EPA Releases Permit Proposal, Threatening Freedom of Nation’s Recreational Boaters
NMMA reinforces need for boaters, industry to take action
Today (June 17, 2008), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Clean Water Act
proposal in the Federal Register that will impose new requirements on recreational boaters to learn
about and follow specific practices mandated by the federal government to operate their boats and
manage their everyday, overboard water discharges. Mandated by a court order in 2006 that focused
exclusively on commercial vessel ballast water, the proposal includes two draft permits that are an
unprecedented, new regulation on American recreational boaters, demonstrating the urgent need to
pass the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766 and H. R. 5949) as these new regulations will take effect
on October 1, 2008.
Along with the Federal Register notice, EPA also released two draft permits, fact sheets and multiple
additional supplementary documents, all of which add up to a confusing mess for boaters.
EPA’s Clean Water Act proposal unnecessarily creates a cumbersome, complex and confusing
permitting scheme for recreational boaters, throwing them into a regulatory regime designed for land-
based industrial facilities like sewer treatment plants. As a result, America’s 18 million recreational
boat owners will be required to observe a multitude of new rules and practices, yet they won’t be
provided clear information as to how to comply with these new federal requirements by EPA, exposing
them to a high degree of regulatory uncertainty, compliance issues and legal jeopardy involving
citizen lawsuits and $32,500 per violation per day penalties.
The EPA proposal also allows individual states to implement their own boating permits, creating the
potential for mass confusion with a patchwork of differing state-by-state laws for boaters.
Equally problematic is that recreational boats above a certain length will be categorized as commercial
ships and will be required to follow a different and more complex set of permit rules applicable to
commercial vessels. There are two proposed general EPA permits: One for boats under 79 feet, and
another for recreational boats 80 feet and above. This second permit, which also encompasses
commercial ships, is even more complicated and makes an arbitrary and unreasonable distinction
among recreational boats based on footage in order to classify them as commercial boats.
"Now more than ever, it is critical that we unite—as an industry and as boating enthusiasts—and
compel Congress to pass the Clean Boating Act of 2008," said Thom Dammrich, president of the
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). "Boaters everywhere must reach out to their
state and local representatives and ask that they support this key piece of legislation."
NMMA and BoatU.S., along with a broad coalition of partners, are leading the charge to prevent this
unnecessary new regulation onAmerica’s boaters.
"Congress must pass the Clean Boating Act before it’s too late and the federal government steps in to
regulate how average Americans enjoy a day on the water," said Scott Gudes, vice president of
NMMA Government Relations. "These new regulations are the poster child for excessive regulation,
and we’re calling on the boating industry and America’s boaters who cherish their time on the water to
act today and get commonsense legislative relief passed in the form of the Clean Boating Act."
"We only have until September 30, 2008 to accomplish this goal; time is running out for Congress to
do the right thing," Gudes continued.
For the new regulations affecting 18 million boat owners nationwide, EPA will hold a total of four public
meetings during the workday—in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Portland—to hear from boaters and
the boating industry on this new regulation. NMMA strongly encourages people who care about
boating to attend these meetings and share their views on why they should not be exposed to the
requirements and legal jeopardy this new permit program will entail.
The boating industry and recreational boaters who want to take action to prevent this new regulatory
proposal from becoming law should visit BoatBlue.org and take just a few minutes to send a message
to their Representatives and Senators, urging them to support recreational boating and pass the
Clean Boating Act of 2008.
For more information about the Clean Boating Act of 2008, contact Mathew Dunn at (202) 737-9760;
mdunn@nmma.org.
About the Clean Boating Act of 2008: The Clean Boating Act of 2008 would fully and permanently
restore a long-standing regulation that excludes recreational boaters and anglers from the federal
and state permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act designed for land-based industrial
facilities and ocean-going commercial ships. The exemption was overturned by a federal court in 2006
in a case focused exclusively on ballast water from commercial vessels. The Clean Boating Act of
2008 has the support of the $36 billion recreational marine industry, the nation’s 59 million adult
recreational boaters and more than 50 organizations involved in outdoor recreation, sportfishing,
hunting and conservation.
About NMMA: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association
representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80
percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in theUnited States.
The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research
and data, product quality assurance and marketing communications.
International Fishing Hall of Fame Completes Building Fund
Campaign for Game Fish Conservation continues drive
A major milestone in the history of the International Game Fish Association has been reached as the
mortgage for the worldwide headquarters of the 69-year old conservation and record-keeping body
has been paid off.
"The remaining building debt of $5 million has been paid in full," said IGFA Development Director Eric
Combast, who 18 months ago helped initiate the IGFA’s five-year Campaign for Game Fish
Conservation. "It now launches us into a transition phase of our multi-faceted campaign which enables
hard work and focused planning to translate into solid global conservation outcomes for all
recreational anglers."
The IGFA was founded in 1939. The actual 60,000 sq. foot building, which is now the permanent
home of the International Fishing Hall of Fame, was completed in 1999. Besides a movie theatre and
the extensive E.K. Harry Library, it holds the world’s largest collection of angling artifacts. It also
features permanent and changing exhibits including historical memorabilia and interactive displays
providing the hall’s visitors an excellent learning experience. The IGFA has its global headquarters in
the three-story facility where it administers its world-wide programs.
