Spiel

Hunting bloody red shrimp in the St. Lawrence March 26, 2008 Trevor Pritchard / Cornwall Standard It's got bulbous black eyes, a voracious appetite, and a name straight out of a Grade Z horror flick. The bloody red shrimp, one of Canada's newest invasive species, has already been found in Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie. And this summer, Dr. J‚r“me Marty plans to hunt for the nickel-sized invertebrate with a taste for zooplankton in the St. Lawrence River. "It's been predicted to be here. It's likely to be found," says Marty, 34, a freshwater aquatic ecologist who joined the St. Lawrence River Institute last November. The tiny shrimp, named for its distinctive red colour, can destroy entire aquatic ecosystems by gobbling up the food fish need to survive. Adults eat zooplankton - small organisms that are energy sources for many fish - while the juveniles consume algae. It's a toxic combination that's resulted in fish stocks disappearing in European rivers and lakes, says Marty, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the University of Quebec at Montreal. "They won't have food to sustain their growth," he says. The invasion of Hemimysis anomala, the shrimp's scientific name, began between 1948 and 1965. During that time, says Marty, the former Soviet Union released "hundreds of millions" of shrimp from several different species into the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. The goal, he says, was to encourage the growth of fish populations. But as time passed, the bloody red shrimp - which fish rarely eat - migrated westward along the Volga and Rhine rivers. By 2004, they had been seen off the coast of the United Kingdom. Two years later, the first specimens appeared in Canadian waters - carried across the Atlantic, says Marty, in the ballast tanks of ships. For now, says Marty, scientists can only make educated guesses as to whether the bloody red shrimp is living in the St. Lawrence River. In fact, with only 10 peer-reviewed papers published on the shrimp, there's not much known at all about the species, including what impact it's having on the Great Lakes. It's those two questions Marty hopes to find answers to this summer. He's applied for an Environment Canada grant to search for the creatures along the river between Cornwall and Kingston, with the help of his colleagues at the institute and researchers from both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. Advertisement Given they can survive in waters as cold as two degrees Celsius, Marty says he wouldn't be surprised if the bloody red shrimp is already here. Yet ironically, the shrimp has almost disappeared from the eastern European seas where it was first introduced, he says. Scientists don't know why, says Marty, but believe there might be a virus or an unknown parasite attacking the shrimp - which means it's possible that if the species does establish itself in the St. Lawrence River, it could one day be eradicated. And because they gather in large red "swarms" along the shoreline, anglers and boaters can easily detect the shrimp if they do appear, he says. For now, says Marty, the best way to keep the invasive species out of the waterway is to carefully regulate the dumping of ballast water. "There is nothing (else) you can really do," he says. "When it's there, it's there."

I have a HEADACHE !

....I knew there was a reason to get up today, Happy Birthday Norm.

....I've used a number of cannon ball styles over the years and I'm partial to anything not round. I picked up a pair of these in black (10lb) last fall and but have yet to try them. I've no doubt they'll do the job. I wouldn't hesitate to go 10lb or even 12lb as I find 8lb to be just a little light.

....Wow, seems like we go through this every year! Oh well belated Happy Birthday Wayne. I trust it was swell.

Okay

It probably will be by late in the evening, best I bring a change of clothing.

