Posts tagged: invasive species

Commercial Carp Fishery Grows In Midwest, Which *Sounds* Like a Good Thing…

August 15, 2011, by No comments yet

Commercial fishermen are netting invasive Asian carp species out of the Illinois River in huge numbers, which is probably good news for both jobless folks and native species.

This New York Times story outlines the growth in the commercial carp fishery and the government dollars flowing into the industry, and for those concerned about depressed native fish stocks, the news is frankly pretty good:

For many people, Asian carp are proving more boon than bane. Bolstered by government support, the Asian carp harvest has leapt thirtyfold in the past decade, creating a new industry, attracting fishermen and entrepreneurs, and feeding people all over the world.

“We’ve been ramping up for years,” said Mike Schafer, owner of Schafer Fisheries.

In 2010, the company sold some 20 million pounds of Asian carp to clients as far-flung as Turkey and Indonesia, up from two million pounds in 2006.

“We’re out in front,” Mr. Schafer said, “and it’s going to get bigger.”

The story goes on to detail the multi-million dollar grants and new plant expansions taking place — all of which sound great until you get to the final paragraph of the story:

“We want to crash the population,” said Kevin Irons, aquaculture and aquatic nuisance manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “We’re not trying to find a sustainable yield.”

I understand the aim, but it sounds like we’re  going to build an industry based on a runaway population of invasives — one that will not exist (if managers have their way) five years from now.

I’m all for making lemonade out of lemons — and commercial netting sure as hell cut the legs out of plenty of other fish stocks — but I’m having a hell of a time squaring that final sentence with all that went before it.

See you wondering who edited that article, Tom Chandler.

The Underground Posts The Mother Of All Rubber Soled Wading Boot Reviews (And Comes to a Few Surprising Conclusions)

April 29, 2010, by 52 comments

Will New Studded Rubber Soles Kill Felt – Before It’s Legislated Away?

NOTE: Because the I posted this on a Friday (so it would be four posts deep by Monday), I’m making it “sticky.” It will remain atop the stack until Monday…

Now that Alaska’s announced a statewide felt sole ban – and with a Vermont ban already in the works (plus New Zealand, plus…) – one thing seems clear.

Some of you may not be wearing felt-soled wading boots much longer.

Read more →

Bans on Felt Soled Wading Boots Gathering Steam: How Long Until You’re Wearing Rubber (And Practicing Safe Wading)?

February 26, 2010, by 50 comments

The power’s flickering on and off like a damn pinball game today, so you’re reading a draft of what could have been another brilliant post. Damn.

Felt-soled wading boots for fly fishermen may be the sport’s latest endangered species; bans on felt soles seem to be picking up steam. What will fly fishermen be wearing five years from now?

The latest ban has appeared in Alaska’s southeast region – a ban that could easily be extended to cover the entire state (from the Juneau Empire):

A new ban on felt-soled wading shoes is set to take place next year as Juneau fishermen take to freshwater streams with fly rods in hand.

The ban is meant to keep nasty fish diseases from creeping into waters on the waders of traveling fishermen.

A proposal to expand the ban from the Southeast region statewide will be considered by the state Board of Fisheries at its March meeting in Anchorage.

…

Whirling disease is just one communicable fish disease of concern. Didymo, an algae also called rock snot, mud snails and zebra mussels are others that can kill all the fish in a stream.

“The waters where fly fishermen tend to fish and wade have become a map of the spread of these problems,” Vinsel said.

Ouch. Fly fishermen seem to bearing the brunt of the criticism over the spread of invasives – as are felt soles.

The extent of the blame that can be laid on felt soles isn’t really all that clear, and one of the cruel ironies of a felt sole ban is that fly fishermen – thinking their rubber-soled wading boots and waders were now “safe” – might actually become less vigilant about cleaning.

These bans are aimed traveling fly fishermen, which only makes sense; the stuff already in the river isn’t the problem.

The stuff from someone else’s river is. Read more →

Bacteria Discovery Could Help Control Zebra/Quagga Mussel Populations

December 1, 2008, by 2 comments

Bacteria aren’t smart or good looking (except maybe to other bacteria), but to the Underground, they’re starting to look better – especially once you consider their potential to control Zebra Mussel populations.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Researchers seeking to slow the spread of invasive zebra and quagga
mussels in American lakes and rivers have found a bacterium that
appears to be fatal to the problematic species without affecting native
mussels or freshwater fish.

The bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens,
offers some hope for controlling the troublesome bivalves that are
wreaking ecological and economic havoc in North American waters from
the Colorado River to Vermont, and especially in the Great Lakes.

But
more testing remains to be done, and the bacteria could be used
effectively only on a limited scale, said Daniel Molloy, the New York
State Museum researcher who discovered the possible new use for P. fluorescens.

OK, phrases like “limited scale” and “more testing” temper our enthusiasm a bit, but we’ll take anything that interrupts the wave of bad invasive species news.

See you (and the other bacteria) on the river, Tom Chandler.

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New Zealand Mud Snails Discovered in Russian River: How Do We Stop This?

September 18, 2008, by 23 comments

And the invasives keep marching on (from the Ukiah Daily Journal):

The New Zealand mud snail, an invasive species of pest, has been discovered in Russian River waters.

Never before found in Mendocino County, the small aquatic snail is known to have been in California since 2000, stated a news release from the Mendocino County Department of Agriculture.

Salmon and trout populations may be harmed by the spread of the snail, the county stated.

One mud snail can grow to a population of 40 million mud snails in a year, the county stated. About 500,000 mud snails can fit inside the space of one square yard. A full grown mud snail can grow to a size of about 1/8 inch.

The New Zealand Mud Snail isn’t controllable and really can’t be eradicated (yet). Still, anglers can help prevent the spread by freezing their gear for six hours, or using one of a handful of other eradication methods.

It’s clear anglers are responsible for the spread of many invasives, and introducing another rubber-soled wading boot is far from the whole answer.

I’m open to suggestions from the Undergrounders. And I know a handful of industry types read the Underground, so make ‘em good.

For example, how many fly shops now offer decontamination stations? For that matter, is anyone selling a “decontamination station in a box”?

How many gear manufacturers offer innovative wet bags that allow you to step out of your waders, then soak (and tumble) them in a cleaning solution?

For that matter, are wading boots are designed to handle repeated freezings – or dunkings in industrial strength Formula 409?

Frankly, I don’t know, but I think it’s time we found out.

The NZ Mud Snail infected floor is yours, Undergrounders. Any ideas?

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Trout Unlimited Wants FF Manufacturers to Eliminate Felt Soled Boots by 2011

September 12, 2008, by 4 comments

We’re continuing Fly Fishing Industry Week here at the Underground with a Trout Unlimited (the other, less-popular TU) press release asking fly fishing manufacturers to discontinue the sale of felt-soled wading boots by 2011.

With a New Zealand ban on felt-soled boots finally passing – and invasive species appearing on most fly fishermen’s environmental radars – the switch away from felt soles was probably picking up steam anyway, and this TU request can only stoke the boilers:

Many waders, wading boots and shoes used by anglers have felt-soled bottoms that are used to provide traction while walking in water. Felt is a material that transmits aquatic nuisance species such as New Zealand mud snails, the invasive algae called didymo and the parasite that causes whirling disease, a disease fatal to trout. Felt soles can very easily become impregnated with mud and other organic matter, and become difficult or impossible to clean and disinfect.

“While the elimination of felt soles on waders and boots will not entirely prevent the spread of ANS, this action will help reduce the risk and help protect our precious aquatic resources,” said David Kumlien, executive director of the Whirling Disease Foundation.  This action will also help make the public more aware of the threat of ANS and hopefully will motivate them to change their behavior and practices related to other aquatic recreational activities that may also contribute to the spread ANS.”

I’ve posted a few of my studded-rubber soled wading boot adventures; my experience has been largely positive, and at this point, I wouldn’t go back to felt for financial reasons alone (it doesn’t hold up to the sharp rocks lining the railroad tracks).

Simms has promised a response at the FFR show (I smell an orchestrated move, Undergrounders), and I promise to report what I know – when I know it.

See you at FFR, Tom Chandler.

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Felt Soled Wading Boots NOT Banned in New Zealand: Invasives Discussion Continues

August 25, 2008, by 9 comments

A while ago I ran a “Short Cast” story about New Zealand’s new law banning the use of felt-soled wading boots (a hedge against the spread of invasive species).

New Zealand mud snail posterIt turns out the legislation wasn’t signed by New Zealand’s Prime Minister, so felt is still allowed, though showing up in a dirty pair of felt-soled boots might earn you a less-than-welcoming reception from New Zealand’s guides and other fly fishermen.

