BRIAN PEARSON Idaho Department of Fish and GameFeb 20, 2020
BOISE — The Idaho Fish & Wildlife Foundation is accepting applications for its 2020 grants cycle. The grants program provides funding on a competitive basis to nonprofit organizations and governmental organizations.
The foundation is especially interested in projects that align with the foundation’s mission. Grants up to $10,000 per project are available. To qualify, projects generally address one or more of the following areas: Read more about habitat here at Fishiding.com
Habitat Conservation: Projects that aid in the protection, restoration or improvement of habitats.
Fish and Wildlife Management: Projects that apply management principles to protect or enhance fish and wildlife.
Conservation Education: Projects that help educate Idahoans of all ages about the state’s wildlife resources.
This year, the foundation will award $5,500 to fund a special grant with an emphasis on fish conservation and fish habitat restoration in honor of the Lonesome Larry Project.
The deadline to apply is April 30. Recipients who qualify for funding will be notified and announced by Aug. 31 for projects to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021.
Application forms and guidelines are available on the foundation’s website.
In studying much of the available online literature written about artificial fish habitat, we’ve noticed a curious thing. Often times, the makers of artificial habitat, both the store bought and “homemade” variety, boast about their effectiveness and performance by comparing them to Christmas trees. Using Christmas trees as any kind of bench mark is a straw man argument. Why compare your structures to something that’s widely considered to be one of the least durable and least effective types of fish habitat? Statements like “habitat X outperformed Christmas trees or they held more fish than Christmas trees” are meaningless.
When evaluating artificial fish habitat, we feel that comparisons should be made not to Christmas trees, but to natural elements like 60 foot oak trees or giant white pines that fall in the lakes, huge and gorgeous beds of tall coontail, or bays of dense lily pads and grasses. These are the kinds of fish habitat that truly sustain and provide for current and future fish populations. We all can see how inferior our man made artificial habitat work is, when compared to a full scale, natural habitat. These mega sized and natural objects are the kinds of “real” fish habitat we should all be striving to compete with. Artificial fish habitat should be exceptional or at least really good, not merely good enough. Is the rebuttal simply “Well, we’re just trying to create fish attractors for fisherman, and not really habitat per say”? Creating attractors are a worthy endeavor as well, however, for those interested in creating actual fish habitat, the apparent interchangeability of the two terms often leads to misunderstanding.
Over the course of this series about artificial fish habitat, we’ve shown you a great deal of underwater video of Fishiding habitat in action. This time we’d like to show you something very different. Today’s video illustrates what we need to be striving towards when we’re thinking of future artificial habitat projects. This clip shows how nature provides fish habitat in a vastly superior way than we’ve been able to accomplish so far: This large and majestic pine tree weighing thousands of pounds grew for decades on the shore until it was damaged one night in a thunderstorm. When it crashed into the lake, it began a second life as a home to fish, turtles, waterfowl and dozens of other creatures big and small that would come to utilize it. It’s size and complexity is enormous. The root wad remains on the bank with the top of the tree extending 60 feet from shore over a sharp break line. This created both extensive cover, space underneath and around the tree complex, all habitat that fish could utilize. This is what genuine fish habitat looks like….an authentic Camelot for thousands of fish. Let this be your inspiration the next time you think about what artificial fish habitat could be.
When we compare this single tree to the typical kinds of artificial habitat mankind has come up with so far, our shortcomings are starkly apparent. We have all been thinking much too small. The challenge is not to make something that may function as well as a new Christmas tree, but to have higher aspirations, daring ourselves to design and deploy the kinds of habitat that Mother Nature herself will approve. Nature and all the creatures above and below the waterline are speaking to us, we just need to listen.
Fishiding.com is excited to announce their new line of products for 2019 called Fish Habitat Mats. This modular, fully customizable and self-contained system, could very well change the direction and future of habitat installations as we know them today. Attributes never before seen include gigantic size in all three dimensions, intricate and unlimited complexity, huge underwater footprint and towering vertical height. In the next part of this continuing ten part series, we’ll show you the revolutionary new design that’s recently been placed in Lake of the Ozarks and is already full of fish. This first ever Habitat Mat installation was comprised of dozens of individual habitat structures and is believed to be the largest and most sophisticated of its kind ever used in a single location in a public lake environment.
