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Week of April 1, 2013 |
| For Your Health |
| Fishing beyond the Great Lakes |
| National |
| Indiana |
| Michigan |
| New York |
| Pennsylvania |
| Other Breaking News Items |
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For Your Health
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New Prostate Cancer Tests Could Reduce False Alarms NEW YORK AP--Sophisticated new prostate cancer tests are coming to market that might supplement the unreliable P.S.A. test, potentially saving tens of thousands of men each year from unnecessary biopsies, operations and radiation treatments.
Some of the tests are aimed at reducing the false alarms, and accompanying anxiety, caused by elevated P.S.A. readings. Others, intended for use after a definitive diagnosis, examine the genetic workings of the cancer to distinguish dangerous tumors that need treatment from slow-growing ones that might be left alone.
The tests could provide a way out of the bitter debate over whether healthy men should be screened for prostate cancer.
The problem with the P.S.A. blood test is that many of the cancers it detects are unlikely to cause harm. But there is no reliable way to identify them. So a large majority of men with positive tests undergo surgery or radiation treatment, and many suffer for years, needlessly, from complications like incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
In late 2011, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, a government advisory body, provoked a furor by recommending against screening, saying that far more men were harmed by unnecessary biopsies and treatments than were saved from dying of cancer. But if new tests can better determine risk, screening could become more useful.
�It�s not that screening doesn�t work; it�s that we haven�t done a great job of targeting treatments for the tumors that need it,� said Dr. Matthew R. Cooperberg, an assistant professor of urology at the University of California, San Francisco who has been a consultant to some of the testing companies.
More than a dozen companies have introduced tests recently or are planning to do so in the near future. Rather than looking at a single protein like P.S.A., which stands for prostate-specific antigen, many of these tests use advanced techniques to measure multiple genes or other so-called molecular markers.
�It�s the cancer for the next 18 to 24 months that will be transformed by molecular markers,� said Dr. Doug Dolginow, chief executive of GenomeDx Biosciences, a start-up planning to introduce a test later this year. Experts caution that it is too early to tell how well most of the tests will perform and whether they will make a difference. Although the tests are intended to help men make treatment decisions, the onslaught of so many could cause more confusion.
Prostate cancer specialists say screening has declined since the task force recommended against it, but millions of men in the United States still get regular blood tests to measure P.S.A. As many as a million have
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biopsies each year, with about 240,000 prostate cancer cases diagnosed and 28,000 deaths from the disease. The biggest battle among test developers could be between Genomic Health and Myriad Genetics, which are moving into the prostate cancer field after successes in breast cancer testing.
Myriad is known for its test for genetic mutations that raise a woman�s risk of getting breast cancer. Genomic Health�s Oncotype DX test helps determine if a woman should receive chemotherapy.
One study of Myriad�s test looked at stored biopsy samples from 349 British men who were found to have prostate cancer from 1990 to 1996 and did not receive immediate treatment. About 19 percent of the men with the lowest risk scores on Myriad�s test died from prostate cancer within 10 years, compared with 75 percent of the men with the highest risk scores, according to results published last year in the British Journal of Cancer.
Still, some prostate cancer specialists say the test, which is called Prolaris and went on sale last year, has not been adequately validated, and sales have been very low. Noridian, the Medicare contractor for Utah, where Myriad is based, said it would not pay for the $3,400 test. Genomic Health says it plans to start selling its test, the Genomic Prostate Score, after releasing supporting data at the American Urological Association�s annual meeting in May.
Some experts say that even if the new tests are not perfect, they are better than what is available now. �Even if we can only convince 15 to 20 percent of men that we have enough confidence that they don�t need to be treated, that will be a big step forward,� said Dr. Eric A. Klein of the Cleveland Clinic, who has worked with Genomic Health.
One published study showed that Opko�s test could have reduced unnecessary biopsies by about 50 percent, though it would have missed 12 percent of high-grade cancers. Yet another test could come from the discovery by researchers at the University of Michigan that a particular fusion of two genes is found in half of prostate cancers, and only in prostate cancer.
�You�d still miss 50 percent of the disease, but at least you know if you have it you have prostate cancer,� said Dr. Arul M. Chinnaiyan, a professor of urology and pathology. He said a urine test was being developed that combines the gene fusion with PCA3, another marker.
