At the stroke of midnight on Saturday, May 13 th , Governor Mark Dayton will cast his line,
proclaim Clean Drain Dry Day, signaling the start to a time honored tradition, the Minnesota
Fishing Opener!
Fishing Tournments are a high use event, and represent a risk for the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species. Rima Smith Keprios, the Cass County AIS Coordinator for Cass County and Eric Bakke, tournament director of Minnesota's largest fishing event, the Frank J. Schneider Memorial Muskie Tournament, have put together a program that meets the needs of tournament organizers and significantly lowers the risk of AIS spread during the event.
This tournament is Muskie Inc.'s oldest tournament, 40 years old, and includes over 500 fishermen on 20 lakes in Minnesota. It is large and complex - the perfect situation to try a pilot project. MLR is hosting a webinar featuring both RIma and Erik so that their innovative program can serve as a template for other local efforts.
Lake Koronis and Greater Lake Sylvia are both infested with starry stonewort, a new micro alga that can have profound negative impacts on both lake health and lake utility. They are holding this Summit, with Guest Speaker Dr. John Rogers, Clemson University, to provide other lake associations with the best information on starry stonewort, how to prevent it from entering a lake, how to identify it, and what might be done after the fact IF it becomes established.
MLR Executive Director Jeff Forester will present at Riverside United Methodist Church which will host a 90 minute 2017 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention event on March 20th, 2017 from 7:00 to 8:30 at Riverside United Methodist Church, Highway 71 North, Park Rapids, MN Phone: 218-732-5205
The Aquatic Invaders Summit was a great event and a number of people have contacted us to request copies of the presentations given. Attendees had to make difficult choices about which of the many presentations to attend. Now you can see the presentations you might have missed - or if you could not attend, have access to the conference after the fact.
Special thanks to Don Hickman and the Initiative Foundation, Clean Water land and Legacy, our sponsors and supporters including US Fish and Wildlife, MN DNR, National Park Service, MN COLA, Wildlife Forever, MAWD and all of the presenters who donated their time and energy to make the Aquatic Invaders Summit on of the largest citizen led, water based gatherings in the state.
Starting in 1999, MLR has periodically conducted a phone survey of lake home and cabin owners. The results have always been enlightening. For instance, the average household income of a MN Lake Home and Cabin owner is about $58,000. The average length of ownership is 34 years, one of the highest in the nation.
The President of Norway Lake had a problem - they needed a truck with which to haul the weed harvestor they use, and the tons of milfoil removed by the machine.
The solution was the Federal Surplus Property Program through the Minnesota Department of Administration, which makes surplus equipment available to non-profits across Minnesota. Norway Lake is now awaiting delivery of a 1969 GMC 5500 4-Whell drive truck with just 28,000 miles that was used as a fire truck in California.
MLR Annual Meeting, February 11th, 10:00 am at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Room M101 C.
Members in good standing who attend will be given tickets to attend the show.
A graduate student research grant on the biology, ecology, and management of starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) is being offered by the Aquatic Plant Management Society’s research and education initiative, in cooperation with the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Midwest APMS and the Northeast APMS. The RFP is also sponsored by Applied Biochemists, SePRO, and UPI.
After two full years of County AIS Prevention AiD, it is time to look at the impacts of this program. Results exceed expectations.
