Spiel

.....Mmmmmmm whities, I like whities! Good job on a nice mixed bag of fish.

....Me out fishing, don't think so. I did however take the dog out for a walk and she insisted I bring my gear along so as not to stand out among the crowd. I wanted to take the dog again this morning but the cold slushy water and ice crystals were a little tough on her wee paws. Was nice to meet you Jen and Steve too. Sorry I didn't get to see yous on my way in but I was running late and things were rather dark around the shop. I'll be back before the season's over.

....Very nice, very nice indeed. I concur with those who say it's a smelt because it is. Like Fisherman said some 20 odd years ago you could catch them without fail. Night time was best and they sure grew big!

Who Speaks for the Fishes? Editorial / Bill Walton BayToday.ca Sunday, February 03, 2008 With the debate now underway about increasing the commercial fishing on Lake Nipissing, I am reminded of a story a friend told me about some land negotiations he attended. Essentially the negotiations were about mineral rights and the environmental impact of opening a mine in northern Ontario. Attending for the native peoples were a number of band chiefs from the area and their lawyers. Sitting opposite were the Ministry of Natural Resources, Northern Mines and Development and the mining company with all their lawyers. The talks in Toronto had been dragging on for several days with each side trying to gain some economic advantage. One elderly native peoples’ representative had not said a word, and indeed seemed to be snoozing as the others made their cases. My friend said the company representatives thought the elderly man had just been brought along as a courtesy to let him see the Big Smoke and get some free meals. In fact they had not heard a word from him other than when he was introduced at the opening session. The name tag in front of his seat simply said ‘Charlie’ with a long name only pronounceable in Cree, no tribal or official designation. The day came when they thought they might have an agreement so each person who had a vote gave his or her decision. The meetings were being recorded on tape and for clarity, every person gave their title and position and who they represented before saying yea or nay to the deal. As the vote moved around the table, ‘Charlie’ sat very still but was paying full attention to each person’s remarks. The vote was tied when it came to Charlie and there was only one more person after him, a band chief. Charlie gave his name, but before he could continue, one of the lawyers interrupted and asked for whom Charlie was speaking. “I speak for the fishes,” was the reply. There were a few coughs around the table as the folk from the Ministries and corporation tried to hide their snickers, but the native representatives were paying full attention. The gist of it was that Charlie was there to speak to environmental issues without any ties or obligations to any community. His view was to be the traditional, long-range vision of the environmental impact. He chastised the other negotiators for always talking about money and jobs and who had the right to do this or that. But there were other beings living in the area and they had forgotten about them. That was why he was speaking for the fishes. The fishes, birds and animals had made the area proposed for development their home long before man came. It might be a good thing to build a mine and give jobs and money to the community around the lake, but if the chemicals leached into the waters, the fishes would die. Even the MNR had admitted that there might be some loss of fish in the immediate area, but it would only be one small lake, one of thousands of lakes in the north. The company had already worked some dollars into the payment equation to pay for the lost fishery. My friend could see that this was going to be a deal-breaker so he proposed a recess while the company studied another plan for mine waste disposal. They finally made a deal but my friend said he never went into another land negotiation meeting without an awareness of who was speaking for the fishes. Which brings me back to the current discussions about the Lake Nipissing fishery. The fishery on the lake is mostly commercial, in one form or another. Whether the fish are caught in a net or on a hook, people are spending money in the hope of either making a living or getting something to eat. Walleye or pickerel seem to be the target now and although some people are trying to sustain the fish population by putting little ones into the lake and only taking them out when they reach a certain size, the lake is one large fish farm. In days gone by, sturgeon were caught and shipped to exotic places like New York City; now we want to send the walleye to Toronto. When the walleye have gone the way of the sturgeon, will we be sending perch to Barrie? Perhaps we should follow the trend around the world and create aquaculture farms around the lake and leave the few remaining wild fish to themselves. Oh, I know, those glassy-eyed swimmers do not have sense of being anymore than the chickens and cows we eat, but maybe they do have a life of their own that we do not yet understand. If the goldfish in my pond can play games, do the fish in the wild not have their own games and social life? We humans seem very capable of looking after our own interests ahead of anything (or even anybody) else, but maybe we need a ‘Charlie’ to speak for the fishes in the current talks aimed at turning more living things into lifeless dollars. In this ‘dog-eat-dog’ world I suppose we are lucky to be at the top of the food chain. The fishes may be down near the bottom of that chain, but a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In the grand scheme of all things it may not matter a whit whether there are any fish or any people left on this spinning rock, but I think I would feel the better for it if there were both.

Plenty of action but catch comes up short Ice fishing /By Will Elliott buffalonews.com February 3, 2008 The January meltdown-thaw washed anglers ashore at most area ice sites, but Lake Simcoe saw just a lull in fishing effort through those periods of rain and high winds. The Simcoe fishery has experienced abundant year-classes of perch propagation for the past few years, and anglers have seen a radical run of what local anglers call “runners.” For the past three or four years, runners — perch too small to keep — have been going back to the bottom after being caught. Simcoe has also seen a return of the once-popular lake herring, a fish that often outnumbered perch at the end of a day spent on Simcoe ice. These freshwater herring, also called cisco or tullibee, have made a comeback in deeper waters of the upper Great Lakes. Their presence in Simcoe is a promising sign, but Ontario officials believe this cold-water staple of the early 20th century will need a few more growth years before it becomes a legal fishing target on Lake Simcoe. No problem with targeting perch, however. Anyone with an injured ego following a series of early-season shutouts can revel in ringbacks just about anywhere on Simcoe. That’s what I did Monday, making the run to Port Bolster to spend a day on the ice in a hut Randy Carleton had set up over a 27-foot depth on the drop-off side of a sand shoal. Ehren Kean and Dave “Davie” Wilson, Randy’s office and ice-field staffers, met me after a quick stop at Casey’s to renew the non-resident license. Leona Creber at Casey’s maintains 20 huts on Port Bolster ice. “Fishing has been great up until this past weekend,” she said, “when it started to drop off a bit.” I took that to mean: “Enjoy, but don’t expect too much out there.” Wilson got the hut warmed and fished inside it for about a half hour while Kean rode me out in one of Carleton’s newer Subaru mini-trucks. Along the way we stopped and chatted with Joe Fuchs of Amherst, one of Randy’s regulars. Fuchs had a good pail started, with a dozen or so fair-sized perch. “Haven’t seen a whitefish and the bigger perch bite is slow,” he said as he reeled in another so-so keeper. Kean put his day’s take at about 25 nice ones when Fuchs quit at midday. By the time we arrived at our hut, Wilson had three nice perch on the ice and the same take of runners as Fuchs. Before the meltdown, the ratio of runners to keepers had been about four or five to one. Now, the numbers average 10 fish for each nice perch in the pail. Taken as either good or bad news, this kind of action continued nonstop for three hours before a line could be dropped to the bottom without a tap or take from perch. The sonar unit showed fish activity continually throughout the day, often with fish stacked 4-5 feet off the bottom. Earlier, minnows had been a must for good perch numbers. Now, preferences went in all directions. A minnow rig on one line would go non-stop as soon as the copper Swedish Pimple dropped close to bottom. Then, the silver Pimple — with grubs and perch eyes — would be all the rage. Still, reeling in and releasing runners became frustrating. Maintaining two lines fringed on the impossible most of the time. With a hook and ice fly on the line above the Pimple, a doubleheader made it seem like this one would be a nice keeper. At times, a keeper would double up with a runt/runner, which made it worthwhile. But getting into the good guys became a day-long challenge. An old bluegill trick accounted for a few of the nice perch that headed to shore that afternoon. In the shallows, bluegill will often suspend and watch for bait items to slowly drop down to them. With the sonar set at their feeding depths, the bait can be slowly dropped and twitched to attract the ’gills upward to the bait. On the screen it looks something like a Pac Man program. On perch, the program is even easier. Just slow the drop about 5 feet off bottom and ease the bait down. Bigger fish tend to move out of the school — bluegill, perch and sometimes crappie — to grab the bait before the others. It helped. But the count ended up right about at the 10-1 ratio: eight big perch for about 80 caught, one just over 13 inches and four others just over 10 inches. Would I go back for another round of perch picking and culling? Indeed. Ice has hardened around Thorah Island and the perch, whitefish and lake trout runs should be better once anglers can get to deeper waters. Enjoy, and move safely out there.

....Oh of that I'm absolutely certain. But when they don't hear it from me, ever, then I've set the example I expect them to follow. And for what it's worth my kids love Disney.

....It seems to be tougher for some more than others, right Gerritt. It can also be a problem round here at times.... "Swearing is not permitted! Neither is usage of creative text to get around the swear filters. We have children on the site, so behave accordingly"

Great Lakes focus has tanked: report Put cleanup back on the nation's radar Eric McGuinness / February 02, 2008 The Hamilton Spectator Kitchener environmentalist John Jackson accuses Canadian politicians and bureaucrats of actively discouraging public interest in the Great Lakes to reduce pressure for more government action. Jackson is co-author of a new report recommending ways to put the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin back in a prominent place on the political and public agenda. Among other things, it calls on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to appoint a minister responsible for the lakes who would chair a cabinet committee on the basin. He and Karen Kraft Sloan, former Liberal MP and Canadian ambassador for the environment, also want to see a parliamentary committee responsible for Great Lakes matters with an independent, non-partisan secretariat that would keep MPs and senators informed on the state of the lakes. "The problems of the Great Lakes have not disappeared," Jackson said in a telephone interview. "We've made some improvements, but there are new and greater problems out there, so it is critical we get governments focused back on the lakes." He recalls big turnouts in the 1970s and 1980s for meetings of the International Joint Commission (IJC), which oversees implementing the 1972 Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Many people on both sides of the border were active then in organizations campaigning to reduce toxic chemicals, improve sewage treatment, protect fisheries and on other issues. But sometime in the 1990s, he says: "Government quite consciously dampened that enthusiasm of the public, dampened engagement and involvement of the public. It was, and continues to be, a time when governments were making cuts and felt people were being too negative, too critical. "Staff of Environment Canada's Great Lakes office in Downsview stopped coming out to meetings, stopped reporting what they were doing, so citizens went off and worked on other issues." Gail Krantzberg, one-time director of the IJC's Great Lakes office in Windsor, now director of McMaster University's Centre for Engineering and Public Policy, says governments listened when the public participated in large numbers, but "that's not happening anymore and it's very troubling." "If the public is not engaged, then the voice of the people to pressure government to do more is not there. When there is a public voice calling for action, it brings action." While she welcomes the report titled A Way Forward, commissioned by the Canada-U.S. coalition Great Lakes United, Krantzberg is skeptical about a minister ever being appointed. Calling the idea of a parliamentary committee excellent, she says, "That could happen if the federal government realized the Great Lakes are a national issue, not regional ..." She points to one of the new report's recommendations as "of paramount importance -- that the water quality agreement be renegotiated and signed by the president and prime minister in 2009, as was done with the original pact in 1972." While she applauds pledges to clean up coal-tar contamination at Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour, she says, "That's a very small amount of what needs to happen to return it to a healthy, functioning harbour." The full text of the report is available at www.glu.org.

....I feel for Tom, I really do. Skein's, worms, whole fish, it all went bad when me basement fridge was unplugged for a few weeks. I slimy stinking mass of goo just ripe for hurling into...... Thanks for the visual Glen.

