Grant Allows Commission to Protect Parking at Popular Public Boating Site
August 18, 2008
The Brunswick County ramp will also be renovated
SUNSENT HARBOR, N.C. (Aug. 18, 2008) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has purchased property adjacent to its Sunset Harbor Boating Access Area to ensure that the public has adequate parking at the site for years to come.
The purchase – the first from the N.C. Waterfront Access and Marine Industry (WAMI) Fund – will also enable the commission to focus its resources on much needed renovations to the existing boat ramp on the Intracoastal Waterway. The WAMI funds will also provide funding to develop a small public fishing pier, said Gordon Myers, deputy director.
“This $915,000 grant, made possible through the leadership of the General Assembly, is allowing us to protect waterfront land and preserve it for public use,” Myers said. “In addition, thanks to this collaboration with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, which administers the fund, we’ll be able to make significant improvements, expand the uses of this property and ensure continued access to our state’s public waters.”
Boaters using the Sunset Harbor Boating Access Area had previously parked on property leased to a private fishing club. However, when the property owner decided to sell it, the commission worried that a private buyer would forbid public parking – and quickly purchased the property with WAMI funding to make it part of the commission’s free Boating Access Area.
Adding the parking area into state ownership makes it much more desirable to overhaul the access area. The renovation plans include new launch ramps, docks, dredging and development of a small fishing pier. The renovations will also apply low-impact design strategies to manage storm water.
“The Sunset Harbor project was the type of multi-use site we were looking to fund with the Waterfront Access and Marine Industry Fund,” said Louis Daniel, director of the Division of Marine Fisheries. “Not only will it ensure continued parking for an existing, heavily-used boat ramp, a fishing pier will provide water access for those without vessels.”
“The project was also a great example of how the Division of Marine Fisheries and the Wildlife Resources Commission can join forces to provide greater coastal water access for all North Carolina citizens,” Daniel said.
The N.C. General Assembly approved the $20 million WAMI Fund in 2007 as a way to pay for acquiring waterfront properties or developing facilities to provide or improve waterfront access for the public. The $915,000 grant for Sunset Harbor was one of 13 projects approved for funding in April.
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N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Wins National Awards
July 28, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. (- The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has won six national awards, including top honors for a documentary video, from the Association for Conservation Information (ACI).
Three first-place awards, two for second place and one third-place award were presented to the Wildlife Resources Commission, the state agency dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation, and the regulation of hunting, trapping, fishing and boating. The awards were announced at the ACI annual conference, held last week in Nashville, Tenn.
FIRST PLACE
- Exhibits and Dioramas category, for the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education in Raleigh. This state-of-the-art exhibit uses historic and contemporary displays, a large satellite map and murals, touch-screen monitors and joystick-operated, high-magnification video cameras for an interactive experience.
- One-time Publications (Books/Reports) category, for the 2007 Biennial Report. Titled “Building a Stronger Foundation,” this report covers accomplishments and activities from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2006 for all six division of the agency.
- Video (other) category, for “The North Carolina Piedmont: Our Changing Habitats.” This 20-minute video is shown daily at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education and presents a historical timeline of changes in the Piedmont landscape, from natural areas to suburban sprawl.
SECOND PLACE
- Magazine (4-color) category, for Wildlife in North Carolina. The agency’s monthly magazine features the best outdoors writers, artists and photographers, covering the diverse natural and recreational opportunities of North Carolina,.
- Education and Outreach category, for “Wildlife Profiles.” These fun and factual looks at native species are found online at www.ncwildlife.org in the “Outdoors Kids” section, but are useful for any age.
THIRD PLACE
- Communications Campaigns category, for “Blue Light = No Wake” boating law awareness. This year-long effort included a 30-second video broadcast spot, poster distribution, news releases and wallet-sized informative cards, as well as outreach and public appearances by wildlife officers.
Founded in 1938, ACI is a non-profit association of state, federal and Canadian fish and game agencies, as well as private conservation organizations. Members play a major role in providing natural resource, environmental, wildlife and conservation information and education to the public through a variety of means, many of which are continental in scope. The association also trains and informs the agencies’ information and education professionals and provides forums to exchange ideas and improve skills.
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Hunting Heritage Workshop Offered at NC State University Centennial Campus
July 18, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. – A hunting heritage workshop at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education will take a look at the popular and important outdoor recreation.
The three-hour interactive course on Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. is designed for both educators and other adults who are interested in the history, traditions and ethics of hunting, as well as hunters’ vital role in wildlife conservation. Hunting scenarios will be encountered indoors with the help of a laser shot simulator.
