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Author: david

Insufficient fish habitat protection threatens Alaska’s valuable fisheries

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The overreach of executive power

Klas Stolpe | Juneau Empire

Posted: January 9, 2014 – 12:07am
By LISA WEISSLER
FOR THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

The public interest is no longer being served by Alaska’s natural resources permitting system. When it comes to state resource development decisions, too little voice is given to Alaskans, project reviews are fragmented, local and tribal governments are sidelined, and too much power is concentrated in the executive branch, particularly the Department of Natural Resources.

Resource development projects often involve multiple activities, such as road and facility construction, water use, and material extraction. Each activity requires permits from different divisions within each resource agency. Since permitters act on their permitting authority separately, project reviews are piecemeal, and only public comments related to each individual activity are considered. There is no opportunity to analyze a project as a whole. DNR coordinates large project reviews such as large-scale mining, but this is done mostly as a service to applicants who pay for the privilege. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Under the Alaska Coastal Management Program, local governments played a significant role in working with the state and federal government on the best way to resolve conflicts between competing resource uses and local values. But with the termination of the program in 2011, local governments are now accorded no more deference in development decisions than the general public.

Insufficient fish habitat protection threatens Alaska’s valuable fisheries. The Department of Fish and Game has just two laws specific to fish habitat, one that prevents obstructions in fish-bearing streams and one requiring Fish and Game approval prior to work in salmon streams. The defunct coastal program addressed other important fish habitat outside streambeds, including estuaries, offshore areas and tideflats. Now, fish habitat protection is mostly within DNR’s discretion as part of their land use permit.

Fish and Game is in the process of changing its special area management plans so that rather than prohibiting certain activities in special areas, the department will have discretion to permit activities without public notice. They also intend on putting multiple plans into a single review packet for public comment once a year, limiting the amount of public engagement on local issues.

Recently passed legislation allows DNR to hold a public notice and comment period only once every 10 years for oil and gas exploration or development in multi-million acre areas. People will be required to comment without knowing the when, where, how, or what kind of exploration or development might occur in or near their community.

The courts are the last check on overreaching executive power. But that’s under threat as well. Gov. Sean Parnell recently brought a lawsuit against respected statesman Vic Fischer and former First Lady Bella Hammond for their public interest challenge of Pebble mine activities.

And things could get worse. House Bill 77, currently pending before the Legislature, will concentrate even more power in the DNR commissioner and further fragment project reviews. It will also make it harder to appeal DNR decisions in court.

Then there’s Administrative Order 266, recently issued by the governor to establish regulatory “efficiency” guidelines. This may result in resource agencies loosening regulatory requirements, such as public notice, to reduce costs for developers.

We need our legislators to act as a check on this overreach of executive power. They should stop or substantially change HB 77, and pass legislation enforcing an Alaska Supreme Court ruling that DNR has a constitutional duty to analyze and give public notice on cumulative impacts of oil and gas projects. The Legislature should also conduct oversight hearings on resource agency regulation changes proposed under Administrative Order 266.

Other ideas to protect the public interest in permitting decisions include:

1. Providing for coordinated project reviews that give the public and local governments the opportunity to analyze projects as a whole.

2. Giving local governments deference on issues of local concern.

3. Increasing statutory fish habitat protection.

Residents can act as well. Tell your legislators you want this administration’s power grab stopped, and help elect a governor who values Alaskans and local and tribal governments as partners in the development of this great state. Contact your legislator, vote, and make your voice heard.

• Lisa Weissler is an attorney with expertise in natural resource law and over 20 years experience with the State of Alaska. She has worked thirteen sessions for the Alaska state legislature; served as an assistance attorney general specializing in oil, gas and mining law and coastal management; and as a special assistance for the Department of Natural Resources and a project analyst for the Alaska coastal management program. She was the policy director for the coastal management program initiative and is currently providing natural resource law and policy consulting services.

Wisconsin DNR Installs Artificial Habitat in Hatchery to Increase Growth/Survival of Musky

Posted on by david

As the title states, Fisheries Biologists at the Wild Rose Hatchery in central Wisconsin, believe they can improve what they do best, raise lots of healthy fish for stocking. The problem lies with how many of these stocked fish will survive to adulthood once released in the State’s many lakes and rivers. A very small percentage of stocked fish survive in any State and all waterways. These fishhave not yet learned to msurvive in the wild.

“The philosophy of most fish hatcheries is to rear a large number of fish and hope some survive” Victoria Braithwaite, Professor of Fisheries and Biology, Penn State University

 

Raised in captivity, fish don’t have a chance to learn how to navigate and hunt,  ambush and hide from direct sun and predators. Research has shown signs of improved brain function and development in fish raised in tanks with artificial habitat. “Interacting with the environment can influence gene expression in the brain”, Braithwaite said. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

One goal of the study is to “teach” more of these fish to survive in the wild, by giving them a more realistic habitat to be raised in. Another huge benefit will be, having to produce less fish for stocking as far more will survive, thus reducing costs.

Comparison of Muskie growth, conversion and survival in plastic lined ponds with and without artificial structures.

Our plan (WDNR) is to rear approx. 1000 Great Lakes strain of Spotted Muskie in 4, one half acre lined ponds. The fish will come from Michigan DNR’s Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery and should arrive in Wisconsin in early September. Two of the ponds the GLS Muskies will go into will have no structures. The other two ponds will have 75 Safehouse artificial fish structures from “Fishiding” in each pond. The Muskies will be fed minnows and held in the hatchery for approx. 10 months. At that time, each pond will be drained, all Muskies counted weighed and measured. The fish will then be PIT tagged and released into 3 inland Lakes in Wisconsin. Managers will be netting these lakes after release and will scan all Muskies for PIT tags.

 PIT tags, also known as Passive Integrated Transponders, have individual numbers that will be unique to each fish. The tag is the size of a grain of Wild Rice and should remain in the fish its entire life. The lakes stocked will likely be Anderson and Archibald in Oconto county and Big Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County.

Networking for the fish:

 Some may find it hard to believe that there are countless professionals working every day to find new ways to improve our fish, their habitats and the water they live in. Unique to this fisheries industry, these folks retain a truly passionate drive to improve our waters. Most of these Biologists and Scientists fish and/or hunt, spend time outdoors and truly enjoy their jobs. It is because of this passion, information gets passed freely, to improve our understanding.

