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Maryland population grows, don’t forget the fish.

Posted on by david
About the Fisheries Habitat and Ecosystem Program:

“LAND CONSERVATION IS FISH CONSERVATION”

The Fisheries Habitat and Ecosystem Program (FHEP) is working to understand how habitat changes impact Maryland’s fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay. Our focus has been primarily on understanding how urbanization limits habitat for fish. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

Maryland’s population and land use has increased significantly. The amount of land being developed outpaces population growth. Between 1973 and 2010, developed land increased by 154 percent while population grew by only 39 percent. By 2035, 1,000,000 new residents and 500,000 new homes will be added to Maryland according to the Department of Planning.

Studies by the Fisheries Habitat and Ecosystem Program have found strong links between increased development and declining fish habitat quality in tidal tributaries of Chesapeake Bay. These links have led to creation of thresholds and targets for development to consider when managing fisheries and planning for development. These thresholds and targets use impervious cover (hard surfaces such as pavement and rooftops that are impenetrable to runoff of rain and snow melt) as a measure of development. Impervious surface thresholds describe tipping points where habitat becomes poor for fish and shellfish. This is the upper limit of impervious surface. Development beyond this limit will severely limit habitat for fish and shellfish. Impervious surface targets describe a development level that can be considered safe for fish and shellfish habitat. These targets and thresholds are being communicated to planners and the public through a simple message, “land conservation is fish conservation!” as a reminder that forests, wetlands, other natural areas, and working farms are keys to productive Chesapeake Bay fisheries.

It is clear that development is a major threat to Maryland’s natural resources and the critical ecosystem functions provided by watersheds. The impact of development on aquatic habitats is quite well documented in the scientific literature. Impervious surface increases flow extremes (lower lows and more flooding), erosion, and sediment. As trees are lost, runoff temperature of water increases. Nutrients from developed lands can be as plentiful as nutrient inputs from agriculture and cause algae blooms that deplete oxygen. In winter, more roads require more salt that pollutes streams and kills freshwater organisms, including fish. Other pollutants such as toxic metals (lead for example) and organic pollutants (oil, grease, and pesticides) enter waterways in urban runoff and wastewater. Some compounds that enter wastewater treatment facilities may not be removed. These compounds may reduce success of fish spawning and make fish less safe to eat. Fish become less abundant and less diverse in polluted waters that result from high development and impervious surface.

“Every Maryland citizen lives within at least 15 minutes of a stream or river” – Maryland StreamHealth

The Fisheries Habitat and Ecosystem Program’s Mission:

FHEP Goals and Objectives

Our goal is to develop ecosystem-based fishery management strategies that will sustain fish communities in the future. In order to do this, we are working to identify fishery and ecosystem interactions with land use and water quality stressors. We work with the public and other local, state, and federal government agencies to enable Maryland’s Fisheries Service to develop ecosystem-based fishery management strategies that sustain services by fish (including shellfish) communities into the future. The role of others in ecosystem-based management is important since Fisheries Service (and even DNR) does not have authority to manage whole watersheds.

  
The Maryland Department of Natural has developed general impervious surface guidelines based on watershed size and management concern (e.g. rare, threatened, and endangered species, sportfsh management, etc.). The FHEP has adapted these thresholds and consider them when evaluating the status of the Chesapeake Bay’s fisheries. The categories for the Chesapeake Bay fisheries are:

  • 5% or less Impervious

Watersheds with 5% or less impervious surface represent target conditions. They have healthy fisheries. Habitat within the watershed is productive. Active engagement by the public and planning officials should be taken at this stage to protect, conserve, and sustain healthy fish habitat.

  • 5% – 10% Impervious

Fish habitat in watersheds between 5% – 10% impervious surface may begin to decline. Fish reproduction may become less successful as spawning habitat becomes increasingly impaired. Habitat for juvenile and adult fish becomes increasingly compromised. The public and planning officials need to conserve remaining habitat, minimize additional impacts, and revitalize damaged areas.