Designing and building effective fish habitat is a genuine science. It’s still in its infancy, but we’re learning a great deal every day about the nuances of design and deployment. With today’s deep interest in artificial fish habitat, we’re eager to share our findings with fisheries professionals who want to learn more.
If you’ve missed any part of this series you can catch up at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Krzy… For more information contact David Ewald at https://www.fishiding.com Phone: (815) 693-0894 Email: sales@fishiding.com
Silt and sedimentation are clogging our nation’s waterways and reservoirs. Years of fluctuating water levels, erosion, development, nutrient loading and decomposition of natural materials, have put these waters in dire need of improvements. Fish habitat, which includes habitat for countless other equally important aquatic organisms, lacks to the degree on many U.S, waters, that no amount of fish stocking can improve the fishery. Without adequate habitat, the fish simply cannot survive.
Sedimentation fills mouths of bays
I met Shane Titus, Seneca Nation of Indians Fishery manager over three years ago as we began to talk about fish stocking, fluctuating water levels and ways of improving overall fish habitat on the Allegany River/Reservoir. Shane contacted me directly to understand more about our artificial habitat products and working together with ways to improve his local conditions. Here is a man with a unique perspective on Tribal rights as well as American U.S./State policies. Proudly having an Indian mother and Italian father, his gentle blend of both “sides”, make it evident that he is a special and highly qualified man for this job. His utmost concern is for the land, waters and the creatures within, helping sustain this natural environment, which breathtakingly surrounds himself and his people in western New York.
Allegany River flowing into the Allegany Reservoir through western New York’s Seneca Nation of Indians Reservation land.
Shane understands the benefits of adding habitat. He has installed habitat structures in the reservoir for many years and has a quite impressive reputation as a fisherman. “Because the reservoir is so lacking of good habitat, almost anything you add will usually hold some fish.” Prime habitat for all animals, including fish, focuses around diversity. All of the same is rarely best, no different than we humans see things. A less stressful environment grows healthy beings and fish health also is directly related to the stress they encounter surviving from fry through adulthood.
Silt clogs Allegany Reservoir/ river shallows
To best understand a healthy fish habitat, imagine a large tract of mature hardwood forest, noticing the plants from tiny grasses and ferns, up to shrubs, bushes and trees. Countless shapes, textures, densities and elevations provide unlimited choices of surroundings, depending on creatures needs. Tiny bugs and insects, utilize the fine forest floor, hiding and grazing on the abundant food available. Birds eat berries and some of those bugs, from the lower branches of bushes and undergrowth, while they defensively watch for danger from above or below. Deer, rabbit, and other small game enjoy the shade from the undergrowth as they hunt or rest. The bigger the tract of forest, the more variety and abundance animals it can/will sustain. Fish habitat is no different than a mature and healthy forest, requiring infinite variety to support diversity and abundance.
Unlimited detail, textures, shapes and sizes of habitat within a forest setting.
Increasing fish habitat groupings on a large scale creates unique areas and corridors for fish to flourish and increase in numbers, not simply attracting a few fish to the area for potential fisherman/predator fish to enjoy. The surface area of the habitat grows the food (periphyton) with more area being best and essential to a healthy eco-system. Tight, dense shaded areas are essential for small fish to hide and graze within the protection the substrate offers. Dense, ultra-fine cover at the water’s edge restores the once healthy mass of roots and aquatic plants, grasses and invertebrates that young fish need. Natural weed beds and large rocks once provided this surface area for periphyton and algae to grow, but now they have been lost to sedimentation.
Fish congregate around artificial habitat with food source and cover.
Titus was instrumental in obtaining a grant to help construct a new fish hatchery on the Reservation a few years back, which is now pumping out walleye and smallmouth fry annually for the Allegany.