Some experts say unnecessary procedures can be reduced simply by using the P.S.A. test less frequently, and also by improving imaging. The new tests are �singles and doubles at best,� said Dr. William J. Catalona, director of the prostate program at Northwestern University, who helped bring the P.S.A. test to market in the 1990s. But, Dr. Catalona said, this is only the start. �This field is moving kind of like cellphones,� he said. |
Fishing beyond the Great Lakes
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Possible world record Brown Trout For angler Otwin Kandolf, his first predicament after landing a gigantic brown trout was finding a scale big enough for it. The New Zealand resident was fishing in the Ohau B hydro canal when he was approached by the massive fish. It had been feeding on pellets in the water when he cast a line towards it.
Measuring at over 36.6"long and just about a foot wide, this brown trout is a behemoth among its species. Brown trout have a wide and diverse range across the globe and can live up to twenty years if they survive spawning season. Age could explain why this particular specimen grew to such a large size. Environment also plays a factor in how big the fish get, and because of |
the trout being commonplace in streams around the world, some regional trout get larger than others.
�It looked to me like a submarine,� said Kandaolf, who transported the catch to a local butchery for the weigh-in. Officials measured it at 42 lbs and one ounce, which tops the International Game Fish Association�s record holder Roger Hellen, who previously caught a 41 lb, 8-ounce trout in Lake Michigan. Conflicting reports differ on whether this catch will be certified as the world�s heaviest brown trout hooked.
World record aside, the trout earned its place as the biggest of its kind caught in New Zealand. Kandolf sent the fish off to taxidermist Bob King where it will eventually be immortalized on his wall, granted that his wall can support the fish. |
National
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EPA names outside panel of experts to review Move designed to allay concerns among industry, public that best science used during review of drilling technique. Hoping to allay industry and public concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday named an independent panel of 31 outside experts to review its highly-anticipated study on the health and environmental safety of hydraulic fracturing.
The study, due in 2014, is expected to address whether the fracking process that has unleashed America's natural gas boom impacts public health, the environment and the quality of drinking water, and officials said the outside panel's monitoring role will ensure the most reliable science is used.
�Our final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources must be based on sound science and take into account the latest practices being used by the industry,� Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe said in announcing the panel. �We have worked to ensure that |
the study process be open and transparent throughout, and the SAB panel is another example of our approach of openness and scientific rigor.�
The agency reviewed 144 potential nominees for the panel and selected 31 experts, including five current employees of companies and consulting firms in the energy industry, two government employees, and 21 academics who include several that previously worked in the oil and gas industries.
The expertise on the panel includes petroleum/natural gas engineering; well drilling, hydrology, geology, groundwater chemistry, biology and toxicology, statistics, civil engineering and wastewater and drinking water treatment, the agency said. The new panel will meet in May to offer feedback and insights on EPA�s 2012 progress report on the study There was no immediate reaction Monday afternoon from the oil and gas industry or environmentalists. |
Regional
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Great Lakes Fishery Commission gets new leader Goddard Retires, Lambe appointed new GLFC Secretary Chris Goddard will be retiring this summer as Executive Secretary. He does so after more than 18 years of outstanding leadership of the secretariat.
During his tenure, Goddard acquired the funds necessary to vastly increase sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes, thereby protecting and improving the basin�s fishery resources. Also, he enhanced the commission�s science program to facilitate more and better-directed use of research dollars, heightened cross-border cooperation by continuously improving the Joint Strategic Plan process, assembled a world-class, multi-disciplinary secretariat staff, and, most recently, made possible strong commission participation in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Commission Vice-chair Robert Lambe will be the new Executive |
Secretary. Lambe is the director of the Canada-Ontario Invasive Species Centre and the recently retired Regional Director General of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region. As the first director of the Invasive Species Centre, Lambe made that new organization a strong and credible voice for invasive species management and prevention. As regional director general, Bob tackled a diverse portfolio that spanned narwhal management and Inuit land claims in the Arctic to habitat protection and freshwater fisheries in inland provinces. Of course, he also oversaw the highly successful sea lamprey control program and contributed to Great Lakes protection.
As a member and officer of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Lambe has helped manage the program with great skill. Lambe brings deep knowledge and the singular skills needed to lead the commission at a time when the program could not be more important. |
Indiana
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2013-14 Indiana Fishing Regulations Now Available at eRegulations The 2013-14 Indiana Fishing Regulation Guide is now available on eRegulations, a third party online service. The Indiana Fishing Regulation Guide is designed as a service to anglers and is not intended to be a complete digest of all fishing regulations. Most regulations are subject to change by administrative rule.
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The eRegulations website has different privacy and security policies and contains advertising. The Indiana DNR neither endorses products or services listed or claims made; nor accepts any liability arising from the use of products or services listed. To view a specific section of the online version, click on the links and icons below. This will take you to the appropriate section on the eRegulations website. For license exemptions, refer to the fishing guide. |
Michigan
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New fishing license required April 1 The Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers that a new fishing license season begins Monday, April 1. All 2012 fishing licenses expire on March 31, 2013.
Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses and prices are unchanged from 2012. Fishing license options include: � 24-hour license (good for all species) � 72-hour license (good for all species) � Restricted license (good for the entire season for all species except trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles or crustaceans) � All-species license (good for the entire season for all species)
Visit the online version of the 2013 Fishing Guide for license fee details.
Fishing license fees fund a variety of activities, including fish management work on Michigan�s waters, habitat rehabilitation and protection, fish stocking, information distribution, education and outreach efforts to
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anglers and the public, and much more. Fisheries Division does not receive any general funds and depends on angler fees, through license sales and federal excise tax dollars for fishing tackle, to manage Michigan�s fisheries. The purchase of a fishing license, even for someone who does not plan to fish, can make a big difference to the future health of Michigan�s prized waters and fisheries.
There are three simple ways to purchase a fishing license in Michigan: 1. Visit a local license retailer or DNR Operations Service Center and make a purchase in person. 2. Use the E-License system to buy a license online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just visit www.mdnr-elicense.com to get started. 3. Visit the Mobile Fish website on your smartphone at www.mi.gov/fish to buy a 24-hour all-species fishing license. All that's needed is the purchaser's driver�s license number and a credit or debit card. For more information on fishing in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/fishing. |
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New fishing regs adopted for 2013-2014 season take effect April 1 To ensure Michigan�s fisheries resources are managed properly and provide the best benefits to anglers and the public, the Department of Natural Resources annually adjusts fishing regulations. For the coming 2013-2014 angling year, which starts Monday, April 1, the DNR would like anglers to be aware of the following new fishing regulations: o Muskellunge Possession Limit Change � Only one muskellunge (including tiger muskellunge) may be harvested per season per angler. A new non-transferrable muskellunge harvest tag is required to harvest muskellunge in Michigan waters. The muskellunge harvest tag is free and available at all fishing license vendors. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/muskie.
o Northern Pike Fishing Regulation Changes � Northern pike regulations now include the establishment of a new 24-inch to 34-inch protected-slot-limit with a daily possession of two northern pike on six waters. A new provision has also been added to the no minimum size limit regulation waters where five northern pike may be harvested daily � only one northern pike greater than 24-inches is now allowed as part of the daily possession limit. The general statewide 24-inch minimum size limit with a daily possession of two northern pike is still in effect for all other waters not listed as an exception.
o Bow and Spear Fishing Regulations � Crossbows are included as lawful
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gear on the waters where bow and arrow use is lawful. The spearing prohibition on Houghton Lake in Roscommon County was removed.
o Netting Regulations � Netting regulations have been modified and some season dates have changed. o Inland Trout and Salmon Regulations � There are five new research streams in the Upper Peninsula where an additional five brook trout may be retained for the daily possession limit.
o Possession Limit Change � The Platte River daily possession limit is one rainbow trout from the Upper (Hatchery) Platte River Weir downstream to Lake Michigan. The Little Manistee River daily possession limit is one rainbow trout from 300 feet downstream of the Little Manistee River Weir down to Manistee Lake.
o Spawning Closure � the lower portion of the Betsie River from the Betsie Valley Trail Bridge (former railroad trestle bridge) west to a line in Betsie Bay between the westernmost dock of the Northstar Marina and the westernmost dock of the Eastshore Marina is closed to fishing until further notice.
These regulation changes are detailed further in the 2013 Michigan Fishing Guide, now available at all major retailers and at the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/fishingguide. |
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DNR wants input on draft land management plan at regional open houses The regional meetings (which will be held from 6-8 p.m. in all locations) are planned for:
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At the
meetings, DNR staff will give a brief overview of the plan and then ask
the public to join them in small group discussions on various aspects of
the plan to gather feedback. Other options for public feedback will also
be made available at the meeting, including sending comments via email
to
[email protected]. |
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DNR to host fishing regulation meetings April 8 & 9 in Eastern U.P. The Michigan DNR is hosting two public meetings in April to discuss local fishing regulations in the Eastern Lake Superior Management Unit.
The meetings will be held: � Monday, April 8, 7-9 PM, Sydney�s Restaurant, 400 Cedar St., Munising � Tuesday, April 9, 7-9 PM, Tahquamenon Area Public Library, 700 |
Newberry Ave, Newberry An overview of changes for 2013 will be presented, including: � Northern pike size and bag limits. � Muskellunge one fish per season harvest limit. � Dip netting season changes.