Daily creel limit for perch expected to be down to 25 Sunday, March 23, 2008 Steve Pollick / toledoblade.com OHIO - Expect to see commercial fishing nets in the western basin of Lake Erie this summer, but they will not be landing yellow perch. And expect to see the daily sport angler creel limit on perch there to drop from 30 to 25, as forecast, come July 1. Those changes, under discussion among state fisheries managers since at least January, appear likely now that the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission formally has lowered the lakewide allowable catch for 2008. The committee significantly lowered the lakewide walleye take as well, though that action is not likely to affect sport limits this year. The lowered allowances for both species are responses to poor walleye and yellow perch year-classes in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and a below-average class in 2007, all of which translates into declining stocks and increasing anxiety over the need for good hatches this year. "Commercial fishermen still can net white perch, white bass, channel catfish, and carp," noted Jeff Tyson, supervisor of Lake Erie fish management and research for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "But they will not be able to land [yellow] perch." The commercial fishing season for yellow perch opens May 1 on the lake, and Tyson said that the division intends to follow what is known as Policy 2 under increased authority and control over netters granted by Senate Bill 77, which was passed last fall. The state annually receives catch-quotas on yellow perch and walleye, which represents its share of the available stocks, as set by cooperative agreement under the GLFC. Policy 2 in turn dictates that first priority in the catch-quota goes to the sport fishery, and if there is a forecast surplus, then it is assigned to the commercial fishery. No commercial taking of walleye has been allowed in Ohio waters of the lake for some 25 years, since deadly gillnets were banned here. The state's annual catch-quota is further subdivided by basin, with the western basin - the center for most sportfishing activity - allotted just 700,000 pounds for yellow perch. A year ago sport anglers and netters combined to take 980,000 pounds of perch from the basin, some 20 percent over the quota of 833,000 pounds. Sport anglers alone took more than 800,000 pounds of the total. Lakewide the perch allocation by the GLFC was reduced from 11.39 million pounds in 2007 to 10.16 million pounds this year. An area-based sharing formula gives Ohio about 4.39 million pounds and Ontario 4.861 million pounds, with the rest split among the other three states. The lakewide allowance compares to an actual landing of about 9.69 million pounds a year ago. Failure to do something about adhering to quotas could lead to a fishing war with Ontario, the other major player in the lake fisheries and which is ruled by a large fleet of commercial netters and a relative dearth of sport anglers. The province, plus Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York, all sit on the GLFC and its lake committee. Given such realities, the Ohio Division of Wildlife's fisheries managers have been scrambling when it came to setting sport-catch rules for 2008. Tyson noted that the existing lakewide 30-perch daily limit is forecast to land 750,000 to 800,000 pounds of perch in the western basin, well in excess of the quota. Which is why the Ohio Wildlife Council is likely to approve the 25-limit on April 2, with an effective date of July 1 - well in time for the big late-summer and fall perching season, and why the few trapnetters allowed to take perch in the basin will have to shift their fishing to waters east of Huron. The central basin perch stock and quota typically can withstand the shift in pressure. On the walleye front, Tyson is forecasting that Ohio anglers will take about 1.4 million fish, well below the 2007 catch of 2.1 million. The reduction reflects the fact that the fishery has been living off the 2003 mega-class, and it grows smaller by the year because of natural mortality and fishing. This year's 2003 fish should be dandies -20 to 24-inchers. But Tyson said, fish "tend to move east" as the post-spawning season progresses. "If it stays cool this summer in the west end, those fish will stay here and we'll likely be pushing right against the quota." That is almost 1.85 million walleye for Ohio out of a lakewide allowance of almost 3.6 million. The lakewide allowance in 2007 was 5.36 million and the actual harvest was almost 4.49 million. Tyson said he could not yet predict what may happen with sport limits on walleye for 2009. But it is clear the fishery is declining and in need of another solid year-class this year. But even then, 2008 fish will not enter the catchable stock at 15 inches until 2010. Hovering in the background on both the yellow perch and walleye stocks is the million-dollar question over the degree of impact of fishing on the stocks. That is, whether fishing, even under quotas, simply crops off surplus stock that would die naturally anyway, or whether it eats into the meat of a stock's productive potential. "There is a big debate in the fisheries community over whether fishing is compensatory [cropping surplus] or additive [eating up principal]," said Tyson. "We're operating on the assumption that it's both, because it hasn't been resolved."

....Well I'm interested, in fact I was interested last year as well. Can't remember why or what kept me away, likely work. If the date turns out to be my day off I'd likely make it.

I like it!

Perch dinners still a good catch; Prices stable for now but could rise in coming years March 20, 2008 Kate Schwass /brantfordexpositor.ca The price of a perch dinner in Port Dover won't likely go up this summer, even though fishermen have been told the number of fish they can take from Lake Erie is being cut. "It might put a little bit of price pressure on our menu," Peter Knechtel of The Beach House Restaurant in Port Dover said Wednesday, before adding his suppliers have told him they're expecting to be in good shape this fishing season. "We don't anticipate any problems." Andrew Schneider at the Erie Beach Hotel agreed the price of a perch dinner - now $14.99 for an eight-ounce plate or $28.99 for a 16-ounce platter - would likely be affected if the fish weren't readily available. "Every time the numbers go down, the price goes up," he said. Lake Erie fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Ontario met in Niagara Falls. On Wednesday, they recommended the 2008 total allowable catch for walleye and yellow perch. In 2007, 5.36-million walleye were permitted to be taken from the lake, but the committee reported the actual walleye harvest was 4.5-million fish. This year, 3.6-million fish will be allowed to be harvested. For yellow perch, last year 11.4-million pounds could be harvested. This year, that drops to 10.2-million pounds, with Ontario's share being 4.9-million pounds. The actual harvest for 2007 was 9.7-million pounds. John Cooper of the Lake Erie management unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources said the committee recommended the reductions because both walleye and yellow perch have seen poor spawning every year except one since 2002. Cooper said these most recent recommendations have been confusing for some sport and commercial fishers because fishing lately has been good. "They see in their nets that it's some of the best fishing they've seen in years," he said. But he said the great fishing right now is because there was excellent spawning in the spring of 2003. Now, those perch and walleye are five years old and are the "prime" size. But that was just one good year out of six. "Other than what happened in 2003, we haven't had good spawning for the past five years." Cooper said there are a number of factors that contribute to a poor spawning season, including environmental conditions. The ideal conditions would be a cold winter followed by a gradual warm-up and lots of spring runoff. He said they won't know how successful this spring will be for perch and walleye until they do a survey in August.

