Spiel

....If you're not checking out the OFC News section you're missing some good reading such as.... Salmon farms destroying wild salmon populations in Canada: study Trout Unlimited opposes plans to stock brown trout High Winds Tilt Lake Erie's Surface 4.7 metres and.... Students spread message on protecting Lake Simcoe; Georgian College group talks with ice fishermen

Ice warnings should be posted, survivor says Woman says she didn’t know about weakness near plant Gord Young February 12, 2008 North Bay Nugget Thin ice on Lake Nipissing near the city’s sewage plant outflow pipe should be marked, says a woman who narrowly escaped drowning Saturday after her truck plunged through the weak spot. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t speak out,” said Nicole Neff, who’s afraid the next time a vehicle crashes through the shaky ice that those inside won’t be as lucky as she and her passenger were this weekend. Neff and her business partner, Melanie Rowley, who was her passenger that afternoon, managed to climb out a window and crawl to safety after the unstable ice collapsed beneath the weight of the truck in which they were travelling. “Something has to be done,” said Neff, who has since learned that thin ice near the outflow pipe, which pumps out warmer water from the sewage treatment plant on Memorial Drive, is an annual winter safety hazard. She said longtime city residents may be aware of the weak ice across from the sewage plant. But Neff, an owner of Bay Builders who has lived in the city for three years, said she didn’t know of the danger and believes she’s not alone. She said she knows people who have lived in North Bay their entire lives who also weren’t aware of the danger, not to mention tourists who are encouraged to visit the lake to snowmobile and ice fish. Neff planned to voice her concerns to municipal politicians during Monday night’s committee discussions, but discovered after attending the talks that public presentations are limited to council meetings. Whether it’s the city, Ontario Provincial Police, or some other agency, Neff said she wants someone to take responsibility for warning the public and marking the thin ice. OPP, which is responsible for policing the lake, has issued warnings on numerous occasions in the past about poor ice conditions near the sewage plant, as well as other locations. But there may be liability concerns associated with placing markers on the ice, especially since going on the lake during the winter is considered to be an “at-your-own-risk” activity. Neff said she’s relived the accident in her mind almost every hour since it occurred. And she’s convinced there’s a better way to prevent another accident from happening in the same location than word of mouth.

Salmon farms destroying wild salmon populations in Canada: study Tuesday, February 12, 2008 The Canadian Press A young pink salmon infected with sea lice. (Courtesy of Alexandra Morton/Science) Salmon farming operations have reduced wild salmon populations by up to 70 per cent in several areas around the world and are threatening the future of the endangered stocks, says a new scientific study. The research by two Canadian marine biologists showed dramatic declines in the abundance of wild salmon populations whose migration takes them past salmon farms in Canada, Ireland and Scotland. "Our estimates are that they [the farms] reduced the survival of wild populations by more than half," Jennifer Ford, lead author of the study published Monday in the Public Library of Science journal, said in Halifax. "Less than half of the juvenile salmon from those populations that would have survived to come back and reproduce actually come back because they're killed by some mechanism that has to do with salmon farming." The authors, including the late Halifax biologist Ransom Myers, claim the study is the first of its kind to take an international view of stock sizes in countries that have significant salmon aquaculture industries. Wild salmon populations in Atlantic Canada have been hit the hardest, Ford said, with rivers in New Brunswick and Newfoundland that have stocks that swim past farms dropping steeply over the years. The scientists compared the survival of wild salmon that travel near farms to those that don't, finding that upward of 50 per cent of the salmon that do pass by farms don't survive. Study builds on previous research "There's really strong evidence that this can have impacts on wild salmon and in particular in places like Atlantic Canada, where Atlantic salmon populations are doing so badly," Ford said. "It's worrying." The paper didn't look at the causes of the declines, which have been discussed in a series of studies over the last decade that have linked the reductions to disease, interbreeding of escaped salmon and lice from farmed fish. An article last December asserted that Canadian fish farming is destroying wild salmon stocks and could completely wipe them out within four years in one area of British Columbia. The study, published in the journal Science, contends that aquaculture damages wild populations by infecting juveniles with fatal parasites. Trevor Swerdfager, director general of aquaculture management for the federal fisheries department, said he will take a close look at the new research. But he added he has so far not seen any proof that salmon farms harm wild populations. "We look at the impact of salmon farming on wild salmon — if there is one — and we just haven't seen those sort of impacts," he said from Ottawa. Stock declines are a mystery, Fisheries official says Stock declines, particularly in the Bay of Fundy, are still a bit of a mystery, Swerdfager said, but there are other pressures at play that could be linked to the reductions. Ecosystem changes, fishing and other stresses linked to climate change are likely having an effect on the health of the wild populations, he said. "Atlantic salmon populations are not what they were historically, but can you tie that to the absence or presence of salmon farms? I don't think so," he said, adding that researchers looking at that stock have never linked the decline to farms. The latest research by Ford, which covered a period from 2003 to 2006, also looked at a large region off British Columbia, which has a substantial salmon aquaculture industry. Ford said only pink salmon that passed by salmon farms in that region showed sharp declines. She said some salmon populations in the Bay of Fundy are endangered while one has become extinct. She and Myers, who died last year after the research was complete, found that the number of juvenile salmon that return to the bay to spawn is less than 10 fish a year whereas there were hundreds of them in the 1980s.

