Spiel

Get ready for second annual ice fishing derby Al and Lesley Last Beacon Star Friday, January 25, 2008 Come join us in the McKellar Conservation Association’s (MCA) Second Annual Family Ice Fishing Derby being held on March 8. Last year’s derby had 72 anglers, both young and not-so-young, competing for prizes and enjoying the outdoors while fishing any inland lake in and around the McKellar area. Last year each junior angler walked away with at least one prize. This year’s derby will follow the same format as our first ice fishing derby. For adult anglers, prizes will be awarded to the three heaviest fish caught in each of the classes: pike, whitefish/cisco, and crappie. For junior anglers 14 years of age and younger, prizes will be awarded for the heaviest in each of the classes: pike, crappie and perch. There will be door prizes, including one aimed specifically for women. Weigh-ins will be held at the McKellar Community Centre between 6 and 7 p.m. followed by a meal. The registration cost includes the meal. Those wishing to participate by attending the meal only – as some had last year – and to share in the family fun with the anglers, can purchase the meal at the door, although we encourage you to purchase it earlier as seating is limited. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. and consists of freshly made coleslaw, dinner rolls with butter, oven roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, mixed variety vegetables, mashed potatoes, baked beans, dessert, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The prize ceremony will be hosted by MCA member Mike Corson and will begin immediately after the meal. To register, please send a cheque payable to MCA (McKellar Conservation Association) for $25 per adult, $10 dollars per child and $10 per person for the meal only. Here is the address: 5 Maplewood Dr., RR#1, C-12, Parry Sound, Ont. P2A 2W7. Should you choose to register in person, you may do so at Steve and Ann Bradley’s home at Manitouwabing Taxidermy, 6 Catherine St., McKellar

Snowmobiler falls through ice Jan 24, 2008 innisfiljournal.com South Simcoe Police are warning everyone to stay off Lake Simcoe ice after a snowmobiler sank in about 20 feet of frigid water about 100 metres from shore this afternoon (Thursday). South Simcoe Police were called to Big Bay Point in Innisfil at about 12:30 p.m. to help a man who broke through thin ice while operating his snowmobile. Fortunately, the 40-year-old Sharon man was able to swim to firmer ice and pull himself out of the water and roll to safety. He then walked to a nearby cottage for assistance. He was wet and cold when police arrived but did not require medical attention. Police are issuing a warning to all persons including ice fisherman, to stay off the ice on Lake Simcoe since it is still unsafe.

Chamber promotes Great Lakes petition Jan 23, 2008 meafordexpress.com Scott Woodhouse photo / In 1987, "The Sisters," a local landmark at Memorial Park, were barely out of the water. Now you can walk to them and not get your feet wet. Meaford Chamber of Commerce President Rod MacAlpine holds a petition from the Georgian Bay Association demanding the government act on low water levels in the Upper Great Lakes. It's time to fix the "hole in the bucket" before Lake Huron and Georgian Bay water levels become an environmental catastrophe beyond repair. The Meaford and District Chamber of Commerce is supporting and distributing a petition from the Georgian Bay Association (GBA) demanding the federal government take action on the "alarming downtrend in upper Great lakes water levels." "I'm concerned about the health of the Bay for the sake of the town, not just shoreline property owners," said Chamber of Commerce Ivan Franklin, who brought the petition to the chamber's executive. "I believe this is something we should be fighting for," he added. "We need to continue to put pressure on politicians at all levels." Franklin voiced frustration about promises of more studies from governments on both sides of the border. "They continue to try to find out why water levels are dropping - the answer is simple - there is too much water flowing out and not enough coming in," he said, in an interview this week. Franklin noted the Georgian Bay Association has done a lot of work in bringing the matter to the forefront and he agrees with their stand on the St. Clair River problem/solution. A study commissioned by the Georgian Bay Association stated that dredging of the river had caused increased erosion and increased outflow from Lake Huron as a result. "They believe that rather than spending $17 million on another study, the money would be better spent on mitigation measures that would control the outflow from Lake Huron. "In fact, there was an order 20 years ago to do just that but it was never acted on," he said. "Municipalities need to band together and force this issue because the costs to our communities will be enormous," he said, referring to a recent article in which the Mayor of the Town of the Blue Mountains said it would cost millions of dollars to extend their water intake pipes to deeper water if levels continue to drop. The GBA has been lobbying for action for the past few years over concerns that the Upper Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron, are experiencing an alarming downtrend in water level, which has continued unabated and has now reached a record low. The primary source of water flow into Lake Huron is from Lake Superior, which is also at an 80 year low, states the petition, and therefore it is unrealistic to expect substantially more water from lake Superior to remedy the low water problem in Lake Huron. According to the petition, water loss from Lake Huron through the St. Clair River has increased threefold to 2.5 billion gallons a day, the equivalent of 10 million tons of water or a block of water one square mile in area and 12 feet high. "Unless this hole in the bucket is fixed very soon, the problem will get worse and there will be no possible recovery," sates the petition, adding the non-renewable resource is being irreparably squandered. "The impact on millions of boaters, shippers, anglers, property owners, beach visitors and the businesses they patronize, will be devastating." The GBA petition calls on the Government of Canada to take action immediately by constructing proper mitigation structures in the St. Clair River as well as cover material to protect further erosion near the Bluewater Bridge. The petition is available for signing at the Chamber of Commerce office on Trowbridge St. For more information, visit the GBA website. Related Story

