November December Monthly Report - Monthly Reports

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office Bi-Monthly Report Nov-Dec 2007 Community Plantings Projects Raymond and Chris worked with the Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper to complete 2 community-based planting projects within the City of Buffalo, NY. Native trees were planted at Seneca Bluffs and Bailey Peninsula parks to increase canopy cover and control invasive plants, provide vertical habitat structure, and improve water quality in the Buffalo River. Other project partners included the South Park High School Green Team, Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, Service Action Corps, and Ecology and Environment, Inc. Project funding was provided by Re-Tree Western New York and the Friends of the Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office. LGLFRO Staff Chris Castiglione, GIS Specialist Denise Clay, Biological Technician Kofi Fynn-Aikins, Chief Michael Goehle, Fishery Biologist Sandra Keppner, Fishery Biologist Raymond Li, Fishery Biologist Althea Owens, Administrative Officer Noelle Rayman, Biological Technician Betsy Trometer, Fishery Biologist Bryan Young, Biological Technician Eurasian Ruffe Surveillance Mike summarized and submitted collection results from the 2007 Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Eurasian ruffe surveillance project. This information will be added to the annual basin-wide ruffe surveillance report that includes data submitted by USFWS offices and Canadian partners throughout the Great Lakes. Ruffe were not detected in Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. South Park High School Green Team. Credit: Shannon Holland (Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper) Volunteer Amanda Colton, measuring fish collected during ruffe surveillance. Credit: Mike Goehle (USFWS) Western New York Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management Mike is now a member of the steering committee of the newly formed Western New York Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM). PRISM groups were established as part of a list of recommendations issued by the New York State Invasive Species Task Force in their 2005 report to the Governor. Major functions of PRISM include regional coordination and management of invasive species, early detection and rapid response, eradication, and education. The western NY PRISM is comprised of state and Federal agencies and non-government organizations in the region, and encompasses all eight counties of western NY. Seven other PRISM groups work in similar capacities throughout the state. Presentations at the Regional Science Consortium Research Symposium Denise gave two presentations at the Regional Science Consortium Research Symposium at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle, PA. Her first presentation, ???Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection and Monitoring Programs in the Lower Great Lakes??? described the program???s work to identify new invasive species (e.g. Eurasian ruffe, Asian carp) and monitor the range of existing invasive species (e.g. New Zealand mudsnail and Bloody red shrimp) in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The second presentation ???Trends in Fish Assemblages in the Lower Great Lakes: 1993 ??? 2007??? described preliminary data trends from 14 years of fish collections in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Westfield Dams Fish Passage Coordination Report Raymond worked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Ecological Services Field Office staff in Cortland to complete the Draft Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report for the Westfield Dams Fish Passage Project. The project is sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will restore fish passage to over 10 miles of stream habitat in Chautauqua Creek. The Service recommended alternatives to improve fish passage for more diverse communities while preventing migration by the invasive sea lamprey. Rock Snot (???Didymo???) Management Mike attended a meeting of the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon technical committee which includes USFWS Northeast Region Fisheries supervisors and state partners to discuss Rock Snot (Didymo) response in the northeast region. Rock snot is an invasive alga capable of smothering aquatic habitats. Mike presented an update of the USFWS outreach plan and future actions to address this emerging invasive species. He also discussed on-going collaborations with the sport-fish industry, and promoted development of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans to control invasive species throughout the northeast region. As part of the Northeast Region???s response to Rock Snot, Mike organized and facilitated a ???Spotlight on Species??? session at the fall meeting of the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species (NEANS) Panel in Providence, RI. This session brought together Federal, state, and provincial agency representatives from the northeast to discuss Rock Snot response methods. A major goal of the session was to develop consistent disinfection techniques among agencies in the region. Future meetings between NEANS members and the sport-fish industry will be encouraged to promote coordinated control and response efforts to Rock Snot and other invasive species. Lower Westfield Dam. Credit: Sandra Doran (USFWS) Great Lake Roundtable with Congressman Higgins Betsy attended a Great Lakes Roundtable hosted by Congressman Brian Higgins in his Buffalo, NY office. Other organizations at the roundtable included Citizens Campaign for the Environment, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper, Audubon Society, NY Walleye Association and others. Discussions focused on current and proposed legislation affecting the Great Lakes, including the electric barrier in the Chicago Ship Canal, water diversion concerns, habitat restoration, contaminated sediment remediation, public education, Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), type-E botulism, and lake trout restoration. DeWitt Pond Assessment Report Bryan and Raymond completed the DeWitt Recreation Area Aquatic Community and Habitat Assessment Report. This report described the biological communities and environmental conditions in DeWitt Pond, and identified opportunities to improve aquatic habitat and enhance recreational fisheries. Assistance with field collections was provided by Genesee County Parks Department, Association for the Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District, and community volunteers. Upper Allegheny River Conservation Action Plan Raymond attended the upper Allegheny River basin Conservation Action Plan facilitated by the Nature Conservancy. This workshop developed strategies to address threats affecting rare species and significant ecological communities identified in prior workshops. The basin supports two Federally listed endangered species, one candidate species, and many other Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office 405 North French Road, Suite 120A Amherst, NY 14228 716)691-5456 FAX (716)691-6154 DeWitt Pond. Credit: Bryan Young (USFWS) Web: http://lowergreatlakes.fws.gov General Office E-Mail: fw5fr_lglfro@fws.gov Staff E-Mail: First Name_Last Name@fws.gov