Tim Smith

Applications are being accepted for the Garden Club of America'sannual Award in Coastal Wetland Studies. The award is a one-year scholarship for graduate studies in coastal wetlands and carries astipend of $5,000 to support field-based research. The goals of the Garden Club are to promote wetlands conservation through the support of young scientists in their fieldwork and research. Selection criteria include the technical merit of the proposed workand the degree to which the work is relevant to the Garden Club objective of promoting wetlands conservation. For the purposes of this scholarship, coastal wetlands are defined as those tidal or nontidal wetlands found within coastal states, including the Great Lakes. Applicants must provide: (1) a resume; (2) a written plan forthe work to be undertaken during the scholarship period; and (3) aletter of endorsement from the applicant's graduate faculty advisor. Find more specific details at: http://ccrm.vims.edu/garden_club.htmlApplication deadline: February 10, 2008.

Spend 10 weeks studying killer whales in the Pacific Northwest. Beam Reach is for you if you want to: -study endangered orcas in the wild -work with experts in killer whale conservation -learn about marine conservation and sustainability -sail on a biodiesel electric catamaran -learn in a small group and get lots of individual time with instructors -work on science that matters and your own research project -explore the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest -earn 18 credits from the University of Washington Find out if Beam Reach is for you:http://www.beamreach.org/is-beam-reach-for-you.html?1lcs08csif080102 Apply Now! Final application deadline for the Spring 2008 program is February 4, 2008.http://beamreach.org/application.html?2lcs08csif080102 Let us know if you have any questions. tracy@beamreach.org Beam Reach | Marine Science and Sustainability Schoolwww.beamreach.orgtracy@beamreach.org 206.371.1254 7044 17th Ave NESeattle, WA 98115 If you'd like to receive our newsletter, hit reply and put subscribe in the subject line and we'll add you right away.

Fish Culture Engineer Location: Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, Grand Isle, VT Responsibilities: Permanent, full time position at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station. Duties include; responsibility of ensuring thecontinuous and effective functioning of highly sophisticated equipment (e.g. pumps, computer controllers, filters, generators, etc. Responsibility of maintaining the operation of an on site wastewater treatment facility. Establish and conduct a preventative maintenance program for all operational equipment; assigning and supervisingmaintenance activities at the facility. Respond to emergencies involvingequipment failures and take action to ensure that appropriate fish rearing conditions are maintained or quickly restored. Trains all facility personnel in maintenance, emergency response and safetyprocedures. Arrange for repairs or maintenance that cannot beaccomplished by staff. Assist in the oversight of capital projects atthe facility. Participate in fish culture activities and assist inpublic outreach efforts. Provide engineering assistance for the fourother Vermont Fish and Wildlife fish culture stations. Develop capital appropriation requests and collaborate in the planning of future upgrades to all five fish culture stations. Work is performed under the direction of the station Fish Culture Specialist VI. On site housing isprovided as condition of employment. Minimum Qualifications: Education: Education: Bachelor's degree inelectrical or mechanical engineering. Experience: Two years work experience in electrical/mechanical systems. Notes: Or Associates degree in electrical or mechanical engineering withfour years work experience in electrical/mechanical systems or abachelor's degree in an engineering discipline with four years workexperience in electrical/mechanical systems, or high school graduationor GED equivalent with six years work experience inelectrical/mechanical systems. Incumbents must acquire a pesticide applicator's license, a wastewaterII operator's certificate and successfully complete the Division'straining course in fish culture. Starting Salary: Pay grade 23 ($19.50/hr, $20.43/hr) upon successfulcompletion of six-month probationary period, plus 20% base weekly salaryper week as compensation for all overtime worked. Closing Date: 1/18/08 Contact: Apply online at www.vtstatejobs.info<http://www.vtstatejobs.info/> AA/EOE