 A few years back, I met a gentlemen named Peter Berrini, P.G. Lake Restoration/Enhancement Scientist at HDR,Inc. Peter is involved in our 830 acre lake dredging project and also a member of the Illinois Lake Management Association that we mutually belong to. We spoke about our habitat products numerous times, which prompted him to pass our information on to a colleague within his firm, Tom Johnson, Sr. Fisheries Biologist. Tom works at the HDR, Inc. Fisheries design center and had been in discussion with Steven Fajfer, Operations Supervisor and Richard Klett, cool water propagation Biologist at Wild Rose Hatchery about their Muskies.

HDR’s Fisheries Design Center, led by industry experts, is a focused group of professionals that operate as a single source to provide a range of services, from project planning to tailored best management practices, quality assurance programs, sustainability, energy conservation, water reuse, and CAD services.

The Fisheries Design Center matches dedicated technical specialists with each project to deliver optimal results for the fish and their natural environment.

The WDNR Wild Rose team, were looking for an easy to install/remove, inert pond habitat for those musky who seem to need something in the pond to get around while they transition back to natural minnow forage from the pellet artificial feeds they were fed in the building. The new State of the art Wild Rose Hatchery, produce’s all of the States Musky for stocking. Currently, the fish swam in circles around the edge of the ponds, uninterested in the minnows without something to instinctually hide and ambush from. Unprotected from sun and potential predation, these fish had been lacking the cover/habitat provided in nature to learn to hide, hunt and utilize cover before being released into the wild.

“As for why we wanted to do this, we all see how the muskies in the ponds search out structure of any kind to sit next to. That includes each other. Structures on the surface make the fish susceptible to sunburn and predation. We can’t use organic material because of the risk of disease carryover and unable to disinfect. The Fishiding structures seemed ideal.” Steven Fajfer, WDNR

                                                                          With the abundant talent the State has working on such projects, discussions began within the numerous departments and offices of the WDNR. Justin VanDeHey, Assistant Professor of Fisheries at the College of Natural Resources University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, along with WDNR’s Alfred Kaas, John Komassa and Randal Larson, discussed ideas and initial studies. Benjamin Heimbach, Gary Lindenburger, David Giehtbrock and Timothy Simpson have all added their input and opinions as well, from their various DNR offices within the State. The hard part was deciding what to study first with so many assumed positive results to come.

A similar study just released a few weeks back in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B and Science Daily, solidifies the concept. This study undertaken with an International team of Researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway and Penn State University, shows adding artificial fish habitat improves many aspects of the fish’s development.

Victoria Braithwaite, Professor of fisheries and Biology at Penn State University states: “There’s a mismatch between the way we raise them and the real world. What this study is suggesting is that you could raise fewer, but smarter fish and you will still have higher survivability once you release them. In the hatchery the world is homogenous, life is boring and monotonous. The water flow is the same, you don’t have to find your food and you don’t have to avoid predators.”

Funding………Who Supports Musky Stocking in Wisconsin?

 

The networking certainly didn’t stop here. Steve Fajfer had a typical supervisor’s dilemma. How can we procure enough habitat to study this correctly on our limited budget? Although the habitat was being offered at cost by Fishiding for the study as well as free delivery and installation help, the State needed additional funding to help to proceed.

That’s where Steve started making calls to Jerry Loop, The Winnobagoland Musky club’s Represenative. Over the years, the Musky Club’s Alliance of Wisconsin has given back to Musky in a big way. Almost two dozen separate clubs across the state raise money to give back to musky fishing in Wisconsin to form the Alliance. Jerry explained they have received grant money for habitat  and would be willing to buy the discounted habitat and donate it to the Wild Rose Hatchery for the Musky studies. Along with the grant money, Jerry and some guys from the club would come out to help install, even bring lunch! These guys love their Musky!

 This donation of artificial habitat will be able to improve hatchery fish of many species for generations to come, consisting of reclaimed PVC and cement. For over 30 years, thousands of dedicated musky fisherman have worked raising money, so that future generations  enjoy this priceless resource. It is no longer the fish of a thousand casts, not in Wisconsin.

Since 1979, the Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin has been working with member clubs and the WDNR to improve the musky fishery in the state of Wisconsin.  In the last 25 years a lot of things have been accomplished and some of them are listed below.

– Over 25,000 musky fingerlings have been stocked at an approximate cost of $162,000.

– Around $830,000 has been distributed to member clubs for their local projects and programs.

– Around $26,000 has been awarded to Wisconsin fishery students at UW-Stevens Point.

– Provide $40,000 in support of the Great Lakes Spotted Musky program.

– Provided $36,500 to the Portage Area Musky Club to support their musky rearing program.

– Provided $4,500 to the Pewaukee Lake Musky Research Project

– Provided $1,000 to the Hayward Area Musky rearing ponds.

– Donated $41,000 to the WDNR for musky related projects

– Donated $9,000 to Eagle River and Hayward “Fishing Has No Boundaries” program.

– Donated $700 to Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame

– Donated $1,500 to the Aquatic Invasive Species program

– Donated $9,000 to the University of Michigan/WDNR Musky Habitat Study

Installation Day Arrives

 The date was finally set and the 300 habitat units were loaded on trucks and trailers. The four man Fishiding team headed north three hours to the hatchery. There we met Jerry and his group from the Musky club, ready to get busy with these strange looking fish structures. Steve and his team from the hatchery were on hand to give us all an overview of the plans and a chance to look around the newly updated facility.

For more than a century, Wild Rose Hatchery has been the State’s reliable workhorse, producing up to 50 tons of fish per year. One of only three hatcheries producing cool water and cold water species, this state of the art facility supplies 27% of the States Trout and salmon, 64% of the States Northern Pike and 100% of the states Sturgeon and Muskie. Other capabilities include raising Brown trout, Chinook, Coho and soon, Rainbow Trout. The visitor Center and historic buildings, along with aquariums, video and extensive exhibits help share the Wild Rose story. We were lucky enough to get into the inner sanctum…..the grow ponds.

The discovery of the fish disease VHS in Wisconsin, changed many aspects of fish production at Wild Rose and other DNR hatcheries. In addition to strict disinfection procedures and extensive fish testing, visitors can no longer enter fish production areas to avoid tracking in viruses or bacteria. Because of this reason, the Fishiding habitat will be washed between groups of fish to ensure no transfer of germs/bacteria.

We set up some card tables and barely got half way through the bending demonstration and these folks were off. With the help of over a dozen people, 150 units were installed in two different grow ponds as stated above in just a few hours. Originally the plan was to use all 300 units in two 1 acre ponds. As fingerling availability and room at the hatchery came to fruition, the two half acre ponds were available to be used. The additional habitat units will go in separate ponds, to supply additional data on other study parameters and potential use with other species.