Love Canal settlement money benefits Salmon River hatchery and fishing along the river, among other Lake Ontario-related projects David Figura January 25, 2008 syracuse.com New York State will renovate boat launches and marinas, repair critical fish spawning habitat and renovate the Salmon River Hatchery in Almar as part of a $12 million restoration of Lake Ontario fisheries and its tributaries, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced Thursday. The revitalization plan is being funded with money from the 2006 settlement of the state's natural resources damages lawsuit against Occidental Chemical Corp. dealing with pollution that devastated sportfishing in Lake Ontario and the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers. DEC, as trustee of New York's natural resources, developed the restoration plan with public input. In all, the plan will fund 42 projects along Lake Ontario from Niagara to St. Lawrence counties that will enhance fish habitat and research, promote angler outreach and improve public fishing access. "These projects will reconnect New Yorkers to fishing spots - old and new - and boost their catch, while improving the health of the Lake Ontario fishery,'' said Grannis, who three decades ago came to Niagara Falls as a New York State assemblyman to help investigate the Love Canal toxic waste disaster. "It's good news for the fish. It's good news for anglers. And it's good news for the communities in the Lake Ontario region." The $12 million resolution is one of the largest in the nation for a natural resources damages claim based on recreational fishing losses. The settlement represents the final claim in a lawsuit the state filed against Occidental's predecessor, Hooker Chemical, in 1983. It addressed damages to the fishery caused by the discharge of dangerous chemicals from the company's main plant in Niagara Falls and from other sites and facilities either owned or operated by Occidental. DEC began soliciting ideas for the spending plan in early 2007, holding a series of public meetings across the Lake Ontario region. Approximately 150 proposals were considered and 77 were advanced to a panel that scored the ideas. Of those, 42 were selected: 25 to improve access, 14 to enhance habitat and resources and three to promote fishing in the region. Local highlights: The restoration plan includes funding for other notable system-wide projects designed to improve research and boost the fishery. -- Stream bank improvements to an 18-mile stretch of the Salmon River (Oswego County), one of the most extensively fished waterways in the state. Over time, there has been a general build up material in certain channels, creating pools and eroding banks. The grant aims to alleviate problems and take angler traffic away from the more susceptible points. ($500,000) -- Upgrades to the renowned state-run Salmon River Fish Hatchery in Oswego County. A comprehensive study will evaluate water supply and hatchery practices and develop a plan to improve trout and salmon production at the facility. ($2.2 million) -- A new automated fish marking trailer that will be used to mark Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Lake Trout, and possibly other species. The technology, widely used in the Pacific Northwest, will allow DEC to mark and track upwards of 2.5 million fish annually - significantly improving DEC's ability to monitor and study species in Lake Ontario and its tributaries. ($1.5 million) -- Sea Lamprey control barriers. This grant will be matched by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to construct "low-head barriers" that block Sea Lamprey migration and spawning in Lake Ontario tributaries. Sea lamreys, a parasite that attach to a host fish, have contributed to the decline of sportfish, especially lake trout. ($60,000) -- Walleye spawning habitat fund. DEC staff will use this grant to assess tributaries (including the Oswego River, Little Sandy Creek, Black River and Oswegatchie River) to determine the presence of Walleye and spawning habitat to help improve fish production. ($200,000) In Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, hatchery and habitat improvements will help rebuild walleye, northern pike and muskellunge populations and boost the area as a prime fishing destination. Because access to waterways is key to attracting anglers, the upgrades will enhance fishing for years to come. The improvements will help the local economy, especially the motels, restaurants, tackle shops and guide services that rely on a vibrant fishery. Highlights: -- Hatchery improvements at the Cape Vincent Fisheries Station (Jefferson County) to help launch stocking programs for walleye, northern pike and muskellunge. In recent years, the village of Cape Vincent and the Lake Ontario Fisheries Coalition have begun repairs at the former federal fish hatchery. DEC, which now owns the facility, anticipates that these stocking programs could provide measurable improvements to Lake Ontario sportfisheries. ($1.4 million) A separate project will create interpretive displays of the Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence fishery for the aquarium/visitors center at the hatchery. ($40,000) -- Renovations and a modern boat launch for Golden's Marina (Lyme, Jefferson County). A boat launch will be constructed on the isthmus to Point Peninsula in the town of Lyme. The marina has been dredged, but a property survey and construction design are needed. ($300,000) - Northern pike spawning marsh rehabilitation. Historic pike spawning grounds have been wrecked by the proliferation of Typha (cattails), especially over the last 15 years. DEC surveys have documented a decline in northern pike over that period. Part of the project involves using a special excavator to cut channels in Typha mats and outlet ditches in the Eastern Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River area. ($200,000) A separate project will repair a water control structure at Cranberry Creek (near Alexandria Bay, Jefferson County), also to improve northern pike spawning grounds ($50,000). Another will fund a research experiment to transplant and grow vegetation and construct breakwaters in shallow marsh habitats ($45,000). -- Lindsey and Stoney creeks (Jefferson County) angler parking areas. Two five-car parking areas will be built (exact spots to be determined) with footpaths to these Lake Ontario tributaries ($20,000). -- Fish Island access site (Dexter, Jefferson County). This project will provide floating docks, as well as lighting and boat-ramp improvements. ($45,000) -- Mud Bay boat launch (Lyme, Jefferson County). This project will include a launch site for small boats only and parking for 10 cars and trailers. ($100,000) -- Ogdensburg Hatchery upgrades (Lisbon, St. Lawrence County). This project calls for the construction and lining of two additional one-acre ponds to increase walleye production. ($100,000). -- Morristown boat launch improvements (St. Lawrence County). During fall or low-water conditions, the village boat launch is too short to launch boats safely. This project will lengthen the launch and improve docking. ($50,000) -- Chaumont Bay launch sites and ice-fishing access. Exact sites to be determined. ($500,000) (Note: several selected projects hinge on factors such as land acquisition. If a project proves unworkable, it might be replaced with the next highest-scoring proposal that did not make the initial cut.) -- Fisheries Promotion Assistance. This grant will be used to develop a new "I Love NY Great Lakes Fishing" brochure to be distributed at sportfishing tournaments, fairs and other public events. While some counties typically promote local fishing sites, currently there is no promotion for the Great Lakes Region as a whole. Approximately 40 percent of the anglers who fish Lake Ontario and the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers are from out of state. ($100,000)

BY MIKE HOLTZCLAW January 24, 2008 dailypress.com (photos available) VIRGINIA BEACH - A Chesapeake fisherman hauled in a 73-pound striped bass on Wednesday, easily the biggest ever caught in Virginia and one of the biggest ever registered in the United States. Fred Barnes, 63, caught the bass while fishing off a boat from the Virginia Beach Fishing Center. He was near the 4A buoy around Cape Henry when he reeled it in. The previous state record was 68 pounds, 1 ounce. John Crowling, general manager of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, registered the fish at 73 pounds, 52 inches in length and 31½ inches in girth. When Crowling attempted to research national records, he found only larger striped bass ever registered in the U.S. – a 78-pounder caught in New Jersey and a 76-pounder caught in New York. "This one might be the third-biggest ever registered in the U.S., and after this one, the weights drop way off into the high 60s," he said. "You could tell when you first saw the fish that it was just about perfect. It's a very long fish, and it's girth is very big. The food supply out here off Rudee Inlet is so good that the fish are just staying here." Crowling said Barnes does not plan to mount the fish. Instead, he said Barnes had agreed to keep the fish on ice for a few days so that it can be studied by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Then he plans to fillet it.