  • 10% or Greater Impervious

Watersheds with 10% or greater impervious surface are facing the “point of no return” of a tidal tributary to a very different and less productive status than when the watershed was less developed. Fish habitat is impaired from a variety of stressors at this stage and could be beyond the point of no recovery as development continues. Restoring a watershed to its target condition is very unlikely, but some functions might be reconstructed with limited positive success. Ecological reconstruction projects such as stormwater retrofit, impervious surface removal, or tree planting/revegetation can help mitigate impacts by reducing sedimentation and infiltrating groundwater. However, watersheds with greater than 25% impervious surface are highly altered systems, with little chance of restoring ecological integrity. Studies of restored streams do not show successful biological restoration in highly urbanized areas. In these cases, the public and planning officials should first restructure and redevelop areas of impervious surface in a watershed before attempting restoration projects.

What Can Fishermen Do?

Understand and learn what is happening in your backyard…

As fishermen, who use and enjoy Maryland’s natural resources, it is important for you to understand and learn what development and environmental impacts are occurring “in your own backyard.” The following links provide information and facts about the areas in which you may fish and-or live.

Fishermen and the public can get engaged in the planning process…

Fishermen are familiar with Maryland’s natural resources; however, there may be times in which you, as a fisherman, feel that you have no control in what is occurring around you and to your natural resources. If you are concerned you can engage in your county and watershed planning processes. The following links provide information and contacts that can help you take part in the development and land use decisions taking place in your watershed and community.

Hopes Raised for Lake Dredging and fish habitat

Posted on by david

test4Lake Gregory dredging tour

Photo by Mike Harris

Lake Gregory dredging tour

Phil Krause, county park planner, points to areas on a map of Lake Gregory where silt has built up over the past few years. Krause was conducting an orientation tour of the lake on Dec. 21 for representatives from California Fish and Game, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and Lake Gregory Improvement Committee.

A major step toward getting approvals to dredge Lake Gregory was achieved Dec. 21 when representatives from regional agencies visited the lake for an orientation tour.

On hand for the tour were representatives from California Department of Fish and Game, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lake Gregory Improvement Committee and county Regional Parks Department. A representative from the Army Corps of Engineers was scheduled to attend, but canceled at the last minute. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

“The meeting was an excellent first step in terms of our working to get Lake Gregory dredged,” said Keith Lee, county regional parks director, who was present for the tour. “The different agencies’ representatives were incredibly helpful in providing solutions.”

The group assembled in the North Shore parking lot at 1 p.m., where Phil Krause, county park planner, started the tour with a briefing on past dredging efforts. He explained how silt and debris flowing into the lake from the silt basin near the new county library building has created large sand bars in the swimming area, limiting visitor access.

Another source for the silt is storm drains, especially those near the ball field.

After the briefing, the members walked over to the silt basin to see the area, then moved on to other areas around the lake, including areas near the Leisure Shores Community Center and the ball field where silting is a major issue.

“I think we’re moving along in a good way,” Lee added. “We won’t be able to get away from doing some California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) work, but we’re looking for ways to work together to dredge the lake and get it back to the condition that I think many in the community would like it to be in.”

Members of the Lake Gregory Improvement Committee who were on hand for the tour included Aaron Creighton, Rick Dinon (who leads the committee), Mick Hill and John Short.

“We have continually emphasized to the regulating agencies that Lake Gregory is not just a county asset, but an important asset to the Crestline and Lake Gregory community,” said Dinon. “The good news is that we’ve encountered a lot of cooperation.”

Committee member Aaron Creighton said he also was pleased with the response from the Fish and Game and Lahontan representatives who took the tour.

“We now have a vastly greater view of what needs to be done,” he said.

Creighton said that in order to get permitted by Fish and Game and Lahontan, the county has to be in compliance with CEQA.

“One of the tricky parts under CEQA is that if we remove habitat, we will have to mitigate the removal,” Creighton said. “There are two areas at Lake Gregory that need to be dredged, and the two have quite a lot of habitat.”

Part of the talk during the tour centered on creating separate habitat areas, and how it might be possible to make habitat areas protected. Other ideas included creating fish habitat areas in the deeper parts of the lake by depositing used Christmas trees weighed down by cinder blocks.

Creighton said one of the comments included that by pulling silt out of the lake, it would help improve the water quality.

“We will need an environmental impact report, and probably have to have a biological report,” he said. “We have heavy-duty problems at this lake.”