“It’s so simple, why didn’t  I think of that?” was mentioned more than once. “I love that we are keeping this material out of landfills and giving it to the fish.”  This group was enthusiastic and excited the entire time. Dozens of trips down the long set of stairs into the future home of the State’s next generation of “Super Musky.” Many exaggerated fishing stories, a few hunting stories, and the common love of the outdoors. I knew we were in good hands when it was apparent that Steve and his staff were as excited as we are, feeling strongly we are breaking new ground in understanding how important a role fish habitat plays, both in captivity and Nature.

 Before we finished cleaning up for lunch and completion, a gentlemen and his Mom were introduced to us all. Carolee Primising and her son Patrick, were asked to come out for a surprise on this eventful day. A plaque was unveiled to reveal a dedication in memory of one of Wisconsin’s finest Fisheries Biologists, Mike Primising.

Mike is remembered fondly as a loving husband, dad, friend and MUSKY man, with over 30 years of service to Wisconsin’s DNR fisheries. It was an emotional time as Steve spoke warmly of the 9 years he and Mike worked together at the WDNR. We laughed about the good times and knew Mike would be proud to be a part of this momentous event in Musky development.

Confidence is high and results will soon begin to appear. Will the habitat ponds grow larger and/or heavier fish? Will the minnows be able to hide in the habitat and force the Musky to learn to outsmart them? How many of the habitat raised fish will survive after stocking? Will these fish grow larger when stocked due to skills learned at Wild Rose?

Fishiding.com offers a full line of artificial fish habitat and feeders for fresh and salt water. Dense shallow models, provide cover and substrate for newly hatched fry. Mid and deep water habitat for forage and predator cover in various textures to suit specific species needs. The ability to convert over abundant nutrients back into food via Periphyton, takes place naturally on the massive surface area they create. Self-contained, weighted and ready to unfold and sink, sets these habitat units apart with no additional supplies or tools needed. Underwater PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC ENGBRETSON

As the trend to improve habitat in all aspects of the Fisheries Industry continues to expand, this inert, long term habitat made from reclaimed artificial materials will continue to lead the way. By expanding our knowledge in Aquaculture, hatchery production and open water habitats, we stand on the brink of understanding how to produce smarter and stronger fish that will survive and prosper in the wild.

Follow us on Linkdin as well as our habitat blog Structurespot.com to keep up on all the habitat work taking place world wide. Custom units, lake/pond habitat design, species preferences, available upon request.

Artificial Fish Habitat Teaches Fish Survival Skills

Posted on by david

Aquatic Playground Can Turn Water Tanks Into Fish Schools

July 30, 2013 — Raising fish in tanks that contain hiding places and other obstacles can make the fish both smarter and improve their chances of survival when they are released into the wild, according to an international team of researchers. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

“It’s a key problem in that we are very good at rearing fish, but we’re really not very good at releasing those animals in the wild such that they survive,” said Victoria Braithwaite, professor of fisheries and biology, Penn State. “There’s a mismatch between the way we raise them and the real world.”

Juvenile Atlantic salmon raised in tanks that including pebble and rock hiding places and floating artificial plants were better able to navigate mazes and showed signs of improved brain function compared to the salmon reared in standard hatchery tanks, Braithwaite said. This may help conservation fish hatcheries raise and release fish that are better adapted to survive in the wild.

Conservation fish hatcheries raise cod, salmon, trout and other types of fish and release them in places where their species may be threatened, or where their populations are declining.

“The philosophy of most fish hatcheries is to rear a large number of fish and hope some survive,” said Braithwaite. “What this study is suggesting is that you could raise fewer, but smarter fish, and you will still have higher survivability once you release them.”

The researchers, who released their findings today (July 31) in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, placed pebbles and rocks at the bottom of the tank and added plastic plants weighted down so they would float vertically in the water. Braithwaite said the objects created a more natural, three-dimensional ecosystem.

“In the hatchery the world is homogenous, life is boring and monotonous,” Braithwaite said. “The water flow is the same, you don’t have to find your food and you don’t have to avoid predators.”

The researchers also moved the objects around about once a week during the eight-week study, which took place in Norway.

When the researchers placed the salmon in a maze, the fish raised in the enriched tanks made fewer mistakes when trying to escape the maze, Braithwaite said. The performance of the salmon from the enriched tank continued to improve with each trial, and they learned to solve the maze much faster than fish reared the standard way.

The brains of the fish from the enriched tank were also different from the fish raised in the standard hatchery tanks, according to the researchers.

They noted increased expressions of a gene in a region of the fish’s brain that is associated with learning and memory, an indication of increased brain function and growth. The fish raised in standard tanks did not show this sign of increased brain development.

Interacting with the environment can influence gene expression in the brain, Braithwaite said.

“The brain is a very plastic organ, it’s a dynamic structure,” said Braithwaite, who worked with Ann Gro Vea Salvanes, professor of biology; Olav

Moberg, doctoral student; Tome Ole Nilsen, researcher in marine development biology; Knut Helge Jensen, senior engineer in evolutionary ecology, all at the University of Bergen, Norway; and Lars O.E. Ebbesson, group leader of integrative fish biology, Uni Research, Bergen. Braithwaite said the enriched tanks created significant improvement in the intelligence and adaptability of the fish, but were relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Owners of fish hatcheries should be able to afford the creation of enhanced tanks.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Penn State, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Why Fish Cribs Work and Why They Fail

Posted on by david
Engbretson Underwater Photography

Why Fish Cribs Work and Why They Fail

This article by Eric is the most comprehensive list and overview of fish cribs and habitat

preferences utilized by most of the North American fish species I have ever come across.

His career spanning over 30 years in underwater fish photography has given him and now us,

a look beneath the waves to understand what he and his colleagues have been seeing for years.

In over four years of extensive study, I have not found anyone else who understands

fish behavior and has the photos to prove his findings like Eric. Groundbreaking

information never before available, will help us understand how to best construct,

place and revitalize new and existing fish cribs and why. Did you know fish preferred

to be able to swim under the crib, not to mention key points like density, height

and proximity to aquatic vegetation? More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Eric and I talk regularly about habitat, cribs and fishy stories surrounding this

underwater world which he is so familiar with. He has installed some of our

artificial habitat units in his own lake for long term monitoring as well as other

lakes in the area to see just how well they stack up. Although skeptical at first,

he has seen the aquatic growth, fry and predator fish utilizing our products and

find we meet most, if not all of his criteria for why our products work so well.