Meeting to guide the future of Scanlon Creek Residents urged to attend open house Ian McInroy February 12, 2008 innisfilexaminer.ca BRADFORD — How do you think the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area should be utilized. Innisfil and area residents have an opportunity to voice their favorite features of the property and identify areas for improvement and a vision for the future. The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) will be holding a public open house on Sunday, Feb. 24 to discuss the future of Scanlon Creek. The open house will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Scanlon Creek Nature Centre, located at 2450 9th Line, Bradford West Gwillimbury. Visitors will be treated to a guided hike through the property and a bonfire with some hot drinks and snacks. They can also try snowshoeing through the area’s extensive system of trails. The open house will conclude with a group discussion on the challenges and opportunities the future holds for the conservation area. “The management plan review is an opportunity to enhance visitor experiences, make the property more accessible to the public and develop a vision to take the conservation area into the future,” said Bill Thompson, conservation lands planner for the LSRCA. “The open house is an opportunity for the public to have their say in how the area will be managed.” Over the next year, LSRCA staff will be working with local residents, conservation area users and interested groups to update the existing management plan for Scanlon Creek Conservation Area. The current management plan was developed in 1979, said Thompson. "Since then, there have been changes in infrastructure, staffing levels, local demographics and shifts in public expectations, all of which have led to new challenges and opportunities," he said. Scanlon Creek Conservation Area is the largest conservation area in the Lake Simcoe Region watershed. It is also home to the E.A. Smith Natural Resources Outdoor Education Centre. With its mix of trails, educational facilities, picnic pavilions and group camping areas, the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area is one of the most heavily used conservation areas in the Lake Simcoe Region watershed, representing 300 hectares of land in Bradford West Gwillimbury. For more information on the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, visit www.lsrca.on.ca, or call 905 895-1281.

Trout Unlimited opposes plans to stock brown trout Group would rather see measures aimed at reviving native population in Saugeen River Don Crosby February 12, 2008 Owen Sound Sun Times The Markdale chapter of Trout Unlimited is opposed to a proposal to stock the Saugeen River between Durham and Hanover with brown trout. A proposal from the Big River Group and the Upper Saugeen Habitat Restoration Association — local volunteer angling and conservation groups — is being screened under the class environmental assessment process and Ministry of Natural Resources is seeking public input before proceeding further. Grey Highlands councillors gave the project their approval without discussion during Monday's regular council meeting. According to a covering letter sent council, stocking that part of the Saugeen River would increase angling opportunities and other benefits which are part of the management objectives of the regional Owen Sound Fisheries Management Plan. "We're opposed to it. We're highly in favour of restoring the (native) brown trout in the area," said Bob James, head of the Markdale chapter of Trout Unlimited during an interview Monday. James said introducing 20,000 brown trout a year for five years from stock taken from the upper Sydenham River won’t produce truly wild trout and could adversely affect the trout that currently inhabit that part of the Saugeen River. Since 1998, the Upper Saugeen Habitat Restoration Association (USHRA) has been involved in a very localized brown trout enhancement project on the Saugeen River near a campground near Hanover. The project involves collecting eggs from brown trout in the upper Sydenham River and raising them in incubating boxes in the Saugeen near the campground. The strain was chosen because it most closely resembles those found in that part of the Saugeen River. USHRA and The Big River Group want to expand the project to a larger area of the Saugeen River between Durham and Hanover. Because of the dams at Durham and Hanover, it's believed the fish would remain in that part of the river. The groups plan to use six-month-old fingerlings or yearlings instead of those raised in egg incubators. James said introducing that many trout with such a narrow genetic strain is akin to inbreeding. His group supports measures that would build up the local population of brown trout, which has a broader genetic pool. "We should do what it takes to revive the wild population. They survive better," James said. He recommends reducing the catch limit on brown trout in that area of the Saugeen or implementing a catch and release policy until the existing population builds up. He would also like to see work done to restore habitat, such as efforts to cool the waters in that section of the river during the summer. "We would like to get a discussion going with the two groups. We think there are more effective ways of restoring the population," said James, who thinks that within three years the local fish population could begin to rebound with the measures he outlined. The MNR has a 30-day comment period for the project, which ends March 7. If the ministry decides the project requires additional consultation, notices will be issued. For more information call Andy McKee, fish and wildlife biologist at the Owen Sound office of MNR, at 519-371-8471, fax 519-372-3305 or e-mail [email protected].

High Winds Tilt Lake Erie's Surface 4.7 metres An incredibly sharp Arctic cold front with very powerful winds in its wake passed through the Great Lakes region on January 30. Behind the cold front, there were very strong westerly winds, with the highest wind reading 126 kilometres per hour recorded at Port Colborne at 6 a.m. These winds caused numerous downed trees and power lines. Local whiteout conditions due to lake-effect snow were reported and an empty Niagara-bound tractor-trailer crossing the Burlington Skyway Bridge was flipped onto its side. The storm also had a significant effect on short-term water levels, resulting in localized flooding and ice problems at the eastern end of Lake Erie and in the Niagara River. Sustained winds pushed the water in Lake Erie toward the eastern end of the lake, causing a maximum positive surge (a short time-period increase in water levels often referred to as storm set-up) of 2.95 metres above pre-storm levels at Buffalo, NY. As levels rose at the eastern end of the lake, there was a corresponding negative surge (or set-down) at the western end of the lake. At Toledo, Ohio, levels fell 2.39 metres below pre-storm levels. Although the maximum positive and negative surges did not occur at the same time, for a short period of time during the storm the difference between water levels recorded at Buffalo and Toledo was more than 4.7 metres. In fact, the tilt in the lake's surface from one end to the other was more than 4 metres for more than 4 ½ hours and in excess of 3 metres for almost eight hours during the storm. The storm also caused smaller, but notable, surges at other locations around the Great Lakes. For example, at Goderich and Parry Sound on Lake Huron, water levels rose approximately 0.4 and 0.6 metres, respectively, for a short period of time. On Lake Ontario, levels at Kingston increased by 0.5 metres as levels at Burlington dropped roughly 0.4 metres. Please be Cautious As the January storm demonstrates, local water levels can rise or fall dramatically in a very short period of time due to meteorological disturbances. Large wind-induced waves are usually superimposed on these short time-period changes. LEVEL news readers are reminded to exercise extra caution when near the water's edge during a storm event. Please don't risk being knocked over or swept into the lake by a storm-induced surge or wave.