For more info: contact Eastern Lake Superior Management Unit supervisor Steve Scott at [email protected] 906-293-5131 x 4070. |
New York
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Benefits of $20.3 Million from Two Settlements For Natural Resource Damage in St. Lawrence River Area The federal government, the State of New York and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe have announced a $19.4 million settlement with Alcoa Inc. and Reynolds Metals Company for injuries to natural resources, recreational fishing, and Mohawk culture resulting from the release of hazardous substances into the St. Lawrence River environment since at least the late 1950s.
Most of this settlement, $18.5 million, will be combined with $1.8 million in restoration funds from a 2011 General Motors (GM) bankruptcy settlement, to be used for restoration of the St. Lawrence River area. In all, a total of $20.3 million is slated to go to restoration efforts.
For decades, Alcoa Inc. (Alcoa West), Reynolds Metals Company (now Alcoa East) and the former GM Central Foundry plant, located in Massena, NY, and adjacent to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe lands, released hazardous substances into the St. Lawrence River environment. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aluminum, fluoride and cyanide adversely impacted natural resources within the surrounding environment and contaminated the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, degrading natural resources used for traditional cultural practices.
The $20.3 million in settlement funds include the following components: ● Approximately $8.4 million from the Alcoa/Reynolds settlement will go to the tribe to support traditional Mohawk cultural practices, including an apprenticeship program to promote Mohawk language and traditional teachings. A portion of those funds will also support cultural institutions, including youth outdoor education programs and horticultural programs for medicine, healing and nutrition.
● More than $10 million from the GM and Alcoa/Reynolds settlements will be spent on a variety of ecological restoration projects, including restoration and/or enhancement of wetlands, streambanks, native
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grasslands, bird nesting and roosting habitat, fisheries and fish habitat and acquisition of unique habitat under threat of development. These projects may also benefit cultural practices that depend on these restored natural resources.
● Nearly $2 million will be spent by Alcoa/Reynolds to develop and upgrade two boat launches on the Raquette River and construct three new launches on the Grasse River to improve fishing and boating access to rivers in the Massena area.
Additionally, the four trustees will be reimbursed for outstanding past costs to assess impacts and damages.
The restoration projects are described in the St. Lawrence Environment Restoration Compensation and Determination Plan. The Alcoa/Reynolds Consent Decree, detailing the settlement, and restoration plan, are available online at: www.srmtenv.org/index.php?spec=nrda_main www.fws.gov/northeast/nyfo/ec/nrda.htm www.darrp.noaa.gov/northeast/lawrence/admin.html www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html
Next month, the trustees will hold informational public meetings on the restoration plan in Akwesasne and Massena:
●April
17, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
●April 18, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Dar�s Place Banquet
Hall, Quality Inn |
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New York opens Trout and Salmon Fishing April 1 Cold but Fishable Water Expected In Most Areas Opening day for trout and salmon fishing is April 1 with high, cold water and icy banks and streambeds anticipated which could make for a dangerous early season angling, particularly in northern areas of the state.
Early season trout are typically lethargic and anglers will have best
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success using bait and lures such as spinners that can be fished slow and deep. Fishing will improve markedly once water temperatures warm later in the spring. This also encourages aquatic insect activity, which will improve opportunities for those preferring to use fly fishing gear. Some of the best fishing of the year in lakes and ponds often occurs immediately following ice out, which can be as late as May in some northern Adirondack ponds. |
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NY to stock 2.1 million catchable trout this spring DEC plans to stock more than 2.1 million catchable-size brook, brown and rainbow trout in 307 lakes and ponds and roughly 3,000 miles of streams across the state. Spring stockings will include 1.51 million brown trout, 432,000 rainbow trout and 158,000 brook trout. Approximately 97,000 two-year-old brown trout 12-13" in length will also be stocked into lakes and streams across the state. Due to a disease outbreak last year at the Rome Hatchery approximately 131,000 brook and brown trout were lost that would have been part of the fall 2012 and spring 2013 stocking program. However, the loss of these fish is not anticipated to significantly impact the quality of fishing for these species this upcoming season. Approximately 25,000 additional rainbow trout will be available for stocking the upcoming season.
Roughly 2.05 million yearling lake trout, steelhead, landlocked salmon, splake and coho salmon will be also be stocked by DEC this spring to provide exciting angling opportunities over the next several years. For those who prefer a quieter, more remote setting, more than 330,000 brook trout fingerlings will be stocked in 342 lakes and ponds this spring and fall, providing unique angling opportunities for future years. For a complete list of waters planned to be stocked with trout this spring, go to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30465.html. A listing of waters stocked with all sizes of trout last year can be found at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30467.html.