Sit back and read into the underwater world of Eric and his team as they share

their insight of how, why and where fish cribs work from the first hand account

of divers under the surface.

Take a look through his site and the thousands of images he has compiled

over his career under the water’s surface. This is only the start of fully

understanding and improving the fish cribs we install. The Fishiding pictures

he has taken and observed will only help us improve on how best to help our

fisheries. Throughout this diving season, Eric and his team will continue to dive

and document our cribs and others for all to enjoy and learn from. Preferred

crib color, fish abundance, water fertility/clarity and sunlight penetration are just

a few of the many unanswered questions we are beginning to understand with

Eric’s help. Watch for a new, taller model to come out soon!

 

Engbretson Underwater Photography

Why Fish Cribs Work and Why They Fail

By Eric Engbretson

 

When I encounter fish cribs in lakes where I scuba dive, I typically see one of two opposite things: cribs holding fish, and cribs attracting no fish at all. In years of first-hand underwater observation, I have noticed that the cribs with fish share certain characteristics. So do the cribs devoid of fish. I’ve concluded that there are two key aspects of cribs that succeed in drawing and holding impressive numbers of fish. Those two critical components are design and location. Let’s look at each one separately and see why some cribs succeed while other cribs fail.

Design:

Years ago, fish cribs usually shared a single design. They consisted of big logs lashed together to make a cube like a miniature log cabin without a roof. The interior was stuffed with brush or tree branches and they were weighed down with concrete, cinder blocks, or heavy rocks. Since these structures can be very large, heavy, and almost impossible to move, they’re built in the wintertime in northern states and left on the ice, where they sink into place in the spring when the ice starts to melt. The cribs are usually square but sometimes rectangular. They are typically four or five feet high and four to eight feet long.

Since the classic wooden log-cabin style is the most popular kind of fish crib, my observations and comments focus on these specific types of cribs and in particular on the best ways to make them as effective as possible.

By their very nature, most fish cribs have a distinctly limited lifespan. When they’re fresh and their interiors are tightly packed with brush and tree limbs, minnows and juvenile fish will flock their way. The thick cover provides shelter and a place to hide from predators. The smaller fish penetrate deep into the cribs. Panfish will congregate outside or squeeze their way in where they can. Larger predator fish, such as bass and northern pike, will hang around the perimeter, attracted by the throngs of fish concentrated in this area.

The interior material of thick brush or tree branches gives rise to a problem that is endemic to fish cribs. The material provides dense cover that small fish need, but over time it disintegrates, leaving only the cribs’ outside skeleton intact. The center portion remains basically empty. Without brush and branches, the cribs can no longer protect small fish from larger fish. And once the small fish–a source of food–disappear, the crib also loses its appeal to the game fish, which no longer gather around the crib to enjoy the all-you-can-eat buffet it once was. While these cribs might occasionally still draw a few larger fish for shade or cover, they lose their major attraction as a feeding center. Most people don’t understand that the secret ingredient that makes a crib design successful is not the frame or the exoskeleton, but the thick interior brush. If that’s not a central component from the start, or if it’s lost, cribs will stop attracting fish. The frame may stay intact and last for decades, but the brush deteriorates much more quickly. If there were some way to re-stock these cribs with interior brush, we could vastly extend their viability and lifetime.

The Vertical Dimension

Height is infinitely more important than length. The higher the walls of the crib extend from the bottom, the more attractive the crib will prove to fish. You want a piece of genuine structure, not something that is just an inconspicuous component of the floor of the lake. In fact, cribs should measure no less than four feet high. Fish want something well above the lake floor, and they like to choose the depth they want to hold while remaining close to the structure.

One of the best fish cribs I’ve ever seen was created entirely by accident. It was rectangular and four feet high, four feet wide, and 12 feet long. It was placed on the ice in 17 feet of water. When the ice melted in the spring, the rocks weighing it down shifted position, and the crib plunged to the bottom on its side. As a result, the crib towered 12 feet from the bottom. Underwater it looked like a skyscraper. Fish flocked to the crib and occupied various stories from top to bottom. A long, dark shadow fell on one side and served as a magnet for fish. In short, the structure turned into an amazingly effective accidental home. Another crib of the same dimensions fell nearby as originally intended but, since it ranged only four feet from the bottom, it attracted only a fraction of the fish the skyscraper did.

Complexity of Design

Since this is not an article about building cribs, I won’t go into the blueprints on how to construct them. The key element in one word is complexity. This refers to the guts of the crib, not the frame. The interior brush should be packed tightly enough to block out most light. Don’t worry about making it so dense that fish won’t be able to get inside. Pockets will form here and there, and fish are astoundingly adept at squeezing into the tiniest spaces. Long branches should extend from the crib on all sides and through all the slats. If possible, include some long branches stuck into the top of the crib to give it some extra dimension. The idea is to create as thick and complex a jungle as possible. The final result will resemble a thick mass of long branches extending from the dense pack inside the crib. The branches should reach from every depth of the crib in every direction and at every possible angle. If your finished crib looks even vaguely tidy, it needs more work.

View from Inside a Fish Crib (c)Eric Engbretson

Designs that Don’t Work from Day One:

Cribs that incorporate Christmas trees work adequately but for a very short time. Christmas trees deteriorate so quickly that in just a year or two, they no longer provide the complex cover that fish desire. In addition, fish will ignore cribs that are too small, too short, or too simple in design.

Examples of poor designs are cribs made of wooden pallets that rest only a couple of feet off the bottom, or cribs with huge spaces between pallets and no interior brush. Star-shaped cribs that resemble the obstacles used on the beaches of Normandy in World War II may look fascinating, but they lack the complexity, shade, and cover to attract fish well. Cribs containing white birch bark or white PVC pipe always fail. After all, fish refuse to be silhouetted against a white background that makes them too visible to predators. This list is scarcely exhaustive: There are many other design flaws in cribs that don’t attract fish.

Location:

Depth

When it comes to location, success depends largely on depth. When cribs are placed shallow enough to let sunlight reach them, they grow algae and other organic material. This serves as a food source for juvenile fish and also makes the cribs fuller and denser. When cribs are placed closer to the littoral zone, they’re much more accessible to the newly hatched fry that will quickly colonize them and provide the food that attracts larger fish.