"Extreme" or "Stupid"? ....I'll go with a yes on both counts.

....Thanks Glen, the entertainment never fails to entertain. Oh and some nice dang fish you gots there!

....Sorry I can't help you Jamie but if you ever figure out how to get a kid off one, let me know.

....I would certainly hope so Joey, I would certainly hope so!

175 Tiller

. New trout strain is resisting disease Coloradoan news services George Schisler, a Colorado Division of Wildlife aquatic research scientist, holds a Hofer strain of rainbow trout that the agency said is resistant to whirling disease and has reproduced naturally in the state. For the first time since whirling disease decimated most naturally reproducing rainbow trout populations throughout Colorado more than a decade ago, new strains of rainbows have reproduced naturally in the Gunnison River and in ponds located along the Frying Pan River near Basalt. Colorado Division of Wildlife biologists are hopeful that the successful natural reproduction will lead to re-establishing wild, self-sustaining rainbow trout populations in Colorado where whirling disease has precluded wild rainbow trout recovery efforts. The fish, a cross of the Hofer rainbow trout and other rainbow strains that are used for stocking, appear to be resistant to whirling disease. The fish were "young of the year'' and hatched in May 2007. They were captured in October when DOW aquatic researchers conducted electro-fishing operations in the two areas. "They were plump, colorful fish, they looked good,'' said Barry Nehring, an aquatic researcher for the DOW in Montrose who has been working on whirling disease since 1994. "This is indicative that we've had successful reproduction.'' Several of the fish were sent for genetic testing to a laboratory in Boulder that verified the fish were offspring of Hofer-cross rainbows stocked in the river and the ponds in 2004 and 2005. Hofer cross fingerlings were also stocked in the upper Colorado River near Kremmling in 2006 but researchers did not find any young fish there in 2007. Biologists said that fish grow more slowly in the Colorado River because the water is very cold. Consequently, researchers speculate that Hofer crosses stocked there might not yet have reached sexual maturity. They'll look for young fish again this fall. The Gunnison River is lower in elevation, water temperatures are warmer and it is renowned for producing large trout. Brown trout - which are resistant to whirling disease - thrive in the river. The ponds on the Frying Pan River also provide relatively warm water. George Schisler, a DOW aquatic research scientist, is hopeful that the next positive milestone will come late this year. Judging from research conducted on the Hofer strain, scientists are confident that the fish will survive and continue to reproduce. Whirling disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that passes through the fish’s skin. The organism attacks the cartilage of young fish and distorts the spine. The affected fish move in a whirling motion, basically swimming in circles when excited or when trying to escape predation. This type of behavior greatly reduces their ability to survive in the wild. The disease was found in Colorado in the mid-1990s and it devastated most wild rainbow trout populations throughout the state. During a whirling disease seminar in 2002 in Denver, a German scientist delivered a research report about a rainbow strain that was resistant to whirling disease. The Hofer rainbow trout was raised in a German hatchery. In 2003, DOW researchers worked with the University of California-Davis to import the eggs and start a brood stock at the Fish Research Hatchery near Fort Collins. The fish were exposed to the disease and then dissected to see how many parasite spores had developed. Schisler said researchers were stunned by what they saw. Spore counts in Colorado River Rainbows — which have been used for stocking by the DOW for years — exposed to the disease could reach 4 million per fish. The highest count in the Hofers reached about 3,000 and did not affect the fish. DOW aquatics staff then started crossing the Hofers with existing rainbow stock and conducting more tests. Not only were the new strains of fish resistant to the disease, they also grew faster than traditional stocker strains. Hofers grew to catchable size — about 10 inches — in about 14 months, four months faster than the other rainbow trout strains. In 2004, fingerlings of the new cross strains were first released into the Gunnison River. They were first released into the Frying Pan River ponds in 2005 and into the Colorado River in 2006. Some catchable-size crosses were also stocked in two reservoirs near Berthoud in the spring of 2006. The fish continued to grow in the reservoirs and anglers were successful in catching them. “No other state has conducted more research into identifying real solutions to the whirling disease problem,’’ said Mark Jones, the DOW’s aquatic research leader. “We could tell this was a good thing from the start.’’ Based on the extensive research, the DOW hatcheries are expanding production of the various crosses. This year, more than 1 million sub-catchable and catchable fish of the Hofer crosses are planned to be stocked in lakes and rivers throughout Colorado. Research to examine the resistance of the Hofer crosses to whirling disease and their ability to survive in the wild is ongoing.

