Category Archives: Conservation

Georgia DNR OFFERING CAREER CAMP FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO EXPLORE PROFESSIONAL PATHS

CAREER CAMP FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO EXPLORE PROFESSIONAL PATHS with the Georgia DNR

ATLANTA, Ga. (Jan. 18, 2022) — The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced a new program aimed at encouraging high school students to explore careers in conservation.

The Georgia DNR Career Academy, a week-long, overnight summer camp, will be held July 17-23, 2022, at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield and Georgia 4-H at Camp Jekyll on Jekyll Island. High school students will have the opportunity to learn about DNR career paths, and visit wildlife management areas, hatcheries, state parks, and the coast, said Lindsey Brown, the Career Academy’s director.

“Throughout the week, students will get hands-on experience as they learn from DNR game wardens, wildlife, fisheries and marine technicians, park rangers, and support staff,” Brown said. “They’ll have the opportunity to go behind the scenes with DNR staff and see what it takes to conserve Georgia’s natural resources.”

The Career Academy’s activities will include trail blazing and hiking, land navigation, state park hospitality, hunting incident investigation, fishery management, urban wildlife and deer aging, and other programs.  Throughout the week, students will interact with full-time DNR staff and have the chance to ask questions, learn about professional paths, and education requirements.

“Our goal is for students to have a genuine experience with DNR staff and see what their day-to-day jobs are like, whether that’s conducting a prescribed burn, helping find a lost hiker, or gathering data that’s used to open and close the state’s commercial shrimping season,” Brown added.”

Mark Williams, commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, said he hopes the Career Academy will provide students with a path to pursue employment with the department, and a clear understanding of the educational requirements necessary.

“Georgia is home to a diverse and growing workforce, and as the state’s lead natural resources agency, we want to make sure DNR is a competitive and enjoyable place to work,” Williams said. “This program will give young Georgians the chance to see how they can turn their passion for the outdoors into a career that conserves our resources and benefits present and future generations.”

The Georgia DNR Career Academy is open to high school students in the fall of 2022. Students do not have to be residents of Georgia. The cost is $100 and includes all meals and lodging. Scholarship opportunities are available to students who qualify on a financial-need basis. Applicants must include a letter of permission from parent or guardian, a letter of recommendation from a teacher, school counselor, school administrator, or club advisor, and complete a virtual interview with a DNR employee.

Applications and more information are available at www.GaDNR.org/CareerAcademy. Contact career.academy@dnr.ga.gov for more information.

Eligible students may also opt to earn technical college credit upon completion of the camp that can be used toward a future education in wildlife management.

What Is A Burbot and How and Where Can I Catch One

IDAHO’S STRANGEST FISH –  The Burdot

– Connor Liess, Idaho Fish & Game Public Information Specialist

from The Fishing Wire

Riddle me this: What lives in the Kootenai River, has the body of a cod, the meat of a lobster and the soul patch of Frank Zappa? No, that’s not a trick question. There really is a species of freshwater cod that calls the Kootenai River home, but that almost came to an end just 20 years ago. Herein lies the tale of one of Idaho’s strangest fish – the burbot.

What’s the deal with burbot?

Burbot – also known as bubbot, cusk, freshwater cod, ling, lingcod and eelpout – are the only freshwater cod species in North America, and they have a special place in Idaho’s heart. With a face that only a mother could love, these long-bodied, cold-water fish are not your run-of-the-mill sport fish. Burbot have flat heads and long bodies that sprout long pectoral fins just behind their gills. Their back-half is eel-like, with stumpy rounded fins. Burbot have brownish-yellow mottled skin, earning them the nickname “Kootenai leopards” among anglers.

As the name implies, these “leopard-like” fish are predatory and feed during the night. They hang out during the day in deep, slow-moving pools, then seek out food such as crayfish or small fish in shallow water. With the help of inward slanting teeth and a funky little chin whisker called a barbel, burbot have no trouble scoping out and hanging on to prey.

Burbot march to the beat of their own drum in more ways than one, but when it comes to reproduction, things get even weirder. Unlike most freshwater fish that spawn in spring or early summer, burbot prefer to do their business in winter. Some Kootenai River burbot will even migrate from watersheds up in Canada, roughly 75 miles away. Spawning can occur from December to late March, with most spawning happening mid-February through mid-March. Females will lay anywhere between 60,000 to 3 million eggs, each being the size a grain of sand. Burbot will often live to 8 to 10 years old, and even longer in other parts of the world.

Unbeknownst to many Idaho anglers, burbot are a healthy sport fish living right here in our backyard, but it didn’t always use to be that way.

Bouncing back

Just 20 years ago, anglers would be hard-pressed to hook a burbot in Idaho’s Kootenai River. It was estimated that only 50 fish remained in 2004. Thanks to an international, multi-state effort including Idaho Fish and Game, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and fisheries biologists from Canada and Montana, Kootenai River’s burbot population recovered.