Fishing windfall for Lake Ontario

Complete list of Lake Ontario fishery projects to be funded courtesy of $12 million Love Canal lawsuit settlement David Figura / January 30, 2008 syracuse.com Pete Grannis, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, last week announced $12 million in grants to help pay for 43 grants for projects intended to improve the Lake Ontario fishery and research about it. The money comes courtesy of a Love Canal-related lawsuit settlement worked out in 2006 with Occidental Chemical Corp. The settlement addresses damages to the Lake Ontario fishing caused by the discharge of dangerous chemicals from Occidental's predecessor, Hooker Chemical, into the lake from its main plant in Niagara and from other sites and facilities. The grant money will cover projects that will enhance fish habitat and research, promote angler outreach and improve public access to the lake and its tributaries. A summary of the all the projects follows: . FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System 1. Improvements to the NYSDEC Salmon River Fish Hatchery (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by the Oswego County, Orleans County and Niagara County Legislatures, Lake Ontario SportfishingStakeholders Coalition, Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition, Eastern Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association, and numerous other groups/individuals). LakeOntario is the most heavily fished fresh water in New York State. The 1996 Angler Survey estimated that 3 million angler days of effort were expended on Lake Ontario and its major tributaries, with an additional 200,000 angler days of effort on the Lower Niagara River. Both of these very heavily fished waters are very dependant on stocking of trout and salmon to satisfy angler desires. Major fisheries for brown and rainbow trout, as well as Chinook and coho salmon would not exist if the Department did not stock large numbers of the these fish. In fact, over 3 million are stocked annually, most of which are raised at the Department's Salmon River Fish Hatchery. The Salmon River Hatchery provides the integral support needed for these world class fisheries, yet struggles with water temperatures that are less than ideal. During the summer, rearing water temperatures are substantially warmer than desirable, bringing about frequent disease outbreaks. During winter, hatchery water temperatures are always colder than desired, resulting in slower growth and additional disease issues. The hatchery uses well water in an attempt to buffer the effects of the less than optimal temperature regime of it's river water source, however chronic shortages of well water fall short of solving the described problems. The Department has tried to find additional ground water for several years by drilling various wells with limited success. This project consists of the hiring of an expert consulting firm to evaluate the overall water supply and hatchery practices at the Salmon River Hatchery. The consultant is expected to make recommendations on ways to improve trout and salmon culture at the hatchery by changing the way existing water supplies are used, as well as review options for finding new groundwater, or possibly recommending changes in hatchery practices such as recirculating the current available water supply. While it is impossible to plan for all the permutations of recommendations that may come out of the consultant study, the set aside fund for this project was agreed to by the review committee as an amount that would be in the ballpark for possible hatchery renovations. The estimated cost for the consultant study is $200,000.This project also sets aside $2 million to implement the recommendations of the consultant. 2. Purchase Automated Fish Marking Trailer (Fish Population Management/ Enhancement Project proposed by the Oswego County, Orleans County and Niagara County Legislatures, Lake Ontario Sportfishing Stakeholders Coalition, Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition, Eastern Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association, and numerous other groups/individuals). The Lake Ontario System is jointly managed by the Department and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Both FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System agencies agree that the most important management consideration for the continued success of Lake Ontario salmonid fisheries is maintaining a balanced predator/prey relationship. This primarily involves balancing a cyclically abundant alewife (prey) population with a predator population comprised mainly of trout and salmon. The Department has been intensively stocking Lake Ontario with these species since 1970 and it now supports a world class fishery. However, recent surveys indicate that significant production of wild fish, especially Chinook salmon, is now occurring. Annual evaluation programs assess the success of trout and salmon year classes or cohorts, and include programs such as creel surveys, netting assessments, and public contacts. The Department also monitors alewife abundance through netting and hydroacoustic assessments. In recent years, the predator/prey balance has become increasingly precarious due to declining alewife abundance. The ability to control or influence predator populations is imperative for maintaining the predator prey balance. While management can influence this balance by adjusting stocking numbers, we have no control over how many fish are ecruited to the population from the wild. Hence, one of the most significant pieces of information that is lacking in the management of the Lake Ontario fishery at this time is the contribution of wild fish (especially Chinook salmon) to the fishery. The only feasible and accurate method of determining the relative contributions of stocked and wild fish to the fishery is to mark all stocked fish and monitor the proportions of stocked and wild fish in our annual assessment programs. In addition to looking at the Chinook salmon population, this equipment can be used to study other desirable Lake Ontario stocked species of sport fish such as steelhead, lake trout and brown trout. These studies could evaluate survival rates of stocked fish as survival can vary greatly from year to year depending on timing, water temperatures, stocking sites, stocking numbers at a given site, stocking method, etc.. This project is for the purchase of an automated fish marking trailer that has the ability to mark very large number of Lake Ontario stocked fish in an efficient and effective manner. Various attempts to hand mark stocked fish have been made in the past with little success due to the high stocking numbers, disease problems, and physical handling stressors on the fish. The "Autofish"marking trailer developed by Northwest Marine Technology has the ability to clip and tag 60,000 fish per day with little or no effect on the health of the fish. This technology is currently used extensively in the Pacific Northwest and will allow the Department to annually mark 1.6 million Chinooks, 500,000 steelhead, and 500,000 lake trout that are stocked into the lake. While the initial goal of the marking program involves determining the contribution of wild Chinook salmon in the Lake Ontario population, further studies are planned involving other fish species such as lake trout and steelhead. The need for this equipment for the Lake Ontario system is likely to exceed its expected life span of 20 plus years. The Autofish trailer costs approximately $1.3 million dollars and comes with a four year on-site warranty. This project will also purchase enough tags for three years and provide FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario Systemfunds to make some minor modifications to Salmon River Hatchery to accommodate the trailer ($200,000). Estimated Cost - $1,500,000 3. Lindsey and Stony Creeks Angler Parking Areas, Jefferson Co. (Public Fishing Access project proposed by NYSDEC and the Public at the Watertown Public Meeting). Two, five car angler parking areas will be built on these Lake Ontario Tributaries. Lindsey's will be on Co. Rt. 87 or the Sandy Creek - Ellisburg Road. Stony's will be built on the Danley Road or Co. Rt 152. A footpath to the stream will also be brushed out at this location. Estimated cost - $20,000 ($10,000 each site) 4. Lower Niagara River Access Trails in Artpark, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the NYS OPRHP, Mike Johannes and the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board). Modifications/improvements to two existing trails and creation of an additional trail including signage, placement of crushed stone, repairs or replacement of stairs and rails to enhance access and safety. Stabilization of banks bove and adjacent to the trails and the creation of gabion fishing platforms at appropriate sites resistant to water level changes. Estimated cost - $150,000 5. Salmon River stream bank stabilization/trail project (Habitat Restoration and Public Fishing Access project proposed by Paul Moore and NYSDEC). The Salmon River, located in Oswego County, is the largest cold-water tributary to Lake Ontario and home to the Salmon River Hatchery. The lower 18 mile stretch assessable to lake-run trout and salmon is also the most intensively fished water body in the state with annual effort in excess of one half million angler hours and accounts for approximately 2/3 of the tributary fishing effort for trout and salmon on the New York side of Lake Ontario. The river suffers from inherently unstable bank material combined with sediment transport problems. The river has historically been relatively unstable but the problem was exacerbated with the implementation of year round base flows mandated in the 1996 FERC licensing of the hydroelectric project on the river. Prior to the license, generation occurred in a peaking mode which resulted in alternating periods of very low flow (dam/turbine leakage plus tributary input) and 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) during times of peak demand for electricity. The lower, but continuous base flows resulted in reducing the river's ability to transport the sediment (bed load) to the extent that it did with the daily flushing flows of 2,000 cfs. The result has been a general aggrading (build up) of materials in the channel which results in filling in pools, widening of the channel, increased braiding of the channel and increased bank erosion during times of high flows. Intense angler traffic FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System further contributes to the bank stability/erosion problems. This project will attempt to address these problems by identifying key problem areas and constructing in-stream improvement structures designed to facilitate sediment transport while creating diverse fish habitat (i.e., pools, runs, etc.). The trail system will be designed to take angler traffic off of the more susceptible banks and encourage access at less vulnerable points along the river. Completion of this project will improve trout and salmon habitat and make angling along the Salmon River safer and more pleasant for participants. Estimated cost - $500,000 6. Village of Lewiston Boat Launch, Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the Village of Lewiston and Jeff Draper). Repair/improve existing boat launch, including replacement of temporary aluminum docks and repair of damaged concrete pads on the launch. In addition, the Fish Cleaning Station will be expanded to accommodate increased use, and improvements will include heating, an upgrade of the grinder motor and ventilation improvements. The bathrooms will also be upgraded. Estimated cost - $75,000 7. Golden's Marina Renovation, Jefferson Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by NYSDEC and the Public at the Watertown Public Meeting). A modern boat launch will be constructed on the Isthmus to Point Peninsula on Co. Rt. 57 in the Town of Lyme. The old marina has already been dredged but a real property survey and construction design need to be undertaken before modernization of this boat launch site can be accomplished. Estimated cost - $300,000 8. Boat Launch/Ice-fishing Access on Sandy Pond, Oswego Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by American Bass Anglers, Inc., Katie Malinowski, Michael Cusano and others). Build a boat launch that will also provide ice-fishing access to Sandy Pond. Region 7 staff will seek out a landowner willing to sell property to enable the siting of this project. Estimated cost - $500,000 (construction cost only, implementation of this project depends on the funding of land acquisition through the Environmental Protection Fund) 9. Chaumont Bay Boat Launch Sites and Ice-fishing Access, Jefferson Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed at the Watertown Meeting). Region 6 Fisheries and Real Property staff will continue to look for potential boat launch and ice fishing access sites in the Chaumont Bay area including Guffin's Bay and Three-mile Bay. Region 6 staff will seek out a landowner willing to sell property to enable the siting of this project. Estimated cost - $500,000 (construction cost only, implementation of this project depends on the funding of land acquisition through the Environmental Protection Fund) 10. Sandy Creek Fishing Access Site, Monroe Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by NYSDEC). This 50 car and trailer launch site has a heavily used, paved parking lot in need of re-sealing. Re-sealing now will save added repair costs in the future. Estimated cost - $25,000 11. OPRHP Niagara River Trails; Schoelkopf/ Whirlpool/ Devil's Hole, Niagara Co., (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation). Modifications/improvements to aforementioned trails including signage, placement of crushed stone on trails, repairs or replacement of stairs and rails to enhance access and increase safety. Stabilization of banks above and adjacent to the trails and the creation of gabion fishing platform at appropriate locations resistant to current and water level changes. Estimated cost - $150,000. 12. Fisheries Promotion Assistance, (Angler Outreach and/or Education project, proposed by Niagara County Fisheries Development Board, NY Sea Grant, NYSDEC as well as publicly proposed at several of the public meetings). Sportfishing is very important to the local communities along the Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Approximately 40 % of anglers who fish these waters are residents of other states, and approximately 40% of the New York residents live in counties other than the seven that border the Lake Ontario system. DEC estimated the at-location expenditures by anglers along the Lake Ontario System in 1996 at over $100 million. Many anglers need information about where to fish, where to find available boat launches, campgrounds, etc.. The Department developed some very popular fishing brochures in the early 1980's as part of the "I Love NY" promotion campaign. At present, some of the Lake Ontario area Counties are promoting fishing opportunities within their own County, but no one is developing information for the Great Lakes Region as a whole. This project is to assist ongoing DEC and other's fishing promotion activities. Specifically this project will provide funds for the printing or re-printing of fisheries promotion brochures, such as the "I Love NY Great Lakes Fishing Brochure". DEC staff in Regions 6 thru 9 and various County fisheries promotion staff are expected to work jointly to develop fisheries promotion brochures and other literature directed toward angling tourists who plan to visit the area from other New York Counties, other states, or International locations. This project will cover the cost of printing and some distribution of this information at sportfishing shows, fairs, and other public events. $100,000 is being reserved from this fund to cover printing costs. Staff time to develop the literature is expected to be covered under existing DEC and county programs. Estimated Cost - $100,000 13. Enhance Fish Island Access Site at Dexter, Jefferson Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the Village of Dexter and the Public at the Watertown Public eeting). This project includes floating docks, improvements to the existing boat ramp and installing lighting. Estimated cost - $45,000 14. Maxwell Creek Fishing Access Site, Wayne Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by NYSDEC). Paving this 40 car gravel/dirt parking lot would be well received by the angling public and minimize the need for re-grading/surfacing. Estimated cost - $50,000 15. Port Bay (East) Fishing Access Site, Wayne Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by NYSDEC). Development of a small, five car lot to allow access to the North end East side of Port Bay. The Department already owns the land. Estimated cost - $2,000 16. Northern Pike Spawning Marsh Rehabilitation (Habitat Restoration Projects proposed by Chippewa Bay Fish and Game Club, St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman's Club, Thomas Jolliff, Dr. John Farrell, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry). Water level regulation on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River has resulted in a compression of annual and long-term water level fluctuation, effectively eliminating extreme high and low water levels. These extremes are important in maintaining wetland plant diversity, and their elimination results in the proliferation and dominance of Typha (cattails) in historic northern pike spawning marshes. Typha is not suitable for spawning, and can also block northern pike access to areas of suitable spawning habitat. Regulation has also resulted, on average, in lower water levels during fall and winter, and in spring when northern pike spawning activity peaks. Low spring water levels decrease the amount of flooded vegetation necessary for pike spawning, which forces pike to search out dead vegetation from the previous year. Lower fall and winter water levels often result in wave and ice scouring and removal of this vegetation in shallow, marsh areas, forcing pike to spawn at greater depths (10 to 15 feet) where vegetation remains. These deeper areas warm much later, resulting in pike spawning 4 to 6 weeks later than normal. Colder water at these depths prolongs egg incubation and delays hatching, and food