MNR considers stocking Bay Lake March 12, 2008 Craig Sebert / bancroftthisweek.com The Bancroft Ministry of Natural Resources wants to improve the quality of lake trout fishing in Bay Lake, but first, they need public support. On March 4, MNR expressed their intent to change fishing regulations in the lake. Rules currently state that no fishing can occur on Bay Lake between Dec 1 and the end of May. During the open months, fishers are required to release lake trout sized at 40-55 centimeters. "People have complained about the state of local fishing, specifically to lake trout in Bay Lake," said Erin McDonald, area biologist for the Bancroft MNR. "It is a general concern we have had for several years now." Changing regulations is no easy process though, and takes two years to complete. "Fishing regulations fall under the Federal Fisheries Act. So to change any regulations, you have to get public support, go through a lot of paper work and work your way up the chain through the province, and that takes a while." For now, MNR says they can still stock the lake with lake trout to at least improve some fishing there. Upon completion of the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery, it was decided that hatchery management would focus on lake trout rehabilitation in L'Amable Lake, instead of Bay Lake. According to MNR's report, submitted at the Hatchery's annual general meeting, there were several factors that were not favourable for rehabilitation of a native lake trout population in Bay Lake. "We decided not to go with rehabilitation stocking using the locally adapted strain of lake trout that will be raised at the hatchery." Lake trout require deep, oxygen-rich water to breed and flourish. Bay Lake unfortunately has not enough oxygen, and is too shallow. Advertisement Because of these factors, the lake trout population has continued to decline, to near extinction, in the lake even with the current fishing regulations. "Without good water quality and spawning habitat, it would be very difficult to try to re-establish a reproducing and self-sustaining lake trout population." According to McDonald, there were attempts to improve spawning conditions in Bay Lake in the 1980's, but were unsuccessful due to the large calcium deposits in the lake. But stocking is still a possibility. "Given the state of the water quality and habitat, the best option for establishing a lake trout fishery is likely to move towards a put-grow-take stocking situation." McDonald says MNR has coordinated with the provincial fish hatchery system, and asked for any leftover lake trout from restocking initiatives, for diversion into Bay Lake. "For the most part, you have to ask two years ahead of time to let the fish grow. But since they have an excess of fish, we may actually be able to stock as early as this spring." For more information, call MNR at 613-332-3940.

Strong feelings on both sides over cormorant cull March 16, 2008 Doug Edgar / owensoundsuntimes.com Parks Canada is proposing a cormorant cull on Middle Island in April. Middle Island, south of Pelee Island, is well outside our area, but cormorants sure are on the radar of local outdoors enthusiasts, including birders and anglers. There's been more than one call for a cull in Georgian Bay. The big aquatic birds stir up animosity among anglers because they eat fish. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has certainly taken a strong stand in favour of culls, saying the birds are at 250 times their historic levels in Ontario and are damaging shoreline habitat and threatening water quality because of their droppings. The organization claims each cormorant eats a minimum of a pound of fish per day. On the other hand, there are many people who are strongly opposed to the culls. They say the birds' spread is a natural process and we should have learned our lesson by now about interfering in such things. There is also a pretty strong distaste evident among many on this side of the fence for killing any animal. An umbrella group called Cormorant Defenders International sent out a news release this week saying the proposed cull would probably push the birds to colonize other sites. They may have a point, but it seems to me the birds are doing a pretty good job of spreading out as things are now. On the other hand, considering how rapidly the birds have spread, I bet there will be new cormorants lined up to take the place of the culled birds. I suppose the truth is somewhere in the middle. But finding it can be tough with such strong opinions on both sides. One source is the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which has accumulated studies about the birds. In a nutshell, most of the research they've put together seems to indicate the birds do eat game fish, but they mostly target forage fish. Of course, since everything's connected, that doesn't mean their rapid increase in numbers is not having an indirect effect on other fish and birds. The thing I'm most concerned about locally is the impact they might be having on some of our inland lakes. I've noticed more cormorants and fewer fish - especially small bass and panfish - in some of those lakes in the last few years. I'm afraid they may hit the little lakes hard, then fly off to better hunting grounds after the fish population has been decimated. The MNR started a study of cormorants in Georgian Bay and the North Channel a couple of years ago. I hope to take a look at what they've found for an upcoming column. I was told in a quick chat with one MNR official that the birds population may have peaked. Parks Canada's biggest concern about Middle Island seems to be the effect the nesting colony is having on the island, Canada's southernmost point. Their plan, which could change, is to reduce the number of nests on the island from about 4,000 to between 440 and 840 in the next five years. Park officials have said in interviews that although cormorants are native, they have caused an imbalance on the island. The birds' droppings kill vegetation and the cull is being proposed to protect the island's rare Carolinian ecosystem, which supports nine federal species at risk. An interesting bit of background from the fishery commission says the birds were first reported nesting at Lake of the Woods in the 1700s and spread east throughout the Great Lakes by the 1930s. By the 1950s, steps were taken to cut their numbers due to concerns about competition with sports and commercial fisheries. But it was chemical pollution that really hit the birds hard. DDT and PCBs caused weak, easily broken eggs and fatal deformities in young birds. Their numbers began to rebound after those chemicals were banned or better controlled.

