April 2009 page 1 Legislative Concerns

December 2011		The REDD Missouri Chapter - American Fisheries Society Est. 1965 Page 3
'Circling the Redd' President's Message Treasurer's Report MOAFS News Articles Current Events and News Legislative Awareness Officers and Chairs Words from the Editor Newsletter Editor Joe McMullen Web Assistant: Andrew Branson		MOAFS News Student Support Committee During fall 2011, the Student Support Committee has been allocating some of the remaining funds in the Student Support Trust Fund 2011 budget. $500 was spent earlier this year on the annual Student Achievement Award; we are seeking student applicants through Dec. 1, and the selection committee (Mark Van Patten, Tracy Hill, and Mike Gosset) will decide on a recipient for the 2012 calendar year (another $500 awarded). With the remaining ~$500 in the 2011 budget, we will be presenting the Duffy travel award ($200) to Jake Faulkner, an MU grad student presenting at the 2011 Mid-West Fish & Wildlife Conference. Students are welcomed to request any of the remaining funds for 2011; however, whatever is not used will be “rolled-over” to the 2012 budget. The Student Support Committee has also continued sending out job/assistantship announcements to the three subunits via email and Facebook, as well as facilitated communication between MOAFS governing board and the leadership of the three subunits. Jen Girondo Student Support Committee Chair Student Activities University of Missouri – FASS (Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Society) Ų We held two fundraisers to raise money for our subunit – a bake sale was held on October 13^th and a fish fry was held on November 10^th. We netted approximately $300 from those fundraisers (We made a total of about $650.00 but had to purchase materials for the events. Next semester we will be starting sooner on preparing and hope to get donations from Schnucks, HyVee, and Gerbes. $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\New folder\DSC02029.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\New folder\DSC02024.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\DSC02059.JPG$ Ų We participated in an electrofishing demonstration day at Prairie Forks Research Area. $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\DSC02440.JPG$ Ų We began a research project studying angler’s fish handling time before and after an educational campaign aimed at reducing handling time injuries sustained by fish. The project is taking place presently at Bethel Park in coordination with fisheries faculty at MU. Ų We conducted biannual stream team litter pick-up and macroinvertebrate biomonitoring activities on Hinkson and Grindstone creeks. $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02382.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02361.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\New folder\DSC01821.JPG$ Ų We held bi-weekly business meetings on Thursday evenings on the MU campus. Ų Next semester we will be working with students on an outreach project, educating them on fish id, how to measure a fish, proper handling methods, electroshocking, water quality, and other knowledge at Mr. DiStefano’s pond. Ų This semester, we organized a weekend trip to a Missouri cold-water hatchery in Branson, Missouri; Shepherd of the Hills. When we arrived we were shown a short video about the processes of the hatchery and then asked a few questions. Afterwards, we were given a private tour of the facility starting with the indoor fish tank that held brown and rainbow trout. We learned about the filtering system used in the tanks outside and that the water comes straight from Taney-Como. We also fed the fish as we went along on our tour. Bryon showed us the spawning building, and though it was not in use we got a good idea of what went on. The needle shown in the picture is used to inject air into the female’s reproductive system and this in turn literally shoots the eggs out of the female. We were then shown the fertilized eggs and Bryon explained how the water temperature was important and showed us a “dud” egg compared to a healthy fertilized egg. We were shown the swim ups as well, and the fry with the egg sac still attached. Bryon taught and showed us a lot of really interesting things at the hatchery. After Bryon’s tour was over we were sent with John Miller and he took us down to the lake to do a bit of seining. He showed us the lake and the creatures that inhabited it. He also explained how the lake got its’ name (Taney-CoMo = Taney County Missouri) and that it was man-made. He talked a lot about the dam itself and how much water is let in by just raising the flood gates. We also waited to see if any trout tried to swim up the “stairs” the hatchery had installed for them. The stairway actually leads right to a tank and helps with catching the fish in an unobtrusive way. He then showed us the prohibited methods of fishing and talked to us about why it was harmful to the fish and against the law. This wrapped up our tour.” $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02239.