for newly hatched pike fry is less abundant in this colder, deeper water. These conditions have resulted in greatly diminished northern pike reproduction, resulting in fewer adult pike to sustain quality sport fisheries. NYSDEC netting surveys in the Thousand Islands region have documented a decline in northern pike populations over the past 15 years, coincident with an increase in angler complaints regarding the quality of northern pike fishing. It is hoped that this and other projects focusing on improving northern pike spawning habitat will result in improved sport fisheries. This project will be implemented collaboratively with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with matching dollars from the Fish Enhancement, Mitigation, and Research Fund (New York Power Authority re-licensing settlement with USFWS; "FEMRF" Fund). This experimental program will be tested at NYSDEC's French Creek Wildlife Management Area, and will utilize an amphibious excavator to cut channels in Typha mats to restore fish access to isolated areas of suitable spawning habitat. This excavator is being urchased/operated through collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's FEMRF Fund. Ditching may also create areas that maintain suitable spawning vegetation, thereby roviding additional pike spawning habitat. Pre-and post project evaluations will be conducted to determine if northern pike (and other fish species, including muskellunge, another important sportfish) successfullyspawn in these "re-connected" areas. The initial cost of this project is approximately $100,000, with additional matching funds from the FEMRF Fund. In the event that the project is deemed successful, consideration will be given for use of OCCNRD funds to purchase another amphibious excavator to be used exclusively on Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River marshes, at a cost of approximately $100,000 in matching funds. Estimated cost - $200,000 17. Village of Wilson Boat Launch, Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Gary House and the Town of Wilson). Repair/Improve existing boat launch, including replacement of temporary aluminum dock(s), replacement of damaged concrete pads and walls, improvements to gravel parking lot. Estimated cost - $30,000 18. Boat Launch at Mud Bay, Jefferson Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Larry Rogers). To be constructed on existing state land located on Bates Road in the Town of Lyme. Due to the shallow water conditions at this site only a small boat(cartop) beach launch will be constructed. Access road and parking for 10 cars and trailers. Estimated cost - $100,000 19. Hatchery Improvements at Cape Vincent Fisheries Station (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by the Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition, Warren Johnson, Mitch Franz, Village of Cape Vincent). Prior to acquisition from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, the NYSDEC Cape Vincent Fisheries Station (Station) served as a federal fish hatchery. Walleye fisheries in eastern Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River have grown in popularity, resulting in increased public demand for a walleye stocking program, in addition to requests for northern pike and muskellunge stocking programs. Currently there are 13, one-acre earthen ponds that could be used for raising warm and coolwater fish (i.e. walleye, muskellunge, northern pike) for stocking into Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. It is anticipated that these stocking programs could result in measurable improvements to sportfisheries. In recent years the Village of Cape Vincent and the Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition have provided funding, manpower, and excavation equipment to begin repairing infrastructure at the Station. Necessary improvements to the property include new underground piping to the ponds, and the construction and outfitting (raceways, pumps, generator, etc.) of a hatchery building. The hatchery building would also likely play a role in proposal 27 (Deepwater Cisco Reintroduction in Lake Ontario, below) to rear native deepwater coregonids for reintroduction into Lake Ontario. Proposed funding for this project includes infrastructure costs ($830,000), as well as 6 years of funding for a hatchery manager (Salary Grade-15 plus fringe/indirect costs, $570,000) (total OCCNRD funds $1.4 million). A hatchery manager position is necessary, as NYSDEC currently utilizes the Station as a base for the Research Vessel Seth Green and the Lake Ontario Fisheries Unit (i.e. there are no staff available or trained to oversee hatchery operations). Additional, potential cost sharing on this project includes NYSDEC (evaluation of stocking success and hatchery administration - $25,000 annually), the Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition ($50,000), and the Village of Cape Vincent ($200,000 personnel/heavy equipment). Estimated cost - $1,400,000 20. OPRHP Fort Niagara Boat Launch, Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board). Repair/Improve existing boat launch, including replacement/repair of wooden fishing docks(s), repairs to concrete pad, placement of large stone along shore to replace existing concrete slabs. Parking lot will be resurfaced and the upstream pier will be modifed to accomodate "universal" access for shore and boat use. Estimated cost - $50,000 21. Slater Creek Fishing Access Site, Monroe Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by NYSDEC). This existing 80 car urban accessible fishing site is in need of repair and re-paving.Estimated cost - $75,000 22. Lake Ontario Watershed Display at the Niagara Falls Aquarium, Niagara Co. (Angler Outreach and/or Education Project proposed by the Niagara Falls Aquarium). Niagara Falls Aquarium-Lake Ontario Educational Display and Outreach (Niagara County). Located in downtown Niagara Falls, the Aquarium of Niagara Falls, New York (http://www.aquariumofniagara.org/) provided entertainment and educational programs to over 170,000 visitors in 2006 showing that this facility presents excellent outreach opportunities. Input from public meetings showed considerable interest in expanding outreach efforts for the Lake Ontario/Niagara River sportfishery and associated fish community issues. The requested grant would be split into two phases; one that could be instituted immediately while the second, larger phase would occur in association with anticipated major building renovations (approximately 2010). Phase I will include angler education efforts, including sportfishing and aquatic seminars and clinics, as well as renovations and repairs for an existing 10,000 gallon tank dedicated specifically to Lake Ontario fish and the development of interactive graphic displays and maps. Fish species resident to the Niagara River and Lake Ontario will be acquired for the aquarium display. Emphasis will be placed on the economic, social and ecological issues related to the sportfishery and how invasive species, industrial development and water quality can influence these trends. Historic changes in the recreational and commercial fisheries will also be included. Phase II will include the construction of a Lake Ontario sportfishing section associated with the expansion of the existing aquarium facility with the transfer of phase I displays into a section of the aquarium specifically dedicated to the aforementioned issues. Estimated cost - $300,000 (phase I & II) 23. Repair Cranberry Creek Marsh Water Control Structure (Habitat Restoration Project proposed by Dr. John Farrell, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Thomas Jolliff). Water level regulation on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River has resulted in a compression of annual and long-term water level fluctuation, effectively eliminating extreme high and low water levels. These extremes are important in maintaining wetland plan diversity, and their elimination results in the proliferation and dominance of Typha (cattails) in historic northern pike spawning marshes. Typha is not suitable for spawning, and can also block northern pike access to areas of suitable spawning habitat. Regulation has also resulted, on average, in lower water levels during fall and winter, and in spring when northern pike spawning activity peaks. Low spring water levels decrease the amount of flooded vegetation necessary for pike spawning, which forces pike to search out dead vegetation from the previous year. Lower fall and winter water levels often result in wave and ice scouring and removal of this vegetation in shallow, marsh areas, forcing pike to spawn at greater depths (10 to 15 feet) where vegetation remains. These deeper areas warm much later, resulting in pike spawning 4 to 6 weeks later than normal. Colder water at these depths prolongs egg incubation and delays hatching, and food for newly hatched pike fry is less abundant in this colder, deeper water. These conditions have resulted in greatly diminished northern pike reproduction, resulting in fewer adult pike to sustain quality sporfisheries. NYSDEC netting surveys in the Thousand Islands region have documented a decline in northern pike populations over the past 15 years, coincident with an increase angler complaints regarding the quality of northern pike fishing. It is hoped that this and other projects focusing on improving northern pike spawning habitat will result in improved sportfisheries for northern pike. A water control structure was included in the NYS Department of Transportation's (DOT) construction of the Route 12 bridge over Cranberry Creek (tributary to the St. Lawrence River east of Alexandria Bay). This structure allows water levels in the marsh to be managed independently from the St. Lawrence River, providing the opportunity to restore a more natural water level regime. Water levels in Cranberry Creek Marsh have been periodically regulated by the Bureau of Fisheries to enhance northern pike spawning habitat, however, this required collecting pike below the structure and manually transferring fish above the structure, and in recent years wooden stop-logs have broken, resulting in an inability to control water levels in the marsh. Repair of the structure will include dredging of sediments immediately upstream, replacement of existing wooden stop-logs with aluminum, and the installation of a fish ladder to allow passage for spawning pike upstream and into the marsh. There is a potential for cost sharing with DOT (manpower and equipment), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund. Estimated cost - $50,000 24. Upgrade Hatchery Pond Complex at Lisbon, NY (also known as "Ogdensburg Hatchery" - Fish Population Management/Enhancement, proposed by St. Lawrence alley Sportsman's Club, St. Lawrence County Fisheries Advisory Board, John Gardver, Richard Hollis, Larry Vielhauer) -- Construction and operation of the New York Power Authority's F.D.R. Power Project in Massena, New York, resulted in the loss of historic walleye spawning areas, and walleye populations in the Ogdensburg to Massena area declined. NYSDEC formerly operated a smallmouth bass hatchery at Lisbon (near Ogdensburg), which is now owned by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Since the mid-1980s, the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman's Club has made improvements to the property and reared walleye fry and fingerlings for stocking into the St. Lawrence River. This project entails the construction and clay-lining of two additional 1 acre ponds to increase existing walleye production. It is anticipated that increased walleye stocking from these repaired ponds will result in increased walleye fishing quality in the local waters of the St. Lawrence River. Matching funds for this program are provided by in kind services of the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman's Club. Estimated cost - $100,000 25. Irondequoit Creek Streambank Stabilization, Monroe Co. (Habitat Restoration Project proposed by Monroe County and NYSDEC). Irondequoit Creek supports a locally important trout and salmon fishery with lake-run fish from Lake Ontario (primarily brown, steelhead and Chinook slamon). In addition, trout are raised at the Powder Mills Park Hatchery for stocking into the creek. Irondequiot Creek generated over 6,000 and 9,000 angler trips in 2005/06 and 2006/07, respectively. Storm flow events in the creek have caused significant stream bank erosion, resulting in siltation of the streambed, loss of trout habitat, and impaired angler access to the creek. Silt reduction will improve the chances for natural reproduction of lake run trout and salmon, and the placement of large rock along the stream bank will improve habitat for juvenile and adult fish. This project proposes regrading eroded banks at five sites within Powder Mills Park, regrading banks to a 1:2 slope, and the placement of medium/heavy stone over geo-textile fabric The first year cost estimate for work in Monroe County's Powder Mill Park is $82,500. Future phases would include further work in Powder Mill Park with an estimated cost of $89,500 and bank stabilization work in the County's Ellison Park with an estimated cost of $78,500 bringing the total projected cost to $250,500 Estimated cost - $250,500 26. Deepwater Cisco Reintroduction in Lake Ontario (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Robert O'Gorman). Lake Ontario's popular trout and salmon fisheries rely on massive quantities of bait fish, or "forage". The deepwater zone of Lake Ontario was historically inhabited by five species of deepwater ciscoes (coregonids -- members of the whitefish family) that served as forage. Ciscoes were largely extinct in the Lake by the 1950s, and the current forage base is now dominated by exotic alewife, and to a lesser extent rainbow smelt. Alewife populations are subject to large oscillations in abundance, thus trout and salmon fisheries that rely largely on alewife forage can be tenuous. Reintroduction of deepwater ciscoes into Lake Ontario would diversify the forage base, providing more stability in the food web and sportfisheries. This program entails collection of fertilized eggs from Upper Great Lakes deepwater ciscoes, and transferal to and rearing at a hatchery facility for stocking into Lake Ontario. Currently there is no capacity in existing NYSDEC or federal hatcheries to rear deepwater ciscoes. It is likely that fertilized eggs would need to be collected from the Upper Great Lakes each year for a period of 5 to 10 years. The successful implementation of this project would be contingent upon the capital improvements FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 21 and the hiring of a hatchery manager at the Cape Vincent Fisheries Station that are proposed under project 20 ("Hatchery Improvements at Cape Vincent Fisheries Station" above). Ciscoes spawn in winter and therefore would not interfere with the coolwater fish production at the facility proposed under project 20. Funding would be used to cover the costs of collecting and transporting fertilized cisco eggs from the Upper Great Lakes to the Cape Vincent Fishery Station. Potential sources of matching funds for this program include the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Estimated Cost - $50,000 27. Public Access Improvements, Village of Morristown, St. Lawrence Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Ron Wright, Morristown Chamber of Commerce). During fall/low water conditions, the existing public boat launch in the Village of Morristown (St. Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County) is currently too short to launch boats safely. Extending the exisiting launch ramp will greatly improve angler access to the St. Lawrence River during low water periods. Also, docking at the boat launch is currently inadequate to protect docked boats from damage, requiring installation of staving. While public access signage exists along state route 37 at the west entrance to the village, signage is required at the east entrance to the village. Estimated Cost - $50,000 28. Sodus Bay boat launch, Wayne Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Fredric Blom). While there is an approximate 40 car-trailer Town launch at Sodus Bay, a second ramp would alleviate congestion during certain time periods. Currently, there is no State-owned land that would be suitable to build a launch, and acquiring property there is likely to be costly. Estimated Cost - $500,000 (construction cost only, implementation of this project depends on the funding of land acquisition through the Environmental Protection Fund) 29. Pen Rearing Program Assistance (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by Michelle Osman and the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board). Salmonid pen rearing projects currently exist at nine locations along Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River. All projects have been funded and operated by volunteer angler organizations with fish and technical support provided by NYSDEC-Bureau of Fisheries. Pre-smolt Chinook salmon and steelhead trout from NYSDEC Salmon River Hatchery are stocked into the pens where they are held and fed a regimented diet until smolting occurs or conditions at the pen locations necessitate their release. The intent of the pen programs is to imprint the smolts to these rearing locations, thereby increasing the number that return to these sites as adults. Evaluations of adult returns of Chinook salmon indicated enhanced survival under some rearing conditions FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 22 while the single evaluation of steelhead pen rearing (Oswego River) showed a seven-fold increase in survival of pen-reared fish The following materials/activities are beneficial to the rearing process and occasionally need repairs or replacement: frames, netting, floatation, pumps and piping for water circulation, scap nets, net brushes, weigh scales, signs, promotional materials, supplemental piping for stocking to pens, power washers, miscellaneous supplies, pen towing services, water quality monitoring equipment, rental fees for equipment space. Estimated Cost - $20,000 30. Salmon River Hatchery Aquaria/ Interpretive Displays, Oswego Co. (Angler Outreach and/or Education project proposed by NYSDEC). The Salmon River Hatchery continues to be the focal point of the Lake Ontario fishery and