....Good job Pete. I'm heading into day five myself with no "puffs", cold turkey thus far. No problemo!

Wildlife federation head charged with overfishing Wednesday, January 23 2008 thecanadianpress.com MONTREAL–The president of Quebec's wildlife federation, who vowed to make fishermen more responsible, has quit before his arraignment on charges he allegedly exceeded the catch limit when reeling in speckled trout. Alain Gagnon is also charged with obstructing a provincial wildlife officer in the performance of his duties in the July 2007 incident. Gagnon allegedly tossed the fish back into the water when confronted by wildlife officials. There is a 20-fish limit when catching speckled trout. "After 20 years of involvement at the heart of the federation, Mr. Gagnon has quit his post, saying he is doing it in the best interests of the organization he has led as a volunteer for three years," federation spokeswoman Genevieve Clavet said in a statement today. There is no mention of Gagnon's charges in the statement and Clavet said there would be no further comment. The Federation quebecoise de la faune said it would elect a new president when it meets in April. Gagnon, 53, was re-elected president in April 2007 and said one of his priorities was to encourage fishermen to be responsible. Documents filed at the provincial courthouse in Roberval, where Gagnon is to be arraigned tomorrow, say he was sport fishing on Lac Pimitshikamau, which is part of the Rat River, when he was allegedly found in possession of the quantity of fish. Both charges against Gagnon carry a maximum fine of $100,000, the documents say. Chantal Drapeau, a spokeswoman for the provincial Natural Resources and Wildlife Department, confirmed Gagnon had been given a summons to appear in court on the charges but was reluctant to comment further because the matter is before the courts. "You'll understand that Mr. Gagnon has not yet been arraigned at the courthouse so we won't be giving any more information in this case," she said. "We will be following the administrative inquiry." If Gagnon is found guilty, Drapeau said the fine could vary depending on how many extra fish were caught. Pierre Barnoti, executive director of the Montreal branch of the SPCA, said he was surprised by the news about Gagnon. "Mr. Gagnon, being in the position that he's in, is called to respect an even higher standard than the common person because of what he represents," Barnoti said before the resignation was announced. "I don't want to pronounce myself because he hasn't been found guilty but if he is found guilty it would be a terrible thing for a person of such responsibility to be so irresponsible."

....Clamato and beer. All the goodness I need, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Local students helping boost Atlantic salmon stocks By Caitlin den Boer January 22, 2008 The Trentonian Quinte area students will be giving Mother Nature a helping hand this year as they boost Ontario’s Atlantic salmon population. On Friday, 100 Atlantic salmon eggs were dropped off at Prince Charles public school in Quinte West and V.P. Carswell elementary. C.M.L. Snider school in Wellington and Massassaga-Rednersville public school are also part of the salmon restoration program, which was launched in 2006. The program, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, works with Gr. 4 and 6 students in the greater Toronto area and now as far east as Trenton. “In our first year we had 24 schools in Ontario involved, this year we have 47,” said Earl Martin, who will oversee the program at Prince Charles. The salmon eggs, which are farmed at Harwood Hatchery, will spend the remaining winter months in the classrooms of the involved schools before being released into the Cobourg Brook in Ganaraska in May. “Survival rates will vary,” said Chris Robinson, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters biologist and Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program Coordinator. “We’ve had anywhere from one to 80 or 90 left over. The biggest problem is merely overfeeding them (salmon).” Since April 2006, the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program has stocked almost 700,000 Atlantic salmon into the Credit River, Duffins Creek, and Cobourg Brook. For more information on the restoration program please visit, www.bringbackthesalmon

Anglers found safe on Beebe Lake January 22 2008 thesudburystar.com Two Greater Sudbury men out ice fishing on a remote lake north of Webbwood on the weekend were located safe and sound Sunday morning after activating their emergency locator transmitter. The two men, who flew to Beebe Lake on Saturday, were unable to take off from the lake after the plane's skis becoming frozen in the ice. They were located by a Royal Command Centre Trenton search and rescue helicopter and given assistance to free the plane.

'Spring melt in January'; Record January thaw prompts response to rising lake levels

'Spring melt in January'; Record January thaw prompts response to rising lake levels By Colin McKim Wednesday January 23 2008 orilliapacket.com With Lake Simcoe close to brimming over because of a record January thaw, Parks Canada has had to open sluice gates downstream to draw the big lake back down to normal winter levels. This emergency outflow has created strong currents in the canal between Lake Couchiching and Lock 42 that have swept away the ice and will make the three-kilometre stretch unsafe for snowmobiling the rest of the winter, even if it does freeze over again. "I'm not sure we've ever experienced the lake so high this time of year," said Dave Ness, water control engineer with the Trent-Severn Waterway. "It's basically a spring melt in January." Every fall, the TSW opens sluice gates at locks along the Severn River to draw the water in lakes Simcoe and Couchiching down 20 centimetres to create capacity for the spring runoff. But so much water flooded into the basin in January that Lake Simcoe is only two centimetres from the maximum. If this excess water was not drained away between now and the spring thaw, Lake Simcoe could overflow dikes and spill into parts of the Holland Marsh that are below lake level, said Ness. Flooding in the Black River water- shed north and east of Lake Couchi- ching would also be severe if the two lakes were not drawn down again, he pointed out. The three-kilometre canal between Lake Couchiching and Lock 42 is typ- ically iced over in January, Ness said, and it is fairly safe for snowmobiling most winters. But the current caused in the canal by opening the discharge valves at Lock 42 eats away at the underside of the ice and makes it unsafe. The TSW sent out an information bulletin Monday advising people to stay well clear of the channel above and below the lock. Ness said the water will be running through the canal to Lock 42 for the balance of the winter, so if ice reappears it will not be safe for walking or snowmobiling. The unexpected flow through the canal has already washed away several docks and a canoe, said one area resident. Jim Partridge, president of the Orillia and District Snowmobile Club, said there are no designated trails that cross the canal between Washago and Lock 42. "Our major trail to the north is on the east side of Lake Couchiching," said Partridge. "It doesn't affect us."

