RI DEM ANNOUNCES PARTIAL CLOSURE OF POINT JUDITH POND TO SHELLFISHING DUE TO RECENT RAINFALL

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PROVIDENCE – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is announcing that effective at noon today and until noon on January 7, two areas of Point Judith Pond will be closed to shellfishing due to the strong storm that brought 1.4 inches of rainfall to the area.  These areas are shown on the map and described below:

 

Area 1: All waters of Pt. Judith Pond and Wheatfield Cove north of a line from the light pole located on Turner Point (so called “Senior Hill”) on Camp Fuller Road on the western shore of Pt. Judith Pond in South Kingstown to the extension of the CRMC R.O.W. C-12 near the intersection of Isle Point Rd. and Cedar Island Rd. on Harbour Island in Narragansett and south of line from the DEM range marker located in Smelt Brook Cove to the DEM range marker located at the northwest tip of Pine Tree Point. 

 

Area 2: All waters of Pt. Judith Pond east of Ram Island located south and east of a line from the extension of Flintstone Road on Harbour Island in Narragansett that follows the old submerged road to Ram Island and south of a line from the northern most corner of the rip-rap bulkhead at the Briggs Farm Improvement Assoc. parking lot to the northeast landward end of CRMC dock # 1690 on the opposite shore and north of a line from the most southeast point of Ram Island to the end of Indian Rock Farm Road at the northern tip of Locke Point in Narragansett including Walcott Cove. 

 

DEM is enacting the closure because water samples collected after previous rain storms indicate that bacteria levels will be unsafe following the rains that fell Sunday night through Monday night.

 

Shellfish commercially harvested from Potter Pond and the open areas of Point Judith Pond should be identified as harvested from tagging area 6PSW until further notice.

 

For information regarding where you can harvest shellfish, please refer to the interactive Shellfish Map on the Shellfishing page on DEM’s website. For more information about shellfish classifications and the legal descriptions of all shellfish closures, visit www.dem.ri.gov. DEM maintains a 24-hour shellfishing hotline, providing information on emergency and conditional area shellfish closures: 401-222-2900.

 

DEM’s Office of Water Resources has established a listserv to email notifications of Conditional Area and emergency shellfish harvesting closures (e.g. harmful alga blooms, sewage releases, etc.). To receive these notifications, please click here RishellfishOWR-subscribe@listserve.ri.gov. You will receive a confirmation email that you need to accept to complete the sign up (check spam or junk mailbox).

 

Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook and follow RIDOH on Twitter (@RIHEALTH) or Facebook for information and timely updates.

Trout Stream Habitat Improvement in Northeastern Vermont

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Trout Stream Habitat Improvement in Northeastern Vermont

LEWIS, Vt. – As 2019 draws to a close, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is celebrating eight years of trout stream improvement efforts in northeastern Vermont. 

 

Trout thrive in streams that are complex -- what some would call messy.  That complexity often comes from trees that fall into a stream, creating a mix of pools and shallow areas that are used by trout for feeding, reproducing, avoiding high flows, and hiding from predators.  But a history of clearing our streams and rivers has left many with fewer trees and less complexity to the detriment of trout.

 

More than 27 miles of brook trout streams have been improved by the placement of large trees in strategic locations to enhance habitat and stream function.  For example, a six-year study in the East Branch Nulhegan River watershed found that on average brook trout abundance tripled in just three years at sites with the added trees. 

 

In addition to providing cover for trout, the added wood is storing sediment and organic material in these smaller headwater streams, thereby reducing sediment and nutrient loads downstream.  The added wood also helps to slow runoff from these headwater streams, which can help to reduce flooding downstream.   

 

The work has been conducted by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Trout Unlimited on lands owned by Weyerhaeuser, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Vermont Fish and Wildlife.  Funding has been provided by a variety of sources including: Sportfish Restoration, Vermont fishing license sales, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, and Ecosystem Restoration Funds through the Vermont Clean Water Initiative Program.

 

“This has been the most rewarding project of my career,” said Jud Kratzer, fisheries biologist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.  “By adding this large woody material to streams, we are helping to reverse the legacy of historic clear cutting and repeated log drives on these streams.  To see brook trout abundance respond so dramatically has been especially exciting.” 

 

“While this effort has been a success, to achieve these kinds of results statewide is going to require leaving trees in the river in the first place, whenever possible.  Wood is good for brook trout in particular and streams in general.”