DEC�s stocking program traditionally commences in late March and early April with the stocking of catchable-size trout in the lower Hudson Valley, Long Island and western New York. It then proceeds, as weather and stream conditions permit, to the Catskills and Adirondacks.
Early season trout fishing recommendations by DEC staff in each region can be found in the 2013 Coldwater Fishing Forecast at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/63598.html . Anglers searching for places to fish will be interested in the I FISH NY Guide to Freshwater Fishing in New York State. This map/brochure provides information on over 320 lakes and pond and 110 rivers. Anglers desiring to order a map may do so by e-mailing their name and address to [email protected] (include NY FISHING MAP in the subject line). An interactive version of the guide can also be found at www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/42978.html . DEC�s website also provides specific locations on streams where DEC has purchased fishing easements. This information can be found at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9924.html. Anglers are encouraged to contact a DEC Regional Office for questions on fishing opportunities within a specific region.
During the upcoming trout season, creel surveys and trout population assessments will continue on eight streams across the state to check the performance of the Catch Rate Oriented Trout Stocking (CROTS) model used by DEC to set stocking rates. This mathematical model depends on a number of variables such as natural mortality, catch rate, and harvest rate that may have changed since the model was first developed. The current research project, conducted in partnership with
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Cornell University, is designed to assess the validity of estimates of these variables and allow DEC to make any necessary adjustments to the stocking model. The study streams for this third and final year of the project are as follows: Carmans River, Kinderhook Creek, Kayaderosseras Creek, Oriskany Creek, Big Creek, Otselic River, Meads Creek, and East Koy Creek.
Anglers fishing these waters can help by answering a few questions on their fishing trip if approached by a DEC creel clerk and by allowing the clerk to examine and measure any harvested fish. Anglers can also help by completing and returning the postage-paid catch cards distributed by the clerks. As in 2012, all anglers returning catch cards to Cornell University will be entered in a random drawing for a $100 cash prize. The winner of the 2012 drawing was Ms. Jeanne Beck who returned a card documenting her fishing trip on Esopus Creek. Congratulations to Ms. Beck and all the other anglers who contributed to the research by returning cards or being interviewed by creel clerks.
Anglers are reminded to be sure to disinfect their fishing equipment, including waders and boots before entering a new body of water. Since 2007, Didymo, an invasive algae species, has been discovered in the Battenkill and Kayderosseras Creek in DEC Region 5, Esopus Creek and Rondout Creek in Region 3 and the Little Delaware River, West Branch Delaware River and East Branch Delaware River in Region 4. Didymo can attach to waders, particularly felt soles, and this is believed to be the primary mechanism for its spread from its initial discovery location. Wading anglers are encouraged to use readily available alternatives to felt-soled waders and wading boots. All gear should be dried and/or disinfected before it is used in a new body of water. Methods to clean and disinfect fishing gear can be found at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/50121.html.
Anyone 16 years of age and older who desires to fish in New York must have a New York State fishing license, available on line at www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6101.html or by calling 1-86-NY-DECALS. Fishing licenses can also be purchased from the 1,500 license issuing agents located throughout the state (town and county clerks, some major discount stores and many tackle and sporting goods stores). An interactive map providing the locations of these agents is now available on line at www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/42978.html . By law, every dollar spent on a fishing license helps fund the DEC fish stocking program and other programs conducted by the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources. When buying a license, consider purchasing a Habitat/Access Stamp to help fund important access and habitat projects. For more information on the Habitat/Access Stamp Program, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/329.html. New York State remains near the top in hunter and angler licenses, an estimated 1.88 million anglers and 823,000 hunters, indicating a mostly stable group of participants. The same study found in 2011 New York was second in the nation in total angler spending on fishing-related items and sixth in non-resident angler spending. This spending generated an estimated $108 million in state and local taxes. |
Pennsylvania
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PA To Keep Oswayo and Bellefonte Hatcheries Open HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission voted at a special public meeting on March 25 to keep its Oswayo and Bellefonte hatcheries open for at least two more years while the agency pursues a long-term funding source through the General Assembly.
"Since the board of commissioners voted in January to close the two |
hatcheries, staff and Commissioners have met with members of the General Assembly to try to identify opportunities to secure long-term funding sources," said Board President Steve Ketterer. "As a result, we have voted to keep the hatcheries open while we pursue these opportunities."
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(Click on title or URL to read full article)
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overdue |
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