The action is a follow-up to successful steps taken to rid nearby Ridgebury Lake and Catlin Creek of more than 200 Northern Snakeheads in summer 2008. Acting on a tip from residents, DEC staff recently found two adult snakeheads at an impassable weir in Catlin Creek. DEC believes this follow-up application is the best course of action to assure this invasive species does not spread to other New York waters such as the Wallkill and Hudson Rivers.

DEC recently sent a letter to area landowners updating them on the issue and their intended action. In addition, DEC has scheduled a public meeting for 7 p.m., Sept. 16, at the Wawayanda Town Hall. “We appreciate the patience and cooperation of local residents and town officials as we continue to take steps to stop this aggressive invasive species,” DEC Regional Director Willie Janeway said.

Native to Asia, the Northern Snakehead fish is an air breathing, aggressive freshwater predator. They can survive out of the water temporarily, travel short distances over wet land and have a wide temperature tolerance. For more information please go to Northern Snakehead Fish web page on DEC’s website. They breed prodigiously, have no natural predators in the U.S. and, therefore, have the potential to be extremely destructive.

In 2008, DEC verified the presence of these fish in Ridgebury Lake and Catlin Creek, and launched an eradication effort involving the application of rotenone, an aquatic pesticide. The treatment areas included wetlands, which were the most difficult terrain to apply the rotenone. The capture of the two adult snakeheads shows that some survived the 2008 eradication effort. To aid the upcoming effort, DEC has enlisted the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which will provide “Marshmaster” vehicles that will be used to transit the swampy areas and help dispense the rotenone.

DEC anticipates treating the entire area in one day. Because no native species of fish were re-stocked in the upcoming treatment area, few if any are expected to be killed. Animals without gills will not be impacted. Rotenone is an extract from several different tropical plants and breaks down rapidly after application with no lasting toxicity.

DEC is committed to restocking the area with fish after it is treated. The Department also plans to stock Ridgebury Lake this coming fall. Additional fish will also be stocked in Ridgebury Lake through a commitment of $10,000 by the Department. A mixture of species including largemouth bass, black crappie and minnows will be stocked to restore these waters with a healthy assemblage of fish for the future.

“The biological opinion issued today provides measures to address the effects of the operation of state and federal pumps on a single species, the Delta smelt. However, the information contained in the document clearly underscores the fact that the Delta as a natural community is in trouble. A more comprehensive approach to improving the condition of the Delta for fish and wildlife is being developed in the Bay-Delta Conservation Planning process. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan includes input from a diverse group of stakeholders including state and federal fishery agencies, public water agencies, environmental and other state and local organizations – all of which are deeply invested in the long term sustainability of the Delta. DFG has been actively involved in the Bay Delta Conservation Planning effort and we are committed to its success. Our goal is to protect and ensure the sustainability of the fish and wildlife species that rely on a healthy Delta.”

In past years, winter trout season dates were different for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) lakes, trout lakes outside the BWCAW and those on the Canadian border. Legislation enacted after the 2008 Fishing Regulations booklet was printed changed the winter trout season dates for all lakes, making the information printed on pages 14, 15 and 45 incorrect.

The only exception to the statewide winter season is that lakes in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing and Hubbard counties are closed to winter stream trout fishing. Blue Lake in Hubbard County is the only lake within those counties where stream trout can be caught during the winter season.

Winter season dates for lake trout and stream trout in lakes, as well as other corrections and changes that have occurred since the 2008 Fishing Regulations booklet was published, are listed online.

The workshop is part of an on-going Ice Team/MinnAqua education initiative, which involves strong teacher and community involvement. Through the initiative, MinnAqua, the DNR’s angling and aquatic education program, trains teachers and other community leaders to use MinnAqua’s Leader’s Guide, Fishing: Get in the Habitat!, which covers everything from fish habitat and biology to aquatic resources stewardship, fishing and safety. The leaders then bring the lessons and skills to kids by providing classroom instruction, organizing ice-fishing outings, and soliciting support from local groups and volunteers. Ice Team LLC, a marketing organization representing the ice fishing industry, provides on-ice logistics support, including equipment and angling experts.