Seneca Nation Hatchery
His next goal was to get the financial help needed to begin to reclaim areas of the Allegany Reservoir that had been degraded. “We have almost no shallow cover left for the fry, due to erosion and siltation. Bays that lock in fish as they lower the water levels, killing everything left. We need to scoop that stuff out so they can navigate in and out like they used to be able to.”
Siltation causing trapped fish resulting in massive fish kills.
As Shane continued to follow up on applications for various grant opportunities, our plans to work together to improve conditions on the Reservoir within the Reservation began to take shape. In late summer of 2014, notification was received of a grant award to the SNI from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation being part of the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency grant funding. I got the call from Shane that his application was approved and how he was not only grateful, but quite humbled. “Our people could never have been able to afford and accomplish so much, so quickly, on a scale of this size. This will make a huge, positive impact on the fishery across miles.”
Siltation creating barren underwater landscape.
Plans were made to drive the 600 miles out to review the site, along with numerous models of our Fishiding artificial habitat. Decisions were to be made as to which artificial habitat models would be best, where the grouping would go and the overall quantities involved.
Fishiding.com produces artificial fish habitat from reclaimed PVC vinyl siding contained in a weighted base. Models from 18” tall up to 15 feet create unlimited variety, textures and densities of cover, creating a truly natural underwater landscape for aquatic life to thrive within. Over 2300 units consisting of five different models were selected totaling over 64,000 sq. ft. of surface area, ranging from 48”x84” to 18”x30” in size.
Means being used to document the habitats ability to provide sustainable habitat and deter erosion are by way of sonar equipment, water quality testing, underwater cameras and scuba certified staff. We (SNIFWD, USACE, USFS, and PAFBC) will be looking for signs of life such as invertebrates, algae growth, insect life, eggs of all life (insects, fish, amphibians, etc.) and any species of fish utilizing the habitat for shelter and food for research purposes and decision making for future habitat projects.
Fishiding habitat holding eggs
“It’s a no brainer as I see it,” said Titus. “Using this safe, durable, long-lasting material for fish habitat instead of buried in landfills, is a win for the people, fish and the environment. We can grow that stuff right into the shoreline, creating fry habitat and stabilizing the bank at the same time. We can plant them like balled bushes and watch them grow with life each year.”
Areas to be included in the Allegany Reservoir Restoration and Resiliency Project
I was welcomed by Shane and the team of conservation officers at the Fish and Wildlife Department who proudly work to sustain this pristine land they call home. A first-hand view of the Reservoir in November, Shane showed me the areas that we had talked about, in dire need of restoration.
We walked the river edge, casting jigs for some feisty walleye and smallmouth, catching a few and releasing them back to swim away. “ I keep a couple here and there, but they still feel like my babies” Shane explained, after raising and releasing hundreds of thousands of fry from the SNI Hatchery facility he operates on the Reservation, releasing them into the Reservoir. He showed me areas devoid of cover, after erosion and low water had worn away the plants, depositing sediment where rock/rubble once exposed. Huge bays landlocked, explaining how many fish die each year, being stuck with no way out as water levels drop, despite volunteers and staff netting and saving thousands of fish each season. Water marks so high, trees and plants were washed away, only to leave the water’s edge barren for fish to contend with in the spring as they attempt to successfully spawn.
Low water exposes a barren litoral zone along the Allegany River/Reservoir.
Needless to say, excitement grew with the dream of being able to work along the river on a very large scale. To install thousands of individual habitat units creating tens of thousands of square feet of surface area would boost the fishery measurably. Concentrating on shoreline stabilization and fry recruitment, all targeting depths from 6 feet of water and under for the little fish, bugs and plant growth. Another additional benefit of large groupings of habitat is the excrement discarded by the fish and creatures that inhabit it fertilizing plant growth. Clearly aquatic growth, grass and weeds take root in the surrounding lake floor, being fertilized by the fish from above. Another win-win for the fish and the environment.