Research began in the 1990’s, with burbot fishing closed down in 1992 because of a decline in numbers. Biologists started using hoop nets – a non-invasive fish trap – to capture, tag and study these fish. Researchers also tagged burbot with PIT tags to track migration.

In 2004, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho began operating a burbot hatchery in hopes of increasing the population. The Kootenai Tribe took Canadian-spawned burbot eggs back to the hatchery and hatched the tiny eggs from there. Once they reached adolescence, the young fish were released into the Kootenai River.

From the decades’ long research, two important takeaways were found: Burbot weren’t very successful at spawning naturally, and hatchery-raised burbot were surviving but still relied on the hatchery to produce more fish for the population to continue growing.

In 2019, the burbot population finally hit its restoration goal. Partners from the original recovery project are still monitoring burbot populations in the Kootenai River fishery.

You had me at lobster cod

Hit up your buddy to take the rods out on the Kootenai River and its tributaries in mid-winter and you might get a solid “no” before you can even finish your sentence. But tickle their fancy with a prized fresh-water cod that tastes like lobster and it might change their tune.

Anglers will most likely find burbot between mid-February and mid-March when spawning is at its peak, but because burbot fly by night usually, it can be a little challenging to locate them. But before you cast off these unicorn fish as a myth, here are a few fishing tips to help you track down a “Kootenai leopard”:

  • Fish shallow flats (5-15 feet deep) at dusk or during the night.
  • Try river junctions where smaller streams flow into the mainstem of the river.
  • If fishing during the day, try dropping a line in 40-plus foot deep holes. Burbot like to rest in these deep pockets during the day.
  • Anglers can also try ice fishing for burbot on Bonner Lake.
  • Worms and shrimp work well for bait.
  • Use weights to get the line down deep towards the bottom.

Fishing for burbot can be a great way to kick off any angler’s new year. Be sure to dress warm and bring extra layers in case that North Idaho weather takes a turn. Whether you land one of these leopard-like cod or simply use it as a way to get outdoors this winter, burbot fishing is not only a chance to put a delicious, native fish on the supper table, but a true reminder of the persistence and revitalization of one of our state’s fish species.

To learn more about burbot, check out this month’s issue of Wildlife Express. In it you will find all kinds of fun facts, puzzles and more!

NEW 2022 GEORGIA FISHING REGULATIONS AVAILABLE

NEW 2022 GEORGIA FISHING REGULATIONS AVAILABLE: GO FISH GEORGIA!

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (January 5, 2022) – Start planning your fishing adventures for the new year and be sure to review the updated 2022 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide, says the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). 

“Whether you are brand new to fishing or an experienced angler, you can always find something of interest in the Sport Fishing Regulations Guide,” said Scott Robinson, Chief of the WRD Fisheries Management Section. “This publication is developed with the help of fisheries biologists and staff to ensure it has the most current and accurate information on regulations and new opportunities and anglers can access it in multiple ways, including online, from our Outdoors GA app or in the printed copy.”

Anglers should note there was delayed production of a printed copy of the 2022 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations guide due to paper accessibility and manufacturing issues. It is anticipated the print version will be available by the end of January. The guide can now be found online at http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/fishing/, or through the Outdoors GA app (free app for iPhone or Android users). If you need a printed copy sooner, a pdf of the publication will be available online (you can choose to print the full book or only the information you need). 

The 2022 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide provides information such as a color fish identification chart for both freshwater and saltwater fish, license purchasing information, contact information for Wildlife Resources Division and Coastal Resources Division fisheries management offices and DNR Law Enforcement offices, trout stream listings, public fishing area information, state record fish listings, fishing regulations for Georgia and so much more. 

What’s New for 2022? Check out this quick bullet list below and get all the details in the new guidebook:

•         Minnow trap use is now legal in freshwaters.

•         Waters Creek trout regulations have changed.

·       Largemouth bass regulations have changed on two Public Fishing Areas.

Need more fishing information? Check out the Angler Resources page on the WRD website (https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources).

Hatchery Fish Often Fail in the Wild. Now We Might Know Why

Epigenetics explained, with help from ’80s pop.

by Amorina Kingdon, Hakai Magazine 

from The Fishing Wire

Wild salmon are struggling to get their groove back. Along North America’s Pacific coast, salmon populations—already hit by overfishing—have been forced to dodge the Blob and hungry seals. For years, Canada has tried to help bolster the salmon population by releasing hatchery-raised juvenile fish, or smolts, into the wild.

Scientists know these hatchery smolts don’t do well in the wild—the fish tend to die younger than their wild brethren and reproduce less, but it’s unclear why.