Ice conditions dangerous: police March 20, 2008 / yorkregion.com Georgina; Police services surrounding Lake Simcoe are warning you to stay off the ice as mild weather and rain are creating dangerous conditions. Last weekend, the York Regional Police marine unit responded to four separate emergency calls to assist snowmobilers and their passengers because they did not heed warnings the ice on Lake Simcoe is no longer safe. On three occasions, snowmobilers did not spot hazardous pressure cracks in the ice and crashed. This resulted in four people suffering injuries. In one of the incidents, an Innisfil man lost control. The driver was not injured, however, the passenger was transported to hospital. After investigation, the 23-year-old driver was charged with impaired driving and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm. Sunday, a 34-year-old Innisfil woman was injured when her snowmobile struck a metre-high pressure crack near the mouth of Cook’s Bay, west of Roches Point. The woman was snowmobiling south on the lake at an estimated 50 to 60 km/h when she struck the wall of ice and the machine rolled over. She suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The crack runs east from the Innisfil shoreline and then south into Cook’s Bay for about two kilometres and was difficult to spot due to drifting snow, according to South Simcoe Police. Another incident involved a man who was driving his pickup truck several miles off shore when it broke through the ice. The owner managed to remove his vehicle safely and no injuries were reported. Two Virginia men died when their snowmobiles crashed through the ice near Georgina Island on New Year’s Day and a Toronto angler fell through the ice and drowned in January. York Regional Police issued a warning this week that lakes and streams are not frozen and are unsafe. The ice is beginning to thaw, so you are warned to stay off it. Ice fishing season ended March 15, but anglers are still going out on the lake to fish for perch. The ice road to Georgina Island is rough. Before venturing to the island, call the Chippewas of Georgina office at 705-437-1337 for conditions. Police caution anyone who ventures onto Lake Simcoe, to follow these safety precautions: • Know the condition of the ice before you go out and take into consideration the recent changes the weather may have had on the ice; • Be suspicious of grey, dark or porous spots in the ice as these may be soft areas. Ice is generally strongest where it is hard and blue; • Wear the appropriate survival clothing and flotation devices. York Regional Police reminds the public snowmobiling and ice-fishing are inherently risky activities occurring in an uncontrolled and unpredictable natural setting. For more information and safety tips, contact the York Regional Police Marine Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext 7300.