By Mike Harris, Reporter

Iowa…the place to find Efficient Pond Management and fish habitat

Posted on by david

That’s right, Iowa…not the first place that comes to mind when we’re talking fishing. Usually it’s whitetail deer, farming and the like. Did you know that Iowa has tons of lakes, ponds and streams?

Fish of all species abound in the public and private waters throughout the state. When managing these waters, professionals like Ryan McCaw help achieve clients goals, be it  a small pond or large lake/waterway system. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

Weed control is a major part of any lake or pond owner’s concerns. What about swimming, fish stocking and water clarity? Can I get a fountain or one of those aerator things? These guys have the skills to enhance your property in ways most of us can only imagine. We are proud to announce the newest addition to our network of dealerships.

Logo JPEG.jpg

Rooted in Iowa, LLC
Efficient POND Management

About Efficient Pond Management

Efficient Pond Management was founded in efforts to educate and assist pond owners in how to manage the valuable resource they have. Government agencies would come out if time permitted to consult and advise, but they could only do so much for the private pond owner. Mail order and internet companies are always more than happy to consult over the phone and sell their products, but most times it takes a professional on site to really get to the heart of the matter. Efficient Pond Management was designed to fill that void for you. We provide a live person on site to assess your pond to determine #1 what condition the pond is currently in with any problems diagnosed and #2 offer solutions that can correct those underlying problems. Our level of involvement is dictated by you, the pond owner, as we devise a plan that fits into your goals and budget.

We are proudly partnered with All Things Water out of Elkhart, IN. A company with over 11 years of experience in all facets of pond and lake management including large scale aquatic plant harvesting and dredging. We have the knowledge and resources to complete any job when it comes to lake and ponds and will provide you with our best efforts and results that will please you with a beautiful pond.

We also have a network of service professionals in related fields that may be very useful in your project. Heartland Habitat from Princeton, Illinois is one such company. They specialize in land management and food plots to enhance biodiversity increasing the beauty and attracting wildlife. Typically, stable and densely vegetated land surrounding a pond leads to a more stabile and healthy pond.

An active member of the Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society. The mission of MAPMS is to promote sound and appropriate technologies for the management of aquatic vegetation, provide opportunities for the educational advancement of its members and encourage relevant scientific research. Among others.

Please feel free to contact us at:
563-370-6608
ryan@efficientpondmanagement.com

Services:

  • Aeration
  • Aquatic Herbicides
  • Dredging
  • Enzyme Bio-augmentation
  • Fishery Management
  • Pond Assessments
  • Pond Repairs
  • Services Overview
  • Water Garden
  • Weed Harvesting

Efficient Pond Management was founded with the goal of assisting private pond owners in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with on site personal service. We will work with you to achieve your goals and provide you with a well managed pond for you to enjoy for years to come.

Don’t assume that your pond is to big or too small for us to handle.
We have the equipment to fit your situation.
Pond Jumper Work Boat

Our network includes a close partnership with All Things Water who has over a decade of experience in all aspects of pond management and specialize in large scale aquatic plant harvesting and dredging using the Aquamog pictured on the right. This unique dredge can reach many areas not available to long reach excavators, removes solid material with very little water and only needs one access point to complete the work while leaving 99% of the shoreline untouched.
An active member of the Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society. The mission of MAPMS is to promote sound and appropriate technologies for the management of aquatic vegetation, provide opportunities for the educational advancement of its members and encourage relevant scientific research. Among others.

We also have a network of related businesses such as Heartland Habitat. Specializing in terrestrial land management that naturalizes an area to increase the beauty and draw in wildlife. This will make your pond even more attractive and stabilize the land surrounding the water. Dense plant growth around a pond absorbs nutrients before they even enter the water and reduces aquatic plant growth and algae blooms. Pictured below are examples of how their services tie in with ours.

Fishery Management

Ponds provide some of the best fishing opportunities but need to be maintained and managed to keep them at optimal operational level. Whether it is a new pond that needs fish introduced or a an older pond that needs evaluated and possibly adjusted, we can provide you with assistance.

