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Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads Threat

Conference Addresses Microbeads Pollution

Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads Threat

Microbead

The 58th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research was held in Burlington, Vermont last week. One of the key concerns addressed at the meeting is the danger posed to lakes by plastic pollution.

Experts claim that about 80% of the human-made debris found in the Great Lakes is plastic, that ranges from tiny microbeads to bottles and plastic wrap (‘Meeting in Vt., Lake Scientists Warn of Plastic Wastes’ – Times~Argus).

Microbeads, which have been used in cosmetics and household goods, can attract toxic chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, which then find their way into the food chain according to the scientists.

Great Lakes Scientists Warn of Microbeads ThreatVermont recently banned the sale of products containing microbeads (see: ‘VT Legislators Looking to Ban Microbeads in Vermont‘ ), and New York State’s Attorney General has called for a ban in that state as well.

 

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‘Reel Fun’ from Vermont State Parks and Vermont Fish and Wildlife

‘Reel Fun’ at Vermont State Parks

'Reel Fun' at Vermont State ParksVermont State Parks and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department are joining forces to promote fishing opportunities for campers and visitors at Vermont’s state parks with their new ‘Reel Fun’ program.

‘Reel Fun’ encourages park visitors to take advantage of easily accessible, family-friendly fishing opportunities available at most Vermont State Parks.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Vermont Fish & Wildlife to help make fishing more accessible to anglers at Vermont State Parks. There’s a strong history of recreational angling at our state parks and we want to continue to bolster that tradition through the ‘Reel Fun’ program. Whether you want to fish from shore or take out one of our canoes, kayaks or paddleboats, we hope that you will make fishing at a state park a must-do activity this summer.” ~ Craig Whipple, director of state parks, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation. 

Along with the ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ clinics featuring trained instructors, 10 state parks will now provide loaner fishing equipment to visitors. Included in the equipment are rods, reels, fishing line and an assortment of lures or baits that can be signed out by park visitors to help provide instant access to some great fishing opportunities.

Park visitors will also have access to a fishing guide publication developed by Vermont Fish & Wildlife for the body of water at that park. The guide will include information about the waterbody, a lake or river map, a list of present fish species, applicable fishing tips and techniques for that waterway, and information about obtaining a Vermont fishing license.

 

‘Reel Fun’ Participating Vermont State Parks

'Reel Fun' at Vermont State ParksIn addition to Grand Isle State Park on Lake Champlain, the following state parks will be participating in ‘Reel Fun’ in 2015:  Lake Carmi State Park, Stillwater State Park on Groton Lake, Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore, Silver Lake State Park, Wilgus State Park on the Connecticut River, Half Moon State Park on Half Moon Pond, Lake St. Catherine State Park, Woodford State Park on Adams Reservoir and Brighton State Park on Spectacle Pond.

“From my personal experience camping and fishing with my family, I can attest that Vermont’s state parks and fishing are a natural combination, The ‘Reel Fun’ program will help to make fishing in our state parks an easy option to anyone who might want to try it out.” ~ Eric Palmer, director of fisheries with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

‘Reel Fun VT’ Photo Contest

The program also includes a ‘Reel Fun VT’ photo contest where visitors can submit photos of themselves fishing at state parks. Three winners will be chosen at the end of the summer. The first place winner will receive two starter fishing kits as well as a weekend of free camping in a Vermont State Park. The second place winner will receive one starter fishing kit and a 2016 season vehicle pass for Vermont State Parks. Lastly, the third place winner will also receive a starter fishing kit and a punch card good for 10 visits to any Vermont State Park.

Visitors can submit ‘Reel Fun VT’ photos via email to fwinformation@state.vt.us or parks@state.vt.us, or can use #ReelFunVT to tag photos on Twitter.

 

Vermont Days are ‘Reel Fun’ 

Vermont Days, the weekend of June 13 and 14, is a great opportunity for park guests to experience fishing in Vermont State Parks. To find out more about Vermont Days, visit https://vermontvacation.com/vermont-days. June 13 is also Free Fishing Day in Vermont where any resident or non-resident can fish without a license.

To find out more about Vermont State Parks, make a camping reservation or learn about day use, visit http://www.vtstateparks.com/index.htm. To learn more about fishing in Vermont or to purchase a fishing license, visit http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

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2015 Mayor’s Cup Festival And Sailing Regatta On Lake Champlain

Mayor’s Cup Festival And Sailing Regatta 20152015 Mayor’s Cup Festival And Sailing Regatta On Lake Champlain

The 38th annual Mayor’s Cup Regatta and Festival will be held July 9th – 12th. The Plattsburgh event is the one of the largest festivals in the North Country and is the largest sailing race on Lake Champlain. Mayor’s Cup events in downtown Plattsburgh and on Lake Champlain will feature a boat parade and sailboat regatta.

For the past 23 years the Mayor’s Cup sailing events have been coordinated by Sunrise Rotary. Sunrise Rotary formed partnerships with the city and various organizations to streamline events after funding declined due to the recession.  While the Sunrise Rotary coordinates water activities, the city handles with events on land. This year those plans include a movie night, soccer challenge, fun run, fireworks and concerts headlined by the Grammy-nominated Gibson Brothers.

2015 Mayor’s Cup Festival And Sailing Regatta On Lake Champlain 2“This has been a long-standing partnership between the city and Sunrise Rotary. We’re committed to maintaining that partnership. We really think that our creation of the Events Coordinator position is critical to really take things to the next level. We think over time the model that has been represented here is going to spread to other weekends and other events throughout the year. So it’s a great partnership between a service club and the city and we’re really, really proud of how all that works.” ~ Plattsburgh Mayor James Calnon 

The sailboat racing part of the Mayor’s Cup Regatta and Festival has taken on a smaller role in the event. At one time the sailing regatta attracted more than 100 racing boats. But now there are far fewer participants. Now there are more pleasure sailors on Lake Champlain and fewer racers.

2015 Mayor’s Cup Festival And Sailing Regatta On Lake Champlain 3

Plattsburgh Mayor James Calnon said the Mayor’s Cup is one of the city’s signature events and it is important to partner with numerous groups to revitalize it. For more info visit Mayor’s Cup Regatta and Festival.

 

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VT Fish & Wildlife Conducting Angler Survey

Angler Survey By Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department angler surveyThe Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is conducting an angler survey for the open water season. Information collected in this survey helps to provide insights into fishing efforts, catch rates, species targeted, and biological information from fish harvested. The survey is already underway and continues through October 15.

The survey is covers both Vermont and New York waters of Lake Champlain’s main basin from the Champlain Bridge (Crown Point, NY – Addison, VT) north to Isle LaMotte, VT.

“We conducted similar angler surveys in this manner in the 1980’s and 1990’s as part of the Lake Champlain trout and salmon fishery restoration program assessments, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon are the major species sought in this area of the lake, but we are collecting data from anglers fishing for all species to get a complete picture of the fishery for comparison with results from the previous surveys.” ~ Brian Chipman, Vermont Fish & Wildlife fisheries biologist 

lcmapDepartment surveyors are conduct the survey by boat on weekends and holidays, as well as on randomly selected weekdays each week. Anglers are counted and asked to participate in a brief interview to obtain information about their fishing trip, including the amount of time they’ve been fishing, what they’re fishing for, what types of fish they’ve caught, and their state of residence. Survey clerks may also ask to examine and measure fish caught.

Participation in the angler survey is voluntary, and no personally identifiable information is recorded.

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