Cormorant nests dwindle on Huron due to natural ebb and vigilante culls MNR survey shows nine colonies 'shot up' on Georgian Bay, N. Channel March 20, 2008 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca NORTH CHANNEL-Vigilante culling of cormorants at Lake Huron colonies reached a new peak last year, according to observations made by Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) personnel during their annual survey of nesting sites. Findings obtained by the Expositor through a Freedom of Information request show that nine cormorant colonies between Parry Sound and Blind River, including several in the vicinity of Manitoulin, were raided last spring by unknown individuals who left a trail of smashed eggs, dead chicks and spent ammunition in their wake. Jim Sloss, chair of the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM), said his organization had no role in this blitz. "We haven't organized it and haven't taken part in it," he said. "Nor have we asked people to go out and do it themselves." He does, however, understand why it might have occurred. "People are very frustrated by the lack of action on cormorants," he said. "Studies have shown this is a serious problem, but nothing is done about it." The UFGCM was poised to conduct its own citizen-led cull in the spring of 2005, gaining hundreds of signatures of volunteers who were prepared to take part in the act of civil disobedience, but backed off at the last minute. "We withdrew our position on that, and that's the way it has been," said Mr. Sloss. "It's not something we propose as a proper method. It's definitely a last resort." While the renegade culls have contributed to a decrease in active colonies and a general downswing in the cormorant population on Lake Huron, they could not have been the only, or even the most significant, factor in this trend. Almost a third of the colonies (32 of 114) visited by the MNR in 2007 were found to be deserted, and it wasn't the case that cormorants were breeding in more concentrated numbers at the remaining sites, as 1,199 fewer nests were found across the North Channel and Georgian Bay study area. Nor were the birds establishing much in the way of new hatching grounds, as only one new colony, containing 59 nests, was documented. A collapse of the alewife population, due to winter weather and salmonid predation, is cited as the main reason for the downturn in the number of cormorants, which peaked in 2000/'01 and has dwindled since. The most conspicuous type of fish seen around nest sites last year by the MNR was round gobies (an invasive species) and crayfish, along with yellow perch, rock bass and burbot, but in general "the amount of fish seen at nests this season is much lower than in previous years," the report notes. More surprising and disturbing to the MNR was the level of colony destruction that occurred last year, as such activity is both a violation of laws protecting the bird and a threat to public safety. "The cormorant is a federally protected bird," said MNR spokesman Barry Radford. "And the time when they're hatching is also a time when people are coming to their cottages and are out in boats, so safety is of major concern with actions like this." The MNR estimates that between the birds that were shot (or clubbed), and the eggs that would have hatched into birds had they not been crushed, about 3,000 cormorants were removed through the rogue action. One colony, according to the MNR report, "had approximately 50 dead chicks which appeared to be shot with shotguns, with many eggs smashed in nests." Another was strewn with 250 carcasses of adults and hatchlings, while only 20 adults and one chick remained alive; among the nests, the MNR found empty shotgun shells and cartridge box for a .22-calibre rifle. The most carnage occurred at an island where all 493 nests "contained dead young birds or smashed eggs," according to the MNR report. Three adults had been slain by a shotgun and the ministry observer estimated that 250 chicks "were shot or clubbed." Frontier justice carried out the preceding year had left a lasting impact in at least one location. "This colony was shot up last year (2006) with dead young left in tree nests," notes the MNR observer. "All nests appear to be abandoned this year." Other evidence of human disturbance found at colonies included a scarecrow that had been erected at one site, and yellow paint that had been splattered around the nests of another. For Julie Woodyer of Cormorant Defenders International, such behaviour is "sadistic and cruel." Particularly offensive to her is the notion that someone might club a chick in its nest. "It's one thing to kill an animal," she said. "But to beat them and leave them to die in the nest is heartless." The animal rights activist said that, apart from being a violation of the Wildlife Act, incidents of this nature could be considered a criminal code offence, as section 446 of the code can be brought to bear on anyone who would "willfully cause or allow unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal." Ms. Woodyer said she is "not surprised" to learn that some people have taken the law into their own hands to deal with cormorants. "It has occurred on Lake Ontario previously, and I know people in the North are frustrated because they feel the MNR isn't doing anything and they're told by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters that it's a big, serious problem." But the problem is being overstated, in her view. "If cormorants can survive here, that means the lakes are starting to heal and there are lots and lots of feeder fish," she said. At the same time, cormorant numbers are on the ebb across the Great Lakes. "It's how it goes with nature," she reasoned. "It gradually gets to equilibrium, and we're pretty much there with cormorants now." The situation doesn't seem so rosy to Mr. Sloss, who maintains that the birds have done irreparable harm to the sport fishery, and that MNR studies, including the latest one conducted on the Island's inland lakes, bear that out. "Having all this information, there is a strong need for an action plan," he said. "But I don't see that happening." The MNR began its long-term study of cormorant impact on Georgian Bay and the North Channel waters in 1999, with several rounds of experimental egg-oiling conducted in the ensuing years to see if this method of control would yield appreciable results. The tactic was abandoned last year as it was deemed ineffective in a limited scope. "One of the problems when you get into cormorant control is that when you remove some, other cormorants just move in," said Mr. Radford. "If it's done, it has to be done on a massive scale, and in a controlled fashion that takes public safety into account." The Natural Resources minister has not yet been convinced that such a far-ranging program is warranted, although the matter is still under consideration, said Mr. Radford, and the Georgian Bay/North Channel study, though scaled back, is not entirely wrapped up. "We're just part of a more international research effort now," said the MNR spokesman. As for the incidents of colony disruption, Mr. Radford said an investigation was launched but no individuals have yet been charged. He noted that it's difficult to catch anyone in the act, as the sites are generally remote and someone could "go in and do a heck of an amount of destruction within an hour, while watching the horizon for any boats that might be approaching." Consequently, the ministry is hoping the public will come forward with tips regarding the incidents.