ENVIRONMENT / Clock is ticking for conservation dream Development, funding threaten 50-year plan to fill in `missing links' along our waterways Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Phinjo Gombu / Staff Reporter TheStar.com Brian Denney likes to think his job is about building infrastructure, only it's the green kind. He's in charge of protecting and nurturing one of the GTA's largest tracts of publicly owned river valleys and conservation areas. Denney compares the network of waterways that stretch from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine to the roads, pipes and power lines found in the urban environment. In their own way, both create the foundations for a great city. And it's vital not to forget that. "We want this city to become more dense," says Denney, CAO of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, best known for managing publicly accessible conservation areas and trails. "But it's really important that, as part of the city-building process, we have a green infrastructure layer that we are working to achieve, along with other aspects of urban infrastructure." But it's not easy, and time is running out. The authority first drew up a wish list of lands it would like to acquire back in the 1960s – all part of a vision to knit together continuous ribbons of green, flowing from the Oak Ridges Moraine to Lake Ontario, that would preserve waterways, provide conduits for wildlife and allow amenities such as a continuous trail system. The plan has been updated regularly, but the dream is only half complete. Acquiring the missing links – some 16,000 hectares – along water systems such as the Humber River, Highland Creek, Rouge River and Duffins Creek is going to be a long slog. That's because the authority has no money of its own to buy private land, such as the parcels it covets along the Humber near Highway 401. In recent years, it has received modest but encouraging support from an unlikely source – cash-strapped municipalities (Toronto, York, Durham and Peel regions) that came forward with funds to buy small but significant parcels. In Toronto's case, the money has come from something called the Source Water Protection Acquisition Program. Other regions simply have dug into reserve funds. One parcel was the two-hectare Boyer property, which the authority acquired last month for about $285,000 provided by Peel and Toronto. It's situated at the headwaters of the Humber near Glen Haffy. But the authority's larger dream will remain unfulfilled unless senior governments step in to make it happen. Municipalities have contributed up to $3 million a year – just not good enough to fulfil a long-term vision. "If we had $20 million a year for land acquisition over the space of the next two decades, most of this stuff is doable," says Denney wistfully. "This is not a billion-dollar problem." The immense area he's referring to covers nine watersheds, stretching from Etobicoke Creek in the west to Duffins Creek in the east, and encompasses municipalities that are home to more than 3 million people – one-fourth of Ontario's population and Canada's most densely populated region. Councillor Glen De Baeremaeker, an environmental activist who champions a stable fund for the TRCA, says it's a race against time – especially because the agency is often competing for the land with developers. This is especially true in the northern headwaters, where developers and other private interests are staking claims, although strategic purchases are also needed in more heavily urbanized areas to the south. What's desperately needed is a stable pot of money. That kind of funding would allow the body to move quickly and even approach private property owners to negotiate pre-emptive sales. As it is, opportunities can be lost by the time funding is put together. Even sellers who would prefer to see land preserved don't want to wait a year or more as the authority scrambles to find the money. "The government had zero muscle before, and now we have a teeny-weeny muscle," says Baeremaeker, in reference to budding municipal funding. "Land acquisition for green space is no different from any other public policy issue," says a philosophical Denney. "You make the most progress when the federal government, the provincial government and the municipal government are all aligned toward the same goal." Denney says the conservation authority's most significant growth took place in the years immediately after Hurricane Hazel, the 1954 storm that killed 81 people in Ontario and left thousands homeless. Much of the land the body owns today was bought or expropriated in an effort to keep development out of areas vulnerable to flooding. The province did give the authority a one-time grant of about 1,335 hectares in the Rouge River Valley, near the Toronto Zoo, in 2004. But in general there's been "less alignment" with the conservation authority's goals since the post-hurricane era, says Denney. He praises the province for stepping in to protect the Oak Ridges Moraine and the new Greenbelt by freezing development. But much of the protected land still remains privately owned, and unless the authority or some other preservation-minded body acquires it, a change of government could mean it could get built upon one day. In recent years, as concerns about flooding receded, the authority also has seen its primary focus of flood control and dam-building evolve to address broader environmental concerns. Denney says environmentally conscious municipal politicians have begun to walk the walk with their budgets, and that gives him hope other levels of government will step up. "It's about air quality, aesthetics, wildlife in the city. It's about nice places to walk, all coming together in a green space system," says Denney. "It's about maintaining some aspects of the natural system that are unique to this part of the world ... at the same time that we are building a big city."

