Spiel

....Great to have you here Mike. Always thought of hitting Lac Seul some day before I die.

....You're killing me Garry. 3 1/2 months to go here before I can play topwater games with the local bass population. Nice to see you and Buck are having a ball down there.

....Welcome a "board". Can't help you with the fishing down that way but I'm certain someone will.

....Well Lord tunder'n, bout time you got on board Gary. So when's perch dinner? and remember "Post count is NOT a sign of intelligence", suposedly it's the content that counts?

Lake Ontario fishery threatened by invasive species March 14, 2008 Thomas J. Prohaska / buffalonews.com LOCKPORT — Invasive species and fluctuating populations of game fish and their prey will continue to keep the Lake Ontario fishery in a state of flux, state officials said at a meeting here Thursday. The Department of Environmental Conservation’s “State of Lake Ontario” session drew about 50 anglers and charter boaters to Cornell Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Training Center at the Niagara County Fairgrounds. Robert O’Gorman, a field station supervisor for the U.S. Geological Survey, told the audience that populations of alewife and rainbow smelt in the lake have fallen to near-record low levels. Those species are among the favorite foods of trout and salmon. “I can’t really give you a reason,” he said, although he speculated that the heavily stocked trout and salmon species used to bolster the fisheries are simply chowing down heavily on their favorite prey. He also said antipollution measures that sharply reduced the discharge of phosphorus into the lake decades ago may be hurting the alewife and smelt. O’Gorman said that’s because phosphorus triggers the growth of plankton, which the alewife and smelt like to eat. Dan Bishop, a DEC regional fisheries manager, reported that the average weight of the chinook salmon in the lake, a popular fish among anglers, is lower than a few years ago. But Vince Pierleoni, owner of Thrillseeker Fishing Charters in Olcott, said that’s not all bad. He said his customers think the slimmed-down chinooks fight harder. “That’s the sport,” he said. “They have less fat. We think they’re more physically fit.” But one thing his customers don’t like is lake trout with gashes in their sides caused by sea lampreys, a parasite fish that’s on the rise. Dan Connerton of the DEC said the lake trout population has fallen by about 80 percent of its levels of 15 years ago, while the number of lamprey gashes in the lakers they’ve tested are on the rise. He said with the lake trout population crashing, lampreys are attacking other trout species and also going after salmon. Pierleoni said lampreys like clean water, and the Great Lakes are getting cleaner all the time. “There’s an international effort to restore lake trout across the Great Lakes,” said Jana Lantry, a DEC biologist. But she said first-year survival of stocked lakers has been “really poor” and no one knows for sure why that is. Pierleoni said lampreys like to eat freshly hatched lake trout. Lantry said 453,000 baby lakers were stocked in Lake Ontario last year, and that number should rise this year. O’Gorman said another alien invader has entered the lake in ballast water discharged by foreign merchant ships: the “bloody red shrimp.” The quarter-inch crustacean has been found in large numbers in the stomachs of alewifes, perhaps meaning that they could make a food source for that key species. But O’Gorman said no one is quite sure what the shrimp are eating, and it might take a decade to figure out their overall impact. “It’s a whole new lake, a whole new ecosystem, a whole new food web,” he said.

