February 5, 2001

 Watch for more updates in the near future  

   We had a superb meeting, one of the best in our 28 year history, and the speakers thanked us for the forum we provided to deal with the thorny issues we are all confronting in Lake Erie resource management. Ohio's Fish Chief Gary Isbell and Ohio Lake Erie Supervisor Mike Costello commented "you don't know what you've done with this forum to make our job with the Lake Erie Committee so much easier."Michigan's Fish Chief commented "This was the best meeting we've (GLSFC) ever had." I was proud of our people, everyone acted in a professional manner, and all eleven speakers gave excellent candid presentations that were well received by everyone present.

   The forum was used in the exact manner it was intended - to get input and in turn give input. That goal was accomplished with an excellent degree of decorum; one that the many attendees could walk away with satisfaction knowing what was being done by all government entities present. Al Murray, representing the OMNR Lake Erie management Unit, gave one of the best presentations (power point) outlining what the Ministry plans to do to protect and rejuvenate the resource. Again, very well and positively received by everyone. He will be getting me the entire presentation plus some management issues that he didn't have time to put together, so we can post it and the other's presentations (with photos) online on our weekly news segment.

   Tom Busiahn, representing Hannibal Bolton from USFWS' office of F/W Management Assistance, gave a rare candid presentation about the Washington D.C. FWS office, it's lack of a program or any emphasis on fisheries management or any cohesive direction, and what their office wants to do. It was a presentation nobody anticipated, but surprised everyone.   

   On another note, we were warmly received by the management and staff of Cabela's and they expressed a sincere interest and excitement to having us. Their taking care of our every needs and the food and beverage supplied us proved that. We even had unlimited coffee from 7:30 AM until we left at 5:00 PM. The interest, by everyone present, of having such a meeting again at the same geographic location was so powerful, we are already making plans to have two (2) meetings next year on consecutive weekends, one for the greater metropolitan area of the Lake Michigan area, and the second again at Dundee, MI Cabela's.

   As a major player in the Great Lakes region's resource management New York will of course again be invited to participate. In retrospect, I am truly sorry that nobody from New York was present at this excellent forum. I am confident they too would have walked away from that meeting with a rare degree of satisfaction in dealing with grass roots organizations. We are all the losers for that decision, but there will be a next time.

Dan Thomas, President

Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council

Results will be important to NY, Great Lakes, and Canada  

   Brockport, NY — Of the nearly five-and-a-half million trout and salmon stocked into Lake Ontario in 1999 by New York (3.7 million) and Ontario (1.7 million), how many are surviving and for how long? Answers about fish survival and growth will come from a New York Sea Grant study by a multi-talented "Dream Team" of scientists. New York's 750,000-plus licensed anglers, Great Lakes sport fishing business owners producing an estimated $43 million net value to the state's economy, and Canadian counterparts eagerly await results of the two-year, $600,000 project.
   "This team is conducting an exciting research project designed to better understand trout and salmon growth, their survival, natural reproduction, and to evaluate aging and growth rates of both stocked and wild salmon," says Dave MacNeill, Fisheries Specialist with New York Sea Grant. One specific research technique involves the extracting of tiny samples of fish otoliths or ear stones, which can tell much about that fish's environment, its temperature, growth rate, and its location in the food web throughout the individual fish's lifetime.
   Ecosystem changes in Lake Ontario in the past 10 years are presenting fisheries managers with new challenges, says MacNeill. "It is believed that intentional nutrient reductions beginning in the late 1970s, as mandates from 

international legislation to improve the lake's water quality, may have reduced the amount of available energy to support fish in the open 

waters of the lake. The exotic zebra mussels may be redirecting some of the available food energy to the lake bottom and out of the loop for fish in the open lake waters. What this suggests," says MacNeill, "is that the lake may not be capable of supporting as many trout and salmon as before, generating some concerns with maintaining the delicate predator-prey balance. This balance is maintained by 'Mother Nature' and by fisheries management efforts such as trout and salmon stocking.

   "Another important missing piece of information this study could provide is the relative rates of survival of stocked and wild salmon as well as their distribution patterns and consumption rates on prey fish populations," continues MacNeill. The study will fill in missing pieces
For several years, biologists on both sides of Lake Ontario have observed considerable yet unknown numbers of naturally produced chinook salmon. These wild fish may equate to additional fish, over and above the numbers that are stocked.
   Team members are from Cornell and Syracuse Universities, SUNY College, New York State DEC, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Canada's Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is lending scientific support to the study. 