Botulism takes fatal toll on thousands of Great Lakes birds Botulism and the infamous zebra mussel are blamed for killing birds - from gulls to loons - by the thousands By James Janega | Tribune reporter January 16, 2008 Rentrop counted 80 carcasses on a remote mile of beach near Cross Village, just a fraction of the estimated thousands of dead mergansers, gulls, loons and other birds whose migration last autumn ended in deadly poisoning from Type E botulism on Lake Michigan. The mounting toll on migrating birds has stoked fears among researchers and ecologists that blame for the deaths lies with invasive populations of zebra mussels and round gobies -- which arrived in ballast tanks in the 1980s and 1990s -- spreading over the Great Lakes and effectively creating a new food chain. Zebra mussels and their deep-water kin, quagga mussels, filter naturally occurring botulism and other toxins from the water. Gobies eat the mussels, and birds, in turn, eat the gobies. Scientists theorize this new food chain is concentrating botulism and other toxins and passing them up to predators. The theory is the subject of a handful of scientific papers and upcoming research proposals. Whatever the mechanism of transmitting the botulism, scientists in 1999 counted 311 birds in Lake Erie that appeared to die of it. The next year they counted 8,000, and the toll has remained in the thousands in the Great Lakes every year since. And instead of fading quickly as outbreaks did in decades past, the toxin has spread -- first through Lakes Erie and Ontario, then Huron. In 2006, Lake Michigan was the most recent lake to be affected and by last autumn was one of the hardest hit. In spreadsheets, scientists have noted the fatal effects of the annual outbreaks on more than 50 species of birds throughout the Great Lakes, from bald eagles to lowly pigeons. The list names 16 species of ducks, four types of grebes and six types of gulls. It includes double-crested cormorant and four of Lake Michigan's tiny piping plovers, a bird so threatened its nests get protection from police tape and fences at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text). The deaths of many hundreds of loons have focused new urgency on the now-annual die-offs that occur from summer to fall. Loons live in small numbers, are slow to reproduce and are a symbol of northern wilderness. The die-off that ended in November claimed an estimated 3,500 to 8,500 birds -- including the loons and plovers -- over hundreds of miles of beach in seven northern Michigan counties. It spread from an estimated 2,900 birds in 2006 along just 14 miles of shoreline at Sleeping Bear Dunes, said dunes biologist Ken Hyde. The die-off also sparked preparations for a sprawling and macabre bird count in 2008 that will involve scores of volunteers combing hundreds of miles of Lake Michigan beaches over the summer and fall -- to add up, bury and haul off what are expected to be thousands more poisoned birds and fish. "We wish we weren't dealing with this," said Mark Breederland, who as extension educator for the Michigan Sea Grant research program is organizing the upcoming response. "We've got enough challenges on Lake Michigan, but it's here. It's upon us." The heightened threat to Lake Michigan became clear over the summer, when shore birds began dying, possibly of picking maggots off infected fish carcasses that washed ashore. Then came autumn. "We were getting so many loons," said Thomas Cooley, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources biologist who performed necropsies on the birds. It takes 10 or 12 of the big birds to cover a laboratory table, he explained. "When you have two or three tables covered with those, it's pretty sobering to look at that." Among the birds found dead was one of the most-studied loons in Michigan, a venerable male with four boldly colored tags on his legs and a name: C-3. Each year since 1993, he had been observed at an Upper Peninsula pond in the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, said Damon McCormick, a biologist at Common Coast Research and Conservation who studied the bird. Researchers knew C-3 had spent much of his life with the same female loon on a secluded pond in a corner of the refuge and that for unexplained reasons, he had recently left her for another loon on a neighboring pond in the refuge. They knew that he stayed behind at the new pond a few weeks this year to supervise one late blooming chick as other loons began their fall migration, which may have timed his migration perfectly to a botulism plume and indirectly spelled his doom. To their knowledge, C-3 had raised more than 15 chicks over the years, and only once let a chick drown -- when its leg got caught on a submerged log. For a loon, made him a good father, researchers said. The loon's body was found Nov. 1 by an old friend, of sorts, on a deserted, sandy crescent of Lake Michigan's north shore. Biologist and Common Coast co-director Joe Kaplan had handled C-3 "four or five" times in 14 years, most recently in 2006. Kaplan was on his last day of surveying bird carnage along the shore when he discovered the body. "I remember specifically walking up to this bird," Kaplan said. "There are thousands of thousands of birds that died on that lake, and here's a bird that had a known history. I had a relationship with this bird. It's an element of familiarity that you didn't want to find." Adult loons return to their northern nesting grounds by early spring about 93 percent of the time, McCormick said. This year, researchers will be watching for them anxiously. A decline in adult population would almost certainly spell a decline among loons. "We expect to see all our birds," McCormick said. "But based on finding the C-3 male, there's a lot more trepidation of what we'll find this spring."

Forecast for steelies is a bit cloudy Fishing /By Will Elliott 01/20/08 buffalonews.com Seasons change. Fishing seasons have their peak periods. Rainbow/steelhead trout season remains open throughout the year in Great Lakes waters. But in the lower Niagara River, “steelie” season gets fully under way after waterfowl seasons end in mid-January and river waters begin to clear. Boaters and shore casters have some wind protection in the lower river’s deep escarpment. Powerful currents level waves. But water clarity depends wholly upon water conditions up current. A good ice covering on Lake Erie assures lower river steelie anglers better trout tallies. Not so, so far this steelie season. Tuesday morning, I joined a staunch trio of steelie specialists trying to hammer a few steelheads. Capt. Frank Campbell did chartering chores for Bill Hilts Jr., a Niagara County fisheries promoter, Capt. Bruce Blakelock of Riverside Sport Fishing and me for a few drifts along the not-so-straight strait known as the lower river. Conditions looked good Monday, but by Tuesday a modest stain had moved into lower river waters. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Thrillseeker Charters, the only other charter boater on the river that morning, had clients and had netted one steelie. Pierleoni had boated eight trout the day before, but a solid stain — not chocolate milk, but milky — made things less than visible for feeding fish. Campbell went with both live minnows and smaller egg sacks to get their attention. Both Campbell and Blakelock had clients do fairly well before the latest round of discolored water. “We had eight [steelies] in less than two hours, when the water was clearer last week,” Campbell said, as we bumped drift rigs along bottom near shore in Devil’s Hole. Pierleoni’s people hooked another trout about an hour later, but our totals included just a couple of hits and the start of a running count of lost sinkers, leaders and hooks. Campbell moved us down river and, on the second drift past Artpark, Campbell set up tight with shore and Blakelock finally locked into a nice, brightly colored steelie that fell somewhere between the five- and six-pound mark. After a quick group photo, the steelie went back in the water, we went back to hooking another fish, and we ended with that one silvery steelie and an uncertain count on the lost tackle items. Cell conversations with other charter captains confirmed Campbell’s read that the steelie run has begun. Lake trout numbers have dwindled, but lower river waters are solid with steelies. Fishing will improve as water clarity gets better. “They [fishermen] are doing better each day,” said Nick Custodi at Village Hardware Bait Shop in Lewiston. Custodi has sold crawlers, grubs and assorted live baits, but starting this year he has installed tanks for baitfish at his shop next to Clark’s Restaurant. Custodi’s bait and tackle operation will be set up for the Roger Tobey Memorial Winter Steelhead Tournament, which the Niagara River Anglers Association (NRAA) stages each year in mid-February. This year, NRAA officials will be set up for registrations and weigh-ins at Lewiston Landing on the morning of Feb. 16 for a tournament that can see any entrant take one of the top three prizes. Steelhead fishing conditions — in general throughout the winter and specifically during the tournament — change each year. Campbell did not bring in a steelie from heavily stained waters during the 2006 contest. In 2007, his two clients took first place and had another steelie weighing more than the second-place finisher. Boaters who have winterized their vessels can book charters with any of about a dozen charter options. Here is a brief listing of captains who regularly fish for steelies in the lower river during the winter: Cinelli’s Niagara Guide Service, Chris Cinelli, 479-2812 or Joe Cinelli, 773-7910; Great Lakes Charter Service, Phil Rowan, 759-1127; Sparky’s Charters, Mark McGranahan, 418-6632 ( www.sparkyscharters.com); Ernie’s Guide Service, Ernie Calandrelli, 609-3064; Fish Hook Charters, Eric Elenfeldt, 694-6995; Hawg Master Charters, Jim Taylor, (800) 464-0103; Niagara Region Charters, Campbell, 284-8546; Niagara River Guide Service, John DeLorenzo, 297-9424; Riverside Sport Fishing, Blakelock, 754-4101 ( www.niagarafish.com); Roy’s Fish Niagara Guide, Roy Larson, 692-1438; Thrillseeker Sportfishing, Pierleoni, 778-7536; or Thumbs Up Guide Service, Joe Fonzi, 438-2366. Hilts provides a fishing update for the lower river on the Niagara County Fishing Hotline at (877) 325-5787. This hotline also supplies a copy of the Greater Niagara Hot Spot Fishing Map, which provides a listing of fishing sites and charter captains and other useful fishing information for areas in Erie and Niagara Counties