Pre-registration is required and class size is limited to 15. Environmental Education Certification credit is available. This workshop should not be confused with the statewide Hunter Education course, which is required for first-time hunting licenses.
The Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education is located at 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh in the headquarters of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission on the Centennial Campus of N.C. State University. For more information, click here or call (919) 707-0209.
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Researchers Work to Keep Rare Fish Off Endangered Species List
July 7, 2008
Joint release between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Written by Gary Peeples, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (June 30, 2008)–On the bank of the Little Tennessee River, downstream from the town of Franklin, biologists squeeze tiny yellow eggs from a fish into a plastic bag. Unlike caviar, these eggs won’t be eaten, but rather trucked to a high-tech aquatic lab in Knoxville, Tenn., to join an effort to keep a rare fish off the endangered species list.
The fish is a sicklefin redhorse, a recently discovered species found only in the western tip of North Carolina and a small bit of North Georgia. The extremely limited range of the animal and the precarious state of the streams where it lives raise questions about its long-term well-being, and whether it needs protection under the Endangered Species Act.
These eggs are part of a project to conserve the fish and expand its range, undertaken by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Conservation Fisheries, Inc. (CFI), a Knoxville-based non-profit specializing in the captive propagation and rearing of the region’s most imperiled fish.
“With the sicklefin redhorse, we have a chance to take some early conservation action and hopefully increase the size and number of spawning populations,” said Mark Cantrell of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Biologists collected 27,000 eggs from seven different fish during the second year of the project. The eggs were taken to CFI’s Knoxville laboratory where they’ll be fertilized, hatch, and grow for about three months.
“No one has done this type of work with the sicklefin redhorse, so there is a steep learning curve,” said CFI’s Pat Rakes, commenting on the fact these fish have never been reared in captivity.
In the Tuckasegee River, spawning sicklefins swim from as far away as Fontana Reservoir. But instead of swimming well up the Tuckasegee River, they turn and swim up the Oconaluftee River, spawning below Ela Dam, and fueling a lot of speculation.
There is some thought the fish might imprint on a river, returning to that spot for spawning. With that in mind, Steve Fraley, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, hypothesizes that decades of pollution may have wiped out sicklefin that spawned in the Tuckasegee River, while those spawning in the cleaner Oconaluftee River would have survived, although the construction of Ela Dam cut short their migration.
Once the fish in CFI’s aquaria are approximately 1.5 inches long, about half will be moved to a hatchery operated by Cherokee Fisheries and Wildlife Management, in the Oconaluftee River watershed. From there, they will be released above Ela Dam, where biologists hope they will expand their range up into the Oconaluftee River. The remainder of the fish will be put in the Tuckasegee River, above Dillsboro Dam. The fish hatched this year will return to spawn in about 5 to 7 years, well after the scheduled removal of Dillsboro Dam.
CFI’s captive rearing has been supported with money from the Service, and next year a grant from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation will allow the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to hatch and rear eggs at their hatchery, an expanded role of a facility that has always produced trout.
The sicklefin is one of 15 redhorse species and was favored by Native Americans who built extensive fish traps and weirs for this important source of protein. The sicklefin, which derives its name from its long, sickle-shaped dorsal fin, was first recognized as a distinct fish species by Roanoke College professor Robert Jenkins in 1992. Looking at various redhorse specimens, he noticed some specimens from the Little Tennessee River basin were different, and it became clear that instead of being an odd fit for other species, this was a new species, the sicklefin redhorse, which is also found in the Hiwassee River basin.
Growing to about a foot and a half long, sicklefins are bottom feeders, eating aquatic insects, though they will forage along downed logs, even turning upside down and eating along the log all the way to the water’s surface where one biologist has even heard them slurp.
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Young Anglers Net Fishing Prizes Including a Lifetime Fishing License
July 1, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 30, 2008) — Dylan Gilbert’s passion for bass fishing rivals that of any pro bass angler. Thanks to Neuse Sport Shop
located in Kinston, the 10-year-old from Lake Royale will be able indulge that passion for the rest of his life — without ever having to pay for a fishing license!
Dylan won a lifetime fishing license — the grand prize offered in a statewide drawing for participants in 40 kids’ “Fish-for-Fun” events held during National Fishing and Boating Week earlier this month. The free events were supported by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, Bass Pro Shops and other local sponsors.