Chinook catch differs between lakes Friday, March 14, 2008 Howard Meyerson; Press Outdoors Editor / mlive.com After hitting the bottom in 2005, the Lake Huron Chinook salmon fishery is showing a bit of recovery. Meanwhile, the Lake Michigan salmon fishery is at its peak, according to state fisheries officials. "The Chinook catch in Lake Huron has been increasing very slightly over the last two years," said Donna Wesander, with the DNR's Great Lakes Fishery Research Center in Charlevoix. Wesander recently presented charter catch data to a roomful of captains in Grand Haven. "The fish appear to be looking a little healthier," she said. "In Lake Michigan, we are at the peak. The numbers have been steadily increasing over the last six to seven years." Chinook catch rates, or the number caught by charter anglers in an hour, inched up to .08 per angler hour on Lake Huron in 2007. They hit .294 per angler hour on Lake Michigan. "The Lake Michigan charter catch is the best it ever has been," said Dave Clapp, the head of the Charlevoix research station. Lake Michigan anglers caught 84,600 Chinook salmon in 2007, the best year since 1993 which was the bottom of a Chinook salmon crash due to Bacterial Kidney disease. Anglers caught more fish on every excursion, though the big salmon were smaller than in the past. There were few 20-pounders. Thirty-pounders are virtually unheard of now. The top port for big kings was Ludington, followed by Grand Haven, Manistee and Frankfort. Coho salmon catches were best at Ludington, St. Joseph, Grand Haven and Manistee. The ports with the highest number of salmon and trout combined/per excursion were Pentwater followed by Michigan City, Saugatuck and Ludington. "They were getting 14 fish per excursion at Pentwater," Wesander said. On Lake Huron, it was lake trout that filled most of the coolers. Grindstone City proved the top port for trout and salmon. "They caught 2088 fish in 184 excursions," said Wesander. "Most of these (1987) were lake trout." "The problem on Lake Huron is the lack of forage," said Clapp. "Salmon survival has been poor mainly from a lack of forage. But we still see a good Lake Huron fishery for lake trout and walleye." Some have called what happened on Lake Huron the perfect storm. Factors converged to make it tough for young fish to survive. No one knows for certain why the alewife population disappeared. But catch rates don't lie. On Lake Huron they peaked at .2 per hour on in 1997, bounced up and down until 2002 and began a three-year slide to the lowest point in 15 years.

....Oh boy I love B'days, especially when they ain't mine. Hope your day was swill Glen

....Looks like a great way to spend a morning. And don't sell yourself short Doug, like Cliff and Carole you too are fine folk and great host.

ONTARIO HELPS YOUTH DISCOVER FISHING McGuinty Government Teaches Youth About Fish And Conservation March 11, 2008 Ontario is encouraging young people to fish with $25,000 in support for Kid’s Fishing Day. Organized by the Canadian National Sportsmen’s Shows, this program gives fishing kits to youth across Ontario and financial support to fishing day events organized by various organizations. The funding was announced at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show, where Danning Amy Sun, of Toronto, was named the overall winner of Ontario’s 5th annual Kids’ Fish Art Contest. Sun’s picture of a muskellunge will be featured on the 2008 Young Angler’s Licence. Sun receives a $2,000 Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) from Northwest Mutual Funds. Her entry placed first in the Grade 10-12 category. She also receives a day of fishing with Canadian Sportfishing Television Host Italo Labignan and a four-day fishing excursion at Red Pine Wilderness Lodge, near Temagami. Other winners, Marica Villeneuve of Bolton (Grade 7 to 9) and Christophe Young of Cornwall (Grade 4 to 6), ­each receive a $500 RESP, Crayola products for their schools and a complete set of fishing gear from Lucky Strike Lures. QUOTES “The Kid’s Fishing Day provides an opportunity for our youth to experience Ontario’s outdoors, learn new skills and develop an appreciation for our environment that will last a lifetime,” said Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield. QUICK FACTS - Last year, Kid’s Fishing Day gave 4,000 rod and reel kits to youth across Ontario. - 461 young Ontarians entered this year’s Kids’ Fish Art contest. The contest is open to Ontario students in Grades 4 through 12. - Approximately 135,000 Young Angler’s Licences, a free fishing licence for youth under the age of 18, will be distributed in 2008. LEARN MORE See this year’s winning entries and learn how to enter the Kids’ Fish Art Contest. Learn how to get a fishing licence and read about Family Fishing Weekends.

....T'is a strange world we live in.

Not all of us have a choice.