....Well I'd say they are both very lucky to have you for a father Roy. Best wishes to the three of you.

Municipalities asked to pay more for conservation; Conservation Authority sets lower budget but asks 15-member communities to pay 12 per cent more By Don Crosby owensoundsuntimes.com While the overall budget for Saugeen Conservation is down this year, the share its 15 member municipalities are being asked to pay is up by $121,268 - slightly more than 12 per cent - to $1,209,628. The proposed total budget is $4.19 million, down from $4.5 million in 2007. Programs paid for by local taxes include some administration, environmental planning, flood control structures and community relations. Directors accepted a consultant's report that recommended a six per cent increase in salaries, including some pay equity. The total impact of wages on the budget amounts to about $75,000 phased in over two years. To offset the wage increases directors agreed to cut some discretionary spending. "Reasonable compensation for staff comes first," said general manager Jim Coffey. The board rejected suggestions by some directors to reduce staff or cut programs to save money. Brockton representative Dan Gieruszak wants a review of how successful the authority is at offering its programs. "Our strategic plan is 15 years old so we don't know if we are answering the requirements of the many municipalities that we serve to make sure we are spending our resources appropriately," he said. Minto representative Don Ross asked directors to consider raising planning fees and drawing on reserves to decrease the levy on municipalities. Chair Doug Freiburger said he thought the budget should be easy for municipalities to approve, once they consider what they are getting for their money. "What do we hear about today? Climate change, environmental footprint, things that everybody is speaking to. That's our business . . . we help take care of water, land and air. That's what the population today wants . . . I think if any (directors) would talk to their ratepayers, they would applaud them in their choice to accept this budget." Freiburger, who represents Saugeen Shores on the board, was re-elected as chair for the third consecutive year. Ron Hewitt of Kincardine was acclaimed first vice-chair and Dan Gieruszack was voted in as second vice-chair. Anne Eadie of Huron Kinloss was selected as this year's past-president, something that is done when the incumbent chair is re-elected and there is no past president on the board.

Racism cited in angler attacks Georgina Jan 16, 2008 yorkregion.com Chinese community groups have asked the Crown attorney to consider “extensive evidence” that racism motivated a series of attacks on recreational angler last summer. So far, York Regional Police have laid charges in five of six alleged assaults, which mostly involved Asian Canadians fishing in Lake Simcoe. The organizations hope to provide victim impact statements if any of the three accused are convicted. If a judge decides racism was a factor, it might mean the difference between a conditional sentence and jail, said lawyer Peter Lindsay. “The main thing is that if a crime was motivated by hate, we want to send the message that this sort of crime won’t be tolerated,” said Lindsay, who represents the community groups. “We can’t allow people pushing other people into rivers in the middle of the night, just because they’re Asian.” A pretrial hearing for two accused in Newmarket was postponed yesterday because a court officer had a death in the family. Nicholas Perry, 19, and Trevor Middleton, 20, are charged with assault. They’re accused of pushing two anglers into Lake Simcoe in the early hours of Sept. 16. That some locals have been calling this “nipper tipping” – a variation on cow tipping, using a derogatory slang word for Asians – seems to prove hate was a factor, lawyer and activist Avvy Go said. “The phrase ... suggests they are targeting certain fishermen because of their race,” she said, adding it’s part of a pattern rather than isolated incidents. The Ontario Human Rights Commission ended the first phase of its inquiry into the attacks last month. Middleton is also charged with criminal negligence, after he allegedly ran a car of anglers off the road on the same night, leaving one man in a coma. The father of the victim, Shayne Berwick, says the four months since that night have been agonizing as he and his wife take turns at the hospital so someone is always at their 23-year-old son’s side. “Sometimes he can open his eyes,” said Colin Berwick. “We think he knows where he is.” Torstar News Service

