There is an active and committed voice in the angler community that discusses the issues which face the health of Vermont's lakes and rivers on a daily basis. Those who take these initiatives strive to increase the ways in which they can make a difference. From attending meetings, to writing petitions, to emailing key figures in state organizations, these are the people that care about our lakes, our home, and will not let future generations deal with having to hear about the lakes that were, but rather be able to get out on the water to boat and fish the lakes that ARE, because of what has been done by those who cared before.
I prove to you this point by sharing an article written by Mike Shellito of South Burlington, VT - an avid fisherman and boater, as well as someone who has been trying to help in the awareness of the Lamprey problem plaguing Lake Champlain and other significant bodies of water in Vermont.
"The VT Fish and Wildlife has applied for a permit to apply lampricide to both the Missisquoi and Winooski Rivers this fall. The sea lamprey is a parasitic fish that resembles an eel, however unlike eels these fish can grow to almost 3 feet long and prey on a variety of fish such as lake trout, salmon, walleye, and sturgeon, among others. Due to secretions in the lamprey's mouth, the blood does not clot on the target fish that the lamprey has attacked which could ultimately prove fatal to the fish.
Experimental treatments in the 90s led to a decrease in lampreys throughout Lake Champlain. Currently VT is lagging behind New York in its lamprey control measures. The Federal Government is also attempting to curb the numbers of lamprey in Lake Champlain as well, using both lampricide and physical barriers; however more still needs to be done to ensure a successful fishery on Lake Champlain.
It is primarily the fishermen/women that you hear pushing for a better lamprey control measure on our lake, but the potential effects of disregarding this problem could be staggering. The sturgeon for example, is an extremely slow growing fish; they are one of the oldest families of fish in existence. They don't reach sexual maturity for 20 years or more. Lamprey related population declines on this species could take decades to recover from, and it would be a shame to lose such a species as this on Lake Champlain.
Here are some interesting economic facts about Lake Champlain (http://www.lciderby.com/news_economicfacts.shtml)
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On average, tourists coming to Vermont for the primary purpose of
fishing and/or hunting spent $ 2096 in Vermont on their trips. Skiers
spent an average of $ 1558 on their ski trips.
- Anglers fishing Lake Champlain spent $ 205 million in a year.
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Lake Champlain anglers spent $ 100 million on nondurable goods such as
tackle, bait and refreshments and $ 105 million on durable goods such
as fishing rods and fishing boats in a year.
- 42 percent of the above expenditures were associated with lake trout fishing.
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There were 98 fishing and fishing-related businesses within ten miles
of Lake Champlain and the owners of those businesses estimated that 78%
($ 5.6 million) of their $ 7.2 million in gross fishing-based income
was derived from anglers fishing Lake Champlain or its tributaries.
While
you may or may not totally agree with these numbers, there is
definitely compelling evidence the fishing industry brings a lot of
money to the Champlain Valley.
There are some areas where the
primary economic driving force is Lake Champlain, whether it is from
fishing, boating, water skiing, camping or a combination of any of
them. You can't deny that Lake Champlain helps drive these local
economies, and maintaining Lake Champlain and all it has to offer is
imperative to keep our Champlain Basin economy flourishing.
There are people that oppose the use of lampricide for controlling lamprey numbers in Lake Champlain due to adverse impacts on other species. However the lampricide is administered in controlled levels and at controlled times to have the most minimal impact on other species and the greatest impact on lampreys. During the treatment period, the rivers are closely monitored and precise measured amounts are administered and adjusted as necessary. The lampricide does not accumulate in the tissue of aquatic organisms and it breaks down in a matter of days. Tadpoles and salamanders, for example, have left the shore habitats before the treatment even begins. The lampricide poses no threat to aquatic or land birds, humans or other mammals.
The environmental impact that humans have on Lake Champlain that adversely affects the lake, its tributaries and its inhabitants is far greater than lampricide. The amount of run-off from our cities, and the associated pollution that gets in to the lake, the effects of acid rain, the phosphorous levels from our farming, all have adverse affects on our lake. The increase in phosphorous in the lake depletes the oxygen levels in the lake and causes algae blooms which impact all animal species within the lake. The increase in the amount of fertilizers used by residents in the Champlain Valley all results in an increase in pollution that affects the lake. My thoughts for those of you that are opposed to the treatment of using lampricide on Lake Champlain is that you should concentrate on fighting to stop the above listed problems that pose a far greater threat to the lake's health. Lampricide applications pose minimal risk while producing excellent benefits. Please join the majority of lake users that support expanded applications of lampricide to fight the lamprey population.
I believe the only other solution to the lamprey problem on Lake Champlain is possibly finding Champ and cloning him so we have more native predators that will naturally deplete the lampreys in the lake. But I guess that opens up another can of worms on the cloning issue "
Mr. Shellito has tactfully expressed his concern in both an opinionated but very factual and professional manner. This most certainly signifies his endeavor to bring the knowledge he has built over the years to the forefront for all to learn from, and take action in preserving the invaluable resources we have in our towns, counties, and our state of Vermont.
We at Burlington Boatyard thank Mr. Shellito for allowing us the opportunity to share his sentiments with our users, and cannot agree more with the fact that actions need to be taken by all to communicate just how detrimental it would be to overlook a very pressing issue that does not effect anglers alone, but the health of Vermont and its generations to come.
This author of this Article has choosen to make this article available with free reprint rights. Click here to copy this article.
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