Fish Habitat

A good fishery must have habitat contained within the water at various levels. The fish of North America overwhelmingly use various structures throughout their lifecycle from berth to death. Lack of structure seriously limits the ability of a body of water to produce quality fish. Young fry need a place to hide and grow so at least some have a chance to become adults to replace the aging portion of the population that will eventually die off naturally. This habitat also provides a place for the base of the food chain, the microphytes, to grow to feed the zooplankton which in turn is food for the forage fish and so on to the apex predator of that pond. So as the fish grows and matures, it will return to this structure repeatedly for foraging opportunities to grow large and strong.

We offer FisHiding fish structures. Use our special Code found on our site when ordering from the FisHiding website for our exclusive discount.
FisHiding

Fish Survey

We are permitted in the state of Iowa as Scientific Collectors which allows us to perform fish surveys on your pond to determine the overall health of the fish contained. With this knowledge we can create a plan to follow to manage the existing population to create the fishery you prefer.

Fish Stocking

We carry an aquaculture license in the state of Iowa to provide fish stocking services should that be necessary to rejuvenate an old pond or get a new pond up and running. We will tailor the mix of fish introduced to maximize your fishing enjoyment.

Nuisaance Species – Rotenone

We are licensed to apply Rotenone in Iowa to a pond should you find that an exotic or undesireable species has overrun your waters. This application will terminate all fish life in the pond removing the nuisance species and allow you to stock the pond again with desired native fish species for your enjoyment.

This should give you some idea of the types of services Ryan and his crew provide. Visit the website or contact Ryan with any questions you may have.

Iowa has been in the news for getting kids involved in the outdoors and fishing. Take a look at this story posted just a few days back:

https://structurespot.com/conservation/urban-areas-among-sites-for-new-habitats-some-lakes-get-keeper-trout-for-the-kids/

 

Healthy Streams for TN

Posted on by david

Fish Habitat Restoration Initiative –

  
   

JOIN THE COUNCIL IN CREATING HEALTHY STREAMS FOR WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE

The Council’s Watershed Support Center takes challenges and turns them into opportunities for Tennessee rivers and streams and waterways and the wildlife and people who enjoy them.  Thanks to a grant from the Dan and Margaret Maddox Charitable Fund, we will continue and expand our watershed support work in Middle Tennessee.  A watershed is an area of land that drains into a specific body of water.  Our work includes:

~ Planting trees to reforest the stream banks and planting live stakes to stabilize the soil and help improve water quality.

~ Installing rain gardens.  Rain gardens add beauty to the landscape and reduce flooding by allowing storm water to be absorbed by the plants and infiltrated into the ground. 

~ Installing revetments (cedar timbers wrapped in coir mat) on to the eroded bank to prevent further deterioration of the stream bank. 

~ Fish habitat restoration initiatives in the streams

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

We schedule volunteer events each month. If you would like to join us on one of these projects visit our Events Calendar.  You may come and join our group.  We also encourage your business, youth group, or other organization to join us on one of our volunteer events.  We would be happy to schedule a special workday for your group.  Call us at 615-248-6500 or email tec(at symbol)tectn.org to schedule an outing.

Protecting the Biodiversity of Middle TN Streams
We are partnering with Harpeth River Watershed Association, municipal stormwater organizations and other non-profit organizations to complete our work and expand our reach.   The Fish Habitat Restoration initiative will take place in Middle TN including Sumner, Wilson, Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson, and Murray counties in the Duck River, Harpeth River, Stones River and Old Hickory Watershed.

National Geographic magazine recently named the Duck River in Tennessee one of the most biologically rich places in the world.  This is an important recognition bringing worldwide attention to one of our natural treasures in Tennessee, and it makes our Watershed Support work even more important.

The Duck River includes 151 different species of fish – more different types of fish than all of Europe.  The river is also home to over 50 types of mussels. The health of these amazing and diverse populations is indicative of the health of the ecosystem, and a thriving ecosystem means clean air, clean water and a healthy environment for communities.

The Harpeth River is 125 miles long with over 1,000 miles of tributaries.  The river passes through agricultural, forested and suburban areas of six counties in the greater Nashville region until it joins the Cumberland River. The Harpeth River watershed is  870 square miles.  The Harpeth is also one of the unique freshwater river systems of the Southeast which contains a greater variety of aquatic life than anywhere else in the world.

Sediment is the most common pollutant in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and all Middle Tennessee streams and watersheds are impacted by this problem.