In a recent study, however, researchers think they’ve hit upon a possible explanation. In two British Columbia streams, researchers caught coho salmon smolts that were making their way out to sea for the first time. Some of the fish had been born in hatcheries, while others were wild. Comparing the genetics of the hatchery- and wild-born smolts, the scientists found a huge difference between the two populations. But the changes weren’t so much in their genetics as in how their genes were regulated and expressed—their epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the physical and molecular processes that control how the instructions contained within DNA get expressed or turned into the proteins that affect day-to-day life. Often, epigenetics causes a gene to be expressed more or less frequently than it otherwise would. Everything from stress to chemicals to natural processes like puberty can cause epigenetic changes. Some of the changes are temporary or reversible, while others last forever.

Suppose, for instance, that rather than a jumble of folded proteins, your DNA is a cassette tape of Phil Collins’s 1985 smash album No Jacket Required. When you were born, your DNA was a factory-made tape—you had the same physical spool of tape, more or less, as 13 million other fans.

But say a section of your tape was kinked or twisted after unspooling in the stereo of your Trans Am, garbling the classic riffs of “Sussudio.” Meanwhile, your brother can rock out to “Sussudio” just fine, but he accidentally erased the sultry chorus of “Inside Out” while making a mixtape for his girlfriend. Much like these changes will affect which of Collins’s epic rhythms you and your brother respectively blast, epigenetics can permanently or semipermanently affect how genes get expressed.

In the case of the salmon, Louis Bernatchez, a population biologist at Laval University who worked on the new research, found that while hatchery- and wild-born coho smolts have similar genetic profiles—which makes sense since the two are closely related—some parts of their DNA have wildly different epigenetics. But more than this, Bernatchez found that all the hatchery-raised fish had similar epigenetic changes, even for fish reared at different hatcheries.

Just as two different cassettes chewed up in the same spot of “One More Night” suggest an issue with the tape deck, Bernatchez suspected there’s something about hatchery life that triggers epigenetic changes. He points to two features as possible suspects: atypical food and overcrowding.

“Some of those genes are important in appetite, important in osmoregulation,” Bernatchez says. He stresses that these epigenetic effects don’t necessarily explain hatchery fish’s shortcomings as adults. In part, that’s because it’s still not completely clear which traits they affect, or how long the changes last. But it does open new avenues to explore.Hatchery-born coho salmon smolts have epigenetic changes as a result of hatchery living, which may affect them for life. Photo by Stock Connection Blue/Alamy Stock Photo

In Washington State, hatchery-spawned steelhead also do poorly in the wild. But Penny Swanson, division director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, says that while epigenetics may play a part, there are other factors that could account for hatchery fish’s struggles.

For example, fish that do well in hatcheries often have voracious appetites and grow quickly, she says. This serves them well in captivity, but not in the wild, where searching for food and enduring hunger are more important. But it’s not clear if hatchery conditions lead to a form of artificial selection, where the quickest gobblers survive, or if the food, temperature, or relatively sedentary lifestyle are modifying the fish’s genes through epigenetic effects.

Swanson thinks Bernatchez’s research lays important groundwork for untangling the different factors, but there’s still a lot to study, such as epigenetics in fish at different ages. This is tricky to do with wild populations, she says, in comparison to the captive or domestic animals on which most epigenetics research is done, because the natural genetic variation is much wider and less understood.

Mackenzie Gavery, a post-doctorate researcher working with Swanson, agrees that it’s a leap to suggest the epigenetic changes seen in smolts are affecting their success as adults. There’s a big gap in time between when smolts head out to sea and when they return to breed as adults, she says. Gavery also notes that many epigenetic changes are natural, transient, and even reversible. Like straightening a twisted cassette ribbon by rewinding it with a pencil, epigenetic changes in the smolts may be gone by the time they return to spawn.

Bernatchez hopes that further study will untangle how persistent the epigenetic changes are, as well as make it clearer how they’re manifesting in the fish. But it’s a new field, and the researchers still have a long long way to go.

Read more like this in Hakai Magazine here:

What Is Fishing for the Future through Sport Fish Restoration?

By Melissa Crouch, Florida FWC

The Sport Fish Restoration program helps preserve fishing opportunities for the future.

I grew up fishing in Florida’s coastal waters. My dad would often take me on his pre-fishing shopping trips to stock up on tackle and fishing equipment. There was such a huge variety to choose from, I always wondered how he knew just what to purchase. The day before our fishing adventure we would gas up the boat and make final preparations. I was too excited to fall asleep on those nights, and in the morning I readied myself before the sun came up for what was sure to be a memorable day. I became hooked on the sport.

Today, I engage my children in the same perpetual cycle of strolling through tackle shops, fueling-up the boat, fishing, cleaning, rinsing and repeating. While this cycle helps re-energize my soul and introduces my children to the water, it is also part of an even bigger cycle known as the Sport Fish Restoration Program. By purchasing fishing gear, motorboat fuel and a fishing license, I’m participating in a cycle of success that not only leaves me feeling good, but provides fishing opportunities to all who enjoy and appreciate the sport.

Each time you purchase fishing gear, motorboat fuel or a fishing license, you help support SFR.