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02258.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02296.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\DeAnna\Desktop\Pictures\2011 Hatchery Trip\DSC02311.JPG$ University of Central Missouri – Warrensburg Ų We had a fishing social at Maple Leaf Conservation Area near Higgensville, MO Ų We had a bake sale on 3rd floor W.C. Morris (Biology) floor. We had a net profit of $36 dollars. Ų Our subunit along with other biology societies rode on a pontoon boat in the Homecoming Parade and displayed our banner/handed out candy. Ų We had one business meeting with the officers this semester, and three club meetings with all members. Ų We did not have any guest speakers this semester, but we were able to get a professor to give a presentation on Farmed vs. Wild Caught Fish spring semester 2011. Ų We also participated in Bioblitz at Pertle Springs with the UCM Chapter of The Wildlife Society. There we had fish id, knot tying, net casting, and fishing events. On the same day, some members also attended the snagging workshop hosted by MDC. Ų For the 2012 spring semester, we have MNRC and Bioblitz already in our plans. We hope to get guest speakers, another fundraister, social, volunteer events, and stream team activities for the spring. Ryan Dunwoody University of Central Missouri – Warrensburg Subunit President Student Opportunities Ų MOAFS Student Achievement Award; Deadline – Dec. 1, 2011 Ų James D. Chambers Scholarship; Deadline – Dec. 18, 2011 Ų 5^th Annual Midwest Student Fisheries Colloquium Ų University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 20-21 December 2011 Ų Ed Stegner Scholarship (Undergrads only); Deadline – 31 December 2011 Ų Carl Morrow Scholarship (Graduate students only); Deadline – 31 December 2011 Ų Missouri Natural Resource Conference; 1-3 February 2012 Ų Eighth Annual Student Poster Competition; Deadline – 19 January 2012 Ų Student Job Fair; 1 February 2012 Ų IIASA YSSP 2012: Summer Fellowship Opportunity for Graduate Students; Deadline – 16 January 2012 Ų Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award; Deadline – 20 January 2012 Ų W.F. Thompson Award for Best Student Paper Published in 2010; Deadline – 31 January 2012 Ų NPBR Graduate Student Research Awards Competition; Deadline – 10 February 2012 Ų 142nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Ų AFS FITS Best Student Poster Award Ų Young Eco-Hero Award Job Search Links Ų American Fisheries Society Job Board Ų Texas A&M University Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Job Board Ų Society of Wetland Scientists Job Board Ų American Society of Limnology & Oceanography Job Board Ų Aquatic Network Job Board Ų National Ecological Observatory Network Employment Ų Missouri Department of Conservation Employment Ų Missouri Department of Natural Resources Employment Ų Illinois Department of Natural Resources Employment Ų Illinois Natural History Survey Employment Ų Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Employment Ų Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Employment Ų Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Employment Ų Paddlefish Research and Processing Internship Positions – Application Ų Nebraska Game and Parks Employment Ų Iowa Department of Natural Resources Employment Ų Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Employment Ų Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Employment Ų USA Jobs - Federal Government Employment Ų USA Jobs - Student Educational Employment Anglers with Disabilities Committee A cold and rainy day didn’t stop the 8th Annual “A Day at the Ole Fishing Hole” fishing event. Mary Scott, MOAFS Disabled Angler Chair; Jean Cardin and Debbi Brock, Choices for People representatives, registered over 65 folks who came out to fish. Although very few fish were caught, everyone had a good time. There were plenty of volunteers on hand to assist with fishing, cooking and registration. The volunteers came from Wheelin Sportsman, NWTF Rolla Chapter, MOAFS, MDC and Choices for People, and several Independent Living personnel. The volunteers also cooked hot dogs on the grill and served them with chips, cookies and sodas. All the food was donated by several local businesses. Participants were all eligible for door prizes given out at the end of the day. Mary Scott and Bob Pellegrin, Choices for People Director and co-organizer would like to thank everyone who provided donations and/or assistance on the day of the event. Mary Scott MOAFS Anglers with Disabilities Committee Chair You won a trip where??? Roughing it Arizona style So ask yourself, when was the last time you did something spontaneous? This is how one of the best experiences of my life started. You probably remember the raffle tickets and the trip to Arizona offered last year. I thought, “what the heck I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon before”, and threw my name in the hat. It’s