the Salmon River Corridor, as well as being the largest hatchery in the NYS Hatchery System. The Salmon River Hatchery produces the majority of all the salmonids stocked into New York's Great Lakes waters. Each year 100,000 plus visitors come to the hatchery. At least 70% of those visitors are anglers. The remaining visitors consist of people who may not fish but have a great interest in the Lake Ontario ecosystem, the Salmon River Corridor, or want to be informed about fish culture and the hatchery system. During the fall egg take for Pacific salmon on weekdays the hatchery averages at least 500 school children visiting the hatchery which gives tremendous opportunity to promote sportfishing and stewardship of the resource. The guest registries signed at the hatchery show that visitations include out of state and international visitors. The facility is also host to many meetings, seminars, lectures, and workshops relating to fishing each year. Youth fishing programs are ongoing at the hatchery. Science and environmental clubs along with University and college level students schedule in depth tours routinely. Each year the hatchery hosts an open house in celebration of National Hunting & Fishing Day, a Congressionally recognized event on the fourth Saturday of September each year, that attracts up to three thousand people in one day. The event is specifically designed to get youth and families involved with hands on experiences of fishing and fish culture. There is probably no other facility along Lake Ontario that reaches as many people and has the capacity to educate the public regarding sport fishing in the Great Lakes. This project would renovate the existing displays at the Salmon River Hatchery and would include: a new aquaria system in the lobby, new interpretive displays, the placement of an underwater camera to view migrating and spawning salmonids, and the development of a trail along Beaver Dam Brook. The design and construction of a living stream aquaria system for the lobby of the hatchery would highlight the species raised at the hatchery and represent the Salmon River Watershed from the headwaters to where it enters Lake Ontario. The present aquaria system was built in 1980 no longer properly functions. Present aquaria need to be replaced and a better and simpler plumbing system installed. The new aquarium display would be a large self contained system that would replace the existing 5 aquarias (totaling 2,000 gallons). The new system would be designed at waist level for viewing into the aquariums and would spatially open up the lobby . While significant investment has been made in upgrading static style displays throughout the hatchery in the last 10 years,educational opportunities would increase with the design and construction of interactive displays placed appropriately in the lobby and viewing areas of the start tank room and spawn house. Strategically located interactive displays describing hatchery functions would include computer and touch screen displays that would simulate daily fish culture activities at the hatchery, fish life stages at the hatchery and in the wild, fisheries management objectives such as determining stocking levels, forage base availability, the role of natural reproduction, sea lamprey control, the impact of exotic species and fish diseases as it relates to the Lake Ontario System and the role the Salmon River plays in the overall Lake Ontario fishery. The present design of the fish ladder allows only for limited fish viewing. Small children cannot see anything in the ladder because the existing wall and fence are too high. They climb on the wall and fence to see into the ladder which creates a personal injury hazard. This part of the project offers a better way for everyone to see migrating fish in the ladder. A portable underwater camera and monitor has been used previously to demonstrate the effectiveness of showing fish this way with great popularity. The placement of a permanent underwater camera in the fish ladder with two monitor viewing stations would enable the public to see migrating fish and enhance their hatchery visitation experience Presently visitors reach the viewing deck at the end of the ladder where it meets Beaver Dam Brook and then leave the deck and try to walk upstream along the edge of the stream to view naturally spawning salmon and trout. This has caused erosion problems due to the large number of hatchery visitors looking to observe spawning trout and salmon. The erosion problems create a safety hazard due to the slippery conditions on the bank. A trail system as described below would provide a safe venue for observations and facilitate staff giving tours to groups visiting the hatchery with a minimization of the erosion and safety concerns that arise from high traffic areas. Project can be cost shared with money from the Salmon River Fund. Estimated Cost - $100,000 31. Walleye Spawning Habitat Enhancement Fund (Habitat Restoration Projects proposed by Mike Seymour, John Gardner, Mitch Franz, Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition, Warren Johnson, NYSDEC). Walleye are an increasingly popular sportfish that spawn primarily over clean rubble/cobble/gravel in fast moving water. Construction and operation of the New York Power Authority's F.D.R. Power Project in Massena, New York, resulted in the loss of historic walleye spawning areas along the St. Lawrence River, and walleye populations in the Ogdensburg to Massena area declined. Walleye spawning habitats in Lake Ontario tributaries have also been impaired by dam construction, as well as sediment impaction or the FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 24 removal of rock substrates. A number of tributaries have been suggested as candidates for walleye spawning habitat enhancement, including the Oswego River, Little Sandy Creek, Stoney Creek, Mill Creek, Black River, Fox Creek, Mud Creek, Barrett's Creek, Oswegatchie River, Tibbett's Creek, and Little Sucker Brook. Walleye spawning habitat enhancement through the placement of washed stone in suitable, fast water sites is generally very successful, provided that an existing population of spawners is present. Prior to approval for funding, Regional DEC Fisheries staff will assess candidate waters to determine presence of spawning walleye, adequacy of existing habitat, and current level of reproductive success. It is anticipated that increased natural reproduction of walleye will result in increased walleye fishing quality in the local waters of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Matching funds for this program on St. Lawrence River tributaries may be available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund. Estimated Cost - $200,000. 32. OPRHP Four Mile Creek State Park, Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the NYS OPRHP). This project invloves the construction of a new fishing access site with a gravel parking lot, as well as signage and a trail system along the creek at Four Mile Creek State Park. Estimated Cost - $75,000 33. Multifrequency Acoustic Analysis for Estimating Alewife Abundance in Lake Ontario. (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by Lars Rudstam- Cornell University). Alewife is a critical link in the off-shore food web of Lake Ontario, providing the most important food source for all major predators such as Chinook and coho salmon, lake, brown, and rainbow trout. Balancing the predator/prey ratio in Lake Ontario is one of the most critical components to sustain a very successful sport fishery. Acoustics uses sophisticated sonar signals to measure abundance of fish species in the open lake, and has been used for many years to estimate alewife abundance in Lake Ontario and the other four Great Lakes. Unfortunately, Lake Ontario is more complicated than the other lakes because of the larger mix of forage species and the larger contribution from mysids (freshwater shrimp). The most common Great Lakes acoustic frequency (120 kHz) proves satisfactory at assessing forage fish size targets when there is a significant difference in size of the various species present. This project will enhance forage fish assessment by purchasing a 38kHz acoustic unit which would be used in conjunction with other sonar frequencies to help separate the various small forage fish species and mysids in Lake Ontario. The project would also cover cost of acoustic data analysis and developing a standard methodology. The project would be cost shared by Cornell University where several FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 25 acoustic units and analytical software are in use.. Estimated Cost- $55,000 34. Olcott Pier Access Improvement, Niagara Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board). Improve trail access including resurfacing of trail (blacktop and gravel), fencing, safety rails, lighting and signage. Estimated Cost - $100,000 35. Improvements to Cape Vincent Aquaria/Interpretive Displays, Jefferson Co. (Angler Outreach and/or Education project proposed by NYSDEC). NYSDEC operates an aquarium/visitors center at its' Cape Vincent Fisheries Station, and up to 5,000 individuals visit the facility each year. The aquarium hosts a number of warmwater and coolwater sportfish native to local waters, along with displays produced on-site that describe issues relating to Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River fisheries management. In addition, youth angler education programs are linked with visits by school groups, cub scouts, girls scouts, etc.. Funds will be used to fabricate interpretive displays to educate the public on the fisheries and ecology of the Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River system, and to improve aquarium displays of local warmwater/coolwater fish species. This project will leave visitors with a greater understanding of and appreciation for NYSDEC's Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River fisheries. Estimated Cost - $40,000 36. Additional ice-fishing access on Sodus and Blind Sodus Bays, Wayne Co. (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Bob and Kathi O'Gorman). Ice fishing is very popular on these two bays. The Sodus Bay site only has capacity for eight cars. Available land may be the limiting factor in achieving this goal. An estimated cost of $25,000 per site for a total of $50,000 excluding acquisition costs. Estimated Cost - $50,000 37. Locate Areas Where Lake Trout Spawn in the Lower Niagara River (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project, proposed by Robert O'Gorman Supervisor of the U.S. Geological Survey - Lake Ontario Biological Station, Oswego, NY). Captures of naturally produced juvenile lake trout are greatest in the vicinity of the Niagara River and large numbers of mature lake trout are known to run the lower river in fall. This suggests that natural reproduction is taking place in the mouth and upstream in the lower Niagara River. To locate the areas where lake trout are spawning successfully, we suggest funding a telemetry study of lake FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 26 trout in the lower Niagara River. Mature lake trout congregate in the lower river prior to spawning and could be easily captured by angling for implantation of telemetry tags. Identifying limited areas where lake trout are successfully spawning would insure that this critical habitat is protected and enable us to study the strain composition and behavior of the apparently successful spawning population. This project will fund the purchase of telemetry tags and tracking equipment and partnering with scientists from USGS, OMNR, and USFWS or universities to conduct the study. This work would support efforts of the Lake's managing agencies to re-establish a self-sustaining lake trout population. Estimated Cost - $50,000 38. Port Bay (North/Wayne Co.) (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by Bob and Kathi O'Gorman). The area just west of the inlet is a very popular fishing access site which includes a launch. During periods of inclement weather, especially during the winter, access to the site becomes restricted. This project suggests improvements to the access road to allow for year round access, and is currently being evaluated to see if it would be possible. Estimated Cost - $500,000 39. Sea Lamprey Control Barrier Fund (Fish Population Management/Enhancement Project proposed by NYSDEC). Sea lampreys are a parasitic fish that attaches to other fish (host) and feeds off of the host's body fluids, often resulting in the death of the host fish. Historically, sea lampreys contributed to the decline of important sportfish, including lake trout. An intensive, binational sea lamprey control program was launched with the creation of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) in 1956. The GLFC uses an integrated pest management approach to controlling sea lampreys, including chemical treatments in spawning/nursery tributaries, a sterile male release program, and low-head barrier dams to block lamprey spawning migrations on known spawning tributatries that are difficult or prohibitively costly to treat with chemicals. Surveys on Lake Ontario tributaries have recently discovered new spawning populations of sea lampreys, and all indices of sea lamprey attacks on sportfish (primarily trout and salmon in Lake Ontario) indicate that sea lamprey abundance and attacks are increasing. Failure to control sea lamprey populations in this system will result in reduced sportfishng quality. This fund would serve as a match with those from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to construct low-head barriers when deemed necessary on Lake Ontario tributaries. Estimated Cost - $60,000 40. Experimental Techniques to Enhance Submergent Vegetation Growth and Efficacy of Artificial Spawning Habitat (Habitat Restoration/Enhancement Project proposed by Dr. John Farrell, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry). Water level regulation on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River has resulted in a compression of annual and long-term water level fluctuation, effectively eliminating extreme high and low water levels. These extremes are important in maintaining wetland plan diversity, and their elimination results in the proliferation and dominance of Typha (cattails) in historic northern pike spawning marshes. Typha is not suitable for spawning, and can also block northern pike access to areas of suitable spawning habitat. Regulation has also resulted, on average, in lower water levels during fall and winter, and in spring when northern pike spawning activity peaks. Low spring water levels decrease the amount of flooded vegetation necessary for pike spawning, which forces pike to search out dead vegetation from the previous year. Lower fall and winter water levels often result in wave and ice scouring and removal of this vegetation in shallow, marsh areas, forcing pike to spawn at greater depths (10-15 feet) where vegetation remains. These deeper areas warm much later, resulting in pike spawning 4 to 6 weeks later than normal. Colder water at these depths prolongs egg incubation and delays hatching, and food for newly hatched pike fry is less abundant in this colder, deeper water. These conditions have resulted in greatly diminished northern pike reproduction, resulting in fewer adult pike to sustain quality sporfisheries. NYSDEC netting surveys in the Thousand Islands region have documented a decline in northern pike populations over the past 15 years, coincident with an increase in angler complaints regarding the quality of northern pike fishing. It is hoped that this and other projects focusing on improving northern pike spawning habitat will result in improved sportfisheries for northern pike. This collaborative project (matching dollars with New York Power Authority Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund (FEMRF) focuses in two approaches to increasing northern pike spawning success. The first approach involves enhancing growth of vegetation through the placement of structures designed to reduce wave energy (i.e. breakwaters), which may also include transplantation or seeding of desired vegetation into a study site. The second approach involves placement of synthetic spawning substrates (i.e. similar to artificial turf) in shallow marsh habitats with little or no existing vegetation. In both cases, northern pike spawning activity will be monitored, and numbers of young northern pike produced will be quantified. The total estimated cost for this project is approximately $100,000, with $45,000 coming from the OCC NRD Fund. Estimated Cost - $45,000 41. Reconfigure the Waterport Dam tail races on the Oak Orchard River, Orleans Co. (Habitat Restoration Project proposed by Ron Bierstine). Oak Orchard is the third most fished Tributary to Lake Ontario. Every year fish are lost to the fishery due to stranding in the overflow channel of the unregulated dam at Waterport after high water FINAL Sportfishery Restoration & Spending Plan for the Lake Ontario System Page 28 events. During high water, fish enter the overflow channel only to become stranded and exposed to unethical fishing, high temperatures and low dissolved oxygen levels. In 2006, an estimated 300 Chinook were trapped and died in the channel after the water level dropped. Brookfield Power, the owners of the dam, met with Department staff to discuss the issue. Brookfield Power hired a consultant to examine various options to exclude fish from entering the overflow channel during high water events. Completion of this project will make additional adult Chinook salmon available for anglers by eliminating the mortality that occurs following high water events. In addition, the project will eliminate a significant public concern over large numbers of dead fish creating an aesthetic andpublic relations issue. Estimated Cost - $50,000 42. Construct walkways on any existing piers or breakwalls (Public Fishing Access Project proposed by the Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout Association). The project would improve and/or provide fishing access to existing piers or breakwalls, as well as provide parking for these facilities. This establishes a fund to be used for these types of projects across the Lake Ontario system. As projects are identified for implementation, detailed spending plans will be developed as needed. Estimated Cost - $500,000

