Category Archives: News

News and events around the Lake Champlain Valley of northern New York and Vermont and southern Quebec

VT F&W Looking for ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ Instructors

Vermont F&W Seeks ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ Instructors

Vermont F&W Seeks 'Let’s Go Fishing' Instructors

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is seeking volunteers who would like to become ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ instructors so they can pass on Vermont’s fishing tradition to the next generation of Vermonters.

The department will be hosting a one-day training workshop for new instructors on Saturday, September 17, at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 4472 Basin Harbor Rd. Vergennes, VT 05491.

Instructors in the ‘Let’s Go Fishing’ program organize and instruct clinics in their communities for young people and their families. Participants in the training workshop will learn how to teach a fishing clinic — including fishing ethics, aquatic ecology, fisheries management, habitat conservation, and tackle craft. The class is informal, and it is not necessary to have a high level of fishing expertise to become an instructor.

“Becoming an instructor will give you the opportunity to introduce Vermonters, both young and old, to the joys of fishing while teaching them all they need to know to enjoy a day on the water,” said Corey Hart, Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s ‘Lets Go Fishing’ coordinator.

There is no charge for the training, and all curriculum materials and lunch will be provided. The workshop runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Pre-registration is required, and you must be 18 to participate. You can register by September 9, by calling 802-505-5562 or emailing letsgofishing@vermont.gov.

Other Lake Champlain Fishing Articles:

August 6 Declared Hatchery Day in Vermont

August 6 Declared Hatchery Day in Vermont

Open houses & activities to be held at fish hatcheries across the state
Governor Peter Shumlin and officials from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department today announced the declaration of August 6, 2016, as “Hatchery Day” in Vermont in recognition of the important role the state’s fish hatcheries play toward benefiting Vermont’s environment and outdoor recreationalists.

“First and foremost, Vermont’s fish hatcheries play an integral role in the successful management of the state’s fisheries,” said Shumlin. “They’re also a symbol of Vermont’s commitment to our natural resources, a tremendous tool for educating the public about the environment, and a significant part of the state’s history. I’m excited to help celebrate the importance and tradition of Vermont’s fish hatcheries through this declaration.”

Hatchery Day, which will be celebrated by open houses and other activities at the state’s hatcheries, will also commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bennington Fish Culture Station and the 125th anniversary of the Roxbury Fish Culture Station, a facility soon to be rebuilt following impacts from Tropical Storm Irene.

“Much has changed since the state’s first hatchery opened in 1891, but our commitment to raising fish to restore fisheries and provide quality recreational angling opportunities has remained steadfast,” said Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter. “Hatchery staff work extremely hard, often around-the-clock, to ensure the hatcheries run efficiently and effectively and meet these overarching objectives. Hatchery Day will be a celebration of the past, present and future of the program — one that we’re very proud of.”
The public is invited to attend open houses at all five of the state’s fish hatcheries on Saturday, August 6, beginning at 9 a.m. These hatcheries include: Ed Weed Fish Culture Station in Grand Isle; Roxbury Fish Culture Station in Roxbury; Ball Hill Fish Culture Station in Newark; Salisbury Fish Culture Station in Salisbury; and Bennington Fish Culture Station in Bennington.

“We encourage families and people of all ages to take a tour of our hatcheries, participate in a range of fun activities for the day and learn how we raise fish and why raising them is so important to Vermont,” said Adam Miller, fish culture operations manager with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

Each year Vermont’s hatcheries produce approximately 1.5 million fish for stocking, including a range of species such as brook, brown, rainbow, lake and steelhead trout, as well as walleye and landlocked Atlantic salmon.

Along with their role in fisheries restoration, stocked fish also serve as an economic driver for the state, accounting for roughly $31.6 million annually in angler expenditures added to Vermont’s economy.

To learn more about Hatchery Day in Vermont, Vermont’s fisheries programs, fishing regulations, or to purchase a fishing license, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Making Flood Resiliency a Reality in the South Lake Champlain Region

Five Years after Tropical Storm Irene: 

Making Flood Resiliency a Reality in the South Lake Champlain Region

As part of the South Lake Champlain Partnership, the Poultney Mettowee Conservation District and the Rutland Regional Planning Commission have teamed up to facilitate flood resiliency education, planning and project implementation in the Flower Brook Watershed shared by Tinmouth, Danby, and Pawlet.

The watershed approach used in our project, titled Weathering the Storm: Community-Based Planning for Flood Resiliency in Flower Brook , is an important component of flood protection in vulnerable villages and towns, because the effects felt in one town are the accumulation of impacts from upstream.

In addition to this information sharing and feedback gathered in the three project towns, the Partnership will offer workshops in July and August leading up to a three-town gathering on August 28, 2016 (the 5th anniversary of TS Irene) from 11-2 at Edie’s Green in Pawlet Village. All events are open to the public.

July/August Flood Preparedness Workshops:
July 30: Lets Talk Runoff: Keep Your Driveway Out of the Stream
Many driveways cross Flower Brook and contribute to the water, gravel, and sediment in the stream during storms, increasing the damage downstream. Learn stormwater management tools to minimize impacts to Flower Brook with Southern Vermont Stream Alterations Engineer Josh Carvajal, Danby Road Foreman Charlie Bush, Pawlet Road Commissioner Keith Mason, and Trout Unlimited’s Erin Rodgers leading the discussion at 844 Little Village Road, Danby from 8-10 am.

