Summer/Fall2018

Content:EnjoyOurPublicLandsFortheLoveofCountryandFishing

FishingandOutdoorRecreationFloattheFork

ImprovingHabitatFisheriesMATTeamSavesUSMoney

ManagingFishPopulationsRecordRiverHerringReturnsontheMerrimackOutreachWorldFishMigrationDayLaunchedinRichmond,VA

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PartnershipsForFishingandHuntingFatherandSontakeavolunteervacation

DidYouKnow?

EnjoyOurPublicLands:ForLoveofCountry&Fishing

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Twenty-sevenveteranswhoseservicerangedfromWorldWarIItothewarinAfghanistansharedtheirlovefortheircountryandfishingattheWhiteSulphurSpringsNationalFishHatcheryAnnualVeteransFishingEventthispastJune,hostedbythehatcheryandlocalChapterofVietNamVeteransofAmerica.FiftyveteransandtheirfamiliesalsoenjoyedadayoffishingandconnectingwitheachotheroutdoorsatthesecondannualWesternNewYorkVeteransFishingDayhostedbytheLowerGreatLakesFishandWildlifeConservation

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OfficeandtheIroquoisNationalWildlifeRefuge(NWR),withtheJosephP.DwyerSupportProgram,VeteransOne-StopCenterofWNY,ProjectHealingWaters,theNiagaraUniversityVeteran’sServices,Hogsand

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HeroesFoundation,FutureAnglersFoundation,andFriendsoftheIroquoisNWR.Theeventalsoofferedair-archery,fly-tying,castingclinics,andfishidentificationlessons.

Northeast

NEWS

Cora Bailey was happy

to see the exciting

return of river herring

at the Amoskeag

Fishway Learning and

Visitor Center on the

Merrimack River

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ImprovingHabitatfor

FishandWildlife(and People too)

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Summer/Fall2018NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation

FisheriesMaintenanceActionTeamSavesUSMoney

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Asmallhydropowerdam–calledtheRuhlDam–onColdBrookinWilmington,Vermontwasnolongergeneratingpower.Thelandownerdecidedthecoststorepairandmaintainthedamoutweighedthecostsforremovingthedam.So,theygavetheConnecticutRiverConservancy(CRC)permissiontoremoveit,therebyrestoringfishpassageandanotherpieceoftheConnecticutRiverwatershed.Damsareexpensive!They’re

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expensivetorepair,tomaintain,andtooperate;nottomention,theycomewithenvironmentalcostslikepoorwaterquality,poorecosystemhealth,andsometimes,lessrecreation.Butremovingadamisnotcheap,either.Thecostsvary,ofcourse,bysizeofthedam-fromtensofthousandsofdollarsto$3million(i.e.EdwardsDam,ME).Yet,aroundtheworld,damownersandlocalcommunitiesare

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weighingthecostsandbenefitsofmaintainingdams,whilefactoringintheaddedbenefitsofhealthyfree-flowingriverswitheconomicallyvaluableandviablefisheries.Often,thedamremovalcostslessthanthelong-termsafetyrepairsandmaintenance(andenvironmentalcompliance)costs.ColdBrookisroughly8.3mileslong.It’satributarytotheNorth

ConteNWRInternandVeteranatCroninVetFishingevent.

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TheRichardCroninAquaticResourceCenteralsocontinueditslongtimetraditionofrunningamonthlyVeteran'sFishingPrograminsummer,inpartnershipwiththeSilvioO.ConteNationalWildlifeRefuge.Indeed,vetsenjoyfishingfornativebrooktroutstockedbytheBerkshireNationalFishHatchery.

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Startedin1991byhatcherymanagerMickeyNovak-aVietNamveteran-theprogramisnowrunbyRefugestaffandtheoriginalpartnership,withVeteranAffairsinLeeds,MAandtheSoldiersHomeinHolyoke,MA.Andin2015,thelocalDisabledAmericans

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VeteransChapterbeganvolunteering.

Manyvolunteers,whoalsoareveterans,dedicatetheirtimetotheprogram.Thisyear,twoweekdayeventswereadded,connectingevenmoreveteranswiththesportoffishing.