"The IGFA would like to thank all of our trustees, close friends and corporate sponsors that
contributed to the International Fishing Hall of Fame building fund," said IGFA President Rob Kramer.
"Their tremendous support has helped us reach this milestone in the Campaign."
A "burning of the mortgage" ceremony will be held October 24 during the Hall of Fame induction
weekend.
Campaign Chairman Jeff Storm Harkavy said the completion of the loan was a major step in the $15
million campaign adding, "This positive momentum is allowing us continued progress in the four key
areas of the campaign including education and outreach, conservation, the International Fishing Hall
of Fame and a permanent endowment."
"We’re now able to focus resources and attention on youth education and game fish conservation,"
said Harkavy. "This includes a public awareness campaign to ban the importation of billfish into the
United States and youth education programs that teach children ethical angling practices using fishing
as a tool to get them excited about the environment."
"Of the remaining $10 million to be raised over the next three years $6 million will go to education and
conservation and $4 million to endowment development," said Combast.
Kramer added, "We believe that the International Fishing Hall of Fame is an international treasure -
one that embodies the grandeur of our great sport - one that houses the most complete history of
angling - and one that belongs to all fishermen from all walks of life around the globe,"
To learn more about the campaign, and the many ways you can support the IGFA’s efforts, contact
Eric Combast, at 954-924-4325 or ECombast@igfa.org or Jeff Storm Harkavy at Jeff.
Harkavy@raymondjames.com or 954-449-4350
The IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of
responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.
IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its
interactive International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Florida.
New York National Boat Show Gets New Dates
Following an extensive analysis of exhibitor feedback and in-depth discussions with both exhibitor and
show committees, the New York National Boat Show will move to a new set of dates beginning this
year. The new dates are December 13-21, 2008, nearly two weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
After five years of less-than-ideal dates that straddled the Christmas and New Years holidays, the
earlier date pattern opens up new marketing opportunities for the long-standing show, as well as the
ability to piggyback off continuous holiday media attention. The earlier dates are also likely to ensure
increased consumer attendance, as the show’s boating demographic is home preparing for the
holidays instead of vacationing out of town, which has been the case with previous years’ dates.
"This change represents a significant development in ongoing efforts with the City and State ofNew
York to relocate the show to a more favorable timeframe," says Ben Wold, executive vice president of
the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), which owns and produces the New Yorkshow.
"At exhibitors’ requests, we’ve worked hard to find a date pattern that better accommodates the needs
of show participants and attendees alike, and we think given the pre-holiday buzz encompassing the
Big Apple at Christmastime, this new time slot could be a winner."
"We’re excited to participate in the New York show this year," says Scott Crutchfield, vice president of
sales for MasterCraft Boat Company. "The previous date pattern made it difficult to attract the local
consumer we were accustomed to seeing in New York. We’re certain these new dates will spur
renewed interest in the show and deliver enthusiastic boaters to the Javits Center."
"Christmas shopping will never be the same in New York," echoes New York exhibitor Marc Hannah of
Follansbee Dock Systems. "They say timing is everything; what a difference a few weeks will make!"
The show will retain its nine-day format at Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and space
renewal applications will be mailed to exhibitors sometime in mid-May.
For more information about the New York National Boat Show or the recent date change, contact
show manager Michael Duffy at (212) 984-7016; mduffy@nmma.org.
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the
recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats,
engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States. The association is
dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research and data, product
quality assurance and marketing communications.
Jami Miller is First Woman to Become Yamaha Outboard Master Technician
Yamaha Marine Group announced today that Jami Miller of Pine Knot Concessions in Big Bear Lake,
Calif. is the first woman in the history of Yamaha training to achieve Yamaha Outboard Master
Technician status. Ms. Miller was one of only two in her class to pass the Master Technician
qualification test. She finished in the upper half of the 114 Master Technicians nationwide.
"Those who achieve Yamaha Master Technician status are truly considered industry experts in
specific areas of Yamaha outboard motor technology," said Bob Popiel, assistant division manager,
Marine Service. "Jami joins a very elite list of the nation’s best technicians. Her commitment to
excellent customer service and her drive to succeed are truly commendable."
Jami Miller has been a technician with Pine Knot Concessions since 1985 and started her career as a
technician in 1979. She began her Master Technician training five years ago.
"Achieving Master Technician has been a goal of mine for a while and I’m still floating over this
accomplishment. I’m very proud to be the first woman Master Technician," said Miller. "The structure
of the Yamaha training program really worked for me and I felt like I got a lot out of the classes
because of the way the modules are set up. They start with a basic overview and then break it down
into specifics, which is a great way to really learn the product."
To achieve Yamaha Outboard Master Technician status, technicians are required to complete six
different training modules and pass the Master Technician Certification test. The modules include:
Outboard Systems, Fuel Systems, Four-Stroke Systems, Drive Train Systems, Electrical Systems and
Advanced Four-Stroke and Certification. All Master Technicians must also complete Yamaha Marine
University’s Five Star Certification Program, an instructional DVD course followed by a series of tests.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha
Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,200 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with
marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in
reliability, technology
and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard company to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I.
Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
This document contains many of Yamaha’s valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks
belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for
identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement.
Grits Gresham Obituary
NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) - Grits Gresham, noted outdoorsman, writer, author, and television
personality, died Monday after a lengthy illness, his family said. Gresham was 85. Gresham, who died
at his home on the banks of Cane River Lake here, served as field host and producer for “The
American Sportsman” television series on the ABC network, host of “Shooting Sports America” on
ESPN, was shooting editor of Sports Afield magazine for 26 years, and was published in various
magazines, including Sports Illustrated and Gentleman’s Quarterly. He authored eight books, but may
be best known for his role in the series of commercials for Miller Lite beer. Gresham was the
fisherman among the athletes who made “Tastes Great, Less Filling” marketing buzzwords for more
than a decade. Gresham’s affable personality and love for the outdoors combined with his
trademarks, a driftwood hat and white muttonchops, to make him a recognizable figure around the
world. Entertainers such as Bing Crosby, Burt Reynolds, Jonathan Winters and Andy Griffith joined
him on hunting and fishing trips as did Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner, Pro Football
Hall of Fame defender Buck Buchanan and 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones. Born Claude
Hamilton Gresham Jr. in 1921 in Spartanburg County, S.C., Gresham attended the University of North
Carolina, Vanderbilt, Yale and received his B.S. and M.S. from LSU. He served in the U.S. Army Air
Corps during WWII. A tireless worker for conservation, Gresham was one of the first public voices
bringing attention to the loss of wetlands along the Louisiana coast, an area where he did much of his
graduate work while at LSU. Gresham’s books include “The Complete Book of Bass Fishing,” “Fishes
and Fishing In Louisiana,” “Fishing and Boating in Louisiana,” “The Sportsman and his Family
Outdoors,” The Complete Wildfowler,” “Grits on Guns,” and “Weatherby: The Man, The Gun, The
Legend.” Funeral services will be held Friday at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches. In
lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Gresham Collection at the Louisiana
Sports Hall of Fame Foundation in Natchitoches or in the name of Grits Gresham to the American
Alzheimer’s Association. Survivors include his sons, Kent and Tom, a daughter, Barbara Gresham
Hammerman, as well as three grandchildren.
Giant Salvinia Found on Lakes Palestine and Sam Rayburn
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers are moving quickly to control small infestations of giant salvinia on Lake
Palestine and Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Giant salvinia was found for the first time January 28 in Sam Rayburn in the back of Coleman Creek.
On Lake Palestine, a citizen reported giant salvinia and water hyacinth in the vicinity of the Kickapoo
Creek boat ramp on February 5. The Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority has temporarily
closed the Lake Palestine Kickapoo Creek boat ramp, which is on F.M. 315 south of Chandler. The
four other public boat ramps and a number of private ones remain open on Lake Palestine.
TPWD Inland Fisheries Division personnel immediately investigated both areas and
"We will clean the areas up by hand if possible," said Howard Elder of Jasper, TPWD’s aquatic habitat
biologist. The areas involved are about 0.1 acre on Lake Palestine and 0.2 acre on Sam Rayburn.
Elder has prepared proposals for emergency chemical treatment of the areas if necessary. Those
proposals have to be approved by the controlling authorities, and treatment could not begin for at
least two weeks.
"We will continue to search more areas on both lakes," said Rick Ott, a TPWD fisheries biologist in
Tyler. "We ask that people look for the plant and call us if they see it. Boaters should remove all plant
material from their boats and trailers before leaving the ramp every time they go to the lake. Place
any plants in trash cans or dumpsters so they cannot be washed back into the lake."
It is illegal to possess or transport giant salvinia. Possession or transport of giant salvinia or other
prohibited aquatic vegetation in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500
per plant.
Giant salvinia is a highly invasive exotic floating fern that can spread very quickly. Dense mats of
floating vegetation block sunlight and can result in the death of all other life beneath it. Information on
how to identify giant salvinia can be found at http://salvinia.er.usgs.gov/.
Anyone finding suspected giant salvinia in a public water body should contact Howard Elder at (409)
384-9965 or Rick Ott at (903) 566-2161.
Collegiate Bass Fishing To Benefit From New Association
College bass fishing got another boost today when an established angler group stepped forward to
lend its organizational expertise and nationwide structure to what is perhaps the fastest growing of all
campus sport programs.
Getting involved is The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF), who is forming the Association of Collegiate
Anglers (ACA) to allow participating school-sanctioned clubs and anglers the opportunity to benefit
from a long list of advantages through membership.
With nearly 30,000 members among 47 states, TBF is the nation’s oldest and largest organized
national fishing group. Each state is a "federation," with its own by-laws and board of directors. The
ACA will also operate as an independent federation under the TBF umbrella, responsible for creating
its own board and by-laws and receiving all membership benefits. Included are club insurance
coverage and access to conservation and equipment grants.