Feds look at listing coaster brook trout as endangered John Myers, Forum Communications Company Thursday, March 20, 2008 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday announced it is considering placing the beleaguered coaster brook trout on the federal endangered species list. Agency officials said a petition by conservation groups to list the trout has merit and that the agency now will closely evaluate the status of the fish that’s found only in the Great Lakes and their tributaries. The Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter and the Huron Mountain Club sued the government to force the issue. Under a settlement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now has until Dec. 15 to make a final decision whether to list the fish as endangered. A federal listing could place new restrictions on harvesting brook trout in and near Lake Superior and may affect some human activities near the trout’s traditional spawning areas. And it could attract additional federal funding to help recover the population. Coasters were once a fairly common form of brook trout found often near the mouth’s of rivers that flow into Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan. At one time, coaster brook trout were reported spawning in at least 50 Lake Superior streams on the U.S. side of the lake. Now, there are only four viable, self-sustaining coaster populations on the U.S. side Lake Superior – one in the Salmon Trout River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which has fewer than 200 coaster brook trout, and three in Isle Royale streams. Marvin Roberson, forest ecologist with the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club, said the group wants brook trout restored across as much of its former range as possible. Roberson said federal protections could be especially critical in restricting mine development planned for the headwaters of the Salmon Trout River near Marquette. “Sulfide mining often leads to sulfuric acid runoff, and coasters are extremely sensitive to pH levels,’’ Roberson told the News Tribune. “If we can’t keep our one remaining population, it won’t look good for any other restoration.’’ Coasters are considered a unique type of brook trout because they spend part of their life in rivers and part in Lake Superior. Efforts have been underway for years to restore coaster populations through stocking, habitat repairs and regulations. State, tribal and federal natural resource agencies have worked cooperatively, with limited success, to restore the trout. For example, anglers are allowed to keep only one brook trout in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Ontario waters of the lake in a coordinated effort to keep more fish in the lake. But experts say it will take decades for the fish to recover, if they ever do. Coasters are highly susceptible to changes in water quality and habitat. And they are not wary fish, making them easily caught by anglers and subject to over-fishing. While low levels of brook trout survive in upper rivers, they aren’t doing so in any sustaining levels near the big lake. Moreover, experts aren’t even certain what makes coaster brook trout different, if anything, form their stream-staying cousins. Dennis Pratt, area fisheries biologist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Superior, said damage to streams from logging practices in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s may have irrevocably damaged the ability of coasters to reproduce. Despite stocking millions of brook trout in Lake Superior streams in recent years with hopes the fish would move in and out of the lake, few have done so. The DNR counted only 8 brook trout migrating up the Brule River in 2006 and only 2 last year, Pratt said. Brook trout in the upper Brule are not making the trip to the lake. “The only place we’ve seen any real success with coasters is on the Canadian side of the lake, in Nipigon Bay, where you had both suitable habitat and a remnant population of (wild) fish, and where very restrictive angler limitations were in place early,’’ Pratt said. “In places where habitat was destroyed beyond where the fish could reproduce, it’s just not happening.’’ The Fish and Wildlife Service’s finding on the petition to list the coaster brook trout as endangered appears today (Thursday) in the Federal Register. Comments and information about the coaster brook trout should be submitted to the Service by May 19 and sent to www.regulations.gov or to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. For more information on the coaster brook trout, go to www.fws.gov/midwest.