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Summer/Fall2018NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation

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BranchoftheDeerfieldRiver,whichthenflowsintotheConnecticutRiver.TheRuhlDamhasbeenprohibitingfishaccessto5.5milesofqualitynurseryandspawninghabitatforseveraldecades.ColdBrookisnotaverybigriver,noraverylongriver,butit’spartofalargervisionoftheConnecticutRiverConservancytorestorethehealthoftheConnecticutRiverwatershedforeveryonelivinginandaroundtheRiverforgenerationstocome.Historically,ColdBrookwasknownforitsbrooktrout,andforbeingacold,headwaterstreamAndrewFisk,ConnecticutRiverConservancy’s(CRC)executivedirector,says“restoringthecoldwatertributariesoftheConnecticutRiverisapriorityfortheConnecticutRiverConservancy”.Headwaterstreamsholdkeystothehealthandconditionofriversdownstream.Withtheirvegetatedbanks(orbuffers),theyreducetheamountofcontaminantsenteringthestream,whichimproveswaterquality,andcanreducewatertreatmentcosts.Theyfacilitatehowsedimentsaredistributeddownstream,whichhelpsmaintainriverbottomhabitatforfishandinvertebrates,andreducessiltation.Andbecauseoftheirconnectiontogroundwaterandsubsurfacewaterflows,theyhelpcontrolbaseflowsinlargerstreams,whichcanreducefloodingdownstream.

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Finally,headwaterstreamsofferrefugeduringhotsummers,andsafetyforfishreproduction.Together,thesekeyfunctionsworktomaintainhealthyrivers.Removingdamsthatblockfishmigrationandalternaturalflowsisanotherkeytomaintaininghealthypopulationsoffishandhealthyrivers.TheCRCreceivedfundsfromtheU.S.FishandWildlifeService’sNationalFishPassageProgramfortheprojectonColdBrook.TheyalsoreceivedfundsfromtheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation,theService’sPartnersforFishandWildlifeProgram,andaVermontStateWildlifeGranttorestoretheriverbanksandvegetationpostdemolitionofthedam.TroutUnlimitedassistedwiththedesignoftheproject,andwillassistwithrestoringtheriverbanks.Thecostfortheprojectfromdesigntodemolitiontorestoringtheriverbankspost-demolitionwasestimatedtobe$62,000.Thepartnershiphad$47,000.Nottoworry,theFisheriesMaintenanceActionTeam,staffedbythe

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Service’sNortheastRegionFishandAquaticConservationProgramandConteNWRheavyequipmentoperators,rodeinontheirbackhoesandbulldozerstoexpertlyremovethedam.TheServicealsocontributedexpertiseinfishandstreamecologyduringdemolition,andwillassistwithrestorationofriverbanksandinstreamhabitat.Overall,theServicesavedtheproject$15,000andpeaceofmindbycontributingin-houseknowledgeandcapacitytoremovethedam.WeconsistentlyseecostefficiencieswhenprojectsinvolvetheuseofMATcapabilitiesTheRuhlDamwentoutlastAugust,andalreadyEasternBrookTroutarefindingtheirwaytothecoolwatersofColdBrook.Anglerswilldefinitelybehappy.

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RecordRiverHerringReturnsontheMerrimackMikeBaileyandCatherineGatenby

NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation Summer/Fall2018

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TherewerewidesmilesthisspringwhenstafffromtheMassachusettsDivisionofFisheriesandWildlifereportedthemassiveschoolofriverherring(bothAlewifeandBluebackherring)fillingthefishliftbucketsattheEssexDaminLawrence,Massachusetts,thelowermostdamontheMerrimackRiver.Yearsofhardworkhadpaidoff,andsuccesswasclearlyevident.In2018,theMerrimackRiverbrokeits“modern”recordforfishway

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passageofriverherringattheEssexDaminLawrence,MA,sincethefishwaywasconstructedinthe1980’s.Nearly450,000riverherringpassedtheDam,operatedbyEnelGreenPowerNorthAmerica,Inc.It’slikelythestrongestrunsinceaseriesofdamscreatedbarrierstofishmigrationintheearly1800s.Theprevious20-yearaveragewaslessthan25,000riverherring.Thousandsmorehavealsopassedattributaryhydroelectricplants

wherefeworzeroriverherringwereobservedinthelasttwodecades.Today’shighreturnscanbeattributedtobothimprovements