Aug. 3: Green Stormwater: What You Can Do At Home
A presentation with UVM Sea Grant’s Becky Tharp at the Tinmouth Old Firehouse at 7 pm. Find out what you can do to be more flood resilient using rain gardens and other stormwater retention methods on your own property.

Aug. 13: Flower Brook Hike: Explore Your Watershed
Led by Conservation District Manager, Hilary Solomon, this hike along Flower Brook from Danby to Pawlet will explore the results of weather and land use changes on a sensitive landscape. Please wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for a several mile hike along an abandoned road. Some off-trail walking will be included. Meet at Lilly Hill Road and the Pawlet Danby Road at 9:00 AM for this informational hike.

Five Years Vermont Strong: Tropical Storm Irene, Five Years Later – Where Are We Now?

Join the three towns of Tinmouth, Danby, and Pawlet for a Flower Brook Community Event on August 28 from 11 am – 2 pm at Edie’s Green in Pawlet. This event is free and open to the public.

Share your stories of resiliency as we learn what Pawlet, Danby, and Tinmouth have done and will continue to do to protect their towns from future flood events. Presenters include Ned Swanberg, VT DEC Rivers Program; Ethan Swift, VT DEC Watershed Coordinator; and Hilary Soloman, PMNRCD Director. There will also be Tropical Storm Irene Photo and Story Displays.
There is great fun for the kids as well: Wonderfeet Museum and the Rutland Area Food and Farm Link (RAFFL) will have hands-on activities, and there will be a Watershed Model and Flume Table: an interactive display with sand and running water that helps users visualize how dynamic streams interact with the landscape.

Of course, no great community gathering is without food and music! We’ll have Pizza, BBQ, Pies and Ice Cream for sale and rousing music by Spruce Knob Uprising.

For those who would like to explore the stream and to better understand its dynamic potential, there will be a hike along the Flower Brook from 2-4 pm starting from Edie’s Green.

Weathering the Storm is funded by a grant from the High Meadows Funds as part of a series of watershed alliance projects throughout the state.

For more information, please contact Hilary Solomon, PMNRCD at (802) 287-8339; hilary@pmnrcd.org or Elysa Smigielski, RRPC at (802)779-4454;elysa@rutlandrpc.org.

Fishing Access Areas Not Safe for Swimming

Fishing Access Areas Not Safe for Swimming

Fishing Access Areas Not Safe for Swimming
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reminds the public not to swim at fishing access areas due to safety concerns. The primary use of the fishing access areas is for launching and retrieving motorboats.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department maintains more than 180 developed fishing access areas on lakes and rivers throughout the state. These areas have allowed uses determined by law, and swimming is not one of them.

The access areas were purchased and are maintained with funds derived from the sale of fishing licenses and motorboat registrations, as well as a federal excise tax on fishing equipment, fishing tackle, and gasoline for motorboats. These funding sources explicitly prohibit activities that are in conflict with fishing and boating.

Fish & Wildlife regulations prohibit certain uses of fishing access areas including, but not limited to — swimming, littering, camping, picnicking, making a fire, parking of vehicles not related to priority uses, and commercial activity.

“It’s great that people want to get out in the water, but a boat ramp is not the right place to go swimming,” said Mike Wichrowski who oversees the Fishing Access Area Program. “There’s a reason motorboats aren’t allowed in swimming areas, and swimming isn’t allowed at fishing access areas — it’s simply not safe.”

Vermont game wardens have responded to several incidents in recent weeks involving people swimming at fishing access areas. In some cases people, including children, were swimming right at the boat ramps while boats were being launched, risking injury or preventing the launching of boats.

“We understand that people want to go swimming, especially during hot weather, but we are urging folks to swim at locally approved swimming areas,” said Colonel Jason Batchelder. “Finding a safe swimming area is easy in most communities. Just ask at a general store or other place where people gather.”

The fine for swimming at an access area is $162.

 

NYS DEC considering expanding number of free fishing days offered

NYS DEC to consider expanding number of free fishing days offered

Informal Comment Period Open for Proposed Changes to Free Fishing Days

Free Fishing Days

New York’s DEC is considering expanding the number of free fishing days that are offered and wants to set those days in regulation so they are consistent from year to year. This initial public review process will assist DEC in determining if it will move forward with this proposal to formally establish these additional free fishing days.

In addition to Free Fishing Weekend (last full weekend of June), the proposed rulemaking will specifically designate six additional Free Fishing Days that will occur throughout the year.

 

The proposed Free Fishing dates are as follows:

  • Presidents Day Weekend (February) – Saturday and Sunday before Presidents Day
  • 3rd Weekend in May
  • National Hunting and Fishing Day (4th Saturday in September)
  • Veteran’s Day

How to submit comments

To submit comments regarding the proposal, send an email to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov with the following subject line: “Possible Amendment to Free Sport Fishing Days.” To ensure we receive and can properly review your suggestions, you must leave the subject line as it appears on the email.

Input will be collected through August 31, 2016

Make an informal comment

Note: Due to the expected high volume of e-mails received, DEC will be unable to reply to individual submissions, but all input will be reviewed and considered towards developing a proposed rule-making that, if accepted, would become effective in 2017.