U.S. Energy Company to Face Prosecution for Cross-Border Pollution in Canada: Citizen Prosecution Brought for Mercury Contamination of St. Clair Watershed by Waterkeeper Alliance January 17, 2008 waterkeeper.ca SARNIA, ONTARIO, (January 17, 2008) - A Canadian Court has given the green light for the prosecution of a U.S. energy company. On Wednesday, the Superior Court of Justice in Sarnia, Ontario issued an order directing a lower court to summon DTE Energy to face charges for poisoning the St. Clair River with dangerous amounts of mercury. Michigan's DTE Energy Company is being charged for its role in polluting the St. Clair River with mercury. Scott Edwards, a Canadian citizen, filed charges last year alleging that DTE Energy's coal-fired energy complex on the banks of the St. Clair River has been violating Canada's Fisheries Act for two years. Detroit Edison, a wholly owned subsidiary of DTE, operates the St. Clair/Belle River coal-fired power plant complex in eastern Michigan. Monitoring data show that these facilities emit significant amounts of mercury each year, with more than half landing locally in Canada and the St. Clair watershed. When the mercury enters the St. Clair River, it spreads throughout the food chain, harmfully altering fish habitat and rendering fish unsafe for human consumption, which is a violation of Canadian fisheries law. Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin; a single gram of mercury per year is enough to contaminate a 25-acre lake to the point that fish are unsafe to eat. Currently, both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the St. Clair are subject to highly restrictive fish consumption advisories because of elevated levels of mercury. Native populations along the Canadian side of the river have had their commercial fishing rights stripped away because of the devastating neurological effects on developing fetuses and young children that can result from eating mercury-contaminated fish. Edwards launched the private prosecution in March of 2007. "DTE has acted with a blatant disregard for the health and welfare of Canadian citizens and Canadian law," states Edwards. "My hope is that this prosecution will result in significant reductions in DTE Energy's mercury emissions and a cleaner and safer St. Clair River." Private prosecutions allow any Canadian citizen to independently prosecute offences in the criminal courts, and potential fines under the Fisheries Act can be up to $1-million a day. "What makes this even more egregious," adds Edwards, "is that DTE could stop poisoning local residents with mercury tomorrow if it wanted to." A U.S Department of Energy-sponsored test of pollution control technology in 2004 reduced mercury emissions at the St. Clair plant by 94%. At the conclusion of the 30-day test, DTE Energy stopped using the mercury control technology and today continues its mercury emissions unabated.

Brunswick Names Marine Veteran Marlow As Director Product Integrity and Government Affairs Jan. 09, 2008 - LAKE FOREST, IL. fishingworld.com ... Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) announced that David C. Marlow has been named director of product integrity and government affairs, reporting to Brunswick Vice President and General Counsel Lloyd C. Chatfield II. Marlow, 47, joined the company in 1987 and has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, including director of product integrity for the Brunswick Boat Group. In this new role, Marlow will coordinate Brunswick’s global product regulatory, safety and legislative affairs, with an emphasis on issues related to the marine industry, although he will work with all Brunswick operations, including non-marine businesses. He will be based in Knoxville, Tenn. "Dave is the right person to lead this ongoing effort," commented Chatfield. "His knowledge, expertise and 21 years of experience with Sea Ray and the Brunswick Boat Group, as well as his affiliations with numerous industry associations, will be invaluable as he develops this new role. We look forward to his continuing contributions." Marlow has a business management degree from Miami’s Barry University and currently serves on the Board of Directors for ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) and IMCI (International Marine Certification Institute). He also chairs NMMA’s (National Marine Manufacturers Association’s) Risk Management Council and ABYC’s Technical Board. About Brunswick Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill "Genuine Ingenuity" in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Teignbridge propellers; MotoTron electronic controls; Albemarle, Arvor, Baja, Bayliner, Bermuda, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Harris, Hatteras, Kayot, Laguna, Lowe, Lund, Maxum, Meridian, Örnvik, Palmetto, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Savage, Sea Boss, Sea Pro, Sea Ray, Sealine, Triton, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land ’N’ Sea, Kellogg Marine, Diversified Marine and Benrock parts and accessories distributors; IDS dealer management systems; Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ParaBody fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables; and Dynamo, Tornado and Valley pool tables, Air Hockey and foosball tables.

....Congratualations Mike, I'm sure you're loving being a Dad.

Fishing Line By Will Elliott buffalonews.com Lake Simcoe Boaters could access the lake at Orillia and head out to troll for lake trout before the Sunday freeze. Much of that midlake open water was still visible at midweek. Solid, green ice held along the Pefferlaw/Port Bolster shoreline. Steve Barber at Steve’s Fish Huts has huts out over 16- to 20-foot depths on ice measuring 6 inches and more in places. Check with Barber on current conditions at (888) 525-3474. Randy Carleton at Randy's Fish Huts in Port Bolster has been heading deeper to set his huts. "Right now, huts are set up over 25-26 feet along Round Shoal," Carleton said. Catches are mixed, with some midsized and jumbos showing among what locals call "runners," runt-sized ringbacks that are put back. Cooks Bay has seen a hefty run of runners, with better sizes coming from deeper drop-offs (15- to 20-feet) off Keswick. At all ice sites, the "J" or 'Jack" Hooks have gotten major mention. J/Jack Hooks are basically a small, bent willow-leaf spinner blade with a bead brazed onto a hook shank at one end and an eye or split ring as a connector at its head. Colors vary. Most have a red, yellow or green finish on one side or on its head on a silver or gold/copper body. This lure can be tipped with small grubs or larger minnows, but, when the fish bite is on, an ice angler adept at giving it the right drop and twitch can "jack" in perch at a fast pace. Perch schools tend to move through in intervals, so being able to get fish in and then to quickly get the lure back down to feeding fish can up the bucket count by the end of the day or outing. Lake Simcoe lake trout and whitefish seasons opened Jan. 1. Anglers can keep two trout at Simcoe; most of the Southwestern Ontario region allows for 25 whitefish. On Simcoe, the limit is set at two. Anglers have seen a resurgence of lake herring, a species that had dominated Simcoe ice catches decades ago. Currently, that species remains protected. No herring can be kept. Fines for possession of herring have been set at $120 each.