Aside from regular benefits, the two-person team winning the collegiate bass championship, beginning
this year, will be awarded an expense-paid-spot by TBF into the Federation National Championship
presented by The National Guard. Once there, the team will compete against TBF state champions
for their shot at winning the "Living the Dream" prize package, cash awards, and TBF advancement
spots in the $1 Million Wal-Mart BFL All-American and the $2 Million Forrest Wood Cup.
TBF is owned by its membership and is partners in fishing with FLW Outdoors. For TBF to take an
interest in college bass fishing is neither new nor a stretch to its roots. Many of its state federations
have been supporting local college events for years.
"What we’re doing here aligns perfectly with what has been TBF’s three core principles from the
beginning: fishing, youth and conservation," said TBF president and CEO Robert Cartlidge. "The
formation of ACA and the partnership with collegiate bass fishing brings organization and benefits to
the college program right now that might not happen otherwise for a few years on down the road."
Officials from TBF and the college programs believe all student anglers, pro careers in mind or not,
stand to benefit from the new association.
Wade Middleton, tournament director for the collegiate title event, explains: "From day one of
planning our first championship in 2005, our goal has been to do what’s best for the student anglers,"
he said. "What better group to take this program to heart and the next level than TBF that is made up
of anglers who care about this sport as much as we do. We couldn’t be happier about this relationship
and the prospects it holds for the future of collegiate bass fishing."
There is a $40 annual membership fee to join the ACA, but an anonymous donor in the spirit of
making a contribution to the future of fishing has pledged to pay entry for the first 1,000 "active"
college anglers to sign up. For a club to be eligible for ACA association, it must be a school-
sanctioned organization and have at least six members. Upon joining, the club receives full TBF
benefits and each individual member gets a fully paid membership into TBF and FLW Outdoors, along
with a free subscription to FLW Outdoors magazine and various opportunities to advance on to
participate in TBF and FLW Outdoors tournaments ranging from weekend angler to pro.
"First and foremost, we want fishing to be as fun and memorable of a collegiate experience as
anything students can participate in on campuses today," said Middleton. "Perhaps the biggest
difference in fishing though is that just about anyone who has the desire can get involved in this sport.
And while some participants might aspire to go pro after graduating, all are highly likely to continue to
enjoy the healthy, wholesome fun of recreational fishing throughout their lives regardless of careers."
Without a doubt, college bass fishing is on a fast growth curve. Only 41 teams participated in the first
collegiate championship in 2006. Last year’s event grew to 83 teams representing 48 schools. It is
estimated that nearly 200 schools now have, or are in the process of starting, college fishing clubs.
The 2008 championship field is expected to fill all 100 spots soon after it begins accepting entries in
late summer, especially with TBF assisting in the planning and execution of regional collegiate bass
tournaments before the fall championship. Many of them will be filmed for television coverage, just like
the championship.
More growth is expected to come in the years ahead from TBF junior high and high school youth
programs already in place and that collegiate anglers can now become involved in as mentors.
Additionally, a newly revised and more accurate collegiate fishing ranking program is being
implemented this spring by ACA and is expected to keep the sport top of mind among the media and
participants.
More information about the newly formed ACA and its membership benefits can be found on the
respective Web sites for college bass fishing and TBF.
Senators Barbara Boxer and Bill Nelson Committed to Fixing Ballast Water Permitting Issue
for Boaters
Support from Senate Leaders a Victory for Nation’s Boaters
The nation’s 73 million boaters gained a tremendous victory yesterday in the U.S. Senate in their fight
against complex, costly and unnecessary permitting as a result of a court decision last fall. During a
Senate vote on ballast water legislation Thursday afternoon, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and
Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) unequivocally committed themselves to resolve the issue before the September
2008 permitting deadline and protect the U.S. recreational boating industry, boaters and anglers
across the country.
"A recent court ruling has cast doubt on whether recreational boaters—people going out for a day of
fishing, or waterskiing—can continue to operate without a permit from the EPA," said Senator Bill
Nelson. "They’ve never been required to have such a permit, and there’s no reason for that to
change. You shouldn’t have to ask the EPA before you take your boat out on the water."
Environmental groups and several state Attorney Generals successfully argued in a U.S. District
Court case last fall that ballast water should not be exempted from government regulation as a
pollutant because it introduces harmful invasive species into U.S. waters. Large ocean-going ships
use ballast water for stability, taking on water to weigh the vessel down.
Unfortunately for the nation’s 73 million boaters, the court’s ruling also includes boat engine cooling
water, bilge water, gray water and common deck runoff—none of which was considered by the court,
as the case focused solely on commercial ship ballast water. The court has directed the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a new, complex and costly permitting scheme for
the nation’s estimated 18 million boats by September 2008.
"I don’t think they should have to get these permits," said Senator Boxer, Chairwoman of the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee.
"I agree (with Senator Nelson) and will support that recreational boating and sport fishing should be
allowed to continue as they always have—without individual NPDES permits," Boxer said, referring to
national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) historically associated with large industrial
and municipal sites. "So we’ve decided that our offices will begin work immediately to find a legislative
solution that accomplishes both of these goals as soon as possible, and no later than next
September."