Up and down ice fishing coming to an end soon; Georgina Slow season due to weather: operators Mar 13, 2008 John Slykhuis / yorkregion.com An up and down ice fishing season that reflected the yo-yo winter temperatures comes to an end Saturday at midnight when all huts have to be off the lake. The season also closes for lake trout, whitefish and walleye, but continues uninterrupted for perch. “What can you do?” Pefferlaw Ice Hut owner Jerry Kurcharchuk said. “It would have been better if the weather had been consistent, but it wasn’t. We started off Jan. 3 and had a good week and then the mild weather hit and a lot of guys pulled in their huts.” He will remove his huts all week. The cold weather did come back, but not in time to salvage the season, with many urban ice anglers under the impression the ice wasn’t safe anywhere, even though there were many areas with good ice, Mr. Kucharchuk said. There was a decrease in anglers during the Lake Simcoe Ice Fishing Contest. Numbers were cut in half with only about 1,600 anglers vying for major prizes, but the Canadian Ice Fishing Championship the week before that, which attracts more knowledgeable ice fishers, wasn’t affected. There was one death in this year’s ice fishing season with a Toronto angler drowning. The body of Ilia Vaxman, 60, was found near Roches Point Jan. 10. Rick Arsenault of Simcoe Fishing Adventures had good weekend bookings. In fact, he was fully booked last weekend, but business was down about 20 per cent during the week. He also blamed the weather. “The mild spells and the rain, that didn’t help,” he said. “There also weren’t as many Americans coming up I guess because of the dollar and gas prices.” While his huts will be off Saturday, he will continue with portable huts for anglers targeting perch as long as the ice is safe. “Pretty poor,” was the response from Dave’s Fish Huts in Virginia Beach for this year’s season. The year turned out to be OK once colder temperatures arrived, Scot Davidson of Bonnie Boats in Jackson’s Point said. They were fully booked weekends, but during the week it was slow, he added. Despite the heavy snow, snowmobile clubs were stuck with limited trail access because of water in low-lying areas. Areas of Lake Simcoe are also unsafe for snowmobiling and the upcoming milder weather will make travel on parts of the lake and on rivers extremely dangerous.