A quick history lesson on this important program – back in 1950, Congress enacted the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (also known as the Dingell-Johnson Act) to collect a 10-percent fee on the purchase of fishing rods, reels, creels, lures, flies and artificial baits for projects to improve recreational fishing opportunities. In 1984, funds from the sale of motorboat fuels and additional fishing equipment, as well as import duties on boats and fishing tackle, were included as part of the Wallop-Breaux amendment. These revenues are transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which then distributes funds to the states for recreational sport fishing enhancement projects.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) receives about $13 million annually from SFR, of which $3 to $4 million supports saltwater sport fish projects and 15 percent funds the creation and maintenance of boating-access points. Over the years, SFR has provided nearly $500 million to the states for thousands of individual projects. All because you bought tackle, fueled-up your boat and purchased a fishing license.

Projects supported by SFR in Florida include:

Each state’s share of SFR funding is based 60 percent on its number of paid licensed anglers and 40 percent on its land and water area.
To fund SFR projects, 75 percent of the total cost is provided by SFR and the remaining 25 percent comes from state funds, which are derived through recreational fishing license fees.
  • Marine and freshwater fisheries research.
  • Stock enhancement.
  • Angler and boater outreach.
  • Aquatic resource education.
  • Artificial reefs.
  • Boating-access improvements.

Using SFR funding, the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management, Outreach and Education subsection travels throughout Florida to offer a variety of engaging programs for recreational anglers and participates in numerous public events. Through their efforts, the public has opportunities to learn more about some of Florida’s most important marine fisheries resources. Just a few of these activities include Women’s Fishing Clinics, Kids’ Fishing Clinics, displays at fishing expos and boat shows, presentations to fishing clubs, and Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs. Staff also disseminates a variety of SFR-funded publications including a “Boating and Angling Guide” series for coastal areas, saltwater fish identification posters, “Fishing Lines: An Angler’s Guide to Florida’s Marine Resources,” “Fishing Florida” youth activity books, saltwater habitat brochures, catch-and-release brochures, “Sea Stats” for saltwater species, and brochures explaining the importance of SFR.

So next time you go fishing, buy tackle, fuel-up your boat, or purchase your fishing license, remember that you contributed to this important program with far-reaching impacts. When you see the SFR logo at a boat launch, know that you made it happen. Fishing for the future – that’s something to be excited about! To learn more about Florida’s Sport Fish Restoration Program, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Sport Fish Restoration” or visit the USFWS page.

Should Muskie Fishermen Stop Fishing When the Water Is Warm?


MUSKY WARM-WATER MORTALITY STUDY IN JAMES RIVER

from The Fishing Wire

Musky Warm-Water Mortality Study in James River

Warm water angling is a contentious topic among devout muskie anglers, with many anglers deciding to stop fishing when water temperatures exceed 80°F because catching fish in elevated temperatures is believed to lead to high mortality. Until this point, there has been no formal evaluation to validate this belief. Over the past two years, graduate students from Coastal Carolina University, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR), and West Virginia University (WVU) conducted a two-year warm-water catch-and-release mortality study for muskellunge in the upper James River.

Researchers surgically implanted muskellunge between 26 and 46 inches in length with individually coded radio tags in February-March of 2020 (N = 45) and 2021 (N = 50) so we could track and monitor the fates of all tagged fish. We also attached external loop tags to the radio tagged fish so anyone who caught a radio tagged fish could report it and receive a $50 reward.

With the help of local anglers, researchers attempted to catch half of the radio tagged fish during the warm-water period, which we defined as July through August because that is when water temperatures tended to exceed 80°F. After a tagged fish was caught and released, researchers tracked the fish for several days to verify whether it survived or died.

We were able to locate 39 of 45 fish in 2020 and 46 of 50 fish in 2021 prior to the beginning of July each year. The missing fish may have moved into areas we could not track, had their tags fail, or were unreported harvests. Five of the located fish in 2020 had died prior to the warm-water period and six died prior to the warm-water period in 2021, one of which was harvested.

Of the surviving fish we were able to locate, seven fish were caught in 2020 and five were caught in 2021. Three of the seven fish caught in 2020 died and one of the five fish caught in 2021 died, leading to a mortality estimate of 33.3% for fish released in warm water. Additionally, we had one natural mortality in 2020 and three natural mortalities in 2021, resulting in a natural mortality estimate of 6.9% for the warm-water period.

Fishing action (i.e., follows, strikes, and catches) during the warm-water period was extremely low, even with known locations of tagged fish and experienced anglers using a variety of tactics (e.g., live bait, night fishing). Fish also visually exhibited signs of stress (e.g., no movement or interest in baits presented to them) and would aggregate near thermal refugia (e.g., creek mouths).

We used our mortality estimates, as well as James River muskellunge growth data and angler catch data from previous summers, to simulate how a season closure during the warm-water season would affect the size distribution of the James River muskellunge population. Based on our simulations, the changes in the estimated probability of muskellunge achieving >40” and >45” did not significantly increase in the upriver (+2.0% and +0.5% respectively) or the downriver (+2.5% and +0.1% respectively) based on expected exploitation rates.