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infishpassage,andasuccessful“truckandtransport”program.Overtheyears,tensofthousandsofadultriverherringhavebeencollectedattheEssexFishwayandneighboringrivers,thentruckedtogoodspawninghabitat(abovebarriers)onthemainstream,inmultipletributaries,andinseverallakestoimprovetheruns.Additionally,fishpassageengineerswiththeServiceandNOAAhavebeenworkingwithdamownerstoimprovefishpassageattheEssexDamandothertributariestotheMerrimack.Severalfailingpassagestructureshavebeenrebuiltinthelastfewyears,anddamownershavecommittedtobuildingnewfishwayswherethereisastrongpotentialforincreasingpopulations.Thenewlyreturningadultsare

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ManagingFish

Populations

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Etiameuipsum.Donecacarcu.

-sodales.

Summer/Fall2018

Amerethreedaysprior,andthreefeetawayfromfloodstage,theJamesRiverthreatenedtorainonitsownparadeincelebrationofWorldFishMigrationDay(WFMD).OnthatclearandbreezySaturday,however,over100peoplecameoutfortheinauguraleventinRichmond,oneof569eventsin63countries.TheService,VirginiaDepartmentofGameandInlandFisheries,KCITechnologies,Inc.,JamesRiverAssociation,AmericanRivers,andtheJamesRiverParkSystemcametogetheronthebanksoftheJamesRivertorallythecommunityaroundtheconservationofmigratoryfish.FishwaytoursatBosher’sDam,afishfryreleaseintotheriver,andacanoepaddleupriverwereafewofthehighlightsfortheday.A

PaintOutPollutioneventalsodrewattentiontothefateofstormwater.JoshRoyte,Chair,WFMDFoundationAdvisoryBoardcommendedtheServiceandpartnersformakingtheRichmondevent“aperfectflagshipforthedaywithtonsofgreatenergy”.“I’mverythankfultoLisaMossandallthepartnersinRichmondforcreativelybringingpeopletogethertoconnectwithfish,rivers,andwildlife.AndthelivesturgeontheServicebroughtmadeitareallymemorableevent.TheysavedthedayforNorthAmerica’slaunchofWorldFishMigrationDay."

Outreach–VirginiaFWCOhelpsLaunchWorldFishMigrationDayintheU.S.

NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation

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offspringofthosethatpreviouslymadeittogoodspawninghabitatontheirown,orweretruckedandtransportedtosuitablehabitat,wheretheyspawnednewgenerationsoffish.Eventhough450,000fishseemslikealargenumber,it’slikelyasliveroftherunsthatonceranuptheMerrimackRiver.RiverherringwereonceplentifulincoastalriversfromFloridatoLabrador,Canada,andtheywereanimportantfoodsourceforindigenousandcolonialcommunities.Eventhen,responsibleharvestandconservationwasnecessaryforsurvivalofhumancommunitiesdependentonthefishery.For

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example,in1623,PlymouthColonypassedaFishLaw,whichincludedregulationstoensurethesafepassageoffishtospawninggrounds.ColonialMainerspreventedoverfishingbysettingalewifeharvestdaysandestablishingfinesforoffenders.ButtheMerrimackbecameanepicenterforAmericanindustrialization.Andthelegacyofdamconstructionandhabitatmodificationisstillapparent.Theabilityforfishtoswimtospawninggroundsontheirownisseverelylimited;thus,theyneedahumanboosttoovercomeourman-madeobstacles.TheServicecontinuestolookforopportunitiestoopenuphistoric

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habitatstofish,fromdamremovalstoworkingwithdamoperatorstoimprovefishpassage.Aself-sustainingpopulationwithouttheneedfortruckingisalong-termgoal,andwithhundredsofthousandsoffishreturning,thegoalseemsmuchcloser.Thereturnoftheriverherring,however,canonlyhappenthroughthecooperationoflong-standingpartnershipsbetweentheService,theMassachusettsDivisionofMarineFisheries,MADepartmentofFishandGame,NewHampshireFishandGame,NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration,andpublic-privatepartnershipswiththehydropowerindustry.

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AUniquePartnershipforFishingandHunting

FatherandSonTakeaVolunteerVacationandGoFishingLarryMiller

Summer/Fall2018NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation

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environmentalsciencewithaninterestinnaturalresourcemanagement.DaveGaviglia,Craig’sdad,worksforanengineeringfirmasanenvironmentalconsultantworkingoninvestigatinggroundwatercontaminationanditscleanup.