Winter a lure on the Bay Henry Bury Bellville Intelligencer A father and son from St. Catharines did plenty of "jigging" in Belleville over the weekend. Dick Vanstone, his son, Darren, and a good friend, Bob Buttery, ice fished on the Bay of Quinte Saturday morning and evening as well as Sunday morning. "We were out Saturday morning for three hours and it was slow. We had no bites for walleye," said the 65-year-old Dick Vanstone, a retired Sears Canada employee. "I don't think the east wind helped." The trio did manage to catch a few perch about a mile out from the Herchimer Avenue boat launch. But a week earlier, the father-son duo also did some ice fishing on the bay and they caught three walleye - weighing from three to five pounds each - between them. "Those were our only two times here this winter," he said. Other anglers interviewed by The Intelligencer reported plenty of good fishing trips this winter on various sections of the bay. For Vanstone, though, he said it's almost "embarrassing" not catching any walleye this past weekend - anglers are allowed to catch four walleye per day. "We usually catch walleye every time we're out in the summer," he said. Vanstone and his son have a summer trailer in Deseronto and they do a lot of fishing from when the walleye season opens in the spring to about the end of November. They often enter various summer fishing tournaments. They also visit Belleville a few times over the winter to do some ice fishing. "It's been slow the past couple of weeks," Vanstone said. "The ice conditions are not good. The thickness is good but there is too much snow and slush." Darren Vanstone, 42, said ice fishing on the Bay of Quinte is "better than sitting at home." Besides, he added, there is no pickerel fishing where they live. "So we come here because it's supposed to be the walleye capital of Ontario," he said with a smile. The angling trio towed an ATV with their van. Vanstone said there was no other way to get out on the bay because of the heavy slush on the ice. After arriving at their spot, each man drilled an eight-inch hole and sat on five-gallon pails for the next three hours. "We're just jigging spoons over the hole," said Vanstone, adding they were tipping the spoon with minnows. "It's just nice to be out for a couple of hours. But it would be even nice to catch some walleye," he said. For Bob Buttery, this was the 71-year-old's first ice fishing trip in Belleville this winter. "I've enjoyed the fishing but would have preferred a few more bites, not nibbles," he said. Justin Singh, 23, of Toronto, braved the elements Sunday afternoon to try his luck about 100 metres out from the Herchimer Avenue boat launch. "I didn't catch anything except frostbite," he shrugged while the wind whipped across the frozen bay. Singh normally ice fishes near the George Street boat launch "but the ice there wasn't safe enough. So I came here for a couple of hours ... I only get one day a week so I fish here and try and make the best of it." Belleville's Gene Frederick fished off Big Island near Demorestville and said an angler just yards from him managed to snag a 12.32 pound, 32-inch walleye Saturday morning. "There was lots of fish being caught this morning ... And me, nothing but heartache today," he said while picking up some more bait at Skevy's fish and bait store on Dundas Street East. Frederick said he's managed to catch several pickerel this winter. "The fishing has been good, not excellent. And not as good as last year. But that's only one man's opinion," he said. Paul Cotton, also of Belleville, has only been ice fishing for the past couple of winters. "I have caught a couple of walleye this winter," said the novice angler. "And I have been out quite a few times." Cotton said he has a pop-up ice hut and his favourite spot is near Point Anne. "I've heard there are lots of fish in the bay but you really have to be careful because the ice is thin in a lot of places," he said. As owner of Skevy's bait store, Ron Skevington has heard many fish stories this winter. "We've had days that have been phenomenal and days where it's just not good at all," he said. "And that's because of the weather pattern being up and down. The barometer is high one day and low the next. This warm/cold cycle is confusing the fish." Skevington said the unusual winter weather has plagued anglers, and that comment is borne out by the few ice huts dotting the frozen bay. "The fish are there but the problem is that with climate change, we're not getting the thick ice like we used to. We still have open water under the bay bridge, for example, and anglers have to be careful where they drop their line," he said. Despite the unpredictable weather, Skevington said he's received "very good" comments about the ice fishing on the bay. "The fish is good for walleye for most people, but there are some who come in skunked, like me, because I'm always here," he said with a laugh. He added more anglers are reported catching big jumbo perch measuring about 12 inches "and that's unusual for the Bay of Quinte." Skevington said this region's reputation for walleye still attracts a lot of anglers from well outside the Quinte area, and he arranges accommodation and where to fish for visitors. "I had a group of five people from Timmins who drove non-stop to get here Friday night so that they could fish all weekend," he said. Later this month, he will welcome a group from Wisconsin, some of whom work for Walleye Insider Magazine, as they test the Bay of Quinte. "I also have another guy from Germany coming the last weekend in February," he said. The ice fishing season ends Feb. 29 and ice huts have to be off the Bay of Quinte.