Water tests raise concern about Muskoka's Lake Joseph Mar 05, 2008 Jacqueline Lawrence / muskokan.com An alarming rise in the phosphorus levels in Lake Joseph has local scientists scratching their heads, and calling on the community to work together to protect the health of one Muskoka’s largest and most beloved water bodies. The high nutrient levels have reportedly been on the radar of staff at the District Municipality of Muskoka for some time. As part of its Lake System Health program, the municipality examines phosphorus concentrations in all lakes across Muskoka in order to determine lake health. Testing phosphorus concentrations is a common measuring tool also used by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to determine water quality. The higher the phosphorus levels, the greater the threat of aquatic growth such as algae blooms. According to Judi Brouse, Muskoka’s director of watershed programs, recent tests of Lake Joseph show average phosphorus concentrations in the lake have almost doubled since the late 1990s. Average phosphorus concentrations, which are measured in parts per billion (ug/L) are now estimated at 5.5 ug/L in Lake Joseph, up from the relatively low level of 3.3 ug/L measured previously. While the water quality in Lake Joseph is still considered good, Neil Hutchinson, senior aquatic scientist for environmental consulting group Gartner Lee Limited, said the higher reading is equivalent to constructing 2,400 new cottages on the lake. “It’s a concern,” Brouse told Muskoka district councillors at their Feb. 27 meeting. Last year’s reading alone, she said, showed a measurement of 9.1 ug/L, dangerously close to the MOE’s water quality benchmark for phosphorus of 10 ug/L. “It’s almost impossible to go . . . to 9.1 (ug/L) without someone dumping a whole bunch of phosphorus in the lake.” Both Brouse and Hutch­ison said it is unclear what is causing the recent readings. Phosphorus concentrations can increase due to both man-made and natural causes, such as waterfront development, atmospheric changes, run-off and changes to area wetlands. All these factors are taken into account when measuring phosphorus concentrations with Muskoka’s current water quality model. Hutchison, who helped create the model, said it may be time to rethink this formula. “The problem is not related to how much development is there,” said Hutchison, explaining that development on Lake Joseph has not increased enough to account for the new numbers. “The problem is related to how well the model functions.” Hutchison recommended reassessing Muskoka’s water quality model over the next several years. Regardless of the cause, the phosphorus readings for Lake Joseph are being called a “red flag” by residents, who say more has to be done to prevent further deterioration of the water quality in the lake. “It’s a real worry for all of us,” said Muskoka Lakes Mayor Susan Pryke. Pryke and Seguin Township Mayor David Conn met with Ontario Minister of the Environment John Gerretsen last week to discuss the situation. The pair reportedly asked the ministry to improve its standard of lake monitoring so municipalities such as Muskoka don’t have to wait until water quality deteriorates before taking action. According to Hutchison and others, the MOE’s benchmark of 10 ug/L for phosphorus concentrations in lakes is high. The ministry, they say, needs to lower the benchmark and monitor Lake Joseph out of its London office to ensure all its data is consolidated. Currently, the MOE monitors water quality in Lake Joseph from two separate offices. According to Brouse, in addition to the above, a series of other steps will be initiated to protect the lake. The district, in conjunction with the Dorset Environmental Science Centre and the Township of Seguin will enhance its annual monitoring program for Lake Joseph so water testing is conducted biweekly from May to August. Shoreline surveys, to determine what uses are taking place along the lakefront, will also be conducted, as will a limits to growth assessment, to put in place new constraints on development. Both Muskoka Lakes and Seguin townships, which border the lake, have also agreed to undertake comprehensive septic re-inspection programs, as well as proceed with tree-cutting and site alteration bylaws to enhance vegetative buffers along the shoreline. Ratepayer associations such as the Muskoka Lakes Association are also being encouraged to continue stewardship programs that educate the public about protecting water quality.

Northern fish farmers hope to net some budget bucks March 13, 2008 / northernlife.ca Manitoulin and Northern Ontario fish farmers are thrilled over Ottawa's five-year, $70-million investment for the ongoing development of a sustainable Canadian aquaculture industry. The Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association (NOAA) says federal finance minister Jim Flaherty's budget announcement demonstrates the importance the industry holds as an economic driver in rural Canada. "Not only are we producing a healthy product that is naturally rich in Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids," says NOAA executive director Karen Tracey, "we are now poised to make even greater economic contributions to Ontario's economy." The association says in 2007, Northern Ontario-farmed rainbow trout generated $51 million in economic contributions. Tracey expects the federal commitment signals a streamlining of the regulatory coordination between federal and provincial agencies governing aquaculture.