Marston demands infilling of Harris Inlet be stopped Kevin Werner, February 01, 2008 Hamilton Mountain News Hamilton East-Stoney Creek NDP MP Wayne Marston has asked acting Hamilton Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Tony Valeri to stop the port authority from infilling Harris Inlet. In a letter sent to Mr. Valeri, Mr. Marston asks that the recently appointed interim CEO place a moratorium on the infilling of Harris Inlet and conduct public meetings on the work, environmentalists say is being conducted in the sensitive ecological area. The Jan. 18 letter also questions whether the HPA has conducted proper "due diligence" before working in the area such as securing Department of Fisheries and Oceans permits. He also requests the HPA "convene an open and public opportunity for these serious questions to be addressed." Even though he has not had a response yet, Mr. Marston is confident the HPA board will take his request seriously. "I'm optimistic that Tony Valeri will take a long hard look at this issue," he said. During the last of a series of town hall meetings Mr. Marston recently, Jim Howlett, a Beach Strip resident, who has devoted much of his time documenting the ecosytem of the waterfront and beach area, showed a number of photos of a thriving environmental landscape within Hamilton's industrial area along the waterfront. Mr. Howlett focused on Harris Inlet, the largest inlet in Hamilton Harbour, located in the eastern area near the Windermere basin. Local residents and environmentalists are concerned the port authority, which acquired the property from Stelco in 2006, for its Pier 22 construction, is infilling the water without obtaining property permits from the federal government. "The HPA doesn't think public input is necessary," said Mr. Howlett. "All I've asked them to do is pause so we have a better understanding of what is happening." The inlet, named after the Elliot Harris farm around 1875 that was once located in the area, has been continuously fed by a creek since 1836, said Mr. Howlett. Hidden from view, he said, is a wealth of wildlife, and fauna living and surviving and have endured the effects of industrial pollution. He has seen beaver, large snapping turtles, muskrat and long-nose gar living within the environment. Mr. Howlett and Mr. Marston both encouraged the public to call their councillors, area politicians and the HPA and voice their opposition to the infilling. "Write a letter to Mr. Valeri, send emails to the (Department of Fisheries and Oceans), organize a campaign that asks them not to issue a permit until there is public comment," said Mr. Howlett." Mr. Marston told about 10 people who showed up for his environment town hall meeting at Orchard Park Secondary School if people are skeptical of the effects of people power, look no further than how the community made a difference as it rallied together to convince the Ontario Liberals to continue offering the Victoria Order of Nurses as home care providers. Environmentalists were also instrumental in mitigating the effects of the Red Hill Creek Parkway construction, turning what could have been a six-lane monstrosity, into a four-lane parkway, with improvements made to protect the area's environment.