When I’m scuba diving, I see fish cribs in deep water go largely unused most of the year. The water is colder here and may lack adequate oxygen. In general, these cribs receive visits by fish in fall and winter. On the other hand, fish in shallower water will use a crib virtually year-round. Some of the best fish cribs I’ve seen were ones that weren’t properly weighted. When the ice melted, they floated toward shore and ran aground. When allowed to remain in place, these cribs were quickly covered by algae and were populated immediately by juvenile fish and newly hatched fry. Despite their extremely shallow location, they attracted game fish year after year and even served some fish as a structure for spawning.

The Substrate

Cribs should always be placed on a hard bottom or substrate. If placed on a lake bottom with 12 inches of muck, let’s say, the crib will sink into the muck and you’ll effectively lose a foot of height. Since height is vital to fish, you don’t want to lose it. A muck bottom also eliminates the basement floor.

The Basement Level

Another reason a hard bottom matters is that you want about a foot of clearance between the lake bottom and the base of the crib. If fish can swim underneath your crib in this basement level, you’ve really got something to brag about. Walleyes and bass, by the way, are two species especially drawn to cribs that let them swim underneath.

Plants

If the crib rests in shallow water where plants can grow, it’s often possible to extend the life of the crib almost indefinitely. As multitudes of fish congregate around the crib season after season, their feces can accelerate a lush growth of plants. This patch of vegetation is denser than the surrounding area and creates desirable habitat all by itself. In time, after the interior brush decomposes, it’s possible that tall aquatic plants will replace it, a process that prolongs the lifespan and effectiveness of the crib. If the crib sits in water that’s too deep for plants to grow, none of this growth will take place.

Multiple Cribs in One Location

Cribs located close to each other always outperform single units. Fish will often travel back and forth in a cluster of cribs. Even if they are built alike and placed at the very same depth, they form individual identities, and multiple cribs will be used by different species in various ways. For example, one crib may attract many more rock bass than another that is just a few feet away and populated mainly by sunfish. The differences in the cribs are largely indiscernible to our eyes, but the fish notice subtle distinctions that drive their preferences. The rule, then, is simple: Multiple cribs offer multiple choices and greater numbers of fish.

Regulations

The regulations on the placement of fish cribs are mandated by Natural Resources Departments in many states and other jurisdictions. In my state, Wisconsin, permits for fish crib construction and placement explicitly instruct builders to place them with at least five feet of water over the top of the structure. Since the cribs themselves are typically four or five feet high, the minimum depth for placement is nine or ten feet. The concern here is understandable. Cribs can create hazards for boaters, who may be unaware of their locations. However, if I were placing cribs on my own private lake, free from regulations, I would place them shallow enough so that only two or three feet of water covered the top. This way, I might be able to replenish them with new brush from time to time as the older material disintegrated. This would greatly extend their natural lifespan.

The Future of Artificial Fish Shelters

In recent years, fish-crib makers have gotten very creative and used a variety of materials. Most popular of the new wave of materials are things normally destined for the junk pile or landfill. Today it’s not unusual to see fish cribs made of stacked wooden pallets, plastic, or PVC. They feature clever designs, and I’ve seen some of them underwater in lakes that I frequent. But the truth is that they don’t seem to fare well. While they may be lighter, easier, and cheaper to make, their main drawback is that they lack the size and complexity to prove attractive to fish. The best ones take up the most space and most effectively mimic trees, sunken timber, and other natural elements.

An example of a poorly constructed fish attractant.  Notice the lack of complexity and the large open spaces that provide shade, but nothing in the way of cover. @Eric Engbretson Photo

Fish Cribs as Fish Habitat

Let’s get one thing straight. Fish cribs are definitely not fish habitat. They’re artificial constructions designed to concentrate unusually large numbers of fish in a very small area so fishermen can catch them. Fish cribs do not normally provide the elements fish need for spawning or nesting. At their best, fish cribs merely impersonate fish habitat. In fact, in lakes with an abundance of excellent fish habitat, even the best- made and best-placed cribs will go ignored by fish in favor of superior natural structure. In sum, fish cribs work best in lakes where there is little or no natural structure for fish to use.

Traits of Effective Cribs:

·They reside in relatively shallow water (10 to 15 feet)

·They receive ample sunlight and they support algae and other organic growth

·They are in water that is shallow enough to let submergent plants grow nearby

·They sit on a hard bottom

·They are at least four feet high

·They have a space at the base that lets fish swim under the crib

·They are thickly packed in the center with various sizes of brush and branches

·They have long and complex branches on all faces extending away from the crib

·They have a complex design

·They are placed together with other cribs

·They are in lakes that contain little or no natural structure

Traits of Ineffective Cribs:

·They sit in water that’s too deep (or too shallow if the water’s too warm for fish)

·They sit too deep to receive ample sunlight and support organic growth

·They are in water too deep for plants to grow nearby

·They sit on a mucky bottom

·They are less than four feet high

·They have no space at the base where fish can swim under the crib

·They contain Christmas trees or have little or no brush packed into their center

·They have a design of limited complexity

·They are placed alone

·They are in lakes with abundant natural habitat and structure

Conclusion

As with any set of guidelines and suggestions, there are always exceptions. My observations and conclusions come from years of scuba diving in the northern lakes of the upper Midwest. While complexity of design is universally important, in other parts of the country, many of my suggestions on placement may ignore local conditions and require adaptation. For example, in large southern reservoirs, water temperatures can soar into the 80s and force fish to spawn and live in far deeper water, where lower and more comfortable temperatures prevail. In very clear lakes, sunlight may penetrate 30 feet or more, and plants can grow at greater depths than in other locales. In lakes like these, specific local conditions must be taken into account. Because of such variables, it’s important to have a good understanding of your lake’s ecology and other characteristics. Understanding the specific dynamics of any given lake will help immeasurably when you decide on the best locations for a crib. By Eric Engbretson

PotashCorp Sets New Trend In Tournament Bass Fishing”Helping Nature Provide”

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There are countless Bass fishing events that take place across our country each year allowing participants a chance to take home substantial prize money and products. This past weekend was no exception on J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir  in Appleton,Georgia.

 With a first ever of it’s kind, The PotashCorp FishBack Open Team Tournament, contestants competed to raise money and awareness in support of the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance (GOCA) and the North Augusta Fishing Team.  After the two day event, 100% of the proceeds were donated to these two fine deserving groups with $6000.00 and $4000.00 respectively being  awarded.

With a guaranteed payout of $12,000 for first place, more than 125 boats competed in this first annual open. The two man team event goal, was raising money for two great groups. Boats and fisherman from numerous surrounding states, geared up for this unique opportunity to fish this expansive body of water.

Fast boats and seasoned anglers planned to  jockey for a chance at taking home one of the many cash and donated prizes, including two 52″ wide screen T.V’s donated by Fairway Ford.

