Tournament competitors dropped Fishiding “Safehouses” to improve habitat at Strom Thurmond Reservoir.
Activist Angler note: Teaming with Fishiding, PotashCorp introduced a conservation component to its benefit tournament last year and plans to include it again this year. I hope that other tournament organizers will take note and follow the leader because these kinds of projects actually could improve fisheries.
…is an American, woman-owned and operated small business whose goal for over thirty years has been to protect your property from the aesthetic and economic damage caused by invasive plant species. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
We provide a team of expert biologists, foresters, ecologists and managers to evaluate your environment, prioritize…more
In the far Northwest suburbs, away from the fast paced city of Chicago, a 17 year old boy loves the outdoors and fishing. This outdoor lifestyle in our youth is alive and well in our Nation, thanks in part to The Boy Scouts of America. As our world changes at this alarming rate, Scouts continue to build boys into men with ethical, honest and life building challenges. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
The dedication to study, practice and ………….more
Last fall at the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery in Wild Rose, Wi, State WDNR Biologists, Supervisors and staff, eagerly awaited the start of a new pilot study, incorporating artificial habitat in rearing ponds with musky, walleye and other species. Multiple offices within the WDNR, jockeyed for position to decide just what to study first.
WDNR Biologists and staff discussed the various benefits of incorporating habitat in their Hatcheries and which species to use them on first. Musky were the first in line, with musky being the State fish. Being an ambush predator, Musky instinctually seek cover to hide and attack their prey. The grow ponds lacked anything to hide and learn to hunt around. Typically, the fish would circle the rubber lined 2 acre ponds, relating to the only physical form available, the water’s edge. Original story.
When I began discussions with Steven Fajfer, Natural Resources Operations Supervisor at Wild Rose, he explained they had been studying musky raised on pellets indoors and then switched to minnows when put in the grow ponds outside. This would be in comparison to fish that were fed minnows exclusively from start to finish. Next, they would stock pre-designated lakes with both groups of fish and track them. More habitat articles at fishiding.com
Because this study was already underway, by incorporating habitat into the above feeding parameters, this would give the Biologists even more and improved data for comparison. Although discussions and plans to use the habitat with Walleye and other species present at the Hatchery, those fish would have to wait until the Musky study was completed. Next, the hatchery had to select the best option for them in artificial habitat.
Fishiding Artificial Fish Habitat is produced using reclaimed PVC vinyl siding. Multiple pieces of durable, flat, strips of material are held together by cement, forming the base. These patented, multi-textured, bush like units, provide shade and surface area, forming a fuzz of aquatic growth when placed underwater. This natural process is nature’s pristine way of converting over abundant nutrients into periphyton, (fuzz/algae) which is then consumed by the small fish by a process called “grazing”. All fish eat this exclusively as fry.
Each unit is unfolded and bent by hand, to abstract shapes. When placed on the lake or pond bottom, they simulate something like an artificial Christmas tree, providing hiding and feeding areas. The mid-sized Safehouse model was selected as the preferred size for the staff to work with. Standing just under 4’ tall and opening up to over 7’ in diameter, each unit stays in place with the weighted base, coming in at about 15 pounds total.
The ability to wash, disinfect and re-use over and over again, made it the easy choice for the many studies the State has planned. 300 units were delivered, 75 in each of the grow ponds, awaiting delivery of the musky from the Michigan DNR.
When we left Wild Rose last fall after setting up the habitat, we could hardly wait to hear that the ponds had been filled and the Musky had been put in the grow ponds. After a number of months passed with no confirmed delivery, the anticipation turned to disappointment. The musky wouldn’t be stocked with the habitat this year. Bummer yes, but with good reason as the details unfolded.
Steven explained a great deal of the background of the State’s current and past stocking efforts with Musky. Back in the early 1900’s, the Great lakes spotted musky were common in Green Bay and the surrounding waters of Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, poor water quality and over fishing wiped them out. Starting in 1989, Wisconsin received eggs from the Michigan DNR and began restocking them in Green Bay. When those fish became mature and attempted to spawn naturally, they became the source of eggs for the stocking program, since there was very limited natural reproduction. With the outbreak of VHS in 2007, that was no longer an option.
With the local fish not viable to use for brood stock anymore per VHS, that wasn’t the only problem with local stock as the genetic diversity was lacking. About 2007, the State began looking for other outlets to acquire the Great Lake Strain. For a few years, WDNR worked with Ontario, purchasing fingerlings from Georgian Bay stock, which had been raised on pellets. This worked ok, with most fish being stocked directly into Wisconsin inland lakes and a few grown at the Westford Hatchery to about 12” and then stocked. The biggest problem was the red tape getting them across the border each time, resulting in lengthy delays and increased costs.
Back in 1989, the WDNR began working with the Michigan DNR Fisheries department, stocking Great Lakes Musky in places like the Indian River, Burt and Mullet lakes. to name just a few. Michigan also has a top notch program and cool water facility. Easy to transport, healthy and close to home, the two States work well together on each other’s experience and knowledge. Michigan has a wonderful and robust fishery, with plans to improve the State’s fishing opportunities even more. Recently, $1,000,000 in Grant money has been made available for habitat improvement and installation projects.