 

If you have questions, please contact Jud Kratzer at 802-751-0486 or jud.kratzer@vermont.gov

 

2020 New Bluefish Regulations ?

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Last week, fishery managers approved new regulations for the 2020 recreational bluefish fishery. These measures, which include a 3-fish bag limit for private anglers and a 5-fish bag limit for for-hire fishermen, represent a substantial reduction compared to the federal 15-fish bag limit that has been in place since 2000.

The most recent assessment of the Atlantic bluefish stock concluded that the stock is overfished. In October, managers called for an 18% decrease compared to 2019 and considered several combinations of bag limits and minimum size limits. Although the Bluefish Monitoring Committee recommended a coastwide 3-fish bag limit, the majority of comments from the public and Bluefish Advisory Panel (AP) members expressed opposition to this option, noting that it would have severe economic consequences for the for-hire sector, which was only responsible for 3.6% of coastwide landings from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, AP members and the public emphasized that these proposed reductions come at a challenging time for for-hire stakeholders as they are also facing new restrictions on striped bass, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup. Source: On the Water 

Nesting Loons Have a Record Year

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont’s loons are thriving with a record 101 nesting pairs recorded statewide in 2019, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE).

 

“Seventy-five of the loon nests successfully produced 115 chicks this year,” said wildlife biologist Eric Hanson with VCE.  “Although there were losses, 87 chicks survived through August which exceeded the past five-year average survival of 73 percent.”

 

VCE leads the Vermont Loon Conservation Project in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. 

 

“We are very grateful to Eric Hanson and the many volunteers who help monitor Vermont’s nesting loons,” said Fish and Wildlife’s bird biologist Doug Morin.  “The loon has been the flagship species of our nongame work since the nongame tax checkoff and conservation license plate programs began to help fund these efforts.” 

 

“Vermont’s loon project is a tremendous success story, with only seven nesting pairs producing nine chicks in 1983 growing to more than 100 nesting pairs this year,” added Morin. 

 

Loons were removed from Vermont’s endangered species list in 2005 following decades of recovery efforts.  One of the main threats still facing loons as they continue to recover is human disturbance during the breeding season.

 

“Many areas where loons are nesting on Vermont’s lakes are surrounded by signs reminding people to give loons the space they need, but not all nesting areas are marked,” said Morin.  “We ask people to enjoy loons from a distance, whether they are in a motorboat, a canoe or a kayak.” 

 

Morin also reminds people to avoid lead fishing tackle.  Loons sometimes swallow stray fishing tackle and suffer the effects of lead poisoning.  Lead sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less are prohibited for fishing in Vermont.  And, he recommends that anglers be careful to not attract loons to their bait and lures, and especially don’t leave any fishing line behind as fishing tackle does kill loons. 

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VTF&W photo by Mitch Moraski

A record 101 pairs of loons nested in Vermont in 2019 with 87 chicks surviving through August. 

Mass. Fish and Wildlife Fall Trout Check

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Each fall, MassWildlife samples the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs to monitor lake trout populations. With the help of DCR, MassWildlife surveys lake trout to examine population characteristics. The 2019 fall sampling is complete and crews on Wachusett Reservoir captured and released 142 lake trout including a 37 inch, 18 pound fish. Crews at Quabbin Reservoir captured and released 130 lake trout, 34 at Goodnough Dike and 96 at Windsor Dam. The largest lake trout encountered was originally tagged in 2015 and then recaptured in 2017. That fish, pictured above, measured 33.5 inches and 13.3 pounds. In addition to lake trout, several large landlocked salmon were captured at Quabbin weighing between 6 and 7 pounds. 

To capture lake trout, field crews set nets on spawning areas starting at sunset and check them about every 20 minutes. Captured fish are removed from the nets and placed in a livewell. Next, biologists record length, weight, and sex and implant a small Passive Integrated Tag (PIT) in the fish. Prior to release, the adipose fin is clipped to provide an external mark indicating that the fish has been captured before. Data collected provide biologists with an understanding of the current condition of lake trout populations. If fish are recaptured from previous tagging efforts, biologists can calculate individual growth rates. Lake trout are long lived and slow growing and it is not uncommon for a tagged fish to be recaptured 10 years later. In fact, the longest recapture interval recorded was 24 years! When other species like landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, rock bass, and white perch are captured, biologists record information including length, weight, and sex but do not implant PIT tags.

Lake trout typically spawn in late October and November when the surface water temperatures are around or below 50°F. The spawning grounds are typically shallow, rocky waters on windy shores of the Reservoirs; spawning occurs mostly after dusk. Night sampling on big waters can be cold and icy in November, but the information it provides biologists is well worth the effort. Sampling efforts like this are just one way that MassWildlife monitors the health of the fish resources of the Commonwealth

Fresh Tracks in Snow ?