As Bill Klyn of Patagonia points out in this comment to the story (on the Angler’s Passport blog), felt sols are hardly the whole problem, though doing away with them is probably a good idea:

In reading multiple stories about banning felt sole wading shoes and adopting newer generation rubber soles to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species, it should be noted that this is a good first step. But it is still not the solution. Didymo, NZ Mud Snails, Whirling disease can still attach themselves to laces, shoe materials and even in between insoles and foot bed of wading shoes. Clean, INspect and Dry had been the adopted procedure by USFWS and other groups working to stopping the spread of these species is a good one

When California’s Fish & Game folks tested the hitchiking capabilities of the New Zealand Mudsnail (currently infesting Putah Creek), they sent volunteer anglers on a short wade, discovering that mudsnails adhered to laces, gravel guards, boot tongues… pretty much everywhere.

In other words, putting on a pair of Aqua-Stealths doesn’t rid anyone of responsibility. It’s just a good first step.

According to California Fish & Game, cleaning and freezing gear remains the best way to prevent the spread of species like Mud Snails, Zebra mussels, Didymo, etc (click here for more information).

I posted a pair of reviews about my switch to rubber-soled wading boots, and figure the die is cast.

As the economic impacts from invasives are felt in tourist economies, it’s likely the felt sole will fade from the scene – by legislation or simple peer pressure.

See you on the river, Tom Chandler.

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South African Fly Fishermen Say New Invasive Species Rules Amount to Ban on Trout Fishing

August 2, 2008, by 3 comments

Legislation in South Africa would classify brown trout and rainbow trout as invasive species, so – according to industry spokesmen – fly fishermen would be obliged to kill every trout they caught.

From The Times:

Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni and thousands of other fly-fishing fans will be forced to hang up their tackle if draft regulations on trout fishing become law.

The proposed legislation could result in brown and rainbow trout being reclassified as an invasive species or even placed on the list of prohibited species.

If this were to happen, the country’s multimillion-rand trout industry would collapse, as it would be illegal for anyone to either farm trout or fish for the species, industry players said this week.

The government view seems to be that native species should be protected, so aquaculturists would be required to acquire expensive permits, and fishermen would be required to kill any trout they caught.

Sonja Meintjes, deputy director for biodiversity compliance in the Department of Environmental Affairs, said trout industry concerns would be accommodated “in a way that will not harm the environment”.

See you on the bike route, Tom Chandler.

New Method to Combat Zebra/Quagga Mussel Infestations?

March 12, 2008, by 1 comment

Via the astute Aquafornia blog, we learn there may be some hope in the battle against Zebra/Quagga mussels (recently found in Western and California lakes):

In 2007, MOI was selected by the New York State Museum (NYSM) as the commercial partner for a microbial biopesticide that combats the invasive creatures [ed: Zebra and Quagga mussels].

The technology was originally discovered and patented by Dr. Daniel Molloy, Director of the NYSM’s Field Research Laboratory. The NYSM will receive a portion of the grant to support its research efforts in this industry-government partnership. An additional subaward will go to another small business, Particle and Coating Technologies, Inc., to assist in product formulation.

The inventors are calling it a “green” and “environmentally friendly” treatment, so let’s hope they’re right. Be nice to find a way to control these things before they take over the planet.

And guys, while you’re at it, whip up something for the New Zealand Mud Snails too — before they make their way up from Lake Shasta into the Upper Sacramento River.

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After Poisoning to Remove Northern Pike, Lake Davis Opens to Trout Fishing

February 5, 2008, by 9 comments

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Fish & Game wanted non-native, highly predatory pike out of Lake Davis

If you’ve ever experienced an insatiable urge to freeze your ass off ice fishing for stocked trout, then this story will make you very, very happy. From the Redding Record Searchlight:

Even though frozen over, fishing has resumed on Lake Davis, fisheries biologists with the Department of Fish and Game said.

…

Last month, DFG planted more than 31,000 Eagle Lake trout from its American River Hatchery, ranging in size from one-half pound to more than three pounds, into Lake Davis. Additional plantings of nearly 1 million trout are planned later this year.

Lake Davis was closed and poisoned to remove illegally introduced Nothern Pike (biologists didn’t want them spreading downstream to the California Delta).

Let’s hope they got all the pike this time; I doubt the political will exists to close and poison the lake a third time.

See you at Lake Davis, Iceholes…