Bass on fishiding habitat
Project Abstract
The goal of this funding through established partnerships with the PAFBC, USFS, ACE will be to restore the habitat within the reservoir and create an enhanced water system that can tolerate high water events with minimal loss to wildlife and habitat.
The Seneca Nation of Indians has a long history of struggling to maintain its land base and yet there remains a unique and harmonious relationship between indigenous people and the concept of environmental sustainability. The Seneca people believe fully in the tenet of their forefathers, that everyone must plan for the future generations, up to and beyond the seventh generation. The current conditions that exist within the Allegany Reservoir create an intolerable struggle within the people as they are forced each year after year to witness thousands of fish dying, species disappearing or become species of concerns, a vital wildlife habitat lost. Over the past 60 years this reservoir has had numerous high water systems into the reservoir, suffocating aquatic species. Each event results in species lost, habitat lost, channels filled and community flooding.
The people of the Seneca Nation live and work on the same lands today that the Seneca people have inhabited for over 1000 years. The Seneca Nation holds title to five distinct but non-contiguous territories located in western New York, an area of the state where communities are primarily rural in geographic location. The territories are unique in its economic, social and environmental profile. With 53,884 acres, the Seneca Nation controls and holds a significant land base in western New York.
“The Allegany River/Reservoir Restoration and Resiliency Project”
Objectives/Outputs/Outcomes:
Create a healthier habitat for aquatic species within the Allegany Reservoir
10 acres will receive in stream habitat restoration efforts.
50 acres will benefit from artificial and natural habitat structures.
Enhance the flood plain and habitat restoration of the Allegany Reservoir through riprarian buffer restoration.
18.94 miles will have large debris removed from shoreline area.
10 acres will receive indigenous plantings.
Restore hydrology to land locked areas of the Allegany Reservoir.
7 land locked areas will be reconnected to the Allegany Reservoir.
15 acres will be cleaned of sediment, silt and nutrients.
The habitat has been delivered and equipment is in place. Over the next two years, Shane and his team will work all year around, improving the many areas covered within the grant. A great deal of the work will be during the winter months, when water levels are down and lakebed areas exposed. The team will use an earth auger to drill/install the many pole clusters to be installed to regain a plant base in the many washes, streams and creeks flowing into the reservoir. These barriers will catch debris during runoff, creating a medium for plants to begin to take hold. Dozers, trucks along with a good amount of manpower will begin to remove the 1000’s of cubic yards of sediment from the bays and openings, allowing the fish to again, freely pass.
Habitat being loaded for Seneca Nation Allegany Reservoir Project
The artificial habitat units will be planted individually in shallow, drilled holes and backfilled like a balled bush. Planted in large clusters, these units will become exposed each year as the water levels drop in the fall, but take on new life each spring as water levels rise and fish move in to seek spawning protection. Not only will the shallowest models protect fish, but allow shoreline plants and their roots to attach and take hold, strengthening and buffering the eroded shallows. With this substrate in place, only good things follow.
Shallow Cradle model for fry and shoreline stabization
Late in 2014, the Seneca Nation hosted its third annual “Allegany Reservoir Management Meeting”. Agencies that are represented at these meetings are: SNI Fish and Wildlife, SNI Administration Representatives, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, New York State department of Environmental conservation, US Army Corp of Engineers, ( KInzua staff, Pittsburg District), US Fish and Wildlife Service (Tribal Liaison, Great lakes rep., Hatchery Lamar PA, and Hatchery Kinzua PA), US Forest Service and California University of Pennsylvania. Topics discussed at these meetings are all the topics mentioned in the grant, plus stocking strategies, fish sampling surveys, fish pathology and funding opportunities. These “first of their kind” meetings are a shared water body being managed as a single water body.
Aquatic species that will benefit from the habitat are: Walleye (tribally significant species to Seneca culture and heritage) Smallmouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Paddlefish (endangered), Northern Pike, Muskellunge, White Bass, Yellow Perch, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Sunfish, Rock Bass, Sucker, Emerald Shiner, Golden Shiner, Fathead minnows, Spot Tail Shiner and Bluegill, Fresh Water Jelly fish, Aquatic spiders and Macro invertebrates.