Before first light on Saturday, hundreds of decked out fishing rigs decended on Wildwood Park and the Tommy Shaw Memorial weigh in at Clark Hill.  Anglers of all levels  including a few FLW pro’s, then discovered fishing wasn’t the only job on hand for the day.

The twist to this groundbreaking Bass tournament concept…….install artificial fish habitat during the event, enhancing the environment and the fishery! Maybe come back on day two and catch a lunker on the habitat unit you installed on Saturday!

That’s right, each boat was required to give something back to the fishery by installing an artificial fish habitat structure at either their first or second stop of day one. Over 150 new artificial habitat units were installed during the event.

More than one strange look was apparent when the requirement was announced. You want  me to put what in my spotless, pristine gel coated water rocket? I barely have enough room for the twenty something rods and hundreds of pounds of tackle we can’t fish without.  Are we going to fit yet more gear and supplies, ropes, cinder blocks, etc.?

No worries, each boat of two fisherman received a Safehouse model habitat by Fishiding.com to unfold and install. These patented, self contained habitat units are made from reclaimed vinyl siding, cemented into a PVC container. Standing about 45″ tall when shipped, the vinyl limbs bend out in all directions and create a “Safehouse” about 7′ diameter and 3′-6″ tall, weighing approximately 15 pounds.

No additional tools or supplies…or mess when putting these habitat units out. Just bend to shape by hand, whatever looks good, then toss over the side. Each artificial fish habitat unit will sink to the bottom and land upright to resemble a bush. The wide limbs create maximum shade, often preferred by bass and forage fish. Nutrients then stick to the vinyl and start the food chain.

The brains behind this first of it’s kind conservation awareness tournament came from the event mastermind, Joey Bruyninckx of PotashCorp.

“Giving something back to the fishery only made sense.” Cancer, Kids and Conservation, what better causes to support?

We met Joey and his team through our involvement with the North Augusta fishing Team. PotashCorp has been a loyal supporter of the North Augusta Fishing Team.( NAFT ) Months back, we were contacted by a hard working young lady named Rosie DeAnnutis, a selfless volunteer for the NAFT. She asked if we may like to get involved in supporting the kids on a cold spring tourney at the same location, Wildwood Park back in March.

We very much wanted to be involved, but because of the timing and the distance, we called on our trusted partners at SOlitude lake Management at their nearby office’s in Charlotte and Raleigh to assist us by speaking to the kids about habitat. SOlitude  has various offices throughout the mid-Atlantic states.  Serving clients in 9 states  including: VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, PA, WV, NJ and NY, offering top notch professional service and advice for all your lake and pond aquatic needs. Aquatic, Fishery, Wildlife and Forestry Biologists, Environmental and Ecology Scientists, all make up the SOlution to a better planet earth.

Matt Phillips, their Aquatic Biologist/Environmental Scientist was happy to help and make the three hour drive to participate. The group discussed fish recruitment, stocking and available habitat. These young, fishing machines embraced the information and wanted to be involved in any habitat restoration plans they could assist with. Matt and Joey began to discuss ideas for the upcoming FishBack Tourney that cold and overcast day as the kids enjoyed the time spent together, outdoors.

The NAFT is open to kids in junior high through high school, ages 11-18. The coach Sean Hall, has a special gift. Gaining the trust and respect of these kids, he loves the outdoors and teaching them about what is important for their future, and the environment. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Sean brings in DNR officers, Biologists and other related professionals to talk to the kids about boating safety, fish health and species identification to name just a few. “Fishing is only a small part of what these kids take out of being part of the team.”

Although Sean is amazing in how he keeps the kids attention, he certainly can’t do it alone. Jeannie Parks Wilson and Bobbi Boatwright round out the staff to keep this team growing. Getting involved in more events and spreading the message surrounding the multi-faceted benefits of youth fishing teams is their core goal.

After speaking with local DNR officers, it was determined that the lake needed additional habitat, more than any other feasible efforts like stocking, which was another idea and potential option. The lake levels had been extremely low in the recent past which takes a significant toll on fish spawning and recruitment. Additional habitat that fish can utilize to feed, hunt and hide within creates not only big bass, but forage species as well.

This less known concept in habitat improvement is growing Nationwide and moving to installation of inert, artificial materials, that last underwater for decades or longer. In the past, brush piles, Christmas trees and the like have been the norm. Although these materials hold fish and work very well. Their life underwater is short lived due to decomposition, also robbing dissolved oxygen from the water column. Inert materials like boulders, rock and plastics never break down and provide a surface for life to form immediately after submersing.

With over 50% of the Nation’s waters in an impaired state, biologists and esteemed professionals from all the State and Federal agencies are looking for ways to improve water quality before it gets any worse. Aeration, Floating Treatment Wetlands, living shorelines and artificial habitat, are just a few of the tools we are learning have multiple benefits.

These products when placed in the water, attract and convert excessive nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen into fish food called periphyton. That fuzz that grows on surfaces underwater….”mothers milk” of the underwater world. All fish graze exclusively on this highest known source of food for their first year of life. Unlike aquatic vegetation, these products never die off and continue to process nutrients all year around in a process called biomimicry. This same technology is currently being used in fields like wastewater treatment, fish farming, aquaculture and hatchery settings worldwide.

The Potash Corporation, founded in 1989 is one of the world’s largest producer of Potash, Phosphate and Nitrogen, responsible for 20% of the global capacity through their Canada operations. PotashCorp has built the world’s largest fertilizer enterprise by capacity on world-class potash resources and high-quality phosphate and nitrogen assets. These primary nutrients that crops need, as well as livestock feeds and industrial goods, are an essential part of our everyday lives.

PotashCorp  brought in support from all over for this unique twist on bass fishing. The Clark Hill Committee and Columbia County worked tirelessly for weeks with Joey and his team to make this event the huge success that it was.

Fairway Ford provided registration and support as well as trucks for display on tournament days, as well as prizes for the raffle.

Dixie Riverside A&A Vending services also contributed not only by donating all the food and drinks, but has been an ongoing supporter of the North Augusta Fishing Team.

Fireplaces and More were on hand cooking fresh pulled pork sandwiches, dogs and the like for the two day event, keeping the masses fed.

Zoom baits, another NAFT supporter and integral part of this years FishBack tournament, were on hand with samples of some new baits for all involved and a major part of the planning to make this years event possible. Chris Baxter, Zoom sales manager and FLW pro, has a special connection to this event. After his wife was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, he wanted to do more to raise awareness for other women and possibly save a life with early detection. Baxter reached out to Doug Barron with the GOCA.