Fish can't be alpha male without female's blessing January 31, 2008 / Amberly Mcateer The Hamilton Spectator To be the biggest fish in the pond, all you need is the approval of a strong female. McMaster University researchers discovered the promotion of males to the top of the social ladder is determined by, you guessed it, the group's highest-ranking female fish. The study on class structures in a rare species of African fish was published yesterday in the British journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. Lead researcher John Fitzpatrick , a graduate student in McMaster's biology department, said he is no stranger to female dominance in his own life. "But to find this sort of thing happening in this fish species, that was a little surprising." Scientists studied the cichlid species in a Zambian lake. The biggest female and male are the exclusive breeders of their group, as the rest of the "helpers" rear offspring and patrol territory. When scientists removed the dominant male, the head female decided who was next in line, choosing the only male bigger than her. Once the female fish gave the sign, the new alpha fish became almost immediately more aggressive and its testes swelled to double their size. "This shows us that it's true, behind every good man is a good woman," said Fitzpatrick. "Or at least there's a woman that lets him be good."

Hatfield wins walleye derby Winner donates $600 prize to Pangburn and Perrers families By SCOTT BRAND / Jan 28, 2008 sooeveningnews.com PICKFORD - “It was our best year ever for weighing fish,” said Tom Ball of the Soo Area Sportsmen's Club crunching the numbers on the 2008 Walleye Jamboree. Fishermen brought 210 walleyes to the scales during the four-day event with most of them weighing somewhere between 1 and 2 pounds. “That's good news,” said Ball indicating the abundance of smaller fish points to a strong class which should provide good angling in the future. The big fish turned out to be a 6-pounder caught by Jim Hatfield of Pickford using a Do-Jigger tipped with a full minnow in 5 feet of water opening morning. As a long time participant in the annual derby - “I haven't missed one,” said Hatfield - he believed there was no chance that his Thursday-morning walleye would be the eventual winner so he took it home and filleted it. But when the final fish was weighed on Sunday, Hatfield still stood atop the leaderboard. Event-organizers were going to award the $600 top prize at the conclusion of the derby, but Hatfield declined to accept the money requesting the Soo Area Sportsmen's Club evenly divide his winnings to the families of Nick Pangburn and Kristina Peffers who had perished on Munuscong Bay while returning from an ice fishing expedition. “It's one of the most unselfish things I have came across in all the years I have done the derby,” said Ball early this morning vowing to carry out Hatfield's wishes. The sportsman's club will present Hatfield with a plaque commemorating his 2008 victory. Dennis Besteman of Rudyard finished in second place with a 5.95 pounder earning an 8' x 8' storage shed to be delivered by Tri-County Builders, while Greg Ehle of Rudyard finished in third place pocketing $300 for a 5.85 pound walleye. Bill Skinner of Pickford finished in fourth with a 5.50 pound fish good for $200 while Kasey Sajdak of Barbeau came in fifth at 4.70 pounds winning the $100 prize. In the Youth Division, Tyler Snyder took the largest walleye weighing in at 3 pounds. Cody Reinfelder took the derby's largest perch tipping the scales at 1.50 pounds, while Nolan Benson caught the biggest northern pike with an 8.80 pounder. There were 323 anglers registered in the 2008 Walleye Jamboree. 2008 Walleye Jamboree results 1. Jim Hatfield 6 lbs. Pickford $600 2. Dennis Besteman 5.95 Rudyard shed 3. Greg Ehle 5.85 Rudyard $300 4. Bill Skinner 5.50 Pickford $200 5. Kasey Sajdak 4.70 Barbeau $100 6. Chuck Norton 4.25 Sault $50 7. Kristie Socia 4.10 Pickford $50 8. Nathan Paquet 4.05 Bliss $50 9. Bill Palmer 3.80 Kinross $50 10. Brent Snyder 3.45 Moran $50 Youth Division Walleye 1. Tyler Snyder 3.00 2. Brady Van Sloten 2.95 3. Mitchell Michalski 2.95 4. Zach Sebastian 2.90 5(tie) Rod Hesselink 2.50 Dustin Rye 2.50 Jacob Hatfield 2.50 Perch 1. Cody Reinfelder 1.50 2. Tim Horn 1.30 3. Derrick Edington 1.00 4. Mitchell Snyder .95 5. Lance Nettleton .90 Northern Pike 1. Nolan Benson 8.80 2. Brady Van Sloten 7.60 3. Eric Huyck 5.20 4. A.J. Brooks 1.90

January 31, 2008 PIET PEETERS FINED $32,000 FOR VIOLATING THE ONTARIO WATER RESOURCES ACT GODERICH — Piet Peeters has been fined $32,000, plus a victim fine surcharge, after pleading guilty to violating the Ontario Water Resources Act. The Court heard that Mr. Peeters operated a hog operation. The two hog barns were connected by a pipe to an outdoor manure storage pit. The pipe became plugged up, preventing the flow of manure into the pit. On the night of July 10th, 2006 Mr. Peeters transferred three portable tanker loads of manure from the barns to the outdoor storage pit. During the transfer of the first load, there was a spill of manure. As a result, some of the manure ended up outside the pit, and flowed downhill into a soybean field. Due to heavy rainfall two days later, the manure entered some of the field tiles draining the field and from there entered a nearby municipal drain which flows into the Pergel Gully and empties into Lake Huron. Several hundred fish were observed to be in distress or dead due to the contamination, and several beaches in the area were posted as unsafe for bathing. Mr. Peeters was charged following an investigation by the Ministry of the Environment’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch. Mr. Peeters pled guilty to one count of violating section 30(1) of the Ontario Water Resources Act, by discharging or causing the discharge of a material that may impair the quality of the water of any waters. Mr. Peeters was fined $32,000, plus a victim fine surcharge, and given 12 months to pay. Justice of the Peace Robert Gay heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Goderich, Ontario, and imposed sentence on January 23, 2008.

New Maryland Record Bass By Ken Duke Editor, Bassmaster.com Justin Riley holds the new record for Maryland's Chesapeake Bay largemouth bass. If you could pick the conditions under which to catch a new state record fish, you'd be hard pressed to top the real-life set of circumstances under which Justin Riley broke Maryland's Chesapeake Bay largemouth bass mark. For starters, the Woodbine, Md., angler was fishing with his father, Ed. For another thing, he was fishing a team tournament, so there were plenty of witnesses, a set of scales nearby and money on the line. Finally, it was under super-tough conditions that few would have picked to produce a trophy bass. January 26th started slowly for the Rileys. They had decided to fish a section of the river called "the Spoils" and found their favorite spot covered with ice. Relying on their boat to break up the thin sheet of ice and the river's currents to carry it away, they soon had water to fish, but nothing was biting. Justin realized the most productive spot in the area — that key spot within the spot —was still covered by ice, so he backed their boat into the ice to break it up. "I was looking at my electronics and saw some fish on it as we backed into the ice," he said. "When we pulled forward, I pitched my bait (a 1/2-ounce Bass Pro Shops XPS Lazer Blade in chartreuse and lime) back to the spot and let it fall to the bottom." Riley lifted and dropped the blade bait twice, then let it sit still on the bottom. That's when the big bass decided to make a meal of it. "She picked it up off the bottom, and I set the hook," Riley said. "At first I wasn't sure it was a bass, but after several minutes she surfaced and turned so I could see the lateral line. Even then I had no idea how big she was." With Ed Riley manning the net, Justin led the fish to the boat. She came aboard at about 8:15 a.m. "I still didn't know I had a record fish," Justin said. "I had caught a nine-pounder from the river a couple of years before and knew this fish was much bigger but didn't know how much bigger." It didn't help that their on-board scale was malfunctioning in the cold or that it didn't register weights over 10 pounds. So, with a very big bass in the livewell, the Rileys kept fishing. And they proceeded to fill out a tournament limit that weighed better than 26 pounds. It was good enough for the win and, naturally, Justin's lunker took big bass honors. On the tournament scales, Riley's bass weighed 11-9, but they weren't certified. Once he realized the fish might exceed the state record, Justin and his dad went looking for some certified scales. They found them at a UPS shipping center where the bass weighed an official 11.18 pounds. For most trophy catches, the story would end there. The fish would either be taken to a taxidermist or released in the waters from which it came, but the Rileys contacted the Bass Pro Shops store in Hanover, Md., and asked if they'd be interested in the fish. They were, and after an hour-long drive to the store, the Rileys and store manager Aaron Frazier spent the next three hours gradually warming the water the bass was in to the same temperature as the store quarantine tank — a 35 degree difference! After a quarantine period, visitors should be able to view the state record in the store's aquarium. Technically, although Riley's catch is the biggest largemouth ever certified in Maryland, it's not the freshwater record. Because his fish was caught in tidal waters, Riley's bass is the Chesapeake Bay (or tidal waters) record for the state. The previous tidal waters record was caught in 1975 from the Pocomoke River and weighed 9-1. The Maryland freshwater record largemouth weighed 11-2 (about an ounce less than Riley's bass) and was taken from a farm pond in 1993. Justin Riley is no stranger to tournament competition or fishing success. For three years he fished the Bassmaster Opens series before an automobile accident sidelined him in 2007. Now he's ready to get back on the trail and try to qualify for fishing's big time, the Bassmaster Elite Series. "My dream is to become a professional bass fisherman," Riley says. In the meantime, he's pretty happy with his state record. Fin Facts Angler: Justin Riley, Woodbine, Md. Date: Jan. 26, 2008 Species: Largemouth Bass Weight: 11.18 pounds Location: Potomac River, Md. ("The Spoils") Bait: Bass Pro Shops XPS Lazer Blade (chartreuse and lime) Rod/Reel: Shimano Curado and medium-heavy Shimano casting rod Line: 12-pound-test Berkley Big Game Details: The bass hit at about 16 feet deep on a drop that fell from 11 to 19 feet Status: Maryland state record for tidal waters

January 31, 2008 FISHING REGULATIONS CHANGED IN EASTERN ONTARIO McGuinty Government Changes Bait Provisions And Consults With Local Organizations KEMPTVILLE — The Ministry of Natural Resources has changed a baitfish provision in response to concerns from the bait industry in eastern Ontario As of January 1, 2008, it became illegal to use baitfish larger than 13 cm (5.1 in.) in all of Fisheries Management Zone 18 (eastern Ontario). This change was made to limit the practice of gorge fishing, a technique that increases the mortality in released fish, but placed an unforeseen economic challenge on the local baitfish industry. After hearing concerns from the industry and anglers, the ministry has lifted this restriction effective immediately. The ministry will continue to consult with the public and stakeholders on ways to reduce hooking mortality resulting from the use of gorge fishing and to ensure the sustainability of Ontario’s sport fishery. “The bait industry and the sustainability of Ontario’s sport fishery support good jobs and ecological development across Ontario,” said Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield. “I’m pleased to work with the Bait Association of Ontario and local communities to create more opportunities for prosperous and sustainable fishing practices throughout our province.” The 2008-2009 Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary is now available from licence issuers, ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres and on the ministry’s website at ontario.ca/fishing. Before going fishing, anglers should carefully review the information outlined in the fishing regulations summary and check the ministry website for updates. “The Bait Association of Ontario is very pleased that the ministry and the Minister quickly recognized the scope of the issue and have taken these steps to help the industries most affected,” said Guy Winterton, executive director of the Bait Association of Ontario. “Conservation of the fishery is critical to our livelihood, and we look forward to further talks with ministry staff

