St Croix Upstream Travel Restriction Warning

ethical zeal…

Main Entry: zeal•ot

Pronunciation: \ˈze-lət\

Function: noun

Etymology: Late Latin zelotes, from Greek zēlōtēs, from zēlos

Date: 1537

1capitalized : a member of a fanatical sect arising in Judea during the first century a.d. and militantly opposing the Roman domination of Palestine

2: a zealous person ; especially : a fanatical partisan <a religious zealot>

Wow, problem with zeal it often turns to zealots. How does one become so smug and close minded?

I spoke to a biologist who works for the company that makes the fish tracking equipment in Isanti. He claims that different species act and migrate differently. Even within a species, such as pike and muskellunge only the dominate fish, the largest, tend to be more territorial. The others move over a much larger range. He has seen movement of over 20 miles during the warm months. It was his feelings that it may have slowed the movement slightly but would not have a major impact on the system.

I do not want to seem harsh but too many people read one or two articles and claim to become experts on a subject. They close out all other views and act holier than thou…drives me crazy. Keep in mind this was only another opinion.

The area already has a natural barrier in the summer, the arcola sand bar, that keeps the big tuna boats from coming north.

Enjoy the St. Croix.

Take care,

Ken,

I understand where you are coming from in a love for the river, you know I’m there with you.

I believe the checkpoint is not working and can not work, thanks to the transfer of zebs from fish (gills). I think you over estimate this current flow as a serious barrier to fish movement. I’ve watched fish, even muskie, swim through shallow fast running water with no trouble at all.

Also there is one side channel, that I know of, other than the Arcola sand bar for fish to use to travel north.

Best regards,
Turk

Here we go…. back to a conversive position.

1. TC, thx for putting in at least one reply to my original question. What fish are making this kind of movement that would jeopardize the efforts of the checkpoint? Pike and Muskie was answered. I was aware that various species vary their spawning times but I was again wondering how that related to waters warmer than 53 degrees. Not sure if I was being referred to as an expert but I’ll be the first to say, again, I don’t have every answer. Just trying to take what I find and ask good questions….don’t need to be an expert to do that.

Turk,

Still wondering, what have you seen that conclusively proves the checkpoint is failing? Specutively, there’s no doubt that fish can ruin the effort but who has managed to find what? Or for that matter, is anyone even searching? I’m pretty sure that if you guys can show zebes have managed to re-establish north of that checkpoint, there would be little defense for maintaining it.

Next question. What are we going to do when the silver carp get here…… start an aquatic skeet league?

i agree with stillakid if the checkpoint isn’t working why has it been their for as long as it has and to prove his point there are no zebra mussles found north of the arcola railroad bridge. i work for the NPS and spend time talking to the resource management team that has spend the last ten years monitoring the zebras spread in the lower St. croix.

I see your guys point (steve, turk) yes these mussels can be spread by fish but the majority are spread by humans and yes it is inconvienient to lose easy access to fishing spots but have you guys ever been down further south? and seen how bad the zebra infestation can be? i grew up on the st. croix and i now spend half my year up by osceola and the other down by dubuque on the missippi and the miss is so bad with zebra shells that you have to wear shoes to walk in the water to avoid cutting your feet. do you guys really want to see this happen to our river?

Hey guys…. really not trying to stir the pot here but when you’re alone in a truck for weeks at a time, the brain has a chance to think and ponder….on the sometimes ridiculous… but I got thinking about the fish gills transporting zebes vs. the current velocity issue.

If a zebe will detach from it’s substrate because of a water current being too swift for it’s establishment, is it possible that a fish swimming up to 20 miles creates enough current for the zebes to let go? Or for that matter, moored boats could also “shake off” the attached young as well?

The pondering is this:

“IF” these things were found to be true, wouldn’t the greatest threat of transfer indeed be that of the livewell?

Haven’t the time to chase this down right now but wondering what your guy’s take is on the thought or if you have any data that might support/or kill my proposed possibility?

My God. By the time this post goes away there will be zebes in every body of water in the midwest.

Here are my perceptions:
o At this point, the high bridge checkpoint is a marketing attempt by the DNR to show they are putting up a fight against zebes.
o Gravel/rocky beaches (ex. Troy beach) on the lower croix have about 5 years before the are unswimable.
o There’s no reasonable regulation that can keep zebes from ending up in most MN/WI lakes & rivers.
o It’s time to upgrade the line and live with them.