"Florida has almost a million boaters…it’s vitally important to them, and to me, that we continue a
reasonable, commonsense exemption for recreational boating and sport fishing," Senator Nelson said.
"The clock is running out for the nation’s boaters; without congressional action boaters will be trapped
in this unprecedented and costly ballast water permitting scheme," said Thom Dammrich, president of
the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the nation’s largest trade association
representing the $39.5 billion U.S. recreational boating industry. "We welcome and applaud the strong
resolve of Senators Boxer and Nelson to solve the issue before the September 2008 deadline."
NMMA, leading a collation of boating and outdoor recreation partners, has created a grassroots
website to mobilize the boating community on the ballast water permitting issue. It’s estimated
spending by recreational boaters is responsible for some 855,000 U.S. jobs.
"I’d urge every boater and everyone employed in the boating industry to visit BoatBlue.org to learn
more about this issue, and to make their voices heard with their Senators and Representative,"
Dammrich said.
"I’ve committed with Senator Nelson to make sure we fix this before that time," Senator Boxer said,
referring to the court ordered September 2008 permitting scheme deadline. "We are going to make
sure that individual boaters do not need permits—that’s as simple as it gets. That’s my commitment,
and it will happen."
Lake Erie Trawlers, Murder on the Great Lakes
These words, though rather harsh seem the only words that describe what is happening to a grand
old lady , and friend of mine. I have known her all of my life and have grown to love and cherish her
like a close family member. I am driven to write this story in the sincere hope that someone or
something can be done to stop this attack and save this lovely lady's dignity. This victim is a neighbor
and close friend to millions of people. She has provided them with food, comfort, jobs, peace and
tranquility. In return she has been almost poisoned to death, been invaded by foreign organisms and
deluged by every manner of physical abuse you could imagine. Yet today she has still managed to
survive in almost pristine beauty. The lady, being as she is, has only on very rare occasions raised
her voice to strike back at her assailants and never without warning. Her name? LAKE ERIE !
In recent years she has come under attack. From a source that I fear she can not survive from. A fleet
of fishing boats, large trawlers are scouring the lake bottom between Port Dover and Wheatley in
search of the beleaguered SMELT. (Apparently there is a large market for this small fish in Japan
where it is considered a delicacy). To this end the commercial fishermen are using a "small mesh drag
net" to harvest smelt. The devastation that these nets reap is hard to believe. Each net scours the
bottom of the lake. They are, NON SELECTIVE and kill everything they consume. I have seen the
destruction that these nets reap first hand, and found it hard to believe. While fishing on Lake Erie I
used to see hundreds of schools of bait fish on my sonar (smelt, emerald green shiners, shad and
many more) in huge schools driven into huge mounds 20 & 30 feet high by feeding Walleye and
Salmon and Trout. In last few years all of us sport fishermen have seen a big decline in the size and
quantity of these schools . I have seen first hand why. I have gone out of my way to pass behind
several of these trawlers and could not believe the lack of fish left in their wake. For an area 200 feet
wide behind each boat there was literally nothing left in the water to show up on my sonar screen.
These nets are true killing machines! They are held down on the bottom and open by using large
steel dagger boards that weigh 200 to 300 lbs. (est.) . You can imagine the furrows that these steel
plates leave in the soft lake bottom and the amount of damage that they reek to the ecosystems
there! The lake bottom is where life begins in the lake, if this is destroyed it could take years to
recover, if ever! I truly believe that the only thing that is saving a SMALL portion of the bait fish is the
fact that the Canadian trawlers cannot legally fish on the American side of the Border and the
Americans DO NOT TRAWL!. I say a SMALL portion of the bait fish, because the Canadian side of
the Lake tends to stay cooler during the Summer months and the bait fish tend to congregate here
rather than on the USA side of the Lake. The Trawlers are aware of this, and target these areas with
impunity. Scouring the bottom with their nets, which reek total destruction in their wake! It will not end
until they have nothing left to catch!!
Just because these boats are working in deep water a long way offshore and out of sight of the
average person does not mean they are not there doing terrible damage. These nets do not know the
difference between a Smelt and a small school of Perch or Trout or any other species and they are all
smothered to death in the net.
Many of the commercial fishermen realize that the lake can not sustain this kind of abuse. These nets
are the same type of nets that have devastated the Cod stocks on the East Coast. I know of several
gill net fishermen who have spoken out against the trawlers. There are still others who agree, but
cannot justify refusing the extra income to be made trawling, and continue to do it begrudgingly.. I
realize they are just trying to make a living. But at what expense? Regardless of how much money this
fishing generates it just can not justify the horrific damage that is being done to the ecosystem. The
fishery cannot survive much longer if something is not done. The implications are far reaching for all
of us. Why is it that we do not hesitate to prosecute someone who accidentally destroys fish habitat,
through the discharge of chemicals, or disturbs the shoreline while building docks or improving
harbors? Yet we let a DEADLY process like this go on unabated and condone it!! SOMETHING IS
VERY WRONG!. I really believe that the lake cannot survive this "madness".The commercial fishing
boats are finding it harder and harder each year to find the remaining schools of smelt in the lake.
