$3,000 FINE FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING VIOLATION October 2, 2008 A commercial fishing boat captain and a commercial fishing company have each been fined $1,500 for not reporting accurately a catch of whitefish from Lake Erie. Angelo Coppola, of Leamington, captain of the commercial fishing boat Miss Melissa II, and Saco Fisheries Limited, Wheatley, owner of the commercial fishing licence, were found guilty of violating the conditions of their commercial fishing licence. An investigation by a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer found that Coppola had not declared 321 kilograms (707 pounds) of whitefish he caught on November 28, 2007, and landed at Kingsville. Justice of the Peace Maureen Brode heard the federal charges during a trial in the Ontario Court of Justice, Windsor, on April 9, 2008. The penalty was set on October 1, 2008. To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). www.ocoa.ca