Students spread message on protecting Lake Simcoe; Georgian College group talks with ice fishermen Kelly McShane Barrie Examiner Georgian College students took to the ice this weekend to raise awareness of the issues affecting the health of Lake Simcoe. "We want people who are enjoying the lake to be aware of what's at risk here if we don't get a protection act in place for Lake Simcoe," said Claire Malcomson, co-ordinator of Campaign Lake Simcoe and a member of Environmental Defence. High levels of phosphorus, found in detergents and fertilizers, is one of the main issue affecting Lake Simcoe, the group says. Phosphorus artificially increases weed and algae growth. When the growth decomposes, it chokes off the lake's oxygen, making it difficult for cold-water fish to breathe. Members of GEAR, Georgian Students for Environmental Awareness and Research, went "hut to hut" yesterday in glacial temperatures and intense wind to discuss the issue of phosphorus and the proposal of a protection act for Lake Simcoe with ice fishermen utilizing the lake. "With the amount of waste that goes into this lake, they will never be able to purify it in a million years. What's been done is irreversible, but we need to stop it before it gets worse," said John Top of Owen Sound, one of the fisherman approached by GEAR members. GEAR and Environmental Defence have had great success in the last year in bringing awareness to the public and receiving recognition for their cause from politicians. When the campaign to protect the lake was mentioned in Premier Dalton McGuinty's Throne Speech this past November, the group knew they had made headway. Campaign Lake Simcoe expects there will be a Lake Simcoe Protection Act in place by the end of the year, but Malcomson, whose family has owned a cottage on the lake for more than 115 years, hopes it will be underway by the summer. Carlo Baldassarra was one of many fishermen approached by GEAR this weekend who takes the health of the lake seriously, and who has personally pitched in to help keep the area's waterways clean. "We work closely with the Ontario Steelheaders and volunteer with cleaning streams and lakes in the spring, summer and fall," Baldassarra said of he and his friends. Jeremy Fromanger, professor of engineering technology at Georgian, founded GEAR with a group of friends in 2004, and is an active influence within the group. Fromanger came out to help with this weekend's crusade, and is thrilled with the support his grassroots group has received over the years. GEAR member Katie Sage, 22, a fine arts student at Georgian, ventured onto the lake's coarse terrain both Saturday and Sunday to pass out pamphlets and discuss the plight of the lake. "It is a really humbling experience," Sage said of speaking to the fishermen in their own element. Sage has been involved in environmental issues since childhood, and is enthusiastic about being recruited as a volunteer by GEAR.

Man missing on Lake Nipissing / Update Kate Adams BayToday Saturday, February 09, 2008 OPP News Release ************************* Update / West Nipissing - On February 10th, 2008 at approximately 11:30 am, O.P.P. officers from the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit with the assistance of the West Nipissing Fire Department recovered the body of a missing 79 year old man. The body was recovered from Lake Nipissing near the French River in an area known as Gibaltar pass. Investigation into the incident is continuing and the name of the deceased person is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The OPP would like to stress that this has been a mild winter with above average precipitation, much of it falling as rain. This has resulted in thin or no ice in many areas that are traditionally frozen this time of year. Extreme caution is warranted on all waterways. ************************* West Nipissing - On February 8th Provincial Police received a report of a missing 79 year old man on Lake Nipissing near the French River. The man failed to return home from a day long ice fishing trip. A search was conducted by snowmobile and helicopter and around noon on February 9th a helmet was located floating in open water by Gibraltar Pass. The search will resume tomorrow with snowmobiles, an air boat from the West Nipissing Fire Department and officers from the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit out of OPP General Headquarters in Orillia. The OPP would like to stress that this has been a mild winter with above average precipitation, much of it falling as rain. This has resulted in thin or no ice in many areas that are traditionally frozen this time of year. Extreme caution is warranted on all waterways.

Truck goes trough ice on Nipissing Kate Adams BayToday Saturday, February 09, 2008 OPP have issued a warning that the public should use extreme caution on Lake Nipissing after a truck went through the ice this afternoon. The vehicle was traveling along Lake Nipissing approximately half a mile off shore across from the sewage plant on Saturday afternoon when it hit open water and began to submerge. “As we were heading out across the ice I was just checking where the door handle and things were … when I heard a loud crack and the front of the truck just started going in,” passenger Melanie Rowley, tells BayToday. “I rolled down that window and tried the door handle, but the door was blocked by the ice, so I crawled out onto the ice, and then yelled at Nicole to do the same … crawl out on my side.” Rowley, who is home in the Bay from Calgary to visit family and friends, says there were no injuries but both she and the driver are shaken up by the ordeal. Emergency personnel responded and have cordoned of the area with pylons where the truck went in and Rowley says that the truck will be lifted out of the lake Sunday.

Discovering joys of two-handed casting By Fred Lebrun - ALBANY TIMES UNION 02/10/08 6:43 AM In the steelhead and western salmon fly-fishing world, two-handed rods of various kinds are all the rage. Out West, where the rivers are big and the winds are perpetual, that’s been the case for a while. Spey rods and two-handed casting have taken over the western steelhead fishing culture. Here in the East, we have been much slower to make the leap in that direction. On New York’s famed Salmon River in Pulaski, while the occasional spey rod shows up, it’s rare. That’s about to change. Mark June 21 on your calendar. Not a particularly auspicious time to be plodding along the banks of the Salmon River, though there might be a few early summer steelhead coming in and a few more landlocked salmon. Down in the lower pools, certainly a ton of smallmouth and football-shaped brown trout will be there but not the great runs of Chinook and kings and steelhead. Those come later. So this makes the date and the occasion full-focused on casting — and learning all about spey and two-handed rods — from some of the best instructors in America. It’s an amazing opportunity, and it is free. Spey Nation’s “The Experience 2008,” was concocted after a late-night Internet bulletin board chat between my colleague, Geoff Schaake, a former Alaskan fishing guide and very accomplished fisherman, and fellow enthusiast Zach Brooks, over their passion: spey and two-handed casting. What they’ve come up with is nothing short of amazing. “The Experience 2008” will be held on a 75-acre field adjacent to the Salmon River on County Route 52 in Altmar, Oswego County, beginning at 8 a.m. There’ll be a day-long barbecue, sponsored by the Oak Orchard Fly Shop, and a two-handed rod demonstration by several experts. All proceeds will be donated either as cash or equipment to the state’s Salmon River Hatchery nearby. This opportunity is boundless for spey and two-handed rod enthusiasts — and those attracted to it but inexperienced. Manufacturers’ representatives from all the biggest names will be there, as well as local guides and some of the more prominent names in the two-handed industry. Including rod designer Bob Meiser, who has created benchmark rods for Beulah and Temple Forks Outfitters in addition to his own company, the Meiser Rod Co. A West Coast guy, this will be Meiser’s first trip to the Great Lakes steelhead fishery. The range of demonstrators goes from Meiser, who will be showing off the newest technology, called switch rods, to representatives casting Beulah, CNA and Burkheimer. More about Spey Nation and this event, including various accommodations, can be gotten from http:// www.speynation.com. On Sunday, certified spey casting instructors will give formal lessons for a fee. For more information, e-mail Schaake at infotheanglersnet. com.