The lake goes down and... US Army Engineers predict rise in L. Huron because of big snowfall March 13, 2008 Jim Moodie / manitoulin.ca LAKE HURON-Finally a bit of good news on the water levels front: the wallop of white stuff that hit various corners of the Great Lakes in recent weeks should bring a much-needed infusion of wet stuff come spring. Levels are expected to rise this summer as a result of the snowy deluge, the Detroit Free Press reported on the weekend. And while snowbound residents of southern cities have been complaining about the inconvenience, for boaters and lakeside businesses, this is a welcome turn of events indeed. Last fall, projections were exceedingly dire regarding lake levels. Lake Superior hit record lows in August and September, and as this year began, both Huron and Michigan were hovering near all-time lows. New record lows were anticipated by spring. Then came the snowstorms, one after another, much to the surprise of those who were bracing for an ongoing drought and even higher docks come spring. "We didn't expect this dramatic turnaround," said Scott Thieme, chief hydrologist of the Detroit office of the Army Corps of Engineers, in an interview with the Free Press. "It's a much better picture than it was six months ago. We're just amazed at the weather we've had." Scientists now say that the recent heavy storms, which have pulled in moisture from as far away as the Gulf of Mexico, should go a long way towards slaking the basin's thirst. The type of snow that recently hammered Great Lakes communities is heavy, dense and full of water, according to meteorologists, and owes to a La Nina weather pattern originating in the Pacific. It's not the usual lake-effect precipitation that recycles moisture within the system, sucking up water from the lakes and dropping it back down as snow. It's, in a nutshell, bonus stuff. This imported H20 also bodes well for parched streams, rivers and inland lakes, many of which are also experiencing extremely low levels. If prognostications pan out, the upper Great Lakes could be six to 12 inches higher this summer than they were last summer, according to the Free Press. Manitoulin hasn't experienced the massive dumps of snow experienced elsewhere across the watershed, but parts of the Michigan shore-and Michigan is connected to us-are reporting their snowiest Februarys ever. Water is already rising on Huron-Michigan compared to a month ago, Environment Canada notes in its monthly Level News bulletin. While the level of Superior "fell a bit more than average during February," levels on Lakes Michigan-Huron "experienced a small, but welcome, increase," rising by three centimetres. Historically, the lakes decline by an average of one centimetre over the course of this month. Still, the lakes have a lot of climbing left to do before a typical level is attained. As Environment Canada points out, "the level of Lakes Michigan-Huron remained 53 centimetres below average at the beginning of March and 13 centimetres lower than it was one year ago."

All stakeholders in protecting water basin Canadian and American science and governance came together Wednesday to celebrate a new working relationship that was launched with this year’s State of the Basin Report at the Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum. Thursday March 13, 2008 Jon Thompson / Miner and News Canadian and American science and governance came together Wednesday to celebrate a new working relationship that was launched with this year’s State of the Basin Report at the Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum. “The water doesn’t respect national boundaries. We all share the water,” said Todd Sellers, the executive director of the Lake of the Woods Sustainability Foundation. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minister Brad Moore’s presence at the meeting was reassuring for Sellers, who is encouraged by the cooperation south of the border. Five years ago under a need for information sharing and policy congruence, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of the Environment in Kenora threw in with what was brought to fruition in a 95-delegate conference in International Falls, Minnesota. Evidence from the American side contributes heavily to the Canadian database, with environmental assessment of the iron industry laden south of the lake. How those, non-industrial human elements impact throughout the populated regions, and other natural pollutants affect the remainder of the lake and how to maintain water quality through co-operation are the central questions as the research moves forward. As of 2010, Lake of the Woods is expected to fall under an impaired water listing in the United States, but Canadian authorities are not taking any similar measures. The path to co-operation has been blazed before. The International Joint Commission first began working on the Rainy River in the 1910s and the two countries agreed to a study on the river in 1965. That recommendation was followed up by an international pollution reduction strategy, a clean up of the river and ultimately the better water quality that now results in a vibrant fishing industry. “The challenge with Lake of the Woods is that it’s a long way from Toronto and Ottawa and although it’s a tremendously important lake to the province of Ontario with the second largest walleye fishery, the challenge is visibility. Is it a day-to-day concern in Southern Ontario? I think it’s starting to be. I think that Manitoba is starting to realize it’s an important lake for Manitobans, almost half Lake Winnipeg’s water comes down from the Winnipeg River.” The next step is putting a framework together at a policy level that will ensure an enduring process. Sellers said policy officials from senior agencies are beginning to climb on board, adding that Kenora Mayor Len Compton and Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls Mayor Bill Thompson are signatories to support for the research. He added Kenoraites could contribute by informing their representatives in Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill of the importance of the social and environmental health of the Lake of the Woods as a political priority. “What I would really ask people to do is make their voice part of the community of voices calling for co-operative actions with the United States that the lake is sustained as the jewel of the North that underpins communities of the North.” Joan Richardson, director of the Lake of the Woods Property Owners Association, was making the political personal. With the support of private donors and a membership of 4,000, the group has been able to fund research as well as reach lake residents on the dock level. She believed that encouraging environmental personal consumption choices was the route to developing a mass movement of responsibility. “We’ve done our homework, all stakeholders are in this,” she said, emphasizing her support for discovering natural and human-induced point sources of pollution with collaborative research through the foundation. “We’ve visited every municipality and most of the First Nations in the area and if they’re not signed on, they’re aware of us. Everyone around the basin is supportive.” She foresaw government coming on board when the scientific evidence was sound and local people felt integrated in and integral to the process.