A Healthy Fish Habitat Means Health Drinking Water and Food Supply for People  
Urbanization and agriculture are causing degradation of fish and wildlife habitat in middle Tennessee. Our region continues attracting people and businesses who develop areas previously used for wildlife or farming. The most valuable of this habitat for fish is located in stream side areas that protect water quality and fish habitat from sediment and habitat destruction.

Roof tops and parking lots preclude the land from absorbing precipitation, and leads to increasing flooding and decreasing summertime flows by limiting groundwater recharge. Urban stormwater moves more quickly than normal because of smoother surfaces and less vegetation to capture and slow down the rain run off. This runoff also carries more trash, debris and pollutants and has a higher temperature. These traits contribute significantly to the degradation of fish and wildlife habitat in streams.  A healthy stream contributes to the health of the community through cleaner drinking water, increased biodiversity, improved recreational opportunities and more.

Success Stories
In 2009, the Duck River Opportunities Project received the Tennessee Governors Environmental Stewardship award, because of work to protect this most valuable natural resource.  Click here for more information.  In 2011 we carried out 9 volunteer restoration events, planting over 1,000 trees and stabilizing close to 1,000 feet of creek bank, reducing sedimentation, the leading cause of water pollution.

The Council also works in conjunction with Friends of Henry Horton State Park to educate 5th grade students about the Duck River Watershed training them to be stewards of the river.  Click here for more information.

The Fish Habitat Restoration Initiative is made possible through your generous donations to the Council and by a grant from the Dan and Margaret Maddox Charitable Fund and another grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the U.S. EPA.

MAKE A DONATION TODAY TO SUPPORT OUR WORK.  CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

Pictured Above:
1.  5th Grade Students from Chapel Hill Elementary plant trees as part of a watershed education project sponsored by Friends of Henry Horton State Park and presented by The Council.
2.  Kevin Burke inspects revetments designed to protect the stream bank and encourage re-vegetation and prevent further erosion.
3.  A group of volunteers from Mars Petcare at Jerry Erwin Park in Spring Hill planted hundreds of trees to improve the health of the Duck River Watershed in October 2011.
4. This crawfish is a great example of the biodiversity found in the Duck River Watershed.

Click here to see more pictures.

25% Off Fish Habitat Year End Blowout!!

Posted on by david

Fishiding artificial fish habitats are coming to a lake or pond near you. With fish attractors, more is usually better and that is good for the fish and the fisherman alike.

With continued growth and products in over 40 states, we need to clear the shelves of remaining inventory in order to expand. Most models are still available with no limit on quantities purchased. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

The 25% off sale ends December 31st 2011 so order your habitat today!

More and more lake and pond owners and fisherman are utilizing the long term benefits of artificial fish structure like the products made by fishiding.com

Made from reclaimed PVC, all the various sizes and textures of habitat are made here in the USA. The textured surface allows exceptionally fast algae growth and the models with wide limbs create shade unlike any other self installing fish structure.

Each unit comes ready to sink in it’s own black PVC, weighted “stump” of a base. The rigid yet flexible limbs, can be bent out on any/all angles and creased to retain their shape and position.

When you like the shape of the habitat unit, simply toss it in the lake and it sinks standing upright. The habitat will cover in algae and begin the fish holding potential.

Get a group of fishiding habitat today and begin to hold fish where you want them. Provide cover to grow your forage fish fat to feed those hungry predator fish.

Lake Fork sportsmen and state work together to help create fish habitat

Posted on by david

Members of the Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association partnered with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division staff in making fish habitat improvements at Lake Fork last week.

They took advantage of drought-induced low water levels that have exposed shorelines and they planted 400 buttonbush plants around the lake.

Buttonbush is a native woody shrub commonly called “buckbrush,” and it was chosen to establish woody cover for fish.

When covered by water, it helps provide great bass fishing, a TP&W press release said.

Michael Rogge, president of the Lake Fork group, said approximately 15 members of the association and 15 members of the TP&W, spent approximately three hours planting 400 of the plants in two separate locations.

Rogge said the shrubs are adapted to “wet environments” like willow trees and that they will grow to about six to eight feet and be quite “bushy.”

“They will sprout new plants as seeds drop off,” in the future, and “become pretty dense,” which in turn creates fish habitat, he said.