More on Chris and his partnership with GOCA in a story recently written in Wired2Fish.com.

Doug and his right hand man Chase Powell, were around all weekend to answer questions and provide literature and support regarding ovarian cancer. Passionate outdoors men, these two guys have a soft and dedicated commitment to help women and their families diagnosed with this unfortunate disease.

From black tie events and prestigious supporters, fishing tournaments with shorts and sandals, the message on how to early detect this type of cancer is one of their main goals. Lots of travel and long days are the norm for these two stewards of ovarian cancer support and education.

Kicks 99 radio also was on hand with music and games, proudly showing their support for the kids and the Georgia cancer Alliance.

GreenfishTackle and The Tackle Shop had strong support for their products both on and off the water. Owner Jon Hair not only spent countless hours planning with the team but also got out and caught some fine fish as a contestant in the event.

Seatow was there for all on the water support as well as donating prizes to the raffles.

Loads of bass made their way to the weigh in, almost 8.5 pounds and 7.5 pounds  won the big bass checks for $1000.00 on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The NAFT kids ran to the lake for release of each boats catch like revolving fish doctors, spending needed time to revive tired fish. Two, five fish limits were added together for the total weight of the event, which a number of the top finishers were over 30+ pounds in aggregate!

A unique and welcome surprise for a couple traveling from the Chicagoland area. My wife Renee’ and I were welcomed into this family of fish loving folks, dedicated to helping others less fortunate and bettering others lives. A touching prayer and our National anthem started the event Saturday morning in the dark. Hundreds of eager contestants stood silent with respect, heads bowed and hats off.  Southern hospitality is alive and well in the Augusta area. Take note America, this is how it’s done!

Photos by: Michael E. Johnson Photography 706-832-6762

additional links/stories: ODU, facebook Wired2Fish, potashcorp/facebook

Inert substrates grow periphyton and larger fish

Posted on by david

Effects of addition of tilapia on the abundance of periphyton in freshwater prawn culture ponds with periphyton substrates

MN Hasan, MS Rahman, MF Hosen, MA Bashar

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of addition of tilapia on abundance of periphyton in freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in periphyton based culture system for a period of 120 days at Fisheries Field Laboratory Complex, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. A large pond (83×8.9 m) was drained completely and partitioned by galvanized iron sheet into 18 small ponds of 40 m2 each; of which 6 ponds were used for this experiment. The experimental ponds were divided into 2 treatments each with 3 randomly selected ponds. The absence and presence (0 and 0.5 individual m-2) of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were investigated in 40 m2 ponds stocked with 3 prawn juveniles (5±0.05 g) m-2 with added substrates for periphyton development. A locally formulated and prepared feed containing 30% protein was supplied considering the body weight of prawn only. Addition of periphyton substrates significantly reduced the inorganic N-compounds (TAN, NO2-N, and NO3-N) in water column. Forty six genera of periphyton were identified belonging to the Bacillariophyceae (10), Chlorophyceae (21), Cyanophyceae (7), Euglenophyceae (2), Crustacea (1) and Rotifera (5) with significant difference (P<0.05) of phyto-periphyton except Euglenophyceae and without significant difference (P>0.05) of zoo-periphyton between the treatments. The abundance of periphyton biomass in terms of dry matter, ash, ash free dry matter and chlorophyll-a were significantly higher in tilapia-free ponds comparing to tilapia added ponds. Benthic organisms had no significant difference (p>0.05) between the treatments. Addition of tilapia in periphyton-based system benefited the freshwater prawn culture through (i) reducing toxic inorganic nitrogenous compounds in water (ii) reducing demand for supplemental feed (iii) using periphyton as additional natural feed and, (iv)improving survival and production of prawn and tilapia.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v10i2.14924

J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 10(2): 313-324, 2012 More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Bell Isle gets $2 million for habitat work

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A $2-million habitat restoration project on Belle Isle is expected to further the comeback story of fish on the Detroit River and make Detroit?s island park a more desirable destination for anglers.

Keith Flournoy, Belle Isle park manager for the city, called the improvements ?wonderful.?

?Just the aesthetics of it look great,? he said. ?And what it does for habitat, for the fish to thrive in this area; the opportunities for fishermen to have a better fishing experience both in the Detroit River and on Belle Isle … I think it?s money well-spent.?

Belle Isle was on display last weekend for the annual Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and will take center stage again next weekend with the two-day Orion Music + More festival featuring metal giant Metallica. But the habitat enhancements are occurring on the little-trafficked east side of the island, usually left to birds, frogs, turtles and snakes. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

A $1.5-million portion of the project is transforming the Blue Heron Lagoon, a 41-acre wetland on the island?s east end that for decades has featured a small, pump-fed lake closed to the river. The lagoon is now open to allow the river to flow through. A new pedestrian bridge spans the water opening.

The lagoon now better provides areas where baby fish, known as fry, can hide and develop during a crucial period when they are most vulnerable to predators, said David Howell, chairman of Friends of the Detroit River, a nonprofit that helped lead efforts on the Belle Isle projects. Dredging over the years to improve freighter shipping on the river destroyed many of the gravelly bottom areas fish like for spawning, he noted.

?If they did spawn, the eggs or little fish would just get washed away. There was no safe harbor,? Howell said. ?This is a place for fry to go and grow and return to the river.?

Some deep holes were excavated in the lagoon to vary water depths, said the Friends? Sam Lovall, project manager on the Belle Isle habitat restoration.

?It?s really been an attraction to fish,? he said.

A peninsula constructed in the lagoon is currently being planted with a variety of submerged and emerged plants, further improving habitat.

?The whole point is diversity in the biosystem ? more fish, more birds, the snakes, the turtles,? Lovall said. ?All of them living together is what makes a healthy community of wildlife.?

Southwest of the Blue Heron Lagoon, at the South Fishing Pier, a series of breakwaters now slows the current between the pier and land, protecting small and large fish alike from both the river flows and large freighters? wakes, Lovall said. More plantings and water depth variances further enhance the fish habitat.

?It?s a nice fishing pier, but fishermen didn?t typically have a lot of luck fishing there because it?s right in the middle of the current,? Howell said. ?There?s no place for the fish to gather or sort of rest. The fish just get pushed on down the river. The South Fishing Pier created some shelter and rest spots.?

The project works in concert with spawning reefs constructed in the river near Belle Isle in recent years, which has led to a comeback in fish species including the threatened lake sturgeon, Michigan?s oldest and largest fish, as well as whitefish, Howell said.