Number of boats has tripled while fatalities have decreased by more than 50%

CHICAGO, Dec. 18, 2000 — The United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety is projecting that there will be approximately 700 boating fatalities in the United States in 2000, continuing a three-year decline. Last year saw almost 200 fewer boating deaths than in 1998. The total number of deaths at sea in 1999 was 724, down 12% from 815 in the previous year.
   Through the end of September, there were 593 fatalities. Compared to previous years, an average of 85% of all boat-related fatalities occurred by this date. In 1999, there were 724 fatalities, in ’98 815 and in ’97 821. Leading states for fatalities in 1999 were Florida (58), Louisiana (45), California (42) and Texas (41). If fatalities for 2000 hold at 700, it will present a decline of 15% since 1997 and a decline of 19% since 1990.

   While registered boats have grown from 3.5 million in 1962 to 12.7 million in 1999, boating fatalities in the same period posted a high of 1,743 in 1973, and the preliminary number of 724 in 1999. In other words, as registered boats more than tripled, boating fatalities have been 

cut by more than half. Child fatalities (12 and under) dropped 56% from 1992-98. Another 

measure, fatalities per 100,000 numbered boaters, shows that number dropping from 32 in 1962 to 5.7 in 1999. In the period, that translates to a 15% growth in numbered boats and a 31% decline in the fatality rate. Much of the improvement points to greater life jacket use, illustrated by a significant downward trend in the number of drownings as a percent of total fatalities: from 83% in 1993 to 70% in 1998.   

   Small boats under 16 feet in length are most often involved and nine out of ten fatalities are on boats where the operator had not completed a boating safety education course. Over 16 times as many boaters drown using open motorboats versus personal watercraft because PWC operators wear life jackets. Fatalities are also linked to preventable factors involving operator inattention, careless and reckless operation and inexperience.

   The National Recreational Boating Survey found that 89% of boaters said life jackets should be required on children, and 33% said the jackets should be required on all boaters. 

 Decision shields murder witnesses
   A federal judge has dealt a crushing blow to prosecutors building a case against Miccosukee tribe member Kirk Douglas Billie for drowning his two boys in the Tamiami Canal three years ago. U.S. marshals cannot enter the tribe's reservation without permission to serve subpoenas in the case, U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck ruled, essentially keeping key witnesses out of the prosecution's reach one month before Billie's first-degree murder trial is scheduled to start. Huck "reluctantly'' issued the order, saying he was "deeply sympathetic'' to the prosecutors' pleadings. But federal law is clear he wrote, "the Miccosukee Tribe, as a sovereign nation, has the right to keep the marshals out."  duh! ²

   Roger and Sue Davenport invited a 14-year-old boy suffering from brain cancer to hunt at their game preserve near Three Lakes, Iowa. Perfect conditions led to a perfect shot for Matthew Riley of Cedar Grove, Iowa, granting a perfect wish.
   Davenport, owner-manager of the preserve, led Matthew and his father, Richard, into a deer blind set up for a south wind. "It turned out to be perfect," said Davenport. "Four mature eight-point bucks came in from the south and Matthew took a shot at the leader, but missed. Another buck stood in a semi-protected area, which worked out perfectly. Matt hit him just behind the left shoulder and he dropped."
   For children who want to go hunting or fishing, the Make-a-Wish Foundation is unable to help, and that's where "Hunt of a Lifetime," an organization based in Pennsylvania comes in, 

says Tina Pattison. Matthew was diagnosed

with brain cancer and has undergone surgery as well as chemotherapy. Richard Riley, Matt's father, told a friend at church of Matt's wish to go hunting. The friend contacted Pattison who made arrangements with Davenport.
   "When we were asked if we'd be willing to participate in this project, we felt this would be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the many blessings we've received since we opened this place," said Davenport. Davenport agreed to waive the usual fee of $2,800 and Jim Wendt, a taxidermist in Sayner, agreed to mount the deer at no cost. Three Lakes Preserve is located at 5807 Branham Road, south of Three Lakes.
For more info about "Hunt of A Lifetime" contact Tina Pattison, 800-484-4948, tina@huntofallifetime.org