CraigwantedtogainsomeexperienceinthenaturalresourcesfieldsotogetherweworkedoutaplanforCraigtovolunteeratthehatcheryforaweek.Craig’sdad,Dave,thoughtthissoundedlikeaneatidea,sohedecidedtoaccompanyCraigforafather-sonadventureandalsovolunteerfortheweek.

CraigandDavespenttheirweekfeedingfish,cleaningraceways,andconductingfishinventoriesofgrowthandsurvival.Craig’smostmemorabletaskwasadiposefinclippingtheBloaters,anativepreyfishbeingrestoredtoLakeOntariotohelprestoreLakeTroutandland-lockedAtlanticsalmon.FinclippinghelpsbiologistsintheService,State,andCanadiannaturalresourceagenciesidentifythehatchery-stockedBloatersandevaluatethesuccessofBloaterrestorationefforts.

Craigtoldstaff“Thiswasagreatexperience.Ireallyenjoyedmeetingandgettingtoknowthestaff,andIgainedagreaterappreciationforthefishrestorationworkoccurringatthehatchery.”TheworkseemedrightupCraig’salley.Hesaid“It’salmostlikeahobby,notajob,”muchliketheadagebyMarkTwain“Findajobyouenjoydoing,andyouwillneverhavetoworkadayinyourlife.”

Asforhisfavorite

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VolunteerVacation,orvoluntourism,isbecominganattractivewaytotravelaroundtheglobeforthoselookingtogetaway,makeanimpact,takeacareerbreak,orinvestigateanewcareerpath.It’sagreatwaytobecomeimmersedinanewtownorcountry,andoffersauniqueopportunitytohavefun,whilegivingyourtripasenseofpurpose.

Recently,wewelcomedasonandhisfatheronavacationtogethervolunteeringattheAlleghenyNationalFishHatchery.Notonlydidthemenprovidevaluableassistancetothehatchery,theygottospendqualitytimetogetherandfishtheAlleghenyRiver.

CraigGavigliaisastudentatSlipperyRockUniversityinPennsylvaniastudying

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NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation Summer,2018

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partoftheexperienceDavesaid"Ienjoyedworkingsidebysidewithmyson.Ialsoenjoyedlearningaboutthehatcheryandhowmeticuloustheworkcanbecaringforthefish.Iwoulddoitagainifgiventhechance.”

ItwascertainlynotallworkandnoplayforCraigandDave.BothareavidanglingenthusiastsandpliedthewatersoftheAlleghenyRiveranditstributariesintheKinzuaDamareawithsomegoodsuccess.CraigcaughtanicebrowntroutandapalominotroutinsomefeederstreamstotheAllegheny,andhealsocaughtanicerainbowtroutjustdownstreamofthehatcheryontheAlleghenyRiver.

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FishingandOutdoorRecreation

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Summerispackedwithreasonstogooutside.AndonasomewhatcloudyandmistyJuneday,160paddlersfrom6statesdidjustthat–theywentoutsidetofloattheWestForkRiverfromGoodHope,WestVirginiatoWestMilford,6milesdownstream.After9yearsofnegotiations,plans,andhardwork,folkswerereadytocelebratearestoredWestForkRiver!Removingthreedamsontheriverbackin2016wouldimproveboataccessandfishpassageontheriver.ClarksburgWaterBoardMember,AlCox,alsohopedtherivercouldbecomeatouristdestinationandaplacetoholdfuncommunityevents.GuardiansoftheWestForkWatershedhostedthatfirstfun

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eventonJune2,2018,calledFloattheFork-alongwithAmericanRivers,theWestVirginiaDivisionofNaturalResources,WestMilfordUnitedMethodistChurch,thetownofWestMilford,andtheService’sWestVirginiaFieldOfficeandAppalachianFishandWildlifeConservationOffice.TheLouisA.JohnsonVAMedicalCenterandCKBAirportalsohelpedshuttlepaddlerstoandfromtheriver.Afterwards,everyoneenjoyedapicnicandlearnedaboutplansforthenewWestMilfordPark.Ariverwalkingtrailandparkarejustacoupleoftheotherprojectsthathavebeenlaunchedbythecollaborationhopingtorestoretheriver’srecreationalandeconomicpotential.TheWestForkRiverflowsnorth103miles,meanderingthroughthe

