Activist Anglers Needed to Help Combat 'Sinking Your Empties'

Photos of Clackamas cleanup by Dave Eng.

As you fish our rivers, lakes and coastal waters, this season, please also help care for them. And I’m not talking about just properly disposing of your own trash; I’m talking about helping counter a nationwide epidemic of shameful behavior.

As the photo above reveals, our fisheries are being buried in empty cans and bottles by slob recreationists. When they take to the water, their main concerns are drinking to excess and then discarding the evidence so that they won’t be ticketed and/or arrested for driving a boat while under the influence or some other charge related to possession of alcohol.

Rudy Socha at Wounded Nature --- Working Veterans recently alerted me to this problem. On many waters, he says, the perpetrators even have a term for this strategy: “Sinking your empties.”

He also told me, “It seems to be the skeleton in the closet that everyone knows is there and yet no one has wanted to discuss it.”

It’s going to be discussed at Activist Angler. And one of the first things I want to emphasize is that I do not believe that fishermen are a major contributor to this problem, especially those who belong to such conservation organizations as B.A.S.S., Trout Unlimited, Recycled Fish, Coastal Conservation Association, and National Wildlife Federation.

I won’t point fingers at those whom I suspect. I’ll leave that to anglers and their specific waters. They know them better than I.

Dave Eng knows the Clackamas River in Oregon, and here is what he says:

“The Clackamas is widely used in summer, as it is near Portland and allows people to float on anything from tubes to pool toys. We will have several thousand users on a hot day.”

They leave behind their cans and bottles, he adds, “as it is against the law to have alcohol in the county parks and a large bunch of users are under-age as well.”

 And the second thing that I want to emphasize is that we, as anglers, are stewards for these waters. We were the first conservationists and we remain the most important.

What can you do about this problem? Well, plenty of anglers, through various clubs and chapters, already are picking up trash along shorelines and around launch ramps. Extend that cleanup into the water, as Eng and his friend Joe do on the Clackamas. Depending on the water, you might want to coordinate the effort with your state wildlife agency or local government.

Also, if you see people trashing our fisheries with cans and bottles, report them. Thanks to cell phones, you can immediately contact authorities.

Finally, talk about the problem. Shameful behavior can be difficult to continue when exposed to public scrutiny and criticism.

Let’s not keep this skeleton in the closer any longer. 

Orvis/TU Begin Stream Improvements

Orvis and Trout Unlimited have announced the first two streams that will be improved to allow better passage for wild and native trout as part of the new Orvis/Trout Unlimited “1,000 Miles Campaign.”

Murphy Brook in Vermont and Tabor Brook in New Hampshire—both tributaries of the Connecticut River system—will be the first beneficiaries of funding raised by Orvis and its customers, and TU will oversee construction and reconnection projects on both streams. Migration-halting culverts will be replaced, and dozens of new miles of habitat will be available to brook trout and brown trout that need intact coldwater habitat to spawn and to escape the worst of summer’s heat.

Thanks in part to an Orvis grant and matching funds from the company’s customers, the two entities hope to open up 1,000 miles of new coldwater habitat to trout and salmon all over America. Many streams with spawning and rearing potential—and fishing potential—are now blocked by faulty culverts and other man-made barriers. The campaign’s goals include not only increasing overall trout habitat from coast to coast, but improving fishing opportunity resulting from stream improvements.

“Opening up 1,000 miles of new habitat for trout and salmon over the next 10 years is an ambitious goal, but we think we can do it,” said Elizabeth Maclin, TU’s vice president for eastern conservation. “We’re lucky to have dedicated partners like the people at Orvis—they’ve always been very supportive of the work we do, and their commitment to this project means the world to us.”

By opening up habitat in Murphy Brook and Tabor Brook to migrating fish, anglers will likely see improved fish numbers in downstream stretches of water, and enjoy more fishable water in the coming years. Two culverts will be replaced on Tabor Brook this fall, and work to remove a culvert that blocks upstream migration on Murphy Brook will begin later in the year.

The 1,000 Miles Campaign will help fund culvert removal projects on several other trout streams located all over America. These streams are:

• Kinne Brook, a tributary to the Westfield River in Massachusetts
• Coyner Springs, a tributary to the South River near Waynesboro, Va.
• Crazy Creek, a tributary to the Crooked River in the Upper Deschutes River drainage in Oregon
• Aldrich Brook, a tributary to Azizschos Lake and the Magalloway River in Maine
• Yellow Creek, a tributary to the Bear River in southwest Wyoming
• Big Slough Creek, a Driftless Areas stream in Jackson County, Wisc. 

“Culverts are significant impediments to fish passage and survival – just as significant as a major dam – but the solution is dramatically simpler, costs less, and the overall benefits to many watersheds is profound,” said Dave Perkins, Vice Chairman of Orvis. “By removing these impediments, we not only add vital habitat for fish, but we also open many miles of fishable waters for anglers. We’re proud to partner with TU in this effort to engage the fly-fishing community in support of this often overlooked opportunity to dramatically improve fish habitat across the country.”

Dam Destruction Could Begin Atlantic Salmon Recovery

Atlantic salmon migration illustration from Trout Unlimited.