Take home points:

  • Mortality is higher for muskellunge caught in warm water.
  • Catchability of muskellunge during the warm water period is low.
  • Because few muskellunge are angled in the summer, the effects of summer angling mortality on size structure of muskellunge in the James River is minimal despite the high probability of mortality for fish that are angled during this period.

Did Au Sable Trout Disappear?

Where have the Au Sable River trout gone?
from The Fishing Wire

Spring ushered into northern Michigan an unwelcomed guest in 2018…an extended winter with an unprecedented snowfall in April. When winter finally relented, and anglers were able to get out and enjoy fishing their favorite spots, the DNR Fisheries Division’s Northern Lake Huron Management Unit started getting phone calls from concerned anglers about their lack of success on the North Branch of the Au Sable River.

The unit receives “there are no fish in my lake” calls on a regular basis, and usually they are based on an angler’s couple of days of poor fishing. This year on the North Branch, however, staff were getting calls from professional trout fishing guides who had never complained about the fishing before. They told local staff they were experiencing extremely low catch rates and weren’t seeing the feeding activity they normally would during insect hatches.The North Branch was scheduled for Fisheries Division to conduct population estimates in the late summer at three different sites. However, with the number of anglers reporting startlingly low catch rates of trout, the division decided to conduct electrofishing spot checks on May 30.

To build on the strong partnership in the Au Sable River, Fisheries Division invited several of the guides who informed the department to come and help conduct the electrofishing efforts. The first round of electrofishing spot checks were at places that are surveyed regularly. Shortly after the survey started, it was readily apparent the trout population was down from levels normally seen in late summer.

“Most anglers understand that trout can move fairly large distances, usually seasonally, so making direct comparisons of the survey results occurring at different times of the year should be avoided,” said the Northern Lake Huron Management Unit manager, Dave Borgeson. “Regardless, the decline in the number of fish surveyed at the sites corroborated the angler reports so we decided to conduct four more spot checks at other locations on June 7, and got similar results.

“For some unknown reason, it became clear the trout population in the North Branch had declined from the previous year. There was a lot of head-scratching and hypothesis-sharing regarding the cause of the apparent decline, and some of the angler’s ideas centered on the possibility of mortality due to toxic substances introduced into the stream.

While trout populations can vary widely from year to year for a variety of reasons, Fisheries Division decided to notify the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality of the angler’s observations and the electrofishing results. A working group of concerned anglers, DEQ staff, and Fisheries Division employees Neal Godby and Borgeson teamed up to discuss the status of the stream and plan a strategy for additional information gathering in 2018.The DEQ planned to do some water chemistry work and conduct aquatic invertebrate sampling in the North Branch, Fisheries Division would conduct trout population estimates at three stations on the river, and the angling groups planned to do their annual quantitative aquatic invertebrate sampling as well as cooperate with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a contaminant survey using lipid-based collection gear deployed in the stream.

The DEQ’s Water Resource Division conducted three P51 Habitat and Macroinvertebrate surveys in mid-June and found “All three sites surveyed in June 2018 scored excellent for both habitat and macroinvertebrates. All sites had excellent macroinvertebrate diversity with 37 taxa found at Dam Four, 32 at Twin Bridge Rd., and 31 at the Ford. Of these, 20 taxa at Dam Four, 18 taxa at Twin Bridges, and 15 taxa at the Ford were ephemeroptera, plecoptera, or tricoptera (EPT) taxa indicating excellent water quality.

“The USGS organic chemical sampling results are pending. Fisheries Division electrofishing surveys revealed:
At Twin Bridges the brook trout density and biomass were at the lowest recorded level in the past 30 years, and brown trout density and biomass levels were on par with the past two years.

At Eamon’s Landing the brook trout density was around the long-term average and biomass was on par with the past two years (but low compared with the long-term average).

At Dam 4 the brook trout density was well below average and biomass was at its lowest recorded level in the last 30 years. Brown trout density was about average, but the biomass was well below its average.

“So, what does all this mean?” asked Borgeson. “Do we know why the trout abundance in the North Branch declined substantially? It appears the aquatic invertebrate populations appear to be in good shape, and that non-trout species are in decent numbers. Because of that, contamination or an acute toxin event is not likely the cause. Additionally, trout species are still present albeit in relatively low numbers. So, what else could it be?

“Sometimes trout populations can be impacted by extreme water temperatures. Since the decline occurred after the DNR’s fall survey, and before this summer, warm temperatures do not appear to be the culprit. Last winter, while long, did not have too many of the extremely low temperatures that can greatly affect trout. So, temperature may not have been the primary force impacting the population in this case.