Wildlife also benefitting from the habitat: Bald eagle, Golden Eagle, Cormorants, Loons, Ducks (all species), Canadian Goose, Osprey, Green Heron, Blue Heron, Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, Leather Back Turtle, Hellbender (amphibian, species of concern) and River Otter (species of concern)
Increased stewardship among the Seneca community will be an immeasurable benefit of this project. The SNI Fish and Wildlife Staff provide educational programs directed at youth to teach them about the environment and its importance to the health of all fish and wildlife. The SNI Fish and Wildlife Department plans on using these projects to create a three year educational tool for the youth and general public. The Seneca nation newsletter will be doing periodic articles to keep the public informed and involved in all aspects of the projects, to include the purpose, reasons, and outcomes of the work.
For more information regarding Reservoir habitat restoration, funding and other projects taking place, visit Friends of Reservoirs, which SNI Fish and Wildlife and Fishiding strongly support. Friends of Reservoirs (FOR), is a tax-deductible non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting and/or restoring fisheries habitat in reservoir systems nationwide. FOR is the funding arm of the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership, an organization of natural resource professionals and industry representatives, associated with the National Fish Habitat Partnership. FOR is also a coalition of local citizen groups dedicated to improving fish habitat in reservoir systems. David Ewald/ Fishiding.com
Underwater photography by Eric Engbretson, all rights reserved. For a complete library of Fishiding habitat underwater in various locations and conditions see Eric’s work here. Watch for much more information, photos and reports as this project gains momentum. We will be making many trips back to see Shane and his crew improving conditions on the Reservation. Fishing poles and tackle must be present for “testing”.
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 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
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.
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.?
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
What Exactly Is Fish Habitat and Why Must We Care?
Mon Jun 3, 2013 2:29pm
What Exactly Is Fish Habitat and Why Must We Care?Thomas E. Bigford Office of Habitat Conservation, NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD 20910. E-mail: Thomas.bigford@noaa.gov
“Fish habitat” is a simple term. We can easily imagine a fish languishing under a log or in a kelp forest, and we can picture a school of forage fish zipping through the water column. We can also grasp that the preferred space for many species might change as the seasons change and the years pass by. But the rest of the story is not quite so simple, mostly because life is more complicated and knowledge is often limited. This month’s “Fish Habitat Connections” seeks to demystify those details so we can appreciate the intricacies in the fish habitat world and become more emboldened to serve fish not just as a meal but as they deserve. Let’s begin with semantics. Each fish occupies its preferred niche in the ecosystem. The environmental conditions of that space define the fish’s preference at each life stage—water temperature, depth, salinity, flow, bottom type, prey availability annual cycles, and much more. It is important for us as professionals to place those variables in proper context so that individual fish can survive, fish stocks can flourish, fishery management can succeed, and society can benefit from our nation’s waters. That simplistic summary reflects our hopes, which are complicated by the reality that we know very little about our most basic habitat questions. With luck, we know where fish live throughout their life cycles. But oft times we have few insights into the shifting preferences of each life stage. Even that knowledge is elusive unless we have close observations from multidecadal stock assessments or the insights offered by a healthy fishery. Almost universally, we rarely understand the relationships between fish and their habitat.