Rogge said 200 of the plants were introduced in Glade Creek and another 200 in Big Caney.

According to a parks and wildlife spokesman, Lake Fork has had a long history of relatively stable water levels. This has been advantageous in that it has mostly translated into stable aquatic habitat and fish production. However, during the recent drought the disadvantage of this stability became evident. The lake elevation has dropped to an all-time record low, exposing shorelines and reducing cover which provides young fish shelter from predators. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

The state said Lake Fork will likely be subject to more water level fluctuations in the future as the City of Dallas increases pumping operations on the lake, especially if the current drought persists.

In lakes where there are prolonged draw-downs, plants will grow in the newly expanded shoreline.

These include aquatic plants such as smartweed, sedges and rushes, along with a variety of other plants including shrubs and trees. Woody plants such as willows will grow rapidly along the shore, and when it rains and the lake elevation rises enough, the plants can become partially or totally covered.

The plants provide shelter for fish and for the establishment of many organisms that fish eat.

Some of the woodier plants are persistent and will survive for many years and provide benefits to the ecosystem.

The first step in this habitat enhancement plan materialized in March when the association purchased 1,000 bare-root buttonbush plants from a local tree nursery and planted them at selected locations throughout the reservoir. Survival of these small plants, most less than two feet in length, was low. At some of the planting sites they were trampled by feral hogs.

The second stage in the Lake Fork organization’s habitat project began to take shape this past summer. The opportunity to purchase larger plants presented itself when a fish farmer in Columbus, Texas, approached TP&WD looking for potential customers for 400 two-year-old buttonbush plants.

The TP&W press release said these larger plants should experience better survival. The LFSA agreed to underwrite the majority of the $1,900 purchase price, and TP&WD contributed $650. Bushes were planted at different elevations to hedge against future water-level changes.

$550,000 in grants for 25 native fish rehabilitation projects state-wide

Posted on by david

 

NATIVE fish across the state are set to benefit from almost $550,000 worth of grants for on-ground fish rehabilitation projects, New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, announced today (Tuesday).

Ms Hodgkinson says Habitat Action Grants (HAGs) will be provided for a range of projects across NSW using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts.

“Twenty-five HAGs have been allocated this year to recreational anglers, community groups, landholders and local councils to restore and rehabilitate freshwater and saltwater fish habitats,” Ms Hodgkinson says in a statement.

“The HAGs are another great example of how money raised from the recreational fishing fee is being used to support the improvement of fish populations across NSW.

“Rehabilitation of fish habitat will provide long-term sustainable benefits for native fish stocks, which will ultimately provide a substantial benefit for anglers and provide more opportunities for rural and regional communities to promote local tourism.

“Recreational angling is the backbone of many local communities, stimulating the local economy and bringing jobs and investment.

“The ultimate outcome of these projects is more fish in our waterways,” Ms Hodgkinson says.

The 25 projects to receive funding cover popular fishing spots in NSW, including:

Opening up almost 100km of habitat for fish through the remediation of three fish passage barriers in the Hunter and Central West catchments;

Enhancing in-stream habitat through river bank stabilisation and the installation of woody habitat such as the construction of snag complexes in the Macquarie Rivulet and the Hunter, Talbragar and Queanbeyan Rivers;

Restoration of fish nursery areas such as significant coastal wetlands at Tomago Wetland in the Hunter Estuary, Belmore Wetland in the Macleay catchment and Tambourine Bay Wetland on the Lane Cover River; and,

Salt marsh and mangrove rehabilitation in a number of coastal estuaries.

Further information on HAGs at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

The Radford Becomes a Reef Creating fish habitat

Posted on by david

What was once a 553-foot Navy destroyer has become the East Coast’s largest artificial reef. This summer, as tourism and natural resources officials from Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland looked on, the new “reef,” slowly sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The Del-Jersey- Land reef, (named for the three states involved in the project) took about four hours to make its 138-foot descent.