Also, the area of the North Branch was the recipient of some tremendous amounts of precipitation in the fall of 2017, and in the spring of 2018. Many long-time river residents and users reported they have never seen the North Branch so high, even out of its banks. It is known that high flows can impact trout populations, especially those occurring in the spring. Fisheries Division also surveyed some other streams that had markedly lower trout abundances. For example, division crews surveyed the West Branch of the Sturgeon River and they said it was very clear the trout population had declined since 2017. The department also had reports of another small, shallow tributary to the Sturgeon River that had a much lower trout population. A tributary to the Muskegon was surveyed and the population was down noticeably.

Maybe there was a regional phenomenon that affected certain types of streams disproportionately more than others? Could the high flows have been the primary culprit? We probably won’t know with an ironclad degree of certainty, but we can make some conclusions from this situation: It occurred between early fall 2017 and May 2018. It doesn’t appear to be a toxic event. The relatively large one-year reduction in trout abundance coincided with two extremely high flow events (last fall and this spring). Also, there appears to be enough numbers of young trout in the system that with decent overwinter survival the numbers of catchable fish should improve in the coming years.

“Overall, productivity in the North Branch has declined from the 1960’s and 1970’s, and the trout population reflects that decline,” explained Borgeson. “Perhaps this has to do with the long-term effects of the Clean Water Act. Those of us old timers remember the good ‘ol days when there were more brook trout in the stream. Maybe the rooted vegetation that used to be more abundant in the North Branch provided those young trout enough cover to survive better to older ages. When a trout population begins with more 1 and 2-year-old fish, then it usually ends up with more 2 and 3-year-old trout. In the past 30 years the stream’s trout population has varied around a new lower average biomass.

“This year on the North Branch of the Au Sable highlights the importance of having a suite of streams where status and trends surveys are conducted. They help put the trout population variability of one stream in a greater context. That is, are there regional trends in all sampled streams, in certain types of streams, or is there a stream that had a unique event occur?It also points to the importance of strong working relationships with local Fisheries Division staff, concerned anglers, and other agencies or groups that can bring resources to the table to solve complex problems. Maybe we won’t always have all the simple answers, but collectively we can learn together and that is better for making informed decisions on the resource. With that collective knowledge base, the DNR and its partners will be much better informed in the future, with a greater ability to parcel out those factors that combine to shape the trout populations in Michigan streams.

REPORT WINTER MONARCH SIGHTINGS

PUBLIC’S HELP NEEDED IN REPORTING WINTER MONARCH SIGHTINGS

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (Nov. 18, 2021) – We asked and, thankfully, you delivered.

Now we need your help again.

Last winter, volunteers from across the Southeast and Gulf states provided more than 5,800 observations of monarch butterflies. This winter, the partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations called Monarchs Overwintering in Southeastern States is requesting the public’s continued involvement in reporting sightings.

Sonia Altizer, a University of Georgia ecology professor and director of Project Monarch Health, said the information can help scientists determine if these iconic but declining butterflies “can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern U.S. and how this might affect future population numbers.” The monitoring will also help document how winter-breeding activity might be affecting the annual migration to Mexico.

Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to conserving monarchs, a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Thousands of monarchs stream across the South each fall on their way to wintering grounds in central Mexico. In the spring, this eastern population of the butterfly returns to the U.S. and Canada to breed.

But not all monarchs migrate to Mexico. Volunteer observations over the past two decades have helped scientists better understand how and why some monarchs breed throughout the winter in the southern U.S. Scattered reports also suggest that some monarchs can overwinter in coastal regions in a non-breeding state, similar to their wintering behavior in Mexico.

The goal this winter is to collect more data for a growing partnership that has expanded to include organizations such as Florida Natural Areas Inventory and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program.

Gabriela Garrison of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said the monarch is a species of greatest conservation need in North Carolina’s Wildlife Action Plan, as in the action plans of many other states. “So monitoring overwintering populations and learning more about their behavior is critical.”

The public is encouraged to report monarch sightings from Dec. 1-March 1 in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

Observations are entered in Journey North’s online data portal, where they are transformed into real-time mapping visualizations of monarch migration and breeding. Journey North is an organization designed to engage people across North America in tracking wildlife migration and seasonal change.

Program coordinator Nancy Sheehan said the public has a long history of being a part of scientific discoveries. “Journey North is excited to provide a platform for engaging citizen scientists in this targeted monitoring effort.”

Susan Meyers, cochair of Monarchs Across Georgia agreed. “Volunteers are vital to this effort. If you enjoy being outdoors and exploring your local ecosystem, this is an easy activity that can be done alone or with your family.”

Wildlife biologist Anna Yellin of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said project partners are grateful to all who reported sightings last winter. “When we come together as a community as we have with this effort, we stand a better chance of protecting the monarch butterfly for future generations.”

HOW TO TAKE PART

  • Step 1: Create a free account at journeynorth.org/reg.
  • Step 2: Learn how to report monarch sightings at journeynorth.org/monarchs.
  • Step 3: From Dec. 1-March 1, submit monarch observations at journeynorth.org/sightings.

