Update on Zebra Mussel/A.I.S. Forum Wed. evening

As promised, a recap to the Zebra Mussel Forum:
Actually very interesting when the meeting was mainly targeted to inform Lake Associations. Quite a bit of talk on control measures to control the spread of AIS.

We as Fishermen/Lake & River Users better start attending these meeting and getting informed before Rules & Regulations are in-place that we don’t like or cannot live with.

Out of all the speakers, one main point as a control measure was being promoted is the Blue Lake/Red Lake Sticker of RFID tags. Basically if you launch your boat on an Infested Lake, you get a Red Sticker and would not be allowed to launch on an un-infested lake unless you had your boat and trailer cleaned and certified Blue again.

If we as Fishermen/Lake Users do not want this or want to have input we will need to be proactive.

After listening to the speakers and many questions from an audience made up mainly of Lake Shore Owners, some well informed and others uninformed I came to my conclusion.

Personally, my view is that if set up right the Red Lake/Blue Lake sticker (or other method of identification) would be the best method for controlling Zebra Mussels and other A.I.S. This would be for our benefit as sportsmen to show and promote goodwill with the Lake Shore Owners and Lake Associations, etc.

Maybe you’ll all label me as , but I believe goodwill and working together we all will benefit from further lake infestations of A.I.S. and more Rules or restrictions.

See the MCWD and other links for more information:
http://www.terrisfp1.com/holidays/chick.html

http://www.chanvillager.com/community/fadams/full-house-zebra-mussel-forum#comment-3066

http://www.minnesotawaters.org/content/ais-training-offered-lake-service-providers

http://www.minnesotawaters.org/group/pclia/zebra-mussels

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/invasives/ais-video.html

Hope to see a room full of Sportsmen/Fishermen at future AIS Forums and workshops!

Carroll

Such a sticker system seems to represent discrimination don’t you think? Judge me not by the color of my skin but the color of the sticker on my boat. Watch the invasives like zebra mussels and spiny water flea REALLY spread with a system like this. People will say “I already have a RED sticker so I don’t need to do anything.” Milfoil lakes will get zebra mussels and spiny water fleas real quick.

I oppose this big time. This isn’t a state with 4 lakes. There isn’t enough money to pull this off.

I have to agree with Chuck. These are band-aids that sound good to folks who only fish one or two lakes or the lake they have a cabin on. We have some lakes that don’t have accesses that have an AIS. I think the focus needs to be on the lack of education by boaters. And that the Lakeshore AIS folks start finding ways to enlist anglers and boaters in preventing the spread. Apparently to some Lake shore extremists, cleaning, draining, and pulling the plug isn’t enough. They want quarantines, gated and closed accesses. What they are also thinking is some-sort of autoclave that boats will need to enter, in-order to sanitize them. May be a giant Maytag boat washer with a destroy cycle. While I just don’t want to make fun of them, I think we need to look at how their argument distracts from the real conversation that needs to be held. We need to have a behavior change at the ramp. And we need the folks like us, to be willing to say something, even to a stranger at the ramp, if they see someone not doing the best practice.

Here comes “Debbie Downer”.

Because so very few take these announcements seriously or feel common sense will prevail, a lot of the above will pass and become law.
Then we’ll see thread after thread of complaint about how these types of laws get passed.

The answer will be “we only have ourselves to blame” because we left it to the more vocal groups.

The collection plate will now be passed.

How do you apply stickers to ducks, geese, gulls, muskrats, beavers, herons..You get the idea…

Quote:

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Here comes “Debbie Downer”.

Because so very few take these announcements seriously or feel common sense will prevail, a lot of the above will pass and become law.
Then we’ll see thread after thread of complaint about how these types of laws get passed.

The answer will be “we only have ourselves to blame” because we left it to the more vocal groups.

The collection plate will now be passed.

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Brian,
You’re exactly correct, which is why I posted this with the message I did. Nobody seems to have taken these posts or Public Meeting Notices seriously.

I am surprised it took a week to get some conversation moving on this subject, I can only assume that everybody is after Laws come out opposing your views then there will be and calls to actions when it’s too late!

I will state it again, unless we as Sportsmen get together and work with the Lakeshore Owners/Associations, Watershed Boards, Mn/DNR, etc. we will ALL LOSE!

Yes, as per a previous post noted, “Education” is a very key component, but that too just as the idea of Stickers and many other proposals all cost $$$$$$$$$. There are already certain restrictions (Coast Guard Watercraft Licensing Rules) that prevent some proposals from being implemented.

I believe that (from the reading I’ve done and attending meeting and listening to proposals):
• Some type sticker/licensing system could work and will be implemented in some format.
• Mandatory watercraft operator education classes will be required.
• New Rules & Laws will be coming soon along with some changes in existing Laws (such as enabling Local Law Enforcement: City Police & County Sheriffs to stop & ticket violators).
• Increases in Fines for Violations (Possibly changed from misdemeanors to Felony Violations).
• The possibility of Watercraft of Violators to be impounded.
We all need to stay on top of these issues and prevent: our freedoms from being taken away; poorly written & unenforceable/unequally enforced Laws or Rules from being enacted we need to stay on top of this issue and informed through posting in this and other forums. If you see meeting notices or new Laws/Rules being proposed, post a Link to notify everyone to get Sportsmen in attendance.
We need to inform our fellow Sportsmen and assist in the education all water users. If you see a violation at Ramps, we have a couple choices:
1. Kindly let the person know and show/help them correct it.
2. Call/Report it to the DNR/Law Enforcement.
3. Do nothing .