Apparently this whole scenario is a result of some biologists years ago declaring that Rainbow Smelt
were an undesirable species, because they were introduced into the Lakes through the Sea Way
System. It is NOW time to reassess this decision! Stop the destruction of the habitat that the trawl nets
are causing to the Lake bottom. Smelt have become an integral part of the food chain for many of the
Sport fish in the Lakes. It seems to me that it would be far better to control their population through
stocking of predator species like Walleye, Coho Salmon, Chinook or Rainbow Trout. If this was done it
would help revive a Sport Fishery that is dwindling every year.
My name is Barry Nash .I have operated Bluegoose Fishing Charters for 25 years, fishing Lake
Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron through those years. I have seen a lot of wonderful sport fisheries
come and go over the years for many different reasons, but to see one disappear for these reasons
just does not make sense to me! It really irks me to see a resource being destroyed that should be
protected for future generations.
By: Barry Nash
NEW MUSKY DISEASE IN AMERICAN WATERS OF LAKE ST. CLAIR
Biologists from Michigan State University have identified bacteria in wounds found on Lake St. Clair
muskellunge that may cause disease in the fish. To date, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)
has received no information that the disease has been observed in muskellunge in the Ontario waters
of Lake St. Clair or elsewhere in Ontario.
In 2001 and 2002, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists observed quarter-
sized, rash-like lesions on live muskellunge caught in trap nets while conducting spring sampling
programs on Lake St. Clair. In 2002, biologists at Michigan State University identified bacteria from the
lesions on these fish as Piscirickettsia.
Piscirickettsia is a group of bacteria that may cause disease in fish under certain conditions. This
group of bacteria was first identified in 1989 in young farmed salmon in Chile, and has since been
found in salmon in southern California and British Columbia. The associated disease,
piscirickettsiosis, has caused high mortality in farmed salmon. There is no indication that
piscirickettsiosis in muskellunge is threatening to the population or causing mortality.
This is the first record of Piscirickettsia in the Great Lakes basin and the first isolation of the bacteria
from muskellunge, or any other wild freshwater fish. The species of bacterium that causes the disease
has not yet been identified, but it is believed to be different than that previously identified in salmon.
Reports from MNR’s 2001 fall adult muskellunge assessment program and from the summer 2002
Lake St. Clair Angler Creel Survey recorded no occurrences of lesions on muskies. The Lake St. Clair
Annual Sport Diary Program reported a total sport catch of 844 muskellunge, and no anglers
commented on fish with unidentified lesions.
The Ministry of Natural Resources will work with Michigan DNR to monitor the muskellunge population
in Lake St. Clair for fish with lesions, as well as the incidence and prevalence of this disease in Lake
St. Clair.
Don’t Flush Your Meds
ATLANTA, GA—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the nation’s pharmacists have launched a
campaign to educate the public about the potential negative impact that flushing unused medication
down the toilet can have on the nation’s waterways—an especially the sportfish that live there.
The campaign, announced during the American Pharmacists Association annual meeting in Atlanta,
will focus on the hazards that prescription medication pose to the environment and, in particular, the
nation’s fisheries.
“Medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown straight into the garbage can and do find their
way into our nation’s waterways every day,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeastern FWS Regional
Director.
Some recent studies indicate that high amounts of certain compounds such as estrogen can cause
defects in some fish species.
“Those drugs are present in water that supports many species of fish and other wildlife,” Hamilton
said. “We are concerned about reports of fish abnormalities possibly caused by improperly disposed
prescription medications.”
The initiative will begin with a pilot program in selected U.S. markets later this year and will expand in
2008.
APhA and FWS point to three steps that can make a difference when destroying unused pills.
- Do not flush unused medications, unless specifically advised to do so.
- When disposing unused medications, crush solid medications or dissolve them in water and mix with
kitty litter, sawdust or any material that absorbs the dissolved medication. Place the materials in a
sealed plastic bag before placing in the trash.
- Talk to your pharmacist about how to properly dispose your unused medications.
North Carolina Working To Restore American Shad
American shad, once an important commercial and recreational fishery, declined sharply in the late
20th century. However, this trend may be reversing, thanks efforts of the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Since 1998, the two agencies have worked together to restore depleted populations of American shad
along the Atlantic Coast by stocking more than 8 million “marked” shad fry in the Roanoke River as
part of the Roanoke River American Shad Restoration Program.
So far, Commission biologists have captured more than 50 3- to 4-inch, hatchery-origin juveniles in
the lower Roanoke River, as well as three adult fish with hatchery marks upstream on the spawning
grounds.
The appearance of these adult fish indicates that the propagation program is working and that some
of the fish are surviving four to five years in the ocean and then returning to where they were stocked.
“The marked adult fish that we collected in 2005 and 2006 are the first hatchery-reared fish that have
survived to spawning age that we’ve documented.” says Pete Kornegay, coastal region fisheries
supervisor with the Commission.