The project is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal grant program designed to address areas of concern in the Great Lakes region. That includes the Detroit River, with its long history of industrial pollution and aquatic habitat loss.

?About 97% of coastal wetlands on the Detroit River are gone; the original, coastal wetlands,? Howell said.

?Efforts like these and others up and down the river are designed to protect the remaining 3% and add to it.?

Oklahoma wildlife officials hope fish like tornado debris

Posted on by david

  • Oklahoma Debris Spider Block.jpg

    Debris from the recent tornado that swept through Oklahoma is being put to use by state conservation officials, who are submerging it in lakes to form “fish attractors.” (wildlifedepartment.com)

Debris from the recent tornado that swept through Oklahoma is already being put to use by state conservation officials, who are submerging it in lakes to form “fish attractors.”

Cinder blocks scattered by the twister that killed 24 last month have been collected by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, which will use them to make what anglers call “spider blocks,” to sink in state lakes, according to The Oklahoman

“We’ve probably got close to 500 right now,” Greg Summers, of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, told the newspaper. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Fish congregate around the spider blocks, which get their name from the appearance given by the PVC pipe that sticks out from the cinder blocks.

“Predators use them as an ambush point,” Summers said. “That’s why they are valued as fish attractors because they do attract predators.”

Spider blocks are usually placed at depths of 12 feet or less, and marked for anglers.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/06/04/oklahoma-wildlife-officials-hope-fish-like-tornado-debris/#ixzz2W0JRnrJw

TPWD stocks stripers at PK Lake

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Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist Wes Studder aids in transferring a net full of the more than 100,000 striper fingerlings stocked at Possum Kingdom Lake May 30. The stocking was done following a work project which sank cedars and brush piles to increase fish habitat in the lake. (Sarah Howard)

In an effort to continue to increase the fish population at Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department stocked 100,000 striper fingerlings May 30. The fish arrived from the new TPWD East Texas fish hatchery in Jasper. They were then transported by boat from North D&D to deeper water before being released into the lake. “We use the deep water transfer to help avoid predators that are usually close to the shoreline,” said Steven Hise, TPWD staff member charged with the job of transferring the fish. According to Wes Studder, TPWD senior technician, the stocking was done following a work project which sank cedars and brush piles to increase fish habitat in the lake. “The new brush piles will provide shelter for the new fish,” he said. “It is great to have a group of people to work with on projects like this.” TPWD is working in conjunction with Hell’s Gate Bass Club on projects to improve the lake. Plans to coordinate with the club were made after an April HGBC meeting where members voted to establish a chapter of Friends of Reservoirs. The program will enable the club to obtain grants and donations for projects done in conjunction with TPWD. TWPD also plans to start 60 small colonies of American pond weed and water willow in the Cedar Creek area of the lake. “We have plans to return to the lake in June to establish vegetation habitats,” said Studder. “It will give us another chance to work with the Hell’s Gate Bass Club.” Dropping water levels and the age of the reservoir have resulted in fewer habitats and less natural plant growth that acts as a refuge for younger fish. To battle this, TPWD began a habitat enhancement project. Its goal is to create natural and artificial habitats, as well as re-introduce aquatic vegetation into the lake creating safe places for young fish. By Sarah Howard. More habitat articles at fishiding.com

At work on the North Fork

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AGFC projects under way on riverbed, overlook

North Fork River projects
North Fork River projects: Overlook and fish habitat improvement underway

Written by
FRANK WALLIS
Mike Cantrell, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission coordinator of Regional Maintenance, points to the North Fork River while standing on an overlook now under construction on a bluff above the river. The new overlook is near the city of Norfork.More habitat articles at fishiding.com

Mike Cantrell, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission coordinator of Regional Maintenance, points to the North Fork River while standing on an overlook now under construction on a bluff above the river. The new overlook is near the city of Norfork. / Kevin Pieper/The Baxter Bulletin

watch it online

See a related video
on the North Fork River projects online atwww.baxterbulletin.com.

NORFORK — The North Fork of the White River and the scenic valley that cradles it are expected to offer some new accommodations for fish and humans by the summer’s end.

An award-winning team of biologists is set to begin work in the riverbed, strategically placing a series of boulders and root wads in the stream for fish habitat and bank stabilization.

Meanwhile, an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission construction crew is building a new scenic overlook on the east side of AR Highway 5 to the north of Norfork.

Fish habitat

AGFC Biologist Tim Burnley told The Bulletin the river work is a second phase of the North Fork River Habitat Project that began in January 2012.

The work involves about 1.5 miles of riverbed and riverbanks from the head of Cooper’s Island downstream to waters fronting River Ridge Inn. Burnley said the stretch of river below Cooper’s Island — known to anglers and biologists as The Flats — hasn’t contained many objects to create holding places for fish, also known as “lunker bunkers.”

“We plan to come in with in-stream cover — mostly rocks and rootwads,” Burnley said. “With that and new water from minimum flow, we expect to have some good fishing in this area of the river.”

Burnley heads up the $100,000 project with AGFC biologists Tony Crouch and Eli Powers.

A series of large boulders is planned for placement at the head of Cooper Island to offer some floodwater protection for the natural island structure and, at the same time, create new holding places for fish.

A similar series of boulders was placed on Charlie’s Island in the first phase of the project.

Overlook project

Mike Cantrell, coordinator of AGFC’s Calico Rock Regional Maintenance, leads an AGFC team in construction of a new public overlook on the east side of Highway 5 just north of its intersection of AR Highway 341.

Cantrell said the overlook will offer a much broader view of the river valley than can been seen from an unmarked pull-off to the north of the new overlook site.

A platform is planned for sightseers with disabilities.

A second viewing site higher on the ridge is planned for hikers. Parking for up to eight passenger cars or trucks is planned, but not for buses due to a relatively steep grade to the parking area, Cantrell said.

The material cost for the overlook is about $27,000, Cantrell said.

Both projects are funded mostly through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration Fund administered by AGFC. That fund matches $3-to-$1 a contribution of $25,000 for the fish habitat project from the the state’s Overlook Estates Settlement Fund held jointly by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and Trout Unlimited.

Award-winning work

Burnley‘s group and an array of contributors including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Explorer Scouts, Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Friends of the North Fork Fish Hatchery, are 2010 recipients of the American Fisheries Society’s Sport Fish Restoration Project of the Year Award.

The project included substantial stream-bed and bank stabilization for Dry Run Creek with major access for anglers with disabilities.

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