Dylan participated in the June 7 kids’ fishing derby at Lake Royale in Franklin County.
The license, donated by Neuse Sport Shop, is valued at $450 and gives Dylan lifetime fishing privileges in all North Carolina public waters, including coastal waters and designated Public Mountain Trout Waters where a special trout fishing license is required.
In addition to Dylan, 200 other young anglers netted prizes at the fishing events. Click here for a complete list of winners, which includes their ages, fishing event locations and their prizes.
Bass Pro Shops donated 100 prizes, including tackle boxes, rods and reels and spools of fishing line. The Wildlife Resources Commission contributed the remaining prizes, which included mini tackle boxes, fishing towels and decks of cards featuring the 13 top freshwater fish species in North Carolina.
“We’re grateful to everyone who made the Fish-for-Fun events possible this year,” said Bob Curry, chief for the Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries. “The Wildlife Commission has always been a supporter of kids’ fishing events by supplying fishing ‘grab bags,’ staffing fishing events and stocking fish in public waters. Generous donations by Neuse Sport Shop and Bass Pro Shops, along with the assistance of the U.S. Forest Service and local sponsors, have made these events fun outings for the entire family.”
For more information on fishing in North Carolina’s inland, public waters, visit the Fishing page, or call (919) 707-0220.
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Fire Can Benefit, Commission Says
June 18, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 16, 2008)– As smoky, scary and unnerving as the Evans Road Wildfire might be to people, some animals and plants may actually end up benefiting, biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said.
Most animals tend to escape from fires unscathed, and once the smoldering stops, new growth will create habitats for different species for several years.
“As bad as this fire may appear, with the smoke and the heat, there may be good that can come out of it,” said Tommy Hughes, a biologist with the Wildlife Resources Commission. “Smoky and nasty as this fire is, the animals are getting out of there, and there is an abundance of habitat that is created for some species.”
The fire has grown to 41,000 acres this week – in and around the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge — after starting June 1 from a lightening strike on private land. The fire won’t go out until the area gets a soaking rain, and as of Monday, the state had issued a Code Purple air quality alert for four consecutive days for areas downwind of the fire.
While upwards of 500 people have been involved in the firefighting effort, biologists say most animals can escape – or hide – without any assistance. Bears, deer and birds will move to areas that aren’t burning, Hughes said.
Less mobile animals can burrow underground, or take refuge near waterholes, he added.
And when the smoke clears, the thick vegetation that has burned clears the way for new plant life to grow. That new growth can provide new habitats for birds and other wildlife, which may live there for several years.
After a 1985 wildfire that destroyed 6,000 acres of the game lands in Holly Shelter, new vegetations thrived, Hughes said.
“Right now, the big concern is to contain the fire, and keep homes and people safe,” he said. “But this is a natural occurrence on the East coast, and the land responds. It’s not terrible for the wildlife.”
For more information on the fire, click here.
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2008 Waterfowl Stamp and Print Available July 1
June 18, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 17, 2008)– “Surf Scoters over the Atlantic,” the 2008 Waterfowl Stamp and Print, will be available from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission on July 1.
Signed and numbered regular edition prints with mint stamps will sell for $145. The collector’s mint stamp sells for $10.
This year’s print, based on an acrylic portrait by Minnesota artist Scot Storm, depicts a trio of surf scoters flying low along the crest of ocean waves.
Storm’s portrait was the winning submission in the first annual State of North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Competition held in January. More than 50 artists from around the country, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico entered the competition, which was a joint venture between the Commission and the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild of Greenville.
Storm is a nationally renowned wildlife artist who has won several prestigious awards, including the federal duck stamp, which he won in 2004 with his vivid portrayal of a pair of redheads in flight over a North Dakota prairie pothole.
Proceeds from sales of the print and stamps will go to the Commission’s Waterfowl Fund, which generates revenue for the conservation of waterfowl habitat in North Carolina. The money is used to help North Carolina meet its financial obligations in implementing the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the international agreement helping restore waterfowl populations throughout the continent. In addition, funds have been used to support waterfowl research and to buy equipment used to manage wetlands.
To purchase a print and mint stamp or for additional information, call toll-free (866) 945-3746, or visit the Commission’s N.C. Wild Store.
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Web Site Allows Public to Comment on Webless and Early Waterfowl Seasons
June 3, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. - For the first time, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is inviting citizens to provide input on the early waterfowl and webless migratory game bird hunting seasons.