Currently, only four rivers in North Carolina still support adequate stocks of American shad: the Cape
Fear, Neuse, Tar, and Chowan rivers. Because of this, these rivers provide the brood fish used for fry
production in the restoration program.
In the early days of the restoration program, collecting and fertilizing American shad eggs met with
limited success. In 1999, however, the Commission’s Watha State Fish Hatchery in Pender County
and the Service’s Edenton National Fish Hatchery developed improved hormone injection and tank
spawning techniques that significantly increased fry production.
Before the fry are stocked, hatchery personnel immerse the young fish in water that contains a small
amount of oxytetracycline (OTC), an antibiotic that stains the ear bone. Fry stocked below the
Roanoke Rapids Dam in Halifax County are treated once to give a single mark on their otoliths while
fry stocked above the dams are treated twice to give a double mark.
In addition to helping biologists distinguish fry from wild fish, this marking protocol helps them
determine where the juveniles and adults they collect were stocked originally.
“Our collection of juveniles with a double OTC mark indicates that fry can survive their passage
through the hydroelectric turbines of three dams,” Kornegay says.
While overharvesting and habitat degradation have had a devastating impact on American shad
populations coastwide, the construction of a series of dams along the Roanoke River has harmed the
fish as well. For this reason, Dominion North Carolina Power, which owns two of the dams, has agreed
to a long-term, well-funded mitigative program as a condition of its Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission hydropower license.
Included in this program are measures to improve fry production as well as monitor fry stocking
success upstream and downstream of the dams.
Because dams prevent fish from migrating upriver to spawn, the power giant is also assessing the
feasibility of providing upstream passage facilities through a capture-tag-and-release program it
started this spring. Dominion personnel, working with N.C. State University researchers, are capturing
American shad, fitting them with radio transmitter tags and releasing the tagged fish in upstream
reservoirs.
If the shad continue migrating to the next upstream dam (as they have in other states), it may suggest
that these fish could be successful in migrating on their own to reach historic spawning areas
upstream of the dams if a fish ladder, elevator or some other fish passage mechanism were provided.
Restoration of the Roanoke River’s American shad population isn’t just about having more shad to
catch.
“Like its cousins the hickory shad and river herring, the masses of juvenile American shad produced
each spring provide much needed food for other game and commercial fish species, many of which
eventually end up on our plates,” Kornegay says. “The importance of restoring the Roanoke River’s
American shad population cannot be overstated.
“We are hoping that the work we’re doing here in North Carolina will eventually have a positive,
coastwide impact on a host of popular fish.”
Arostegui achieves his 200th IGFA World Record
His first world record fish was caught in the summer of 1994, a 10 lb triple tail on 4 lb tippet near
Flamingo in the Everglades National Park. His 200th, also on fly, came nearly 14 years later with a
mullet snapper caught in Costa Rica.
The news of Dr. Martin Arostegui, Coral Gables, Fla., USA, being the first angler to reach the
International Game Fish Association milestone came on the eve of the IGFA’s World Record
Achievement Awards banquet where ironically he was receiving his third consecutive grand slam as
the top male angler for the most world records in freshwater (24), fly (24) and tied for first for saltwater
records (11) caught in 2006.
"Dr. Arostegui’s accomplishment of achieving 200 world records is truly a remarkable feat," said IGFA
President Rob Kramer. "Through careful planning, detailed preparation and steadfast perseverance,
he has taken world record game fishing to an all time high."
Arostegui surpassed Herb Ratner, Greensburg, Pa., who retired from the intense pursuit with 181
world records. Through it all he’s also helped set the standards for fish conservation catching,
documenting, photographing and then safely releasing over 90% of the fish.
Noted as mostly a light tackle angler especially with a fly rod, among Arostegui’s smallest fish
recorded was a one pound fish (the IGFA minimum accepted weight) in the Unini River in the Amazon
rain forest of Brazil called a pinktail chalceus.
"We weren’t sure what it was but we entered it and through the documentation and identification it
became an all-tackle record and a new entry to the IGFA’s record book," said Arostegui.
Holds world record for the largest fish on fly
Last year he received international attention from the news media for his largest fish, a 385 lb lemon
shark caught on fly off Key West, Fla., USA.
Into the hour long fight, as he muscled the fish next to the boat, Arostegui said the dangerous and
toothy shark attacked the hull of Capt. Ralph Delph’s 29’ craft.
"When it opened its huge mouth, I said to myself this shark could eat half of me in one bite," joked the
diminutive retired emergency room doctor who stands 5 ft. tall and weighs 125 lbs.
What happened next was typical of the extensive planning and preparation for which Arostegui is
noted. With the help of two other nearby fishermen the huge fish was lassoed and wrestled into a
specially designed eight foot long, three foot deep aerated, hydraulic live well. After an hour long ride
back to Key West the pair, with the help of Delph’s son Mike who is also a prominent Keys guide,
finished documenting the catch using a portable briefcase-sized scale along with a special canvas
sling to cradle the fish.
Minus the weight of the ropes and cradle the lemon shark weighed 385 lbs (174.63 kg).