Lake Restoration Efforts In Arkansas

Classic Lake Restoration Efforts In Arkansas
A $3.2 million restoration promises great results for anglers a few years from now as fish take advantage of new habitat.

HARRISBURG — As trucks unload large gray riprap and spray improved shorelines with grass seeds and fertilizer around Lake Poinsett in Poinsett County, Brett Timmons and his natural resources program technician, Tristan Bulice from Arkansas State University, continue to drag artificial habitat structures to the bed of the lake, nearing the end of a three-year marathon. The 471-acre lake has been dry since 2017 to complete a massive renovation involving many moving parts.

Originally constructed in 1961, Poinsett has held a healthy reputation in Northeast Arkansas as a great destination for crappie, redear and catfish. But managing a fishery is a constant battle against the elements to prevent erosion and deterioration of the lake’s infrastructure while maintaining the habitat under the surface. Timmons, regional fisheries supervisor for the AGFC in Jonesboro, has been hard at work in that battle since he joined the AGFC in 2012.

“I’ve heard Commissioners comment in the past about the challenge we have in fisheries management,” Timmons said. “Most of the work and the outcome is hidden from the naked eye under water, so it’s a difficult thing to measure against results of work that’s more easily seen.”flexamat reinforcements combine with riprap to prevent future erosion

That under-the-surface nature of lake management was illustrated in 2017, when after nearly 60 years, the infrastructure of Poinsett began to fail.

“Materials and construction techniques used at the time of Poinsett’s construction typically have a 50-year lifespan,” said Ben Batten, chief of the AGFC’s Fisheries Division. “At nearly 60 years old, the infrastructure of Poinsett had reached a point that repairs would be needed for the lake to continue providing the quality of fishing anglers had enjoyed for the last six decades.”

Work of this magnitude is much more than pushing some dirt with a bulldozer. Construction was complicated with the primary soil type surrounding the lake being loess soil and the area along Crowley’s Ridge in Arkansas being in an earthquake zone. Engineering, construction and ultimately the success of the project hinges on many factors like soil type, topography of the entire watershed that flows into and out of the system, and current condition. The repair work done at Lake Poinsett is one of the most expensive lake renovations undertaken by the AGFC to date. Including the extensive shoreline stabilization project, complete removal and replacement of the water-control tower and retrofitting of the outflow pipe and renovation of the auxiliary spillway, the cost of the completed renovation will exceed $3.2 million.

“Last year, only four major construction projects were underway by the agency, and Poinsett was one of them,” Batten said. “We currently have 15 other dams that are in need of some repair work, and we anticipate more work like this in the future simply because of the age of most of the infrastructure. But the benefits after these renovations make them worthwhile”

Slow Drain
Problems with the lake began to surface when shoreline erosion was documented a little over 10 years ago. This erosion became larger over the years and a plan to stabilize the shore was developed by the AGFC’s Arkansas Stream Teams program. But in 2016, a significant failure to the water-control structure rendered it inoperable. The following spring, officials at Lake Poinsett State Park noted that the lake level was dropping significantly. Contractors with the AGFC determined that the housing where the outflow pipe attached to the water-control structure had given way, allowing water to escape the lake with no control.

“The water-control structure needed to be replaced, and to do that you have to drain the lake completely,” Batten said.

Timmons said the work to complete the water-control structure was impressive.

“They drove steel beams 50 feet into the ground to provide a solid footing, then built up from there,” Timmons said. “Luckily, the dam was sound and the outflow pipe was still in good enough shape that they were able to repair and reinforce the pipe through an injection process instead of having to dig or auger a channel for a new pipe entirely. The finished product will likely last at least as long as the previous materials.”

Construction companies have also been hard at work placing riprap and erosion-control materials called “Flexamat” to replace eroded shorelines and prevent further damage.

“The riprap will block erosion, and the Flexamat will allow grass and other vegetation to grow within it to help stabilize slopes,” Timmons said. “Thousands of feet of shoreline have been repaired during the renovation.”

Angling Improvements
The renovation should be an exciting time for anglers, as Timmons expects good things from the dry period between the time the lake was drained and its expected refilling at the end of this year.

“Any time you draw down a lake and allow that lakebed soil to dry out and crack, you’re releasing nutrients back into that system when it refills,” Timmons said. “And the brush and grasses that have been allowed to grow during the construction time will add instant habitat for baitfish when we begin to restock. The breakdown of that vegetation also will add nutrients to the lake, promoting a boom of growth similar to what you see when a lake is first constructed.”

Timmons says anglers should see excellent rewards for their patience in the project, with good fishing only a few years after the lake is filled.

“We’ll stock catchable-size channel catfish as soon as we think the lake can support them for some instant gratification, and we’ll stock forage species in 2021 to let them get a good head start on the game fish to give the lake a good foundation,” Timmons said. “In 2022, we plan to stock bass and crappie. If all goes as planned, anglers should see some excellent fishing within four years or so.” Pallets, concrete and PVC pipes combine for beneficial habitat

Pallet Palace
Timmons isn’t leaving the habitat solely up to Mother Nature. He and many other AGFC staff have been hard at work adding extra bits of cover to increase the habitat throughout the lake.