GRCA plays waiting game Ray Martin / cambridgetimes.ca Mar 13, 2008 Staff at the Grand River Conservation Authority are keeping an eye on the weather and their fingers crossed as a result of the recent record snowfalls. "All we can do is wait," said Dave Schultz, GRCA communications co-ordinator. Yesterday, authority staff completed an intermediate snow survey that found 16.7 inches of snow on the ground in Cambridge and it has 4.7 inches of water. Last year, by comparison there was just 1.7 inches of snow on the ground on March 15. "That's four times as much as the long-term average," Schultz said. In other parts of the watershed, the water content of the snow is twice the long-term average. "At Corbetton, where we take measurements for the watershed north of the Shand Dam, which takes in Central Wellington and Dufferin counties, the water content is 6.8 inches and last year it was 3.4 inches," he said. This week temperatures are expected to rise above freezing during the day, but Schultz said authority staff aren't overly concerned. "We will have warm temperatures during the day, but things will cool off overnight," he said. "And there is no warming spell in the forecast now, but that can change." The authority's water resources staff also say there is capacity within the snow to absorb some rain. "People will see the snow shrink over the next few days and there will be some melting on the pavement, but that's not a big concern for us," Schultz said. However, should temperatures rise high enough, the melting could cause enough runoff to swell water levels in streams and ditches. "We'd like parents to keep this in mind and keep their children away from the water," Schultz said. Current conditions are not unlike those that led to the 1974 flood. The ground beneath the snow is frozen solid and it cannot absorb melting snow. "It would be just like pavement," Schultz explained. "Everything would run off it and into the river." Ideally, GRCA officials are hoping for warm days and cold nights this spring, which would produce a gradual snow melt and controlled runoff. What has GRCA officials concerned is that this year, for the first time in memory, there has been widespread snowfalls across the watershed instead of the concentrations in the traditional snowbelt areas.

Chilly nights keep floodwaters at bay Mar 13, 2008 Laurie Watt / simcoe.com Warmer days and cold nights are not only getting the maple syrup flowing – but they’re stopping the banks of rivers from overflowing. The chances of a flood are low, as the forecast for the next two weeks calls for overnight lows below freezing, said Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority water resources technologist Brian Smith. “We’re not too concerned yet. We do have a lot of snow and a lot of water within that snow. Snow density is more important (than volume). There’s a lot of water out there,” he said, adding the NVCA will be measuring snow Monday to get a sense of amount of water runoff that is stored in the snowbanks. “The forecasts are (calling for) below-freezing temperatures at night. That would be perfect. The snow would go slowly. (But) If we have warm days and nights for a continued period, like we did in January, everything runs off and if that’s mixed with rain, that increases the potential for flooding.” The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority is reporting higher than usual water levels for the lake this spring, due to the January thaw. The lake is already one foot (0.3 metres) above normal, and that’s expected to grow as the spring melt occurs. Friday, melt was expected to add to that, but the LSRCA agreed the colder forecast will stabilize the snow pack. Simcoe County’s emergency planning manager Cathy Clark noted Lake Simcoe is one inch below its capacity, but that the Trent-Severn Waterway Commission has the gates at Washago wide open to lower the lake’s level and send water into Georgian Bay. “It is a concerted effort,” she said of the LSRCA-waterway commission work. “It’s definitely at the forefront of my file.” Clark is also working with lower-tier municipalities to ensure they have plans in place, should a sudden warm spell, along with rain, hit the area.