The USS Arthur W. Radford’s final resting place is roughly 28 miles northeast of the Ocean City inlet, midway between the Indian River and Cape May. The Del-Jersey-Land reef is a cooperative venture between the three states to enhance fisheries habitat through decommissioned and retired ships, and railway and subway cars. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

“It’s going to be a huge economic boost for Ocean City,” says Erik Zlokovitz, the artificial reef coordinator for DNR. “It is expected to attract bluefish, sea bass, weakfish, sharks and tuna, and that will attract charter fleets.”

The Radford was commissioned in 1977 and held a crew of more than 300. It patrolled Venezuela, Panama, Argentina, Brazil, Senegal, Oman, Bahrain, the Azores, Nova Scotia, Italy and Turkey. One of its final missions was deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom. The Radford’s homeport was Norfolk, Va.

The ship was named for Admiral Arthur Radford who served in three wars. He was onboard the USS South Carolina during World War I, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations during World War II and was Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at the outbreak of Korean hostilities.

Taking nearly four hours to sink, the USS Radford is the largest ship to become a reef.

Jill Zarend-Kubatko is the Publication Manager in DNR’s Office of Communication.

Hoping to lure a new generation, Iowa restocks its fishing holes

Posted on by david

 

ISU student Dan Taylor shows off two rainbow trout he caught near the dock at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames after the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stocked about 2,200 11- to 13-inch rainbow trout from a hatchery in Decorah, Iowa, on Friday November 19, 2011, in the north basin of the lake.
ISU student Dan Taylor shows off two rainbow trout he caught near the dock at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames after the Iowa Department of Natural Resources stocked about 2,200 11- to 13-inch rainbow trout from a hatchery in Decorah, Iowa, on Friday November 19, 2011, in the north basin of the lake. / David Purdy/The Register

A whole stringer of folks are working to make sure Iowans can catch fish close to home.After all, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources figures, people are busy.

Gas prices are high. And if someone doesn’t get kids interested in fishing, and by extension, water quality, who will lead the push to clean up Iowa’s already troubled waterways in the coming decades?

The DNR has joined local and federal agencies and fishing clubs across the state to install new fish habitat in many lakes, some of which also are being stocked with keeper trout. Such urban fishing spots as Big Creek Lake, Easter Lake in Des Moines, Blue Heron Lake in West Des Moines and the pond at Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny campus are getting dredged, protected by siltation basins, or dotted with artificial reefs, for example.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

The state also is stocking trout in lakes near cities, and hybrid bass in gravel pits.

DNR surveys show most people fish within 20 miles of their homes, if they fish at all.

“We want kids to be able to walk or ride their bikes somewhere to fish,” said state fisheries biologist Ben Dodd.

Local fisherman Dave Merical of Ankeny has worked on many of the projects. “People don’t want to drive forever to fish,” said Merical, a leader in Central Iowa Anglers, a private group helping with the work. “We want people to have a good experience close to home. Kids are the future stewards of the resource. If they don’t enjoy fishing they aren’t going to want to take care of the waters.”

Joe Larscheid, who runs the state fisheries bureau, said fishing is one way to lure Iowans outdoors.

“It’s a nationwide epidemic,” Larscheid said. “It’s the Xbox generation. Kids are comfortable sitting in front of a computer and doing Facebook.” He’s working with health officials on a program called “Take It Outside” to encourage outdoor activities.

“Our initiative is to get people outside,” Larscheid said.

“Fishing is a gateway. When people are outside, they are more engaged with the environment and they are more likely to support conservation.”

There’s some ingenuity in the new initiative. Central Iowa Anglers and other groups are helping the cash- and staff-strapped DNR by providing materials that can be placed in lakes for fish habitat, giving catfish and other species somewhere to spawn.

So discarded pallets become makeshift underwater teepees, Merical said. Plastic pipe is formed into the shape of a tree. Cedar trees growing where they don’t belong are cut down, weighted down with cinder blocks, and dumped in the lakes to shelter fish. Barrels, too.

“The cost is insignificant because we use volunteer labor to do work the DNR approved and wanted done anyway, and the materials generally are donated,” Merical said.

The Des Moines area is getting the most attention in the early going, with work at Easter Lake , Blue Heron Lake, Lake Petoka in Bondurant and Big Creek and Saylorville near Polk City.

The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service and local soil and water conservation districts help by persuading farmers to conserve soil and carefully target chemicals they want kept out of waterways

One of the most popular parts of the program is the stocking of 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout in 16 lakes around the state.