The Musky that are to be brought in to Wild Rose for the habitat study are coming from Michigan……at some point. About a week before the fish were to be delivered they were tested one more time by the Michigan DNR staff. There was a problem. The biologists discovered Piscirickettsia-like organisms, or something called P.L.O disease in the Musky.
The presence and importance of Piscirickettsia-like bacteria in mammals have been long recognized, but only in recent years could they be identified and characterized in aquatic animals. For this reason, it was not until the late 1980s that Rickettsia agents were linked with major diseases in fish, and subsequently attributed as the cause of substantial economic losses due to disease-related mortality in the 1990s. Piscirickettsiosis and piscirickettsiosis-like diseases have affected aquaculture productivity, profitability, species compatibility with commercial rearing, and fish transport.
Musky with the disease were first discovered in Lake St. Clair in the early 2000’s. It can appear as red spots or blotches on the fish. The WDNR asked them to hold onto the fish for further testing, which showed no definitive results of where or how they were infected. Although the fish appeared healthy, robust and happy, the Wisconsin officials regrettably had to decline the importation. A sincere feeling of disappointment spread through the various department offices, as the realization of waiting another year to begin the study solidified.
“The risk is simply too high to utilize fish with ANY known issues or problems.” That is the standpoint the WDNR had to take. “The investment in time and money to study diet and habitat with any potentially skewed fish stock is not an option.” It’s not known what the Michigan Hatchery did or will do with the infected fish, but a new, fresh batch of Great Lakes Strain Spotted Musky are already growing fat, planning to come to Wisconsin this fall of 2014.
The Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Department and their own state of the art Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery, will continue to draw attention. Known as one of the finest run Hatchery programs in the Nation, all eyes are on the leaders, the ones to watch.
It’s tough decisions like these, that ensures that anglers all across the state will continue to enjoy some of the World’s finest freshwater fishing. Plans to utilize the habitat are taking place with walleye, while the musky mature for delivery. “We have plenty of fish that we are eager to study within the habitat. We just wanted to start first with our well known and much loved Musky.”
Patience and adjustment to ever changing issues in the aquatic realm is a stark reality today. Learning from past experience and pushing for new ways to grow better, stronger and more sustainable fisheries, the Musky habitat study will happen. This fall, Wisconsin’s plans to grow smarter, stronger, “super” muskies will begin.
Weekly News article published: January 28, 2014 by the Central Office
MADISON – Lakefront property owners statewide can now more quickly and easily create “fish sticks” habitat near their shoreline to benefit fish and improve fishing, state fisheries and habitat protection officials say.
A new streamlined permit available from the state and an easy step-by-step guide for fish sticksare now available on the Department of Natural Resources website to help foster the projects, which involve placing trees in shallow water and anchoring them on the shore.
“”Fish sticks” projects are paying off in northern Wisconsin lakes by providing more critical habitat for fish and insects, birds, turtles and frogs,” says Scott Toshner, the Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist who worked with partners on “Fish Sticks” projects that placed hundreds of trees in the Eau Claire chain of lakes in Bayfield and Douglas counties.
“More people wanted to do this same kind of thing on their own shoreland property so DNR created this general permit and a step-by-step guide to make the process easier for them.”
Fallen trees provide shelter and feeding areas for a diversity of fish species and nesting and sunning areas for birds, turtles, and other animals above the water, Toshner says. “Nearly all fish species use woody habitat for at least one portion of their life cycle,” he says.
“But fallen trees have been removed from the water in many areas. “Fish sticks” add to the natural complexity of the near-shore area by restoring woody habitat that was removed during shoreline development.” More habitat articles at fishiding.com
Interest in Fish Sticks projects to restore this woody habitat has been growing throughout Wisconsin and the region, says Martye Griffin, the DNR waterway science policy coordinator. DNR responded by converting the existing general permits for fish habitat projects (Fish Crib, Half-Log, Spawning Reef, Wind Deflector and Tree Drop) to a statewide general permit, and added standards for fish sticks.
The new general permit allows property owners on lakes to have a streamlined permitting process to submerge groups of trees near their shoreline, Griffin says.
“The streamlined permit process is less costly and can be reviewed in less time,” he says. It also allows for fish sticks sites constructed in later years and by different property owners on the same lake to “add on” to an existing approved permit without a new application fee – something the DNR has never done before, he says. Even though an ‘add on’ site may not require an application fee, the sites are still reviewed the same way as a new site.
The general permit identifies the location, design, and other standards and conditions these beneficial projects must meet to qualify for the general permit and to ensure minimal impacts to public rights in the waterway.
In addition, DNR created a new, step-by-step guide for landowners who are interested in developing a fish sticks project. “It provides instructions to plan and complete a project, including equipment needed, site suggestions, and potential funding sources.”
More information on the general permit and to access the fish sticks guidance documentis available by searching the DNR website for “Fish Sticks.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Toshner, 715-372-8539 Ext. 121; Martye Griffin, 608-266-2997
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.
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.
| 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!
|
| 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.
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 |
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
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