....Glad you're okay Cliff. Might be wise to see a Dr. though and follow that up in a few weeks just to be safe.

Drug disposal advocated for lake's sake March 10, 2008 DON BEHM / jsonline.com Pain relievers, antibiotics and other prescription drugs, caffeine and a chemical created inside the bodies of smokers are among the chemicals found in recent tests of Milwaukee's sewage and water from the city's harbor and Lake Michigan. Buy a link hereTests in 2007 of lake water collected more than a mile offshore found detectable amounts of prescription medications, as well as carbadox - an antibiotic and growth-promoting drug added to swine feed - caffeine and cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine, said Lon Couillard, water quality manager for the Milwaukee Water Works. The prescription drugs found in lake water included the pain reliever diclofenac, the antibiotic oleandomycin and gemfibrozil, a cholesterol medication. Chemicals in the water are destroyed by ozone mixed with the lake water at the beginning of the drinking water treatment process, and consumers are not exposed to them, said Water Works Superintendent Carrie Lewis. There were two exceptions last year, and only one of the compounds is a pharmaceutical. Tests of treated drinking water in the plants found 2 parts per trillion of cotinine and 0.5 parts per trillion of lincomysin, an antibiotic. Lincomysin was not detected in lake water coming into the two treatment plants, however, Lewis said. Neither chemical was found in separate tests of water flowing through pipes to homes and businesses in the regional distribution system. "Milwaukee tap water is clear of pharmaceuticals," Lewis said. The Water Works voluntarily tests water twice a year for 73 pharmaceuticals, though none of the tests is required by federal or state regulators. Rebecca Klaper, an assistant scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Great Lakes WATER Institute, tested for pharmaceuticals in the sewage piped to the Jones Island plant and the treated wastewater pouring into the harbor. Among the substances she found entering and exiting the treatment plant are the antibiotic tetracycline, the common pain reliever acetaminophen, and carbamazepine, a drug used to control epileptic seizures. Even after dilution of the treated wastewater in the harbor, Klaper found the antibiotic in the open water. Several years ago, researchers started finding male fish carrying eggs and displaying other female characteristics. All lived downstream of municipal sewage treatment plants, said Gerald Ankley, a research toxicologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Duluth, Minn. This feminization of male fish has been linked to detectable levels of synthetic hormones from birth control and other prescription drugs, Ankley said. The local studies add to a growing body of evidence nationwide of pharmaceutical drugs and other chemicals accumulating in surface waters, prompting warnings of possible damage to the health and reproduction of fish, said Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. "That's exactly why we're holding a medicine collection day again this year," Shafer said. "We know sewage treatment plants are not designed to remove all of these compounds. We are taking steps to remove unused medications before they reach Lake Michigan." Preventing release This year, for the first time, Ozaukee, Washington and Racine counties will join Milwaukee County in collecting unused and unwanted prescription drugs, over the counter and pet medications on April 19. For information, go to the district's Web site, www.mmsd.com. The one-day medicine collections can accept prescription drugs that are controlled substances. Those pharmaceuticals will be taken by local law enforcement officers. Illegal drugs will not be accepted. The number of such collections is increasing each year in Wisconsin, said Steve Brachman, a waste reduction specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Waukesha County is planning a "mail back" prescription return program scheduled to begin in April, Brachman said. Shafer's message to metropolitan Milwaukee residents is "never flush or pour unused medicine down the drain." Much of the pharmaceuticals and personal care products flowing into the nation's sewage treatment plants has passed through consumers, is then excreted and flushed away, said Susan Glassmeyer, a research chemist with EPA's Office of Research and Development in Cincinnati. Even so, Glassmeyer supports collection programs as an effective way of preventing the unnecessary release of additional chemicals to the environment. "Collections take a piece out of this problem," Glassmeyer said.