moments like these when you are most likely to win… spur of the moment, didn’t ask the wife or boss, no reading the fine print, just did it. After Travis pulled my name from the hat I sat there in disbelief. Later, Travis gave me the run down on how it would all play out. Earlier that year I had read Travis’s article about his trip so I kind of knew what to expect. After he mentioned a helicopter ride into the canyon I was hooked. Fast forward several months and many emails back and forth to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. After a couple cancellations and weather-related problems the day finally came for me to fly to Phoenix. There I grabbed a shuttle to Flagstaff and headed North. I was finally in route to the adventure of a lifetime. I stayed in a historic hotel in Flagstaff that night and the next morning we walked a couple blocks over to the USFWS office and began loading the trucks. I was greeted with, “So you’re the guy from Missouri. How did Travis talk you into this one?” We headed even further North, away from the mountains and into the desert. We reached the canyon ridge after a long dusty trail ride through a reservation. At the rim of the canyon we started to unpack gear and wait for the helicopter. After the helicopter briefing and cargo net training we started loading nets and shuttling crews down to the canyon floor. We suited up in flight gear and waited our turn. Three of us loaded into the helicopter and we started to rise into the air. As we gained altitude and speed the pilot said, “Here we go!” I was informed later that flying into the canyon was only done by very experienced pilots, the reason for which became very clear very quickly. We circled down into the canyon of the Little Colorado River. Along the bottom of the canyon the turquoise blue river snaked back and forth. With each pass we lost more and more altitude and came closer and closer to the canyon walls. We dropped about 2000 feet and I finally saw the helipad, not much bigger than a large office desk, marked with a red flag. Upon landing, we ducked our heads, exited the helicopter, and headed down the trail. Our campsite was perfectly centered under a large mesquite tree. Mike Pillow, a USFWS fisheries biologist, gave us the grand tour after we unpacked and settled in. After the tents were in place we geared up for our first hike down the trail to set nets. Our section of the river was about 10km long. It was divided into 3 reaches. We would set nets and catch fish for three days on each reach. To set nets the first day we hiked all the way upstream to the beginning of our section of river. About 200 yards into this hike I realized my recent purchase of waterproof hiking boots was unnecessary. We were knee deep in and out of the river, swamp, bog, and springs all day long. Over rock slides, around boulders, and through brush the salt trail followed the river upstream to atomizer falls. Long sleeves and pants were a must; literally everything in the canyon was sharp! The scenery though was spectacular, brilliant blue water set against a backdrop of red rock walls and splashes of green foliage made every viewpoint postcard-worthy. The nets were stored in small crevices along the trail, where they have been kept for several years during the population survey. Each net was about 30 inches in diameter and 40 inches long. We set 20 hoop nets a day in hopes of catching four species of fish; speckled dace, blue sucker, flannelmouth sucker, and the prime target… the humpback chub. The humpback chub is a federally endangered species and the Little Colorado River is one of the last areas where they thrive. We would place the nets in a variety of locations, most of which required a swim. Exact location and type and substrate were recorded for this first trip. The next day we hiked back to check nets and record our catch. All humpback chubs were PIT tagged and recorded. About 50% of our catch, 800 plus, were PIT tagged from previous surveys. This population study has been running for over 10 years, with 3 surveys being performed each year. I felt very privileged to be entrusted with the large hypodermic needle and sometimes very small fish to tag. After the fish were tagged and scanned they were released. There were so many tags and codes I honestly dreamt about them at night… Beta 1 2 Charlie..4 fox 1 7….echo fox bravo niner. The river was amazing not only for the color and clarity, but for what grows within it. When the water comes out of the ground it is supersaturated with CO₂ and minerals. After the water goes over the first set of falls the CO₂ is vented off and the minerals start to precipitate out of the water, giving the water its impressive color. The precipitate grows on anything in the water, much like cave formations in Missouri, and are called travertine. Some of the older nets in the survey had about 10 lbs of extra travertine built up on them. Ledges will also build up to form waterfalls and break off exposing some new material to harden in the sunlight. The