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Thank You, Sportsmen, NWTF and State Fish and Wildlife's for bringing back our Native Birds.

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

When settlers first arrived in Connecticut, the land was mostly forested, and turkeys were plentiful. As the land was cleared, turkeys lost their habitat, and as a result, the species disappeared from the state and most of the Northeast by the early 1800s. In 1975, 22 wilds turkeys were live-captured in New York, using a rocket net, and released in northwestern Connecticut by Wildlife Division biologists. Pictured is former biologist Steve Jackson releasing one of the first wild turkeys. As a result of these efforts, wild turkeys are once again a common sight in our state. We are thankful for your continued support and passion for our natural resources. 49 States now have a healthy population and 6.5 million nationwide of the 4 species of Wild Turkey that we all enjoy again.

Teaming up for fish conservation

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Teaming up for fish conservation 

Dam removal study partnership

MassWildlife and the UMass Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are working together to conduct fish surveys in rivers at current and former dam locations. So far, nearly 50 rivers have been surveyed as part of a broader project to more fully understand the impacts of dams and dam removals on fish and aquatic invertebrates. Coldwater fish like native eastern brook trout are particularly dependent on upstream and downstream movements for reproduction and survival. Previous research suggests that abundances of coldwater and coolwater fish, including brook trout, longnose dace, and white suckers, increase following dam removals. Monitoring will continue for the next several years.

Connecticut River American shad monitoring

MassWildlife and US Fish and Wildlife Service have completed a third year of cooperatively monitoring juvenile American shad in the Connecticut River. Biologists capture shad at night during the summer and fall using an electrofishing boat. Abundance, length, and weight measurements are collected and used to assess the growth, survival, and productivity of the population. This study is designed to help determine the impacts of dams on juvenile shad. Shad populations have significantly declined as a result of 19th century dam construction, which prevent adults from migrating upriver to find spawning habitat. Shad are an abundant food source for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, perch, and northern pike. Shad also provide food for birds and terrestrial mammals, as well as marine fish including striped bass.

Cold Weather Brings First Large Batch of Stranded Sea Turtles November 14, 2019

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Courtesy of the New England Aquarium.

QUINCY – Three cold-stunned sea turtles rescued over the long weekend were joined by 11 more Wednesday at the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy.

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the most endangered sea turtle species in the world, were rescued by Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary staff as the frigid air hit the region.

“The water temperature in the middle of the bay turned to 52 degrees and for some reason that seems to be the magical temperature where sea turtles will start stranding in volume,” said Tony LaCasse, a New England Aquarium spokesman.

During Veterans Day weekend, the water temperature was 53-54 degrees and only three live turtles were found despite strong northwest winds late last week.

“We thought that we might be seeing a fair number of turtles come up over the weekend,” LaCasse said.

Most of the new batch of turtles rescued were found in Wellfleet and Eastham.

“The strandings are usually somewhat more dependent on wind direction and the staff at Mass Audubon are experts in being able to predict where that is and putting out staff and volunteers, particular following a high tide,” LaCasse said.

LaCasse said it is critical to rescue the turtles quickly in frigid temperatures. Four of the turtles were found after the overnight high tide.

“If they are not found for six or eight hours their body temperatures can drop down into the 40s or even the 30s, and survival rates go way down once you get beyond the mid-40s,” he said.

The sea turtle stranding season used to begin around November 1 through the 1990s and 2000s. Since 2010, the stranding season has started a few weeks later, according to LaCasse.

“The sea surface temperatures are much warmer than they used to be,” he said. “We are always waiting for that magical 52 degrees where we start seeing a lot of sea turtles that will strand.

LaCasse said the season started a little late and slow this year.

The Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy has an ideal capacity between 80 and 100. They are kept dry for the first few days and are slowly rewarmed by about 5 degrees per day.

“It is a different method than you would use with humans with hypothermia, but it increase survival rates,” LaCasse said. “After three or few days they will be going into tanks.”

The hospital can handle between 120 and 150 turtles.

“We are usually in that case looking to start to move turtles out to other rehab facilities down south or in the mid-Atlantic,” LaCasse said.

A volunteer group, Turtles Fly Too, transports sea turtles down to Gulf States.

“We are always looking for pilots,” LaCasse said. “So if somebody happens to be flying south for some type of holiday event in a private plane and they have room, we ask that they contact the Aquarium.”

Pilots can also visit turtlesflytoo.org to find contact information.
Source: Brian Merchant grew up in Central Massachusetts and now lives in South Dennis on the Cape. He has been part of the news team in the CapeCod.com NewsCenter since the spring of 2014.