....Be thankful that you at least have the option of not reading them.

....Great looking dog Chris. Hope you're bringing him up to Lakair.

....All those fancy toys you have and yet you still shovel?

Help needed for building walleye spawning bed March 5, 2008 / North Star, Parry Sound Help needed for building walleye spawning bed, should you choose to get involved, the MCA (McKellar Conservation Association), in conjunction with MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) and Transport Canada (Marine), will be creating another walleye spawning bed on a shoal on Lake Manitouwabing. Thirty-three tons of washed river rock with approximate diameters of four to eight inches (10 to 16 cm.), - that’s two tandem truck loads - will be dumped on the road closest to the intended site on Jones Bay. The rock will be hand loaded onto sleighs to be ferried via snowmobiles to a shoal, which has been cordoned off and that is 60 by 60 feet (18 by 18 metres). For safety's sake, buoyed metal rods supporting caution tapes, signage and blazing and reflective tape will be erected. The buoys are attached so that after the ice melts the rig can be retrieved from the lake. The rock will be hand placed on the ice in a 40-by-50-foot (12 -by -15-metre) rectangle where, during melt off, it will settle on top of the shoal awaiting the spring spawning activities. (An error had been made in a previous article as to the diameter of the rock and is now corrected.) Come join us. In fact, also enjoy hot refreshments and barbecued sausage at our lunch break. Let us know of your intention to help us so that ample lunch supplies are made available. Should you be able to spend part of the day with us, that is not a problem. Many hands make light work. Here is a list to consider of what you might include with your helpful attitude and the willingness to "walk the walk": a life jacket or survival suit (should you intend on being on the ice); heavy work gloves plus an extra as they will get wet; spade type shovels and/or hard rake; and snow mobiles with sleds. To get to the work site, take Burnetts Road off the Hurdville road between Centre Road and Hurdville, to a right on Stormy Point Road. Go approximately .5 kilometres until you once again turn right on Wendy’s Lane. At the end, approximately 1 kilometre, is the turnaround and the work site. Should you have questions contact us at [email protected] or 389-1786.

Feds give $25,000 for harbour repairs Chris Fell / meafordexpress.com Mar 05, 2008 For a potential pre-election spending goodie, the federal government's announcement Friday afternoon at Meaford Harbour was decidedly low-key. Local MP Larry Miller was in town to announce $62,000 in harbour funding for the Municipality of Meaford, Lion's Head and Tobermory. Meaford will receive $25,000 for dock repairs, rock removal and electrical servicing upgrades at the popular town tourist spot. Miller made the announcement on behalf of Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. "He sends his regrets. He is going to get up here this year and wants to tour all the facilities in this area. He lives in a small town with a small harbour and knows what it takes to maintain them," said Miller. Meaford Mayor Wally Reif was present at the announcement and thanked Miller for the government's help. "We thank our landlord for contributing to the ongoing costs of the harbour. It's tough for a small municipality, but it's very important to us. The harbour is our biggest attraction," said Reif. Meaford Habour Master Mike Molloy was at the announcement and said the municipality would be ready to proceed with the work the funding is slated to pay for as soon as the ice melts. Molloy said the money will help pay for various upgrades and improvements at the harbour. Miller also took time at the get together to announce that the Conservative government in Ottawa has set aside money in the budget to begin the process of divesting itself of the harbours it owns across the country. The Municipality of Meaford currently operates and leases the harbour from the government. "It's still the goal of the government to divest harbours to the local municipalities. We now have money in the budget to do that," said Miller. "It's not enough to go right across the country, but it's a start," he said. Mayor Reif told Miller that Meaford is interested in securing ownership of its harbour depending on the circumstances. Reif noted that natives have made land claims concerning shoreline properties. The Mayor said the Municipality of Meaford wouldn't want to take ownership of the harbour until it was certain the native land claims were worked out to everybody's satisfaction.