The DNR announces when the 1,400 to 2,200 trout will be released in each spot, often drawing hundreds who hope to catch and eat the fish before anyone else does. The fish are raised at the Decorah hatchery.

It isn’t exactly shooting fish in a barrel, but the trout are very easy to catch, Larscheid said.

Usually, anglers catch all the released rainbow trout within two months, Larscheid said. It’s supposed to be easy. The idea is to get kids interested in fishing, and excite urban-dwellers about a sport that has produced flat license sales of about 300,000 a year.

Iowa has naturally reproducing brown and brook trout in some of the cold-water streams flowing through northeastern counties. But lakes contain only stocked trout. If they aren’t caught before temperatures rise, most of them die.

Ice fishing is big in Iowa, particular at places such as Clear Lake in north-central Iowa and the Iowa Great Lakes in Dickinson County in northwest Iowa. In the Des Moines area, biologists will release trout in both Lake Petoka and Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames through the winter ice this season.

Iowans need a $12.50 trout stamp in addition to a fishing license to fish for trout. A resident fishing license costs $19. Children under age 16 can fish for trout without a license or stamp if they are with an adult who has both.

Dodd said the state also is experimenting with stocking hybrid striped bass, known as wipers, in gravel pits and ponds near cities.

They’ve been stocked at Saylorville Lake north of Des Moines for years, but have a reputation for being hard to catch.

They also don’t reproduce, and often get flushed through the spillway during floods. So it’s hard to keep the population up, Dodd said.

 Find where and when to fish for trout in Iowa: 
www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/TroutFishing.aspx

Fish passage boasts jobs, increases fish habitat

Posted on by david
The News-Review
If the fish only knew all of the work taking place on their behalf, they’d likely be amazed. They also might be pleased to know that their needs have put people to work at a time when jobs are tough to come by.

Nearly 60 miles up the North Umpqua River from Roseburg, a huge effort is under way to increase and improve the habitat for the steelhead, spring chinook, coho salmon and Pacific lamprey that make their way up the Wild and Scenic River to spawn.

A fish ladder is being built at Soda Springs Dam so the fish will be able to swim beyond the dam for the first time in more than 50 years, exploring another four miles of the North Umpqua River and returning to the spawning beds of their ancestors in three miles of Fish Creek.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in  science based, proven, fish protection.

Every aspect of the project takes the fish into account, whether it’s sealing the concrete or rounding out the inside corners of the fish ladder to ensure a safe and appealing passage past the 77-foot-high dam.

Of course, if the dam weren’t there, the native fish already would be swimming unimpeded through the narrow canyon of the North Umpqua. But since the North Umpqua Hydroelectric Project, which includes eight dams, has been in place since the 1950s and provides a substantial amount of electricity, the fish ladder is a compromise.

PacifiCorp expects to spend about $60 million on the fish passage at Soda Springs before it’s completed at the end of 2012. The fish passage is uniquely engineered for the geological features of the river canyon. The company estimated the cost of removing the dam, a solution sought by conservation groups, would have been about the same, but electricity rates would have increased because of the lost hydropower.

Soda Springs generates enough electricity each year to power about 40,000 homes — that’s just short of the number of households in Douglas County. More importantly, company officials say it’s a regeneration dam that produces electricity that can be stored and used during peak demand times.

Despite its steep price tag, the fish passage is small compared to the many massive projects PacifiCorp is involved in throughout the Northwest. Rates are expected to creep by less than 1 percent to pay for the construction project.

That makes it like a stimulus strategy that came along at the right time. While the construction business has been slow elsewhere, the tiny village of Toketee has been bustling with heavy equipment, trucks and workers since the project began in 2010. General contractor is Todd Construction of Tualatin, which was previously located in Roseburg.

The largest subcontractor, Weekly Bros. Inc. of Idleyld Park, hired extra employees to work on the fish ladder. As many as 80 people were on the job this past summer for the company.

Even with winter setting in, anywhere from 50 to 100 people are working on the project daily, making the site appear as if it’s crawling with workers in reflective vests and hard hats.

Between the additional jobs, the promise of clean hydropower well into the future and the re-opening of historic fish habitat, this is a project that’s worth the effort and expense.

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