....Sheeesh it sure would be nice to have a big work shop at my disposal. Looks like you'll be all set for Temagami Wayne. I spent my afternoon shopping at Fishing World for a few new things I wanted for tomorrows trip. I'm taking the young lads and the GF up to Simcoes east shore for some perch and whitefish action, I hope. Rented a 6 man hut and we'll get chauffeured out in the ole "bambadier". I think they'll all enjoy that.

Wide-eyed about walleye on Lake Winnipeg CINDA CHAVICH Special to The Globe and Mail February 6, 2008 GIMLI, MAN. -- The fishing season may be over in most of Canada, but out on Lake Winnipeg, serious pickerel fishing is under way. Fishermen such as Chris Kristjanson are setting their gillnets under several feet of ice for some of the finest pickerel (also known as walleye) in the world. Canada's commercial pickerel fishery feeds the growing market for this sweet, mild fish, shipped to locales from Norway to New York. In fact, the fish that many prairie children remember catching in northern lakes has become one of the most expensive fillets in the fishmonger's case. It's a case of supply and demand: With no commercial fishery for pickerel in the United States, all of the firm white fillets that turn up in top restaurants such as Everest in Chicago are from Canadian waters. The pickerel fishery has never been better in Lake Winnipeg. "We used to go out all day and get a box of fish [80-100 pounds] and now it's 10 or 15 boxes," says Eric Goodman. "There's so much fish now." It's a mixed blessing. In midsummer, the northern reaches of this massive water body are covered in thick patches of blue-green algae, a result of phosphates, manure and fertilizers from farms as far away as Alberta. While that makes for plenty of fish food now, in the long run, the algae dies, drops to the bottom of the lake and, as it decomposes, strips oxygen from the water. It threatens a fishing tradition that has been carrying on since 1882. By 1887, 1.1 million kilograms of fish were caught in the lake, most by the Icelandic immigrants who settled here. Third- and-fourth-generation fishermen - the Kristjansons, Olsons and Goodmans - still make their livings from pickerel, pulling in about 3.2 million kilograms from the lake each year. "We started selling fish when we were kids - we'd grab the bus to Winnipeg Beach in the morning and we'd peddle fish to cottages along the lakeshore," says Paul Olson, 89, a retired fisherman who remembers going fishing with his father on dogsled. His daughter Karen still runs the family's Gimli Fish Market in Winnipeg. Today, the Gimli fishermen still head out on the ice, many in vintage 1940s and 1950s Bombardier Snowcats, from the end of November until the end of March. Which makes midwinter the best time to enjoy fresh pickerel. At the Current in Winnipeg, chef Brian Roloff serves pan-fried fillets of Manitoba pickerel in a champagne beurre blanc sauce, topped with braised leeks. At Crave Kitchen in Regina, the wild Saskatchewan walleye is quick-seared with lemon sauce. In Gimli, at the Beach Boy restaurant, you can indulge in the sweetest bits - the cheeks - ordered at the counter with fries and pop or Greek salad. Most locals, though, say they usually serve it up prairie-style - "fried in butter with mashed potatoes, creamed corn and pickled beets." Unfortunately, demand is keeping prices high. At Mariner Neptune, the Winnipeg fish wholesaler and retailer, the price in the shop is $9.99 a pound, more expensive than sole or cod, and nearly as high as Arctic char. "It's one of the most expensive fish we sell," he says, "but Costco now buys 5,000 to 7,000 pounds a week."