Island municipalities favour common 'invasive species' bylaw With enforcement component by Tom Sasvari / January 30, 2008 manitoulin.ca "We are asking for support, not only for an education and promotion program concerning invasive species, but for municipalities to consider bylaws to help ensure that the reckless few don't ruin it for all," said Bob Florean, a Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) spokesperson and representative of the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council (MASC). Mr. Florean spoke at an MMA meeting last week about the Manitoulin and Area Invasive Species Awareness Program. Mr. Florean said the stewardship council includes 13 members from various organizations around Manitoulin, including MASC, MMA, Manitoulin Tourism Association (MTA), aquaculture, agriculture, fish and game, and lake cottage associations. "We have undertaken a number of initiatives," said Mr. Florean. "One initiative the council feels is urgent is to work with the community to prevent the further spread of invasive species harmful to our ecosystems. In the past three years, zebra mussels (and quagga mussels) have taken over Lake Mindemoya, Bass Lake, and been found in Kagawong." The spiny water flea is now established in Lake Huron and in many inland lakes on the Island and the North Shore, said Mr. Florean. They compete with juvenile fish for food, and their arrival coincides with a 30 percent decline of native zooplankton found in invaded lakes. Rusty crayfish have been found in the North Channel and an unknown number of inland lakes, continued Mr. Florean. They can harm local fish populations by eating fish eggs and larvae, and have a voracious appetite for aquatic plants, impacting nursery and spawning habitat for fish. As well, round gobies have recently been established in large numbers in Lake Huron and the North Channel, and Eurasion watermilfoil has been found in waters near Espanola, Mr. Florean told those at the meeting. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a new fish virus in Lake Huron, continued Mr. Florean. It affects most game fish and many minnow species, kills fish, and can have a devastating impact on the local socio-economic situation. "Recent studies have shown that in terms of costs dealing with invasive species, $160 million dollars per year is spent in the US to counteract the negative impacts of invasive species on their ecosystems and infrastructure," said Mr. Florean. "We have some invasive species that are here and are established, and many others that are poised but can still be kept out," said Mr. Florean. The damage caused by invasive species "will hurt everyone's pocketbooks and the enjoyment of the Island." There are over 185 new aquatic species in the Great Lakes basin alone, and many insects and plants are also invasive species in Ontario, meeting participants were told. Mr. Florean pointed to the emerald ash borer and garlic mustard as examples, noting that invasive species are spread through ships, recreational boats, vehicles, ATVs, float aircraft, and the movement of firewood, plants and soil. The objectives of the invasive species awareness partnership include making the public understand the hazards of key invasive plants, invertebrates and fish. The characteristics for each invasive species present different challenges in preventing their spread. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is helping to deliver the program provincially under a memorandum of understanding on invasive species. "The key is to promote public awareness, and to track and monitor the spread of invasive species," said Mr. Florean. "A lot of these invasive species on the waterways come in off ships and through the seaways. And each zebra mussel will hatch 1,000 eggs, and they filter everything out of the food chain." However, the problem with invasive species is not just related to the water. "Other invasive species will come on through vehicles and ATVs and float aircraft. It is as simple as someone bringing brush, which has ash borer, from southern Ontario here," said Mr. Florean. "This is how it starts." "The local fishery is valued at $30 million and maybe even more," added Mr. Florean. "So Manitoulin and area is dependent on social economic and natural resources, such as our lakes and forests." "This is an issue that we all had better be paying attention to," continued Mr. Florean. "We need to educate people on how to prevent the spread of invasive species. And, to do this, it is integral to pull in the entire community." The stewardship council is working with the MTA and the OFAH on this issue, meeting participants were told. This past summer the group was able to hire an invasive species liaison, who provided education on the effects and causes of invasive species, and who "monitored about 30 different lakes in the Manitoulin area," Mr. Florean explained. On December 19 the stewardship council voted in favour of putting up invasive species billboards at the two entrances to Manitoulin. "The OFAH is looking at having a continuous video played on the Chi-Cheemaun educating passengers on the serious effects of invasive species and how important it is not to bring them to the Island," noted Mr. Florean. He pointed out that the MTA provided a work centre for the invasive species liaison person, and the OFAH helps source funding, guidance, technical and logistical expertise. "We need the support and help from municipalities," said Mr. Florean. "The public needs to be made more aware of the cause and serious effects that are caused by invasive species." He said the stewardship council is suggesting municipalities could do this by including an invasive species fact sheet with their tax bills to local residents. As well, "municipalities could provide free use of sites where billboards and signs could be installed on invasive species awareness, as well as help install the signs, and distribute the information-it would help out greatly." The Manitoulin area is socio-economically dependant on its many and varied natural resource values, Mr. Florean told meeting participants. These natural values are a major factor for attracting people to live and recreate here. Each new invasive species that establishes itself here can erode existing natural values and negatively impact the local economy. "It is more effective and economical to prevent the establishment of invasive species then it is to eliminate them once established," said Mr. Florean. The stewardship council is helping to facilitate and fund this awareness initiative, including the setup of invasive species awareness billboards on two main highway approaches to Manitoulin, and place invasive species signs at all area public boat launches. "This initiative requires the help of the entire community in order for it to work effectively," continued Mr. Florean. "The public can help by becoming more aware of the issue, be more careful of their actions and advising those others that are not, and report any invasive species actions that have a potential to negatively impact the area." "As municipalities, you could also consider wording a bylaw to help ensure that the reckless few don't ruin it for all of us, and partnering with us on this initiative," added Mr. Florean, noting that the stewardship council could provide examples of bylaws from other areas. "It would probably be a good idea to have a bylaw all the municipalities can agree on, so we have the same legislation on the Island," said Central Manitoulin Reeve Richard Stephens. Along with Manitoulin, "this is an initiative I'm hoping will expand toward the Sudbury area," said Mr. Florean. Ken Noland, also a member of the stewardship council, said if the municipalities passed a bylaw, it would be short-listed and detail precisely what enforcement will take place if someone doesn't take the action necessary to prevent an invasive species being brought onto the Island. If found guilty, the offenders would be charged and could end up in court. By having the municipalities pass these bylaws, it would allow the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the MNR to enforce these laws, meeting participants heard. "So when the OPP and MNR are on their normal patrols in the summer, they could charge someone for being in contravention of the bylaws?" asked Ms. Fields. This may be possible, said Mr. Florean. He pointed out, "A lot of the impacts of invasive species have already been felt, but we need to try and hold off more of these species being brought to the Island." "We (MMA municipalities) certainly need to do something and take action on this issue," said Mr. Stephens. People heard that the MNR would be willing to help put together a recommended bylaw concerning invasive species that could be used by all municipalities. "We would like to have the signs and bylaws in place before the main tourism travel season begins this year," said Mr. Florean. "And it is imperative the stewardship council know we have that municipal support and will help install signs," he said, noting the MNR has 50 signs prepared for local boat launches. Mr. Stephens indicated he was prepared to put forward a motion indicating the MMA municipalities' support for the signs and passing a bylaw on invasive species. As well, "most of our municipal tax bills will be going out in the next month or so, and it would help if we could include a one-page letter of precaution and educating people on invasive species prevention," said Ms. Fields. Mr. Florean pointed out the MNR could produce something everyone could agree on to send to their local residents. The MMA passed a motion supporting the invasive species public education initiative and indicating it would be interested in creating an Island-wide bylaw.

....Hmmmm, seems okay to me. Perhaps try again.

Lake Whitefish continue to be captured in Detroit River After an Absence of Almost a Century January 28, 2008 Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council USFWS Fisheries Biologists James Boase and Jim McFee, in conjunction with United States Geological Survey (USGS), completed a third year of pre-assessment lake whitefish survey work on the Detroit River. Sampling was conducted from mid-October through early December in both US and Canadian waters focusing particular attention on areas near Fighting Island and at the mouth of the Detroit River where it empties into Lake Erie. The location near Fighting Island will be the site of an artificial spawning reef to be constructed in 2008. The first whitefish adults were captured in the river in the fall of 2005 but we were unable to capture adults in the river in 2006 despite an increase in sampling effort. During the same period Lake Whitefish eggs were collected throughout the river using a combination of egg-mats and by sucking the eggs off of the bottom using a diaphragm pump. In the spring of 2006 and 2007 larval whitefish were collected after they hatched from eggs and began drifting in the water column. These findings helped identify locations in the river to focus effort to capture more adults in the fall of 2007 and as a result we were able to capture 13 spawning adult lake whitefish. All eggs and larvae captured each year have been incubated and reared by researchers at the USGS Great Lakes Science Center. In the fall of 2006 and 2007 they were released back into the Detroit River in ceremonies commemorating the positive changes that have been taking place on the Detroit River and have been attended by such dignitaries as Congressman John D. Dingell (MI 15), Congressman John Conyers (MI 14), Member of Canadian Parliament Jeff Watson, Canadian Consul General Robert Noble, along with number of local, state and municipal politicians. Whitefish are currently the most sought after commercial species in the Great Lakes and at one time they were harvested in huge numbers in Lake Erie. Historically the Detroit River supported a very large spawning population of Lake Whitefish and it has been almost a century since Lake Whitefish spawning has been documented in the river. The fishery collapsed for a number of reasons but spawning habitat loss and pollution were identified as primary reasons for the decline. At the turn of the century the Detroit River supported huge numbers of spawning whitefish because at that time the river was composed of many braided, shallow channels. Those historical channels were composed primarily of limestone bedrock, rock and gravel, habitats that are needed for successful spawning by not only whitefish but also many other species of native fish like lake sturgeon and walleye. Construction of the artificial reef at Fighting Island is one of the first international efforts directed at replacing some of that lost habitat in the river. The amount of pollution in the river has slowly declined since the U.S. Clean Water Act and U.S. – Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement were both signed in 1972. Ultimately the goal is to clean up the river and provide adequate habitat that will eventually lead to the re-establishment of species like whitefish and lake sturgeon.

USGS Research Sheds Light on VHS Virus in Great Lakes’ Fish January 28, 2008 Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council A devastating virus that has killed thousands of fish in the Great Lakes over the past few years is different from other strains of the same virus found in Europe and the West Coast of the US, according to new genetic research by the U.S. Geological Survey. The Great Lakes' strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is the only strain outside of Europe that has been associated with significant die-offs of freshwater fish species. VHSV is a rhabdovirus that is the causative agent of one of the most dangerous viral diseases of fish, said Dr. Jim Winton, a fisheries scientist at the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) in Seattle. The virus belongs to a family of viruses that includes rabies. The disease causes internal bleeding in fish, but is not harmful to people. Winton and co-authors Gael Kurath and William Batts recently authored a new USGS fact sheet that describes important genetic information about isolates of VHSV from Great Lakes region (see Molecular Epidemiology of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus in the Great Lakes Region factsheet).Other strains of the VHS virus are found in continental Europe, North Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea and North Sea. "This Great Lakes strain appears to have an exceptionally broad host range," said Winton. "Significant die-offs have occurred in muskellunge, freshwater drum, yellow perch, round goby, emerald shiners and gizzard shad." Genetic research at the WFRC and by colleagues from Canada showed that this strain of the virus was probably introduced into the Great Lakes in the last 5 to 10 years, and that the fish die-offs occurring among different species and in different lakes should be considered as one large ongoing epidemic. The USGS genetic research also indicated that the Great Lakes' strain of the virus was not from Europe, where three other strains of the virus occur, but more likely had its origin among marine or estuarine fish of the Atlantic seaboard of North America. The strain is genetically most like samples of VHSV recovered during 2000-2004 from diseased fish in areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada. The Great Lakes' strain has now been isolated from more than 25 species of fish in Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Saint Lawrence River and from inland lakes in New York, Michigan and Wisconsin. Experts fear the disease could potentially spread from the Great Lakes into new populations of native fish in the 31 states of the Mississippi River basin. Also, if VHS virus is introduced into the aquaculture industry, it could lead to trade restrictions as well as direct losses from the disease. Regulatory agencies in the United States and Canada have already placed restrictions on the movement of fish or fish products that could pose a risk for the spread of VHS virus to regions outside of the known geographic range. These restrictions include requirements for viral examinations by standard methods. For more info on how to detect and confirm VHS virus: Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered Resources Program.

January 28, 2008 FISH LICENCE-FREE ON FEBRUARY FAMILY FISHING WEEKEND Local Events Highlight Staying Safe On Ice And Good Conservation Practices TORONTO — Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield is inviting Ontarians to bundle up and take part in the second annual winter Family Fishing Weekend on February 23 and 24. “The licence-free family fishing weekend is an opportunity for both novice and experienced anglers to take part in local events where they can learn about ice fishing, ice safety and the importance of conservation,” said Cansfield. “I am pleased to join the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and other partners in encouraging everyone to get outdoors and enjoy this popular winter sport with family and friends where ice conditions permit safe fishing.” “Ice fishing is a great way to get the kids outside and connected with nature,” said Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters President Jack Hedman. “With more OFAH clubs coming on board to host local fishing events, we hope the winter family fishing weekend will grow to match the hugely popular summer version of this family friendly event.” During the Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, Canadian residents can fish licence-free in any public waters across Ontario, except those with a closed season. Anyone fishing licence-free must follow the conservation licence limits set out in the 2008-2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. Information on these limits will be available at each participating site. Anglers should also check the summary for regulations on season closures and gear and bait restrictions, which must be observed. “I want to thank all of our partners for continuing to support family fishing weekends,” said Cansfield. “The Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association, the Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation, the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have all contributed to the success of the weekends, and their continued involvement is appreciated.” More information about the Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, including how an organization can host an event, is available at www.familyfishingweekend.com.