The National Park Service is seeking up to six aquatic technicians for the 2008 summer field season in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI). All vacancies are GS-5 positions at $14.21/hr. The primary objective of these positions is to restore 1) populations of the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa), a rapidly declining species, and 2) high elevation lake and stream ecosystems. Primary duties include backpacking to lake basins in park Wilderness, removing non-native trout populations from lakes and streams using gill nets and backpack electrofishers, and surveying populations of the mountain yellow-legged frog. Additional duties include following detailed protocols, recording environmental parameters, and communicating an overview of the project to park visitors. Further additional duties may include entering field data into software programs, managing databases, and writing reports. Emphasis is on field work in both team and individual settings. Work dates depend on timing of snowmelt, but are estimated to be from late June to late September. Interested applicants must apply through the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. The announcement number is “SEKI 164240” and can be found by typing in the announcement number in the keywords search window of the USAJOBS homepage, clicking “Search,” and then following the link to the actual announcement. Applications must include a resume, a completed questionnaire (shown in announcement), and a copy of your college transcripts (if you wish to be qualified based on experience and education). Read the announcement for specific details. APPLICATION PACKAGES MUST BE COMPLETED BY MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2008 TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THESE POSITIONS. For general application questions contact SEKI Personnel by emailing Ellen_Quinn@nps.gov or calling 559-565-3754. For specific position questions, contact SEKI Aquatic Resources by emailing Danny_Boiano@nps.gov or calling 559-565-4273.

One full-time laboratory technician position is available in Dr. Jennifer Tank’s Stream Ecology Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame. Duties will include fieldwork, analysis of gas and water samples, data entry and management, procurement of laboratory supplies, supervision of undergraduate research assistants, and general upkeep of laboratory equipment. Training will be provided on laboratory methods (including spectrophotometry, gas chromatography, and flow injection analysis) and field methods (including measuring ecosystem metabolism, nutrient uptake, and organic matter cycling). Current research in the Tank Lab is related to these projects: 1. The effect of “two-stage” agricultural ditch restoration on nitrogendynamics in headwater streams. 2. The effect of large woody debris addition on stream ecosystem function (e.g. organic matter dynamics, nutrient cycling, and macroinvertebrate secondary production) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 3. The role of traditional and genetically modified corn material in theform of non-harvested tissue and pollen in agricultural stream carboncycling in central Indiana. Qualified candidates will have a B.S. in Biology (or related field). Salary will be commensurate with experience. Please send a letter of interest, a resume or curriculum vitae, and a list of 3 references (including contact information) to Mia Stephen(stephen.2@nd.edu), Department of Biological Sciences, University of NotreDame, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Electronic copies are preferred. Application review will begin on January 28 and continue until a suitable candidate is hired.

...and a goat for the vegetables? Sweet.

Thanks for checking out the article, Ron. Your earlier comments about using low or no phosphate dish soap seem appropriate to bring up again here. Also, think twice about your garbage disposal. There's also quite a lot of phosphorus in our table scraps. Sending large volumes of food down the drain also adds to the P load in the waste disposal system (as well as gumming up your pipes). I've been composting yard waste for a long time. Hopefully this will be the year I finally set up the composter to handle table scraps too.

You can try a search on "spawning temperatures" but that information will be limited. A specific species will spawn at different temperatures in different systems and different sizes of fish will spawn at different times. It won't be an "one size fits all" pattern.

Here's something for fish, Jamie. http://ellipse.inhs.uiuc.edu:591/INHSColle...fishsearch.html Type in "Fox River" for drainage and that'll give you the fish forage base. This page has similar data bases for Crustaceans (i.e. crayfish), Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (Caddis flies)... http://ellipse.inhs.uiuc.edu:591/INHSCollections/ The collections aren't comprehensive, but they'll have much of what you're looking for. There are also maps of where fish species have been collected embedded in their genus species names here: http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/collections/fish/ilfish.html

Due to last minute withdrawals, we are in IMMEDIATE NEED of 2 temporarytechnicians for a deer project in east-central Illinois. Duties include assisting in capturing and radio-marking white-tailed deer, plus habitatmeasurements and surveys of deer abundance. Position begins January 2, 2007 Lasts until end of March, with possible extension into April Qualifications: Candidate should be RELIABLE, able to work late nights &early mornings, and prepared for cold weather. Send resume and contactinformation for 3 references. Salary: $8/hour, HOUSING PROVIDED Contact: Clay Nielsen E-mail: kezo92@siu.edu (Preferred) Phone: 618-453-6930