NEW RESEARCH EXPLAINS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMERCIAL PRICE, AMOUNT OF HARVEST, AND ALARMING DECLINE IN AMERICAN EEL February 4, 2008 Great Lakes Fishery Commission ANN ARBOR, MI—Researchers from Queen’s University have analyzed commercial American eel harvest and price data from the period 1950 to 2004 from across the range of the species to gain a better understanding of possible factors leading to the dramatic decline of the key native species. The research concluded that an increase in the value and price of the American eel, along with high abundances in the early days of commercial exploitation, heavy exploitation, and expanded and integrated markets, created a demand that contributed to a permanent reduction in the reproductive capacity of the species. This inability of the species to replenish itself subsequently led to severe declines in recruitment and population size. Scientists are interested in learning as much as possible about the American eel given that populations have undergone a major long-term decline over much of its range, quite Precipitously in the Great Lakes Basin. This research project was supported by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Up through the 1980s, Lake Ontario, the most easterly of the Great Lakes, supported one of the largest aggregations of large, fecund female eels in North America. American eels are uniquely catadromous, spawning in the ocean and maturing in brackish and fresh water, and are one genetic, or spawning, stock. This species has an unusual life history involving larval, several juvenile, and adult life stages, and its life cycle plays out over an extraordinarily large range. Larvae, spawned in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, disperse northward along the American Continental Shelf from as far north as the Maritimes to Florida and beyond. Juveniles migrate into coastal rivers and lakes along the Atlantic seaboard to develop and mature into adults, which head back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. Eels were once so plentiful in Lake Ontario that they constituted an important part of the lake’s biodiversity. Now they are faced with imminent extirpation—the number of young eels migrating upstream through a passage facility to Lake Ontario has declined by three orders of magnitude from the peak levels of the 1980s. No single cause of the population decline has been identified, though upstream and downstream barriers to migration such as hydroelectric dams, turbine mortality, overfishing, loss of critical habitat, environmental changes in rivers and the ocean, and other factors may have played a role. This research project aimed to understand the relationship between the commercial price of eels, levels of harvest, and decline in abundances. “We analyzed harvest and landed value data dating back to the 1950s from provincial and state jurisdictions across the North American range of the eel,” said Dr. John Casselman of Queen’s University, the study’s principal investigator. “Price, deflated and standardized in terms of 1950 Canadian dollars, led to a better understanding of harvest and changing abundance. We learned that standardized price of eels increased two-to-threefold over the period, but because of reduced harvest, the value of the fishery is no greater now than in the 1950s.” “Significant deviations from synchronicity between harvest and price were first associated with high harvest at low price for emigrating silver [mature] eels in the lower St. Lawrence River in the 1950s, possibly related to lower turbine mortality prior to installation of the Moses-Saunders hydroelectric dam in the upper St. Lawrence River,” Casselman continued. “In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a disproportionately high harvest of eels initiated an unprecedented rate of regional harvest in the Gulf region of the St. Lawrence River and to a lesser extent in Newfoundland and the sea fishery in Quebec. This harvest appeared to be related to increased abundance, possibly caused by reduced elver [juvenile] immigration up the St. Lawrence River system and a backing-up downstream from Moses-Saunders dam, which created a partial obstruction—for 17 years, 1958-1973—before a ladder was installed to facilitate eel passage in 1974.” According to the research report, commercial harvest was extremely high in the late 1960s to the early 1980s in both Canada and the United States and continued into the early 1990s in Canada. Said Casselman: “During the late 1970s and early 1980s, heavy exploitation in both countries resulted in declining catch and smaller eels, with a substantial increase in price near the end of the period. These sequential declines followed heavy exploitation of the 1970s and subsequent declining recruitment in the late 1970s. If harvest in some areas was previously underestimated by either underreporting or nonreporting, recent decreases in commercial harvest would be more severe than trends suggest.” “Regulations and management did not greatly curtail harvest until the mid-to-late 1990s, well after declines had begun, and contaminants and closures were generally short-term, local, and relatively minor,” said Casselman. “The combination of increasing and high price with decreasing and low harvest in the presence of minimal regulations indicates decreased abundance of eels, since price is inversely related to abundance, confirmed in the upper St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, where price paid was inversely correlated with size of the harvestable stock.” Casselman concluded: “When harvest was examined in relation to price, it was apparent that a combination of high early abundance, possibly accentuated by obstruction, heavy exploitation, expanded and integrated markets, created a demand. Along with increased value and price, these major factors worked in unison to increase harvest significantly, permanently reducing reproductive capacity of the species and subsequently creating declines in recruitment and population size, most apparent at the extremities of the range.” Dr. John Casselman (Queen’s University) 613-533-6000 x 75371 Dr. Marc Gaden (Great Lakes Fishery Commission) 734-662-3209 x 14 --------------------------------------------------- The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is an international organization established by the United States and Canada through the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The commission has the responsibility to support fisheries research, control the invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes, and facilitate implementation of A Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries, a provincial, state, and tribal fisheries management agreement.

SCIENTISTS USE ODOUR CUES TO LURE INVASIVE ROUND GOBIES INTO TRAPS February 4, 2008 Great Lakes Fishery Commission ANN ARBOR, MI—New research conducted by scientists from the University of Windsor and the Ontario Ministry of natural resources provide initial evidence that one of the Great Lakes’ most invasive pests, the round goby, could be lured into traps by the scent of male round goby urine. Male round goby urine, it was found, contains sex steroids that serve to attract female round gobies. The research, funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, could lead to management techniques aimed at reducing round goby abundance in critical habitats or limiting and possibly preventing their spread into new waterways. Round gobies were first discovered in the Great Lakes in 1990 and have since spread rapidly. In fact, the round goby is the fastest spreading vertebrate ever reported in the Great Lakes. They entered the lakes through the discharge of ballast water from oceangoing vessels. Being exotic to the ecosystem, gobies have disrupted the environment and the economy of the region. They are known to displace native fish, consume young fish and fish eggs, become over-abundant in prime habitat, and survive in areas of poor water quality. They spawn several times a year, proliferate in great numbers, and steal anglers’ bait. There is no commercial or recreational value for round gobies and fishery managers would welcome methods to control their spread. The current research built upon on the hypothesis that the reproductive male round goby releases a sex attractant to lure spawning females. Earlier studies showed that a single round goby male can lure up to 15 spawning females to one nest, so anything fishery managers can do to attract round gobies could disrupt their behavior and spawning cycles. To test the hypotheses, the researchers used a variety of odours (males, females, male urine, food) to lure round gobies to traps in flowing and still water. “Our findings showed that life-like models of male round gobies, inserted with a time-release tablet of reproductive male urine, attracted spawning female round gobies,” said Dr. Lynda Corkum, of the University of Windsor, the principal investigator of this research. “We found that combining the odour with model is more effective at luring round gobies than using food or adult gobies alone, probably because round gobies use both visual and odour cues to attract mates.” Corkum continued: “Overall, our findings show that there is potential of using reproductive male round goby urine to lure females to traps. Without this scent, we have shown that traps seeded with food or adult gobies are not effective in luring round gobies to traps. While our data are based on limited research, we do believe they are encouraging enough to warrant further studies into this area.” Contacts: February 4, 2008 Dr. Lynda Corkum (University of Windsor) 519-253-3000 x 2717 Dr. Marc Gaden (Great Lakes Fishery Commission) 734-662-3209 x 14 -------------------------------------- The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is an international organization established by the United States and Canada through the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The commission has the responsibility to support fisheries research, control the invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes, and facilitate implementation of A Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries, a provincial, state, and tribal fisheries management agreement.