Anglers must register huts Georgina Jan 16, 2008 yorkregion.com To protect the environment and ensure the safety of anglers and boaters, anglers must register new or previously unregistered ice fishing huts on lakes. Registration is free and helps prevent anglers from abandoning their huts. Abandoned huts can end up in the water when the ice thaws. Huts must be registered in fisheries management zone 16, which includes the special designated waters of Lake Simcoe. To register your ice hut in Ministry of Natural Resources Aurora district’s portion of Lake Simcoe (from Keswick north to Gamebridge), call the Aurora office at 905-713-7400. To register your hut anywhere else on the lake, contact the Midhurst district office at 705-725-7500. Anglers must remove ice huts from all the waters in fisheries management zone 16, including Lake Simcoe by March 15. This is the same date lake trout, whitefish and walleye season closes. The ministry advises anglers to place huts on six-inch high wooden blocks to make it easier to remove them at the end of the season. Ice hut owners must keep the area around their huts clear of garbage. For better visibility, registration numbers on ice huts need to be at least two-and-a-half inches high. Anglers do not need to register tent-style huts that are made of cloth or synthetic material, if they are less than two square metres in dimension when erected. For ice hut registration in other districts, refer to the 2008-2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary available from licence issuers, Service Ontario centres, or on the ministry’s website at www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/pubmenu.html#fish

New bridge across Mindemoya River on Hwy 542 will be two full lanes wide Separate dam structure will better regulate water levels by Jim Moodie manitoulin.ca MINDEMOYA-A wider bridge and fancier dam are in the works for the juncture where the Mindemoya River leaves its titular source to flow under Highway 542. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) announced the completion of a engineering plan for replacement of the existing bridge and dam, both of which are getting rather long in the tooth. The two structures, which are situated one over top of the other, date way back to 1928, putting them well beyond retirement age. "The undercarriage has deteriorated to the point where it can't be fixed," said Central Manitoulin Reeve Richard Stephens, adding that the one-lane nature of the vehicular span is behind the times, given the traffic that occurs on this highway. While there's never, in Reeve Stephens' memory, been an accident at the site, "there is a bit of a bottleneck there, and we've been promoting for a number of years that the bridge be widened." Doug Dixon, whose engineering firm completed the design study on behalf of the MTO, assured that the new bridge will "be upgraded to meet or exceed the current standards for a road of that speed and volume," including the addition of a lane for two-way traffic. It will also be resituated slightly to the south, allowing for the continued use of the existing span while work on its replacement proceeds. "There will be no roadway closures," promised Sergiy Morozevych, project manager with the MTO. That's a relief to the municipality, which didn't relish the increased traffic (and upkeep) on back roads should a detour have been required, said Reeve Stephens. And of course it is welcome news to residents and visitors of the area who might have experienced an inconvenience. Once the new bridge is completed-likely in 2010, as the job won't commence until 2009-work will begin on the replacement dam, slated for the same spot as the current one. "Construction is planned for two years," said Mr. Morozevych. "In the first year the permanent bridge will be constructed south of the existing dam and bridge, and in the second year the dam will be replaced." By separating the two structures, the MTO anticipates a greater ease of maintenance, as well as considerable improvements in the functioning of the dam. "Due to refinements made in the structure's design, the operation of the dam will help improve the water levels in both Lake Mindemoya and the Mindemoya River," indicated Mr. Morozevych. "The new system will enable operators to make fine adjustments to levels during critical life-cycle stages of resident and migratory fish species." An environmental assessment has been completed for the project, with input from the Ministry of Natural Resources, said Mr. Morozevych, and mitigation measures have been identified "to address any potential impacts" on the fishery, which includes both resident warm-water species and migratory salmonids. Once the design study is approved, the MTO will issue a public tender for a contractor to perform the work. At present, the ministry is still inviting public input on the proposed bridge and dam replacement project. Copies of the design report are available for review at the Central Manitoulin municipal office and the Mindemoya and Providence Bay public libraries.

High water levels in the Maitland Watershed are getting back to normal By Gerard Creces Signal-Star Wednesday January 16, 2008 High water levels in the Maitland Watershed are getting back to normal, according to Dave Grummett, director of operational services for the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, but that’s no reason to let your guard down. “The authority would like to continue to stress staying away from watercourses,” he said. “It is receding but still we have some very high flows.” Last Monday, Jan. 7, the MVCA put out a flood monitoring bulletin due to the rapid thaw that took place and the amount of runoff this caused. On Jan. 3, the MVCA conducted a routine snow survey, which averaged 35-40 centimetres of snow in the watershed with an inch and a half of water content. “Then we got into the rain and high temperatures,” Grummett said. “That has depleted the snow pack.” More than 45 millimetres of rain have fallen, in addition to the water from the melting snow-pack, making the low-lying areas of the watershed a dangerous place to be while the water runs high. However, Grummett said the water hit its high point last week and things should be settling down soon. “The last of the rivers and headwaters peaked at Thursday at 8 in the morning,” he said. “Those water levels have been receding.” While the highest water levels have been recorded in North Huron, people should still practice caution, especially around low-lying areas in the watershed, where flooding was most likely to take place. However, there are some positive aspects to the warmer temperatures. One of the benefits of the thaw, Grummett said, was that much of the moisture was able to seep into the ground instead of running directly off into the river. This helps counter the effects left by a hot, dry summer. “We came into the fall with very dry ground conditions, Grummett said. “I think a lot of moisture has gone into the ground. We are now looking at saturated soil conditions. “It’s a good way of replenishing.” With the mercury poised to drop once again, winter is easing back into itself, though not with a devastating deep-freeze. In the meantime, water levels are receding in the watershed, accommodating the influx caused by the rain and the melting snow. “There won’t be any potential for additional flooding, but we have to pass through what we have in the system,” Grummett said. “I think we’re getting back into winter mode. The flood threat is definitely diminished.” Temperatures hovered around zero all this week, but are expected to start sinking Friday, according to weathernetwork.ca. By Sunday, it’s expected to be -10 C with light snow expected. In the meantime, Grummett and the MVCA will continue to monitor the watershed and advise the public to avoid watercourses.