“We added more than 4,000 pallets to the lakebed in July alone as fish habitat,” Timmons said. “I’d say we have somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 pallets in fish attractors throughout the lake at this point, and we get more on a weekly basis.”

The pallets have been placed in different stacks and shapes in areas that were historically good for fishing and in new areas biologists determined would be likely hot spots when the lake refilled. Instead of weighing them down with concrete blocks, like they would do if the lake were full, Timmons and his team are able to strap the pallets down to the lakebed with steel cable and anchors driven into the ground.

“I’ve sunk a lot of cover for fish in my lifetime, and this is one of the most efficient ways to make sure it stays in place,” Timmons said. “But you have to have a renovation like this where the lakebed is dried out to do it.”Timmons with hundreds of spider buckets destined for the lakebed.

Along Came a Spider
In addition to the thousands of wooden pallet structures, AGFC staff have been building PVC fish attractors called “spider buckets” since the project began and is placing those in key areas of the lake. Fishing piers and areas near banks where anglers can access them easily will be crawling with spider buckets when the lake is allowed to fill.

“I’ve had extra help and interns building these using 5-gallon buckets, some concrete and PVC pipe that was given to us by Crittco Cable and Fiber, NEA Construction and Craighead Electric,” Timmons said. “They use the pipe to shield underground cables, but they always have some odd lengths at the end of the spool that can’t be used. They have given us miles of this odd-sized pipe that would have otherwise been headed to a landfill. Now it’s going to be great attractors for baitfish and sunfish.”

concrete culverts offer excellent cover for catfish and bass Lunker Bunkers
Pallets and spider buckets aren’t the only pieces of cover being added to the lake while it’s dry. Concrete culverts weighing more than 2,000 pounds apiece also have been placed along portions of the lake. These concrete tubes not only offer hard surfaces that attract fish, they make ideal ambush cover for larger fish.

“Catfish and bass really like these sorts of features on the bottom,” Timmons said. “It offers a different, larger space that they prefer, and we have tried to place them in groups to increase the attractiveness of the site for some of these bigger fish.”

Partnerships Provide
Timmons credits much of the success with the habitat work done so far to amazing partnerships from local construction companies and a nearby steel mill.

“We have had some great support throughout the entire project,” Timmons said. “From the local school who worked with us on habitat projects through their EAST program, to companies providing the thousands of wooden pallets and other materials we’ve used, I can’t say enough about the help we’ve received. This lake truly is a part of this community, and we really saw the community step up to help out wherever they could.”

Timmons says the contractors also have been exceptional throughout the project.

“There are plenty of habitat components the contractor did while he was working that were just above and beyond his quoted job,” Timmons said. “He would drag concrete tiles out and set up extra habitat sites while he was on his way back and forth to do other work in the lake, and just was always happy to help even without us asking.”

WORKSHOP FOCUSES ON WOMEN AND THE OUTDOORS

Women and the Outdoors

MANSFIELD, Ga. (Sept. 17, 2021) – Ladies, have you ever wanted to head out to go backpacking or fishing or shooting, but not sure where to start? The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division can help! The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Workshop, scheduled for Nov. 5-7 at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, provides a practical introduction to a wide variety of outdoor recreational skills and activities.

“BOW workshops focus on learning outdoor skills in a safe and structured environment, giving women from all backgrounds the chance to learn outdoor skills in a positive, non-competitive atmosphere where they can feel confident and have fun,” said Melissa Paduani, BOW coordinator. “Available class activities will include shooting, fishing, camping, photography, wilderness survival and more!”

BOW is an educational program offering hands-on workshops to women (18 or older) of all physical ability levels and aims to break down barriers to female participation in outdoor activities by providing a safe and supportive learning environment.

Weekend workshops begin on Friday morning and end on Sunday. Between meals and special presentations and events, participants can choose from about 20 professionally-led classes, ranging from such topics as firearms, outdoor preparedness, fishing, preparing and cooking game, foraging, geocaching, nature photography, medicinal plants and hunting. Sessions range in intensity from leisurely to rugged (strenuous).

“Although classes are designed with beginners and those with little to no experience in mind, more seasoned participants will benefit from the opportunity to hone their existing skills and try out new activities,” says Paduani. “All participants will receive enough instruction to pursue their outdoor interests further when the workshop is complete.”

Registration for BOW is now open. Participants can choose to bring their own tents and gear, stay off-site or stay at the lodge at Charlie Elliott, (part of a popular complex including a wildlife management and public fishing area). Cost per person, which includes food and programming, ranges from $245-290 (dependent on lodging choice).

For more information, including registration details, online registration and a complete listing of classes, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/BOW or call (770) 784-3059.