....Okay, but only cause there's far to much for me to read before going to bed, it's been a long night.

Here's another

Wildlife refuge is centerpiece of Detroit River's recovery Tina Lam / February 5, 2008 freep.com The Detroit River was once among the most polluted areas of the Great Lakes. Heavy industry along the Detroit and Rouge rivers dumped chemicals unchecked into the river. Wastewater treatment plants took only a little waste out of what they poured into the water. Phosphorus from detergents and fertilizer runoff fed thick mats of algae. When it rained, raw sewage overflowed municipal pipes and went straight into the river. The river also had extreme oil pollution, said John Hartig, manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. In winter, most of the river would freeze, leaving a small area of open water for ducks and geese. Dipping into the open water, they often would get soaked with oil and die. Between the 1940s and 1960s, 12,000 ducks and geese died that way, Hartig said. But a new report assembled by a U.S. and Canadian team shows the health of the river has improved dramatically since those bad days. Oil spills have been reduced, phosphorus levels have declined by 90%, fish and wildlife are no longer heavily contaminated with now-banned DDT and PCBs. There has been huge progress in removing contaminated sediment from the river. Sewage treatment has improved. Mercury contamination is down 70%. "We've laid the foundation for the return of bald eagles, peregrines, sturgeon, whitefish, walleye and mayflies," Hartig said. "We have one of the most dramatic ecological recoveries in North America." Thirty years ago, peregrine falcons and bald eagles steered clear of the area; now bald eagles are nesting in seven locations along the river and 15 peregrines are seen often. Whitefish and sturgeon are reproducing. The international report tracked data going back more than three decades on 50 indicators of health in the river's ecosystem and in western Lake Erie. The authors said pollution controls in both the United States and Canada have led to impressive changes. More than $1.6 billion has been or will be spent by cities, including Detroit, to fix sewer overflows so raw sewage doesn't escape during heavy rains. The international refuge is symbolic of the changes. Created in 2001 with 304 acres, the refuge has grown to include more than 5,000 acres of coastal marshes, wetlands, islands and shoals. In the middle of a heavily urbanized area, the refuge is a haven for fish, birds and ducks and for people to walk, fish, boat or go birding. Anglers have taken fat walleye and sturgeon from the Detroit River, and the refuge is said to be one of the three top hawk-spotting sites in the country. The refuge has trails, wildlife viewing stations and an outdoor classroom. The Canadian and U.S. teams that put together the report said population growth, global warming, the loss of animal habitat, continued pollution and invasive species are still big problems. But for Hartig, the report is confirmation that the full cleanup job can eventually get done. The perception for decades of the Detroit River was of polluted water in a rust belt city. "It's no longer accurate," Hartig said. "We've come so far."

Little Current Fish and Game Club offers pickerel fingerlings to stock West End lakes Tom Sasvari manitoulin.ca MINDEMOYA-With declining walleye populations in at least a couple of Western Manitoulin lakes, the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM) have requested support from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to have some fish raised by the Little Current Fish and Game Club (LCFGC) stocked in these lakes. Jim Sloss, chair of the UFGCM, told representatives of the MNR at a meeting last week that the UFGCM has been offered fingerlings for stocking by the LCFGC. "There has been declining fish populations in Silver Lake and Tobacco Lake," he said. "Bill Strain (chair of the LCFGC) and I have been discussing this, and their club has been doing very well in stocking in Sheguiandah. They have indicated they would be happy to support us by providing fingerlings to put in the lakes on Western Manitoulin that need these fish." "There have been population declines over the past few years, and we want the MNR's approval to have fish raised by the Little Current club stocked in those lakes," said Mr. Sloss. "We would not likely oppose this," said Wayne Selinger, biologist with the MNR Espanola District Office. "I'm not sure Tobacco Lake needs more (walleye) stocking, and Silver Lake would probably be a better place to put them." There had been a good population of walleye in Tobacco Lake, but since MNR netting took place, "the fish population in the lake has declined substantially over the past year," said Mr. Sloss. Mr. Selinger pointed out permission will be required, and the Little Current club will have to make the request to the MNR. "They will need a stocking permit for this," he said. When asked, Mr. Selinger said stocking of walleye in Lake Mindemoya or Windfall Lake would not be supported. However, Jack Hayes pointed out, "Mindemoya has been the hardest fished lake for walleye on Manitoulin." Mr. Selinger said in tests conducted by the MNR in 1996, 2001, and 2005, the number of walleye caught per net was near the trap range for Ontario. "But, we need to keep an eye on this," he said. "We should do more tests no later than 2010. I will not argue the significance of the lake." Mr. Hayes pointed out the fishery was really good until about five years ago. "I'm a fishing guide and have not fished the lake (Mindemoya) for the past three years, because there are no fish." "I would hate to see any decline," said Mr. Selinger. "We will have to continue to monitor the lake."