...don't blow all your money at Christmas. One of the items up for silent aution this year will be a week with a two-bedroom suite at luxury resort in Placencia, Belize. That's a 2,100 dollar value during low season. http://www.chabilmarvillas.com/ The package also includes a complimentary round trip ticket from Belize City to Placencia on Tropic Air Airlines and a complimentary ticket for a day trip to snorkle at Laughing Bird Caye National Park. http://www.laughingbird.org/ Placencia is a mecca for salt water angling, featuring tarpon, snook, permit, bonefish, kingfish, barracuda and much, much more. The local guides are experienced, friendly and expert in spin tackle and fly fishing techniques. The MesoAmerican Reef, the world's 2nd longest reef, lies just offshore and provides unending oppotunities for adventure and fun. Mayan ruins, cave adventures, world class diving and snorkeling, sea kayaking, jungle hiking, river tubing, quiet beaches, cultural events, and excellent restaurants are in the area as well. http://placencia.com/ http://www.placencia.com/Informative http://www.destinationsbelize.com/ Be prepared to cover your flight to Belize City (normally between 450-600) plus food, day travel, guide fees and remaining expenses while in Placencia. The package will be offered from June 2008 to November 2008. Belize is a peaceful, tolerant country, a mainstream tourist destination with comfortable ammenties and a fascinating culture. However it is also a developing nation with unique challenges and this package would be considered a mid-range "eco-adventure". You will be expected to travel at your own risk. $1000 minimum bid. Proceeds will be split with Placencia Citizens for Sustainable Development. PM for details.

This was a great ISA year for me. Fishing: Not only did I catch my personal best smallie (20 inches..WITH the tail pinch!), and spotted bass (16.25 inches WITH the tail pinch), I also got to fish with some great guys on some terrific water. Personal thanks to Phil Fiscella, Steve Jordan, Jeff Douglas, Jim Kast, Don Rego, Jude Torre, Mike Clifford, Brenden Terrill, Rich McElligot, and Rob Kanter (Mark Hedger, RonK and Dick G, you're on the list for next year!). You're all good sports for putting up with my personal foibles on the water (and yes, Jim, those WERE spotted bass we caught). Anyone who wants to fish next year, call anytime. I can honestly say I had a blast every time I went out (Except maybe that one time Steve and I got skunked. Oh yeah, and when Rich and I got skunked. Hmmm...and when Mike and I got skunked. Heh...and that one time Jude promised me 50 fish and we only got one.) Ok, revise that to read...MOST of the time I had a blast fishing, and EVERY time, the company was great! Conservation: Getting the ISA granting program up and running was probably the highlight of my year. Hopefully as you saw in this month's issue of the Bronzeback Bulletin (and keep an eye on the next one for even more reports) efforts of this group resulted in some real improvements in smallmouth bass habitat and basic research. Some genuinely remarkable people contribute to this organization with unbelieveable selflessness to make programs like this possible. Thank you to everyone who supported the ISA this year.

Jonn, Could you do a "compare and contrast" for your swim jig and your warrior jigs? The warrior jigs landed some big fish including two 20" fish on my home river that I know of this spring. I got away from them during the year, but I'm planning to start off again in the spring with that slow, bottom-bumping as soon as we get a couple of days with peaks over 15C. Are you still making warrior jigs and how do these compare?

Thanks, Steve. I had combed the specs online and not found those 2 items...although everything else was pretty impressive. I've looked at some of the camera covers, too Ron. With the cover, this thing is waterproof down to 100 feet (although that's not going to matter to me any time soon). ...and they're advertising the 770 SW as waterproof to 33 feet with motion reduction now so I think I'm going to get that one instead of the 790 (which is only water proof to 10).

This is what I've found. There has to be some kind of flow refuge nearby...even if it's just a boulder or the slower water along the bottom before you catch good fish in fast water. Otherwise, they tend to be dinks. The way I've fished this in the past has been to hang an inline spinner in the flow. With fast enough current, it'll suspend above the bottom. If anything's nearby in a flow refuge, it'll dart out and come after it.

Tim and Steve or whoever else has bought this, Does this model have a self timer and a mounting screw for a tripod? How is the movie function?

No one's an expert in all of these things, Jim. They're generally in compliance. This fish kill occurred because the U of I and the company that cleaned the U of I's boilers didn't warn them that they were sending a hyper-concentrated slug of ammonia through the sewage system into their plant. By the time the UCSD realised what was happening, the ammonia was already in their system killing the bacteria in their sludge reactors. There was no way to keep the ammonia out of the river at that point.

I was just on the phone with the Urbana Champaign Sanitary District. Apparently, since the spill they have already significantly upgraded their alarm and detections systems and they're in the midst of a comprehensive 40 million dollar upgrade of their operations. From their perspective, using the 0.45 mil settlement on the wastewater stream the amount of the settlement would be inadequate to further improve their operations and would provide negligible benefits compared to the improvements they've already made. They have also been told that it would not be legal for the restoration to be used for their facility based on the legal interpretation of "restoration" (although given that a large percentage of the flow in the Saline Branch comes from their plant, I suspect that could be gotten around either by focusing mitigations at the end of the pipe or by widening some definitions). In any case, that point is moot because UCSD doesn't want that money.