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valleysofnorth-centralWestVirginiauntilitjoinswiththeTygartValleyRivertoformtheMonongahelaRiver(ortheMon’asthelocalswouldsay).Althoughtheareaisdominatedbyforestandpastureland,coalmininghadbeenamainstayoftheregion'seconomiclivelihoodfromthe1800stothe1970s.Intheearly1900s,foursmalldamswereconstructedsouthofClarksburg,WV-theWestMilford,TwoLick,Highland,andHartford–fordrinkingwaterandirrigation.Thedamsblockedtheriverformorethanacentury.Bythelate1990s,theWestForkRiverandits

NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation Summer/Fall2018

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Summer/Fall2018

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98tributarieswereontheWestVirginiaDepartmentalofEnvironmentalProtectionlistofimpairedrivers.ThreeofthedamsbecameobsoleteaftertheconstructionoftheStonewallJacksonDamin1996.Afteraseriesoftragicaccidents,landowners,countyofficials,stateandfederalagencies,andacommunitywatershedgroupcametogethertonavigateasolutionforrepairingthebrokenriver.TheWestVirginiaFieldOfficeandAppalachianFWCOcollaboratedwithpartnersonremovingtheobsoleteWestMilford,TwoLick,andHighlandDams,andinstallingfishpassagemodificationstomitigateproblemsattheHartfordDam.Removingbarrierswouldnotonlyincreasetheamountofsuitablehabitatforfishandotheraquaticlife,theywouldalsoimprovefishingandboatingopportunities,promotesafety,improvewaterquality,andreducefloodriskstonearbycommunities.

NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation

HighlandDam,WestForkRiver,WV

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Yearsofbuildingtrustandplanningeventuallypaidoff,gainingcommunitysupporttomoveforwardwiththeproject-removethedams,restoretheriver-banks,andbuildatrailandparkthatwouldconnecteveryonetotheriver.AcleanupeffortledbytheServiceandvolunteersremovedmorethan61,000poundsoftrashfromtheriver–including1,212tires,severaltelevisions,andevenacar.

ThiswouldmarkWestVirginia’smostsignificantriverrestorationeffortandfirstdamremovalproject.Sincethedeconstructionofthesecenturyolddamsin2016,fishmovefreelythrough491milesof

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streamsandrivers.AndtheClarksburgWaterBoardreportsasavingsofatleast$50,000dollarsayearinwatertreatmentcosts.Damagestotheenvironmentcantakealifetimetorepair.Butremovingthe‘kinksintheline,’toallowstreamstorunfree,cangoalongwaytowardrestoringariver,andthequalityofourwater.Whennaturetakesitscourse,sedimentsaredistributednaturallywhichsustainsgoodfishhabitat,nutrientsandcontaminantsbreakdownmorequickly,andfishreturn.TheWestForkRiverrestorationshowsushowhope,integrityandperseverancecanbeacatalystforrestoration.Andhowitdoesn’talwaystakedecadestoseeresults.Theactualrepairandresultingimprovementstook2yearstorealize.

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Fishingparticipationisnowat49.1million-upnearly20%overthelast10years,andatthehighestlevelsince1991.

Fishinglicensesalesincreasedby4.3%overthelast10years.

Boatingparticipationreaches142millionor36%oftheU.S.populationwithfishingthenumberoneactivitydonefromaboat.

Womenarethefastestgrowingdemographicinfly-fishing,thankstobettergear,specialclasses,events,andtripsthatoffertheopportunitytounplugandbeimmersedinnature

TheGreatLakesNationalProgramOfficeannouncedtheremovalofthefirstBeneficialUseImpairment(BUI)attheBuffaloRiverAreaofConcern(AOC)inN.Y.ThismilestoneisanimportantsteptodelistingthesitefromthelistofU.S.AOCs.TheremovalwasbasedonsignificantincreasesingreenspacesandshorelinerestorationmadepossiblethroughGreatLakesRestorationInitiativefunding.

DidYouKnow

RestorationatKatherineStreetPeninsulauplandhabitatsitejustafterconstruction.

NortheastFishAndAquaticConservation Summer/Fall2018