Conservationists take on Hamilton Port Authority Kate Harries, January 24, 2008 [/color=red]The Globe and Mail[/color] HAMILTON -- Unknown to all but a few steelworkers who fed the snapping turtles on their lunch break, nature has regenerated a blighted industrial property in the shadow of Hamilton's mills. "It's a gem," Jim Howlett, a member of the Hamilton Conservation Authority board, says of Harris Inlet. But the hidden jewel now faces extinction from a different quarter. The Hamilton Port Authority, local conservationists say, has used its federal status to shut down public comment on plans for a new shipping berth and storage facility on the site. The fight is calling into question the apparent disconnect between the city and its port. The port authority, which has already begun filling in the front of the 42-hectare Pier 22 property with dredged sediment, did not consult Hamiltonians when it did an environmental screening of the project last year. It did seek comment from other agencies, including the conservation authority. But it determined that no public input was necessary because of the location's industrial character - then approved its own environmental report on the grounds that it is a federal agency defined as a "responsible authority" under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Questions about the commercial need for an expansion of Hamilton's harbour facilities were referred to port environmental manager Marilyn Baxter, who e-mailed a section of the screening report. According to the port authority's report, the "site upgrades" will improve efficiency, although "the long-term use and specific nature of the future cargo handling facilities on this site is unknown at this time." The conservation authority voted last month to intervene to save Harris Inlet. "The port authority is using discretionary powers to say that because nobody knows that it's there, we don't have to consult the public," Mr. Howlett says. "It appears that it's legal. Well, the law is an ass. The legislation needs to change." Groups such as Environment Hamilton and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper are also calling for a curb on the port authority's powers "They see themselves as this sort of special federal creature that only really needs to follow federal rules," said Waterkeeper president Mark Mattson, who points to similar tensions over a disregard for local priorities in Toronto and Oshawa. The authorities should follow local rules in matters that aren't federally regulated, Mr. Mattson argues. Hamilton City Councillor Chad Collins agrees. "It's not 1950 any more," he said. "It's important for the port authority and the federal government to recognize that the rules should apply to them as they do to other public agencies and private organizations." Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger says that when he headed the port authority between 2001 and 2004, "we tried to work with all the local agencies as if we were required to comply with their policies. ... It certainly sounds to me that that kind of approach has fallen off the rails." Tony Valeri, the port authority's interim CEO, said in an interview that it is "always open to consultation." He said the agency does plan to preserve two "nature pockets" around two ponds at the rear of the site. Ms. Baxter said the port authority board will decide today whether to approve a plan that would involve filling in the large pond identified by the Fisheries Department, while preserving and naturalizing the channel that runs through it. The Royal Botanical Gardens has been approached for possible compensation habitat to be provided in Cootes Paradise, in the west harbour. That's not acceptable, says Mr. Howlett, who opposes any reduction of ecological resources in the polluted east harbour. On the issue of accountability, Mr. Valeri, a former Liberal cabinet minister who lost his Hamilton East-Stoney Creek seat to an NDP challenger in 2006, pointed out that his agency must address any issues raised by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans or Environment Canada. "We couldn't just move forward without dealing with those issues." On the slag-filled land of Harris Inlet, a colony of black-crowned night heron nest every year, beavers build dams and coyotes raise their pups. Mr. Howlett visited it last year, and says he was astonished by the spontaneous resurgence of wildlife in an area shaped by man-made fill. "We could see hundreds of fish - largemouth bass, long-nosed gar, these are fish we want," he says. In contrast, in nearby polluted waters "we have invasive species - roughy, zebra mussels, gobie, carp. ... If we want native species to spawn, we've got to work with what we've got."

Wildlife officials propose drop in yellow perch limit Steve Pollick / Sunday, January 27, 2008 toledoblade.com A reduction of the sportfishing creel limit for yellow perch in western Lake Erie from 30 to 25 a day and closure of the western basin to commercial trapnetting of yellow perch is under consideration by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The proposals are necessary now, fisheries managers contend, because of an anticipated, further reduction in Ohio's perch catch-quota for 2008 and because anglers in the basin exceeded their share of the quota by more than 20 percent in 2007. Ohio's daily sport creel limit of 30 yellow perch would remain in effect in the central basin of the lake, or roughly east of Huron. The reduction and closure could be in force for just one fishing season, the state said, but consideration of the plan now is necessary because of the time-lag in rules-making procedures. The Lake Erie Committee of the Ann Arbor-based Great Lakes Fishery Commission is set to consider lowering the lakewide yellow perch quotas on March 18. The committee consists of fisheries representatives of Ohio, Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. If enacted the new restrictions would take effect for the commercial trapnetting season opener on May 1. The creel reduction for sport catching would take effect July 1, which is well ahead of the major perch fishing activity in the western basin, which usually cranks up in August and continues until late fall. The proposals come on the heels of a contentious but newly enacted Amended Senate Bill 77, which took effect Oct. 10 and was aimed at ironing out some issues with commercial catch-reporting and monitoring after a perch net-industry racketeering scandal. A task force, formed under the law to recommend ways to implement it, completed its work in late fall but the Strickland administration has not signed off on it. "It couldn't have come at a worse time," said Jim Marshall, assistant chief of the wildlife division, on the prospect of a reduced perch lakewide quota and a need for more restrictions. Marshall said he expects a quota reduction for the western basin of about 20 percent on March 18 from the GLFC. That means the proposals must be presented to the rules-making Ohio Wildlife Council on Feb. 6. The Council will have to decide the issue at its April 2 meeting, after district and statewide open houses and a hearing, to complete the rules process in time for a July 1 effective date. "If it looks like it's going to be better news in March, we could change," Marshal said. But he advised, "we are sensitive about the management of this basin." That, he added, "is where the vast majority of sport fishing pressure occurs." It appears that Ohio anglers overfished the perch quota for the western basin in 2007 by about 20 percent, likely because of a long stretch of favorable fall weather allowed them to keep fishing. "It's very important that we comply [with quotas], because we have the same expectations of the other states and Ontario," Marshall stated. "Probably the silver lining to all this is the 2007 year-class [of yellow perch] looked pretty decent, so we are hoping that this should be short-term - a one-year deal." Roger Knight, Lake Erie program manager for the wildlife division, echoed the concerns. "The best science says that the stocks are declining, quotas will be lower, and we have to accommodate it." He said that the last of the data has not been compiled, but it is likely that the 2007 catch-quota for basin, 833,000 pounds, was exceeded by 20 percent, with the excess coming from the sport angling sector. "We're going to take one million pounds," Knight stated. Commercial trapnetters were "just under" their allotted share of 216,000 pounds and sport fishing alone took some 800,000 pounds of perch. "So the overage was the sport fishing. If we had not gone to 30 [creel limit] in '07, from 40, we would have been way over." Knight acknowledged that sport fishing pressure "is so weather-driven. The fishing took off in the fall and we were over." The perch fishery still is riding on the back of the massive 2003 year-class, with some help from the solid 2001 year-class and a few fish from other good years, 1999 and 1996. A minor contribution is coming now from a fair 2005 year-class, but a decent 2007 class will not be entering the sport fishery at a minimum until 2009 and generally not until 2010. Knight said that managers are unsure about the why of the perch declines. "We don't know." He said, however, that perch reproduction and survival tends to be better during periods of higher lake levels, in contrast to the current low-level regime. Invasive species also may have an impact, including forage competition principally from the invasive white bass. Walleye compete with perch to a lesser degree. Even pollutants and farm and urban runoff in the plume from the Maumee River may have an effect on reproduction. So may global climate change, which affects lake temperature and winter ice cover among other things, the biologist said. "Also, despite what we do as humans, it could be a random cycle." None of which may be much comfort to fishermen of all stripes. With more management maneuvering room afforded by Senate Bill 77, state fisheries administrators are trying to make some changes that may be unpalatable to netters - who state lawmakers in shaping the bill indicated - that they want to keep in business in any event. A buyout of netters, for example, was summarily nixed. "We're trying to move the [commercial] fishing to where the stocks [and quotas] are healthiest," Knight said of the plan to temporarily close the western basin to perch trapnets. That would divert pressure to the larger central basin, where the quota had some stock available in 2007. Lake Erie basically has four distinct yellow perch stocks - west, west-central, east-central, and east. The latter lies beyond Ohio's border, so is not at issue. The two central stocks split around Fairport Harbor, but only the west stock appears in direct jeopardy from fishing pressure. The wildlife division in the late 1980s established a policy granting priority to sport fishing over the remaining commercial fishery, which now includes only 18 trapnet licenses owned by 12 individuals, plus some seine licenses. Deadly gillnets were banned in the early 1980s, as was commercial taking of walleye in Ohio waters, unlike Ontario. But the policy was superseded in practice by a provision in a law that emerged from a 1974 fisheries task force that agreed to use a "rolling five-year-average" on allotting catches to commercial and sport interests. The quota system for allocating catch actually was not instituted until 1996. Until then, such rules as commercial size minimums on perch [now 8 1/2 inches] controlled the fisheries such that netters would not have been exceeding quotas. "When the yellow perch stocks bottomed out in the early 90s, there was a total 'buy-in' to strict adherence to quotas," Knight said. When the quotas initially were set up for 1996, 70 percent of the perch catch was allocated to sport anglers and 30 percent to netters, reflecting the two fisheries' performances in the prior five years. For the next 10 years, however, the commercial net-share grew to 40 percent and the sport share fell to 60 percent based on the legal requirement to use the rolling five-year average. Netters are not nearly as weather-dependent as sport anglers for their fishing, plus "they get paid for all the pounds they catch," Knight said. In short, the rolling five-year average created an incentive for netters to catch all of the quota every year "almost at all costs." Catching less than quota would mean a lower allotment in the next year as the rolling average catches up with a subquota year. Senate Bill 77, however, did away with the rolling five-year-average as the basis for commercial allocations so now, Knight said, "we have more flexibility to address the problem." Which in turn has enabled the proposed net-closure for the western basin. Some initial reactions to the division's proposals have been less than enthusiastic. "I don't believe it. Why would they do it?" asked Rick Ferguson, who runs Al Szuch Live Bait on Corduroy Road in Jerusalem Township. His shop and Butch and Denny's Bait down the road are two of the major perch-cleaning businesses in the area. "Thirty [perch a day] was a great idea," said Ferguson. "Our numbers now are no different fishwise," he added, referring to the state contention about over-quota perch catches by sport anglers in 2007. "The way fuel prices are going, who is going to go out for 25 fish?" Ferguson asked. As it is, he added, anglers are more careful about what they keep in regard to size because of the 30-limit, and often that has meant they do not even keep 30 as it is." Frank Reynolds, a veteran commercial fisherman from Oregon, was among netters who attended a state information session on the proposals on Friday. "Everybody is pretty well disgusted with the whole proposition," he said, accusing the state of "doing nothing to control the sport fishery." He complained that state law enforcement of sport angling limits and licensing is nothing today like it was 30 or 40 years ago, when he claims more on-lake enforcement and checks of sport boats occurred. Later he added, "we're not happy at all with them or their management philosophy or policy." He said that netters could help, for example, with cutting down on numbers of such competitive invaders as white perch, but the wildlife division will not cooperate by setting cooperative rules that netters can live with. Reynolds, who already is leading a federal lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 77, vowed that additional suits are in the works. He noted that Ontario commercial netters are equally upset with the GLFC's quotas on Lake Erie and are pursuing lawsuits on the Ontario side of the lake as well.

Angler Releases Probable World Record Catfish January 23, 2008 chattanoogan.com A TWRA Fisheries Biologist recently distributed this e-mail to his counterparts across the state. "Attached are a couple of photos of a monster blue catfish caught near Greenville, Mississippi by an elderly man who let the fish go after his wife took the pictures. The weight of the catfish is unknown, though some catfish anglers guessed it to be at least 150 pounds. It looks like 200 pounds to me. For sure it would have been a new world record."