The lease option is one way to go, yes. I agree and yes. On the Salt Fork, that has not been their pattern so far. They are trying to get permission to dredge a section of river that was dredged (illegally) 10 years ago and it already looks as shallow or shallower than it was before the first time it was dredged. How that's cost effective is beyond me. It seems they think it is their responsibility to dredge and at this point they bitterly resent anyone who tells them otherwise. The politics have made things pretty nasty on the Salt Fork where drainage is concerned. It's a ditch to them. Their ditch. On the Saline Branch, maybe things are less volatile. They have agreed to have the rock structures put in place. Frankly those shouldn't impede flow.

Point of clarification here: The rock structures will definitely attract fish. They may keep fish in the Saline Branch longer than they would have stayed normally or perhaps year round. It's less clear that they will increase the total amount of fish in the system. They might.

I especially like this line...

Nice additions, Mike. That's the Saline Branch alright. I don't know all the ins and outs, Mike, but my impression is that everyone is pretty much sick to death of the legal process at this point. The University, the advocacy groups.. ...they've all been through the grinder and they're ready to be done. I don't know if anyone is thinking about going back to court over this...but it's always possible. I do think the rock structures that are planned could definitely be considered a form of restoration. I'd be surprised if using them violates the Clean Water Act.

Those are the ones currently on the table that I know about, yes. More may arise during the public comment period. Possibly. We might be perceived as a loose cannon if we come in with another proposal at this point, but I do plan to at least see why the restoration wasn't focused on the sewage treatment plant. The plant is located in Urbana. I don't know of any land nearby that would be available to create finishing wetlands, but there might be. The effluent pipe would almost certainly have to be extended across the river if that were to occur. That sounds expensive to me. We'll see. There might be some backlash against that idea if some saw the plant as being rewarded with half a million dollars for sending lethal levels of ammonia into the stream. I don't think I would agree with that backlash. Maintaining additional water treatment equipment or acreage is no reward. It hardly sets a precent for other plants to get sloppy with emmissions. No one would try that as a means to fund their plant. Yes. The foundation in question is used to that kind of thing, but it would take a long time. I think the conservation set-aside program can work that way, yes. One way this might get done would be to sweeten existing programs and improve the bottom line for land owners to convert more land into conservation acreage. Yes. Plus habitat is limited there. The specific structure they intend to use is a "j-vane". They will cause some deepening and downcutting too. The structures will probably increase the numbers of smallmouth in the system. The Land Conservation Foundation, a spin-off of the Nature Conservancy. Access is being touted as one advantage of the preservation approach. I assume the public would have some level of access to the river on that land.