If a wetland is dredged, how will the local fish populations change over the short and long term? If a dam is breached, will the new hydrological regime support native species or invite invasive species? If an acre is protected or restored, how will the population respond? Will harvests increase? These issues read like the final program at many an American Fisheries Society (AFS) conference. They have vexed us as a profession for decades. We must manage fisheries with the best available information, scant as it might be. And we must identify our primary needs so that gaps are addressed. COLUMN Fish Habitat Connections There is also the still-new concept of ecosystem-based approaches. Habitat must be an essential variable in stock assessments, but those analyses must be conducted with an ecosystem in mind. Those perspectives can be as important as data. Without that challenge, we won’t even know we have a data gap. Considering how complex this simple topic can be, and how it reflects human pressures from our coasts to the mountains, it is probably no surprise that we continue to lose habitat function at alarming rates. Along our oceans, marine and estuarine wetland loss was three times higher between 2004 and 2009 than in the previous 5 years (Stedman and Dahl 2008; Dahl 2011). Inland wetland loss is not as severe, but hundreds of rivers representing thousands of river miles are compromised by blockages that prevent fish movement upstream or downstream. The first-ever national fish habitat assessment found that 53% of our estuaries are at high or very high risk of habitat degradation (National Fish Habitat Board 2010). Given those numbers, it is unfortunate that those places provide vital nursery habitats for many of our favorite fish. As fishery professionals from all disciplines, our assignment is to combine our skills to protect important habitats and restore those that are degraded. Our mission will be slightly less daunting if we and our partners can set a pace to match the steady pressure of human population growth and looming challenges such as climate change. AFS represents an incredible knowledge base. If anyone can analyze our habitat knowledge, fill our priority gaps, apply lessons learned, and improve habitats for the benefit of all, it is us.
More habitat articles at fishiding.com Next month we will shift from the nuances of semantics to the harsh realities of the challenge before us. It is imperative that we engage now! Economic and ecological facts urge AFS, its units, each of us, and our home institutions to accept the challenge. We will explain the opportunities before us and how our collective skills are needed for success. REFERENCES Dahl, T.E. 2011. Status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous United States 2004-2009. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 108 pp. National Fish Habitat Board. 2010. Through a fish’s eye: the status of fish habitats in the United States 2010. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Washington, D.C. 68 pp. Stedman, S., and T. E. Dahl. 2008. Status and trends of wetlands in the coastal watersheds of the Eastern United States 1998 to 2004. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 32 pp.
At the Family and Youth Casting Call SOLitude Lake Management Teaches Over 700 Youth About Fishing
SOLitude Lake Management joined the Family and Youth Casting Call to educate children and their families about fishing and how to care for the environment.
May 30, 2013 – Through its corporate volunteering program, The SOLution, SOLitude Lake Management, an industry leader in lake and pond management, fisheries management and related environmental services for the mid-Atlantic and surrounding states, participated in The Family and Youth Casting Call as volunteers, by stocking fish, and as a platinum sponsor of the event. The event was held May 3 – May 4, 2013 at the Fletcher’s Boat House in Washington, D.C. Over 700 youth attended this year.
In its 7th year, this annual event is geared towards getting kids outdoors, active, “hooked” on fishing, and educated about the importance of natural resources. SOLitude stocked just under 2,000 adult bluegill and largemouth bass, including several huge bass, in the C&O Canal for the children to catch and release.
SOLitude Lake Management also donated 97 total volunteer hours and set up a hands-on shad spawning game to demonstrate the shad’s difficult journey downriver to the open ocean, and then back upriver to lay their eggs. The children pretended to be in a simulated water environment, avoiding challenges and potential predators as they made their way through the obstacle course following the shad’s dangerous path.
“It was a really fun opportunity for our team to share our enthusiasm for water resources with the kids,” said Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist and Regional Manager for SOLitude. “Many of them had never caught a fish before, and it’s an experience that they’ll remember forever.”
The SOLution is a company-wide program that encourages the company and all employees to strive to “create a better world” through volunteerism, community outreach, sustainability and environmental consciousness. SOLitude’s company leadership feels it is important to not only be good stewards of the environment and good corporate citizens, but also to fulfill company core values to “take action and be accountable” and to “protect and respect nature.” To participate or share a non-profit’s goals for consideration in The SOLution, contact Tracy King at tking@solitudelake.com.
Since 1998, SOLitude Lake Management has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, installation of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, habitat assessments and nuisance wildlife management. We are the second largest distributor of AquaMaster fountains and aerators internationally and in the U.S. Lake and pond management services are available in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey & New York. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.