Catch Limits Recommended for Lake Erie Walleye and Yellow Perch for 2008 For Immediate Release / March 19, 2008 Contacts: Canada: John Cooper: 519-873-4613 USA: Marc Gaden: 734-662-3209 x 14 NIAGARA FALLS, ON – Lake Erie fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania today recommended a 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of 3.594 million walleye and 10.160 million pounds of yellow perch*. Both the walleye and yellow perch TACs represent a decrease in allowable harvest from 2007. The managers, meeting as the Lake Erie Committee, noted that poor walleye and yellow perch year classes in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and a below average year class in 2007, necessitated the lower harvest in 2008. WALLEYE The Lake Erie Committee recommended a binational TAC for walleye in 2008 of 3.594 million fish. This compares to a TAC of 5.36 million fish in 2007. The Committee’s Walleye Task Group—comprising scientists and field biologists—reported that walleye hatches have been poor in 2002, 2004, and 2006 and below average in 2007. Because of the continued low level of new fish to the harvestable population, the Lake Erie Committee recommended the TAC reduction to maintain and protect the remaining stocks. This reduction reflects the consensus of the committee that the fishery is becoming ever-reliant on the dwindling 2003 year class. Actual walleye harvest in 2007 was 4.486 million fish. Lake Erie agencies together monitor the status of walleye spawning and recommend walleye TACs to ensure the future of the fishery. Based on the data collected and interpreted together by the Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions on Lake Erie, the reduced 2008 TAC will allow the agencies to adhere to their objectives of allowing harvest while protecting future spawning. Under a 2008 TAC of 3.594 million fish, Ohio will be entitled to 1.847 million fish, Ontario 1.556 million fish, and Michigan 0.191 million fish. The TAC is recommended by the Lake Erie Committee and is allocated to Ohio, Michigan and Ontario by an area-based sharing formula of walleye habitat within each jurisdiction in the western and central basins of the lake. The walleye fisheries of eastern Lake Erie remain outside the allowable catch management area. YELLOW PERCH Like walleye, yellow perch spawning was poor in previous years such that the committee recommended a reduction in allocation to 10.160 million pounds in 2008 from 11.39 million pounds in 2007. An area-based sharing formula determines the allocation of these fish among the five jurisdictions on the lake. For 2008, Ontario’s allocation is 4.861 million pounds, Ohio’s allocation is 4.389 million pounds, and Michigan’s allocation is 0.128 million pounds. New York and Pennsylvania will receive 0.098 million pounds and 0.684 million pounds respectively. In 2007, actual yellow perch harvest was 9.685 million pounds. The committee will complete its yellow perch management plan in 2008. *Walleye are allocated by number of fish; yellow perch are allocated in pounds. BASIS FOR TAC DECISIONS “Walleye and yellow perch fisheries in Lake Erie fluctuate based on annual spawning and survival,” said Lake Erie Committee chair Mike Morencie of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. “This means that the Lake Erie Committee must assess the state of the lake continually and recommend annual total allowable catch limits, based on the science that all jurisdictions collect and discuss together. Our top priority is to provide sport and commercial fishers—on both sides of the border—access to the resource while at the same time taking the necessary steps to ensure that the fishery is managed properly for the future.” “Members of the Lake Erie Committee work very closely with their constituents to take into account their needs and concerns and to advise them of long-term trends in the Lake Erie fishery. The committee notes, for instance, that spawning and recruitment of walleye and yellow perch in Lake Erie have not been strong in previous years, with the exception of the massive 2003 year class. As the committee did last year, we advise constituents that the outlook for higher catch limits is unlikely for the foreseeable future. We appreciate that lower harvest levels are hard on both commercial and recreational fishers and on local communities. We remain committed to working together to minimize those hardships while taking into account the management actions that must occur to ensure the continued health of the fishery.” Committee vice-chair Bill Culligan of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation added: “All of the jurisdictions on Lake Erie enjoy a long-standing, cooperative relationship in managing the lake for the benefit of the fish and our constituents. We appreciate the chance to work with those affected by the decreased harvest levels and we remain committed to incorporating human needs into the decision-making process.” LAKE ERIE COMMITTEE The Lake Erie Committee comprises fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. The committee’s work is facilitated by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a Canadian and U.S. agency on the Great Lakes. Each year the committee recommends a total allowable catch for walleye and yellow perch. Total allowable catch represents the number of fish that can be caught by sport and commercial fishers without putting the stocks at risk. The individual agencies implement the recommended total allowable catch. For more information, visit the Lake Erie Committee online at www.glfc.org/lec