Most of us in the ISA are aware of the fish kill that occurred there several years ago during a boiler cleaning operation at the University of Illinois. That case will be resolved soon and it appears the defendants will be forced to pay a settlement of $450,000 for the damage done to the fisheries and habitat in those streams. The next phase of the process will involve a public comment period on the use of the settlement money to restore the stream. At this moment, the IDNR intendeds to use those funds is for the construction of rock structures designed to stablize banks and create downcutting areas (depth) at specific locations in the Saline Branch (a small tributary of the Salt Fork). Prairie Rivers Network has commented publically that they feel the better use of those funds will be to strengthen the conservation reserve program in the Salt Fork drainage, or to acquire preserves in the riparian zone of the Salt Fork drainage through simple fee purchases. Either use of the settlement funds is possible, although at this time the official plan is to build the rock structures. There is an ongoing discussion about the use of these funds, and as one of the major resource users on that system, we are going to be a part of that debate. The ISA will be participating in the public comment phase of this settlement. This is an important chance to let our voice be heard both here on the forum and in public hearings to come later. Please be aware that the content of this thread could well become part of the public discussion. At a minimum, several of the players in this discussion will read what we say here. A few facts are in order: 1. The settlement money must be used to benefit the impacted population of fish (and the impact on the smallmouth population is apparently being given special weight since it is the only major fishery in the system). 2. Fish (smallmouth bass) move between the Saline Branch and the Salt Fork on a regular, mostly seasonal basis. 3. Although the settlement money can be used acquire land, it cannot over-ride the local authority of the drainage district (which is currently involved in channelizing large sections of the Salt Fork and seems determined to continue that practice indefinitely). Anything put in place as a restoration can be removed by the Drainage District if they deem it a restriction on flow and a flooding hazard. Presently, the drainage district on the Saline Branch is willing to allow the proposed rock structures. It is less clear to me that the drainage district on the Salt Fork is willing to allow rock structures there. 4. The sewage treatment plant through which this spill occurred is still in operation on the Saline Branch and will be for the foreseeable future. Although the Saline Branch has smallmouth bass and a reasonable number of fish species in it, it also has some of the highest downstate concentrations of nutrients and other contaminants due to the presence of the sewage treatment plant (as measured by the IEPA's Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Network). 5. This is not the first fish kill on the Saline Branch. Numerous chemical spills associated with the University of Illinois have occurred over the years, entering the Saline Branch from Boneyard Creek on the campus. 6. Rock structures do attract smallmouth bass and concentrate them where they are more accessible to anglers. It is less clear that those structures benefit fish populations in question. Harvest of fish from highly visible rock structures becomes more likely. Other population bottlenecks such as spawning substrate or survival of juvenile fish may negate the benefits of rock structures to the fishery. 7. Rock structures do not benefit the majority of fish species in the stream. 8. In my opinion, habitat is definitely limiting the smallmouth bass population on the Saline Branch. It is a relatively high gradient system for this area, but it has been channelized in the past and it carries a heavy load of sand bedload. The majority of the system has sparse cover with the only available habitat located in the root wads and tree trunks a small riparian fringe, plus a few larger flow refuges. 9. The approach Prairie Rivers Network wants to take is to acquire other high quality tributaries and revert them to a conservation trust (an offshoot of the Nature Conservancy). The logic here is that those tributaries will serve as a source population to replinish the Salt Fork if another spill occurs. 10. IDNR has countered Prairie River's arguement by saying that those high quality tributaries do not have the species diversity necessary to replinish the Salt Fork after a major fish kill. They also have said that the cost of acquiring that land may be prohibitive (given that with 0.45K you could acquire at the most a couple hundred acres). Currently, my perception of the facts surrounding this issue is as follows: 1. It is not clear to me that by attracting smallmouth bass to those rock structures, the population of smallmouth is necessarily helped. It might be helped, and and the ability to catch fish at those spots is certain to improve but the effect on the overall system and overall species diversity is likely to be nil or even negative in a few cases. 2. A land aquisition, even a small one that allows for riparian restoration will provide many of the same benefits as the rock structures through gradual restoration of the riparian zones. In addition it provides the potential for public access, recreation etc. The potential for the drainage district to come in and destroy a reserve by removing riparian cover and channelizing does exist. However, it also exists to a degree for the rock structures. 3. Neither the proposed rock or reserve restorations address the actual failures in the system that caused the fish kill. The things that are "broken" in the system have not been restored. In my opinion, the likelihood that another fish kills will eventually occur again in Saline Branch the future is very high. Anything that attracts and holds fish in an area close to likely disturbances in the future, enhancing the likelihood that they will suffer from additional fish kills in the future. What facts are missing here? What restoration should the ISA support?

"ISA Fish Story of the Year Contest" What story from 2007 best conveys what made fishing worthwhile to you this year? Post your best fish story from 2007 on this thread before January 10th and be published as an attributed author in the Bronzeback Bulletin during 2008. Your entry must convey in some way a narrative story, preferably (although not necessarily) a true one. Entry formats are entirely unrestricted. Any narrative format that conveys your fish story in written form is acceptable. These could include fishing reports, essays, short stories or more. Preferable size for entries is less than 1500 words and should not exceed 2500 words. Don't sweat the editing, just get your story on the page! Entries will be judged on general interest and quality and the degree to which they capture the values the ISA hopes to inspire and embody: 1) our enjoyment of the resource 2) our desire to protect and preserve the fishing experience and especially the rivers and lakes and ecosystems that support it. The fishing in the story does NOT have to be for smallmouth bass or posted by an ISA member (but given the setting, you might expect a competitive advantage if they are). An online poll will select the top nominees from the entrees here. The ISA officers will pick the top fish story of 2007 from that pool. Officers submitting entries will not vote. The winning story will be printed as an attributed article in the BronzeBack Bulletin during 2008. Any questions regarding the contest format can be posted below along with submitted entries. Good luck and good writing!