A big step toward recovery of Atlantic salmon is occurring, as demolition begins on the Great Works Dam, a 200-year-old barrier on Maine’s Penobscot River.

“History is being made today, for the future of the Penobscot and for Atlantic salmon and other fish,” said Chris Wood, Trout Unlimited’s president and CEO. “This unprecedented collaboration among a wide range of stakeholders will result in a healthier river, more fish and as a result, better angling opportunities in the years to come.”

Trout Unlimited (TU) reports:

After more than a decade of collaboration among the hydropower company that owned the river’s dams, state and federal officials, conservation groups and the Penobscot Indian Nation, the Great Works Dam, and later the Veazie Dam, will be removed. A bypass will be constructed around a third dam. This will open the river to migrating salmon, sturgeon, striped bass, shad and other fish for the first time in generations.

“The restoration of the Penobscot River is one of the largest projects of its kind in the country,” said Elizabeth Maclin, TU’s vice president of Eastern conservation. “And it is the last, best chance for the recovery of wild Atlantic salmon in the United States.”

Trout Unlimited is a member of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, the non-profit organization implementing the Penobscot restoration project. Other members include the Penobscot Indian Nation, American Rivers, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Audubon, Natural Resources Council of Maine and The Nature Conservancy.

“Years of hard work is paying off for Atlantic salmon,” said Bill Oleszczuk, chair of Maine’s TU council.  “I look forward to seeing the Penobscot filled with Atlantic salmon in the years ahead.”

 The Penobscot River drains roughly 9,000 square miles in Maine, or about one-third of the state.  Maine is home to the last remaining wild Atlantic salmon in the nation, and the Penobscot holds the state’s largest population of Atlantic salmon, with annual salmon runs estimated at 50,000-70,000 prior to 1830.  Last year, approximately 2,000 salmon returned to the Penobscot, which represents more than 90 percent of the total population that returned to Maine’s rivers. 

Conservation Profitable in Rocky Mountain West

Fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park from Fine Art America.

Conserving vast tracts of the Rocky Mountain West’s public lands has proven a wise investment, according to a report just released by Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development.

According to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), a member of that coalition, that conservation “has paid off in job, population, and income growth as fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation have diversified and helped sustain the economics of rural communities throughout the region.”

TRCP also said the following:

“Conserving Lands and Prosperity: Seeking a Balance Between Conservation and Development in the Rocky Mountain West” shows that areas with higher percentages of lands managed for conservation and recreation experience higher job and population growth and report higher per capita incomes than other areas.

The findings of the report, produced by Southwick Associates for SFRED, underscore the need to balance responsible development of public lands with conserving fish and wildlife habitat, valuable backcountry and the great Western landscapes that draw people from around the world, the sportsmen’s coalition said.

“The Southwick report validates the simple fact that conservation of wildlife and natural places not only enriches our souls, but our wallets as well, in terms of sustained job creation and financial abundance – and reliably so, when compared to boom-bust energy development,” said Jim Lyon, the National Wildlife Federation’s vice president for conservation policy.

The National Wildlife Federation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Trout Unlimited are lead partners in the sportsmen’s coalition.

The report includes a case study of Cody, Wyo., where about 10 percent of jobs are associated with fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing. Spending related to those activities generates an estimated $30.1 million annually, according to the report.

“Managing federal public lands for fish and wildlife diversity and abundance – as well as ensuring opportunities for quality hunting and fishing – are critically important practices that will attract sportsmen to rural areas and boost the economy,” said Ed Arnett, director of the TRCP Center for Responsible Energy Development.

 “In contrast to the boom-bust cycles of many other industries, the outdoor industry equals long-term, sustainable economic benefits. These new studies clearly demonstrate the power of sustainably managed natural resources and the economic impact of sportsmen.”

Angler Says Maryland Doesn't Protect Access in State Park

Patapsco Valley State Park

Angling access conflicts aren’t always played out on a national  stage. Sometimes the issue is at the state level or even more local. Here’s what a reader told me:

“I have fished in the Patapsco (Valley) State Park in Maryland for over 20 years.

“They have signs up stating no swimming in many languages. Over the summer the signs were ignored and the fishing areas were taken over by swimmers. Instead of the park officials doing anything, they just drove by, unconcerned.

“You have to pay to enter the park. If you can't find an area to fish, you just wasted your money and time.

“When fall arrived, my son and I thought we would try to fish our favorite spot in the park. We parked and made the modest hike, only to find police tape up by the dam that said, ‘Do not cross.’

“Evidently one of the people who were in the water illegally was injured. Instead of enforcing the no swimming, they closed the area.

“This seems wrong to me. You pay for a license and you pay to enter the park and do a legal pursuit and are forbidden because the park service will not enforce the laws of the park. I would hope there are others out there who feel the same way.”

What should you do if this happens to you?

You should complain. Tell your story calmly and accurately to resource managers and to the media. And don’t give up. If you tell enough people, someone will listen. Also, remember this: when you lose access, we all do.

Strength lies in numbers. Join other anglers in a club or organization such as B.A.S.S. or Trout Unlimited. Sign up with Keep America Fishing. Then when you encounter an access issue, you will have ready-made allies and a platform to expose the problem.