People can comment on proposed dates for the seasons, which begin prior to October 1, by going to www.ncwildlife.org and clicking on “Submit Your Comments!” Comments will be accepted until the end of June.
“In the past, people could always write a letter or make a phone call to tell us what they thought of the options for the early seasons,” said Joe Fuller, the Migratory Game Bird Coordinator for the Commission. “But there wasn’t a formal way for people to give us input. This tool gives us that option, and allows people across the state to easily and quickly let us know what they think.”
Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Provides frameworks from which to choose the seasons, and the Commission selects the actual dates within these guidelines. Public-input meetings have traditionally been held to receive comments on the late waterfowl seasons,
However, before this year, there has been no formal way for the public to comment on the early seasons, which includes early seasons for waterfowl and for species such as mourning doves, woodcock, snipe and rail.
Members of the public can log on to www.ncwildlife.org until June 30 to comment on the proposed season dates.
For more information on migratory game birds in North Carolina, click here.
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Wildlife in North Carolina Magazine Holds Annual Photo Competition
June 2, 2008
Entries Accepted Now Through Sept. 15
RALEIGH, N.C. - The award-winning Wildlife in North Carolina magazine is partnering with N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation for its annual Photo Competition this year – and needs your prized nature photo.
For the fourth consecutive year, photographers will have an opportunity to enter their best wildlife photos, whether taken in a state park or a backyard or anywhere else in North Carolina. Wildlife in North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s flagship publication, invites everyone to participate in its 2008 wildlife photo competition. The state parks system joins the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh and the Great Outdoor Provision Company as sponsors of the competition.
The competition, which runs through Sept. 15, will result in awards in 10 categories: Birds; Mammals; Reptiles and Amphibians; Invertebrates; Wild Plants; Outdoor Recreation; Peaks, Valleys and Plains; Animal Behavior; Youth Photographer 13–17; and Youth Photographer 12 and under. Rules and more detailed category descriptions are printed in the June issue of the magazine, or you can click here.
“State parks are outstanding places to photograph wildlife and nature, offering easy access to wild places, and rangers that know the habitats and amenities that can smooth the way for amateur outdoor photographers,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “The contest is becoming a very popular event in the state, and it’s a natural fit for us.”
The grand prize winning photo will grace the cover of the January 2009 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina and the photographer will receive a check for $200. All winning photographs will be published in the magazine and exhibited at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. First place in all categories pays $100; second place, $75; and third place, $50.
Only photographs taken in North Carolina in the past five years are eligible for the competition. The following rules apply:
No pets or farm animals, with the exception of animals participating with people in outdoor recreation (for example, hunting dogs or riders on horseback)
No photos of animals that are both captive and non-native to North Carolina (for example, polar bears or lions at the N.C. Zoo)
No photos manipulated digitally beyond conventional darkroom techniques or basic digital cropping, sharpening and cleaning up
All photos must be entered electronically at www.ncwildlife.org. No slides, negatives or prints will be accepted by mail. Go to the Web site and click on the Photo Competition link to enter your photographs and to see last year’s winners. Photographers can enter up to three photos in each category. (The competition drew more than 5,400 entries last year.)
To learn more about the many opportunities for photography and outdoor recreation found in state parks, go online to www.ncparks.gov.
For information on the photo competition, please direct any questions to competition [at] ncwildlife [dot] org.
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Personal Watercraft Require Attentive and Knowledgeable Operators
May 31, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. - Propelled by jets of water, personal watercraft are fast and easy to maneuver, which is a large part of their appeal – and their potential danger.
“You need to know how your personal watercraft works and the regulations that apply to its ownership and operation before you get on it,” said Capt. Chris Huebner, the state’s boating safety coordinator. “Any maneuver that endangers people or property constitutes reckless operation and is breaking the law.”
Reckless operation, lack of proper safety equipment and exceeding capacity are the most frequently cited violations for personal watercraft operators in North Carolina. Another common violation is underage operators. State law restricts anyone younger than 16 from operating a personal watercraft unless:
- They are at least 14 years old and riding with a person who is at least 18.
- They are at least 14 years old and have successfully completed an approved boating safety education course, and have proof of age and safety course completion with them while operating the personal watercraft.
“It is also against the law to knowingly let anyone younger than 16 operate a personal watercraft who doesn’t meet those qualifications,” Capt. Huebner added.
For more information on operating a personal watercraft in North Carolina, click here or call (919) 707-0031.
To enroll in a free N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission-sponsored Boating Education Course, click here or call (919) 707-0031.
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