According to Mike Smith, director of field promotions for Ice Team, last year’s pilot education program in Minnesota schools was an overwhelming success. The group plans to expand the program this winter and in coming years, targeting schools that have already shown an interest in the MinnAqua program.

“This partnership is about more than just fishing – it’s about education, stewardship, and getting kids outdoors and interested in Minnesota’s fishing heritage,” explained MinnAqua Education Specialist Nadine Meyer.

Battle Lake has tentatively scheduled its fifth and sixth grade ice fishing outing for early January. Plans in Nevis are still pending.

For more information on MinnAqua, visit www.mndnr.gov/minnaqua

There is another variety popular with many hunters, the white-fronted goose, also known as the specklebelly.

These are found in many areas the state, not in the large numbers of snow geese or even in today’s numbers of Canada geese. But white-fronted geese are around, they are huntable, and they are challenges for the hunter.

Goose hunting has grown in Arkansas in recent years. A shortage of ducks at times during hunting season has led some waterfowlers to go after geese. Another factor has been the large flocks of snow geese in the state for the past decade or two, partially attributed to the increase in winter wheat production in many areas of east Arkansas. Snow geese are too numerous in their far north breeding grounds, leading to an extended and liberalized season called a “conservation order” by federal authorities.

The season for 2008-09 for white-fronted geese is in three segments. These are Nov. 15-Dec. 1, Dec. 6-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 30. Daily bag limit is two, with a possession limit of four. As with other goose and duck hunting, both federal and state waterfowl hunting stamps must be signed across the face and carried by a hunter. Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration is also required.

White-fronted geese (scientifically, Anser albifrons) at a distance sometimes are mistaken for blue geese, the blue color phase of snow geese. “Blues” are a slate gray over much of their bodies. White-front–s are more of a brownish gray. “Blues” have white heads and upper neck; white-front–s have a white face but brownish-gray heads and necks. ”Blues” have pinkish legs and bills; white-front–s have yellow-orange legs and yellowish

The “white front” of the birds’ name is a little misleading. It stems from the white face, not the breast, which is a lighter shade of the brownish-gray of the body. But the belly is splotched with darker, nearly black, feathers, leading to the term “specklebelly.”

In size, white-fronted geese in general are a little larger than snow geese but smaller than Canada geese, a good bit smaller than the resident giant Canada geese subspecies that is common along the Arkansas River Valley and around some large lakes in the state.

The white-fronted goose has a different call from snows or Canadas and these birds’ one-note or two-note calls. Many hunters term the white-fronted call a yodel. Special calls for white-front–s are sold and used in the field.

White-fronted geese often hang around snow geese or at least on the edge of snow geese flocks feeding in fields. Arkansas goose hunters use large numbers of decoys for snow geese, and these seem to work for white-front–s also.

Most goose hunters believe white-fronts are more wary – and thus more challenging – than either snow geese or Canada geese.

Capt. Chris Huebner, the state’s hunting and boating safety coordinator, recommends the following guidelines:

• Wear a proper personal flotation device and insist that passengers wear one also.
• Be aware that small, flat-bottom vessels are prone to capsizing and swamping.
• Store equipment properly and keep it evenly distributed in the boat.
• Don’t overload the boat, especially with passengers.
• Keep hunting dogs prone in the center of the boat.
• Never move about the boat with a loaded shotgun.

A particular danger is posed by hypothermia – the loss of body heat. Exposure to extreme cold, such as being in cold water or wearing wet clothes in cold conditions, can increase the chance of hypothermia. Capt. Huebner advises wearing proper cold weather clothing, avoiding cotton, relying on wool and synthetic materials instead.

“Dress in layers, cover head and hands, and avoid over-exertion or fatigue,” Huebner says. “In case of capsizing or swamping, stay with the boat. It will still provide some flotation and will be the initial focus of a rescue attempt.”

As with any type of hunting, it is a good idea to let someone know where you plan to hunt and an approximate time of return. Keep a cell phone in a waterproof bag that can be used without removal from the bag.

Successful completion of a Hunter Education course, offered free by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission throughout the state, is required for all first-time hunting license buyers. For course schedules, game regulations and additional hunting safety information, click here or call (919) 707-0031.