water is unsuitable for the drinking not only from the salty taste but it also has uranium and barium in it. So drinking water was brought in for the trip. After the fishing and swimming was done for the day it was back to camp to cook dinner and relax. Food was nothing short of spectacular. Each night something new was on the menu, and depending on your creativity the variations were endless. We had halibut one night, pork chops another, fajitas, steaks, campfire chili and so on. The heat and wind was pretty extreme during the day but shortly after sunset the dry air cooled quickly. Every morning I found myself curled up in the sleeping bag. Day hikes to other camps, spotlighting scorpions and avoiding rattlesnakes were some other recreational activities during the trip. After a week and a half in the canyon the fly-out day finally arrived. The camp was dismantled and packed away. We all kept our fingers crossed that the weather would cooperate and we would be shuttled out as scheduled. Sometimes the wind will extend a survey trip a day or two, but not this time. The helicopter flew over and we suited up in our “Top Gun” outfits. I flew up front on the way out and got an unforgettable view of the canyon, and I am glad I saved some room on my camera’s memory card for this flight out. The trip was over and we headed back to civilization. The Little Colorado River was an adventure of a lifetime all thanks to a MOAFS raffle ticket. Wesley Swee MOAFS President Elect Fundraiser Malissa Underwood is the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Botanist. Malissa’s husband, Aaron, was diagnosed with advanced stages of bone cancer. On November 4, 2011, a benefit raffle and ice cream social event was given for Malissa and Aaron to help with medical and living expenses. MOAFS donated two wildlife prints for the raffle. The event was a huge success with many items donated from various individuals and groups. MOAFS received a Thank You note from the event coordinators regarding our donation. Melissa Scheperle MOAFS Secretary MOAFS DONATED BLUE CATFISH FISHING TRIP ON THE MISSISSIPPI Every year the members of the Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society raise money to support Chapter causes. The biggest goal for the past few years has been to reach $100,000 for the Student Support Trust Fund. That goal was reached last year and the Student Support Committee is now able to gift travel and scholarship awards for undergraduate and graduate students. Each year items for the silent auction or maybe a trip to bid on are available at the MOAFS booth at the Natural Resources Conference for MOAFS to raise funds. Who is generous enough to donate those hunting and fishing trips? Who wins the trips? Do the winners that bid and win them go? I am happy to announce the results of a trip that Chris Morrow, Protection Supervisor in St. Louis Region very generously donated in 2010. Chris offered a fishing trip for blue catfish on the Mississippi River as a MOAFS silent auction fund raiser. Anne Koenig, Central Region Urban Forester, bid on, and won the trip for her husband, Frank. Chris and Frank kept in touch, waited until the river and the weather conditions were good, and then got together for the trip. Chris was nice enough to contact me and tell me that he had taken Frank fishing on the Mississippi. Frank caught some nice blue catfish and took some memorable pictures. He told Chris that it was the fishing trip of a lifetime-- a great day for him. Anne was pleased that he couldn’t stop talking about it. She had some nice fillets that she used to make fish tacos. Thanks to Chris Morrow for donating the fishing trip. Thanks to everyone who bid on the trip. Congratulations to Frank on a good fishing day on the river. $Description: D:\McMullen\MO AFS\December 2011\Chris Morrow_DSCN0024.JPG$ $Description: D:\McMullen\MO AFS\December 2011\Frank Koenig_DSCN0002.JPG$ Kenda Flores MOAFS Rivers and Streams Technical Committee The Rivers and Streams Technical Committee’s summer meeting was held August 23, 2011 at the Runge Conservation Nature Center auditorium. The meeting was well attended by approximately 60 natural resource professionals and students. Speakers from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit provided presentations related to “Watershed Scale Planning and Projects”. Minutes from the summer 2011 Rivers and Streams Committee meeting are available on the Missouri AFS homepage at http://moafs.org/. The Rivers and Streams Technical Committee will be sponsoring a workshop at the 2012 Missouri Natural Resource Conference http://www.mnrc.org/workshops.html . The workshop will be held on Friday February 3 from 10:20 am to 12:20 pm. The workshop agenda is below. Please support the Rivers and Streams Committee’s workshop at this year’s MNRC. 75 Years of Stream Conservation in Missouri – The Past, Present, and Future Since the birth of the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1937, much work has been conducted by state and federal