Look for great fishing on Erie; Weather permitting, of course Sunday, March 16, 2008 Steve Pollick / toledoblade.com Weather permitting. That's just the term Lake Erie anglers don't want to see or hear when whetting their appetites for walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and steelhead. Weather trumps all, when it comes to both fishing and spawning success. But fishermen are the original, eternal optimists - or they would never fish another day. So with that, and hopes of fair weather in mind, be prepared for an exceptional fishing season on the greatest of the Great Lakes. That is the word from biology guru Roger Knight, the Lake Erie program coordinator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "Lake Erie remains one of the greatest natural resources in our country," added Knight. He said anglers have good access to good fishing in the western and central basins via numerous public launch-ramps, private marinas, and shoreline sites. He presents the following rundown of species' potential for 2008: Walleye - The bulk of the catchable stock again will be from the 2003 megaclass of fish, which remain in good but slowly declining numbers, as happens with all year-classes as they age. The best part is that these fish will be dandy in size, 20 to 24-inchers, which ought to be a boatload of fun especially in the jig-and-minnow season. Larger fish, 21 to 27 inches, from earlier hatches will spike the action, and fish from the decent 2005 hatch will add to the variety at a just-legal 15 inches on up to 18 inches. Occasional bruisers in the 28-inch-plus trophy class remain from strong hatches in the late 1980s and mid 1990s. Remember also the daily creel limit is four fish in March and April. Yellow perch - Excellent numbers of 9-to-12-inch fish should be available from the excellent 2003 hatch, though overall perch numbers will be down from 2007. Fair to moderate hatches in 2005 and 2006 will add some smaller fish to the creel, with a few jumbos also remaining from 2001. Stay tuned for a possible reduction in the daily creel limit for the western basin when the Ohio Wildlife Council votes on April 2. Currently it is 30 for all Ohio waters of the lake, but it could go to 25 for the western basin this year after July 1 because of the reduced stocks there. Smallmouth bass - Bass action should be good in 2008 with contributions from hatches in the 1990s and 2003, with fish ranging from 14 to 21 inches and ranging from 1 1/2 to 5 pounds. Biologists are waiting for what are thought to be several good hatches in recent years to come on-stream. Remember that the minimum keeper length, if you absolutely must keep a smallmouth instead of releasing it, is 14 inches. Keep in mind the keeper season is closed May 1 through June 27 for all smallmouth and largemouth bass in the lake. Bass must be released immediately during the closed season. Steelhead trout - This fishery should maintain its consistent goodness in the lake's tributary streams, thanks to consistent stocking of some 400,000 hatchery-reared fish a year. Streams from the Vermilion River on east should provide most of the fishing in fall, winter, and spring, with good offshore trolling opportunities, mostly between Vermilion and Conneaut, for 17-to-29-inch fish in June through August. White bass - This "bonus" species provides great incidental angling, particularly when a hungry school boils up a school of emerald shiners to the surface. Much of the catch will be 10-to-14-inch fish from 2005 and 2003. Some 2006 fish from that moderate class will run 8 and 9 inches. On bad-weather days when you cannot get onto the open lake, or just for something different, Knight reminds anglers that bays, harbors, and marinas provide excellent opportunities for panfish such as crappie and bluegill, plus largemouth bass and, in weedy areas in spring, northern pike and muskellunge. A host of other information is available on the state Web site, www.wildohio.com, and at www.thenaturalresource.com.

BoatU.S. launches magazine for boat-owning anglers around the country March 18, 2008 / boatusangler.com ALEXANDRIA, Va. — BoatU.S. ANGLER magazine premieres this month. The premier edition will be the first of three issues delivered each year to members of the BoatU.S. ANGLER program, select fishing clubs and West Marine locations across the United States. The new magazine's goal is to provide fishing information to boat owning anglers among the 650,000 members of the association and to spread the word of its specialty services for fishermen. 'BoatU.S. ANGLER' is intended to benefit fishing-minded boaters of all ages. Mike Pellerin, director of the BoatU.S. ANGLER program is editor-in-chief and Taylor Wilson is managing editor. BoatU.S. ANGLER features will include fishing and boating information from experts, and the latest on bass, walleye and crappie as well as near-shore saltwater angling. Writers will include Bill Dance on bass, Wally Marshall on crappie, Gary Roach on walleye, and Nick Honachefsky on stripers and near-shore species. In addition, readers can get answers to angling questions from pro angler and guide Steve Chaconas and fishing legend Bill Dance in the magazine's Angling Answers column. Each issue will offer something for the entire family, including recipes, young angler stories and tips, quizzes and crossword puzzles. The overall goal is to make fishing a more enjoyable and a safe, worry-free pastime. Other regular topics will include technical tips and advice, trailering information, boating safety, conservation and do-it-yourself articles from other award-winning BoatU.S. publications. The magazine will also promote the association's various benefits such as specialized fishing boat insurance, on-the-water and on-the-road towing assistance programs, discounts at BoatU.S. Cooperating Marinas and member rebates on equipment purchased at West Marine stores. For more information on the BoatU.S. Angler program, visit http://www.BoatUSAngler.com or call (866) 906-0013.

What Mike said, "TEXT"

....Stats show most of them to be unemployed! JK, sure all colours will work at one time or another. What, where and when?

Gerritt you promised me that you were going to get help?

....Ouch ! Hard to believe I didn't get out there this year Joey but I haved enjoyed it vicariously through your posts.

....Yep springs if'n you can find them. Stealthy approaches and light line tethered to a small heavy spoon or a hair jig for me (occasionally tipped with a small peice of worm) and allowed to sink down to the bottom then jigged back.

....I used to do a lot of interior painting (hated it) and would more than love to help Cliff if'n I was only closer. Alas that is not the case but the offer is a generous one, I surprised you're not getting more bites.