agencies, universities, and local watershed organizations to research and manage stream ecosystems in Missouri. This workshop provides a historical perspective of the development of various aspects of stream conservation throughout the state. Shortly after the formation of the Conservation Department, the Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act of 1944 led to extensive flow and channel alteration of the Missouri River. Catastrophic flooding in the 1990’s and decline of native species stimulated major Missouri River recovery efforts. During the last several decades, native fish, crayfish, and mussel programs have made important strides learning about species’ ranges and ecology, but aquatic species of concern continue to be threatened by invasive species and habitat alteration. Most recently, urban watershed organizations have made significant developments in public education programs and the implementation of best management practices in urban watersheds. As many natural resource professionals continue to retire throughout the state, it will be important to bridge the knowledge gap between the history of stream conservation in Missouri and current and future needs for stream research and management throughout the state. This workshop provides a look back at the history of stream management in Missouri and will provide insight on future needs for stream conservation in the state. Moderator: Mary Culler, Chairperson-MOAFS Rivers and Streams Technical Committee List of Topics and Presenters: 10:20 - 10:50 am 75 years of Missouri River Conservation: From Pick-Sloan to the Missouri River Recovery Program Dr. David Galat – Emeritus Associate Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia 10:50 - 11:10 am Merrily Down the Stream – 75 Years of Stream Fish Conservation in Missouri Doug Novinger – Resource Scientist, MDC, Columbia, MO 11:10 - 11:30 am A Brief History and Future Direction of Crayfish Conservation Efforts in Missouri Robert J. DiStefano – Resource Scientist, MDC, Columbia, MO 11:30 - 11:50 am Mussel Conservation: History and Future Needs Stephen McMurray – Resource Scientist, MDC, Columbia, MO 11:50am-12:20pm Lessons Learned from Jordan Creek: The Story of an Urban Stream Mike Kromrey and Loring Bullard, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, Springfield, MO · The winter meeting of the MOAFS Rivers and Streams committee will be held after the MOAFS business meeting at the 2012 Missouri Natural Resource Conference on Thursday February 2^nd. The winter Rivers and Streams meeting usually begins around 5 pm. If you have any items for the winter meeting agenda, please send your agenda items to Mary Culler at mlitvan3@yahoo.com. · If you are not a member of the Rivers and Streams Technical Committee, you may join our member list by contacting committee chairperson Mary Culler at mlitvan3@yahoo.com or by contacting the committee secretary Nate Gosch at gosch30@hotmail.com. · Keep up to date with the North Central Division Rivers and Streams Committee by checking their website at http://www.ncd-afs.org/Default.asp?mid=23. Mary Culler Rivers and Stream Technical Committee Chair Awards Committee It is once again time to recognize our peers, coworkers, and citizens that have significantly contributed to the conservation, protection, or study of Missouri's aquatic resources. Please, take a little time out of your busy schedules to nominate a worthy individual or group. The process is simple and gratifying. Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Awards John L. Funk Award of Excellence. Originally named the Award of Excellence, it was renamed to honor Slim Funk, the founder of the Missouri Chapter, for his professionalism and commitment to Missouri aquatic resources. The recipient of this award is recognized for their professionalism and their long-term contributions to the aquatic resources of Missouri. The A. Stephen Weithman, Jr. Leadership Award was created to honor A. Stephen Weithman, Jr. for his long-term and outstanding leadership to the Missouri Chapter and Missouri's aquatic resources. The recipient of this award is recognized for their leadership qualities which continue the leadership standards Steve established. The Citizen's Award is given to persons not directly employed in the aquatic field who make a substantial contribution to Missouri's aquatic resource. The Letter of Recognition that is given to either a fisheries professional or to a citizen to acknowledge one-time or short term contributions that may not be covered by the other two awards. Award information and nomination forms can be found on the MoAFS homepage http://www.moafs.org/ Completed nomination forms may be mailed or emailed by December 31, 2011 to: Darren R. Thornhill Missouri Department of Conservation--Northeast Region 3500 South Baltimore Kirksville, MO 63501 Darren.Thornhill@mdc.mo.gov 2012 Call For Award Nominations – The American Fisheries Society is seeking nominations applications for several 2012 national awards as well.