They then carefully slid the shark into the water of a nearby basin and while resuscitating it --
Arostegui in the water -- measured the shark for its girth (49") and length (90") plus took photos.
Looking at the photos of himself and Capt. Mike Delph standing in the water before releasing the
giant fish which an hour before had been biting the boat, Arostegui laughed and said, "I don’t
recommend getting this close to a lemon shark, especially in his environment." Caught on 12 lb tippet
which over-tested at the IGFA world records lab by one pound the record was moved up to 16 lb
tippet, but it was still the largest fish ever caught on fly.
The year before Arostegui caught a 247 lb lemon shark on 8 lb tippet, another record that he believes
will probably be in the record books for a long time.
Prepared purveyor of unusual and "ugly" fish
Over this decade Arostegui began traveling the world catching some obscure, unusual and frankly
"ugly" fish such as the giant snakehead in Malaysia; the prehistoric giant trahira in Suriname with
sharp canine-like teeth, fly-fished the deep-waters of Alaska for yellow eyed rockfish, and targeted
alligator gar in Texas.
And sometimes he doesn’t need to travel any further than the canals of Broward County outside of Ft.
Lauderdale for a snakehead, a gar along the Tamiami Trail beyond Miami’s city limits, or for a
barracuda in the Keys.
"Some of my friends make fun of me for catching all these weird fish," smiled Arostegui. "Most of my
buddies’ primary focus is the snook and tarpon. I’ve caught a lot of those and like catching them. But
after catching so many I said I need to find new challenges and weird things to learn about. I kind of
have a challenge of catching them on a fly rod."
Like a professional golfer with his bag of clubs for certain situations, Arostegui prepared numerous
rods and reels for specific fishing circumstances. For a recent trip to the Kabelebo River deep in
Suriname, he organized all the reels and spooled them with line that would test at the prescribed
breaking strength for different records. He’ll also designs specific flies and specific weed guards along
with shock tippet made of wire knotted in front of the class line or tippet.
"There are a lot of piranhas there and when we fish, especially with bait we need to use wire or cable.
"While in the planning stages for a trip I go on the IGFA web site and look up the line class records,
the all-tackle records, the fly and the junior records (when he’s accompanied by his son Martini who
himself has over 80 world records at just age15), or ladies records (for wife Roberta) of fish in that
country or region. Typically I’ll spend some 30 hours of research finding out as much about the fish
and what they eat and what flies to take."
Just days before leaving on a spring-break trip with Martini to Suriname, their guide in the small South
American country let him know to expect waters four hours upriver (by dug-out canoe) on the
Kabelebo to be 15 ft. higher than normal.
"That basically shut down my fly fishing efforts but I couldn’t cancel the trip because it was a
meaningful event for my son and me so we did the next best thing. Because I wouldn’t have much of a
chance at my record quest on fly for three specific fish (giant trahira, redtail catfish and sorubim
catfish we used the information gathered for Martini to pursue some records."
The time was well spent as Martini has four pending junior records and could break two others – his
father’s – from the trip. Martini hopes to be the first junior to capture 100 records before turning 17.
More fly fishing ahead
Arostegui says some of the best opportunities for records are on fly in the 2, 4, and 6 lb tippet
categories.
"But those are very frustrating because sometimes just hooking the fish the line breaks." He chuckled,
"Every once in a while I swear I’m not going to do that anymore and then I’m back trying to catch a
bigger one on 2 lb tippet. Sometimes it’s frustrating because you can lose a lot. Everything has to go
perfectly. It’s frustrating to have one big fish all day. Because you’re using this light line most of the
time you don’t catch it. That happens a lot and as a result not a lot of people do the light line. And
when you have 2 lb or 4 lb tippet it’s even more difficult than done on line class.
"It’s so frustrating," he repeated, "but I’ve caught some very nice fish on light tippet."
Back To Top
NMMA reinforces need for boaters, industry to take action
Today (June 17, 2008), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Clean Water Act
proposal in the Federal Register that will impose new requirements on recreational boaters to learn
about and follow specific practices mandated by the federal government to operate their boats and
manage their everyday, overboard water discharges. Mandated by a court order in 2006 that focused
exclusively on commercial vessel ballast water, the proposal includes two draft permits that are an
unprecedented, new regulation on American recreational boaters, demonstrating the urgent need to
pass the Clean Boating Act of 2008 (S. 2766 and H. R. 5949) as these new regulations will take effect
on October 1, 2008.
Along with the Federal Register notice, EPA also released two draft permits, fact sheets and multiple
additional supplementary documents, all of which add up to a confusing mess for boaters.
EPA’s Clean Water Act proposal unnecessarily creates a cumbersome, complex and confusing
permitting scheme for recreational boaters, throwing them into a regulatory regime designed for land-
based industrial facilities like sewer treatment plants. As a result, America’s 18 million recreational
boat owners will be required to observe a multitude of new rules and practices, yet they won’t be
provided clear information as to how to comply with these new federal requirements by EPA, exposing
them to a high degree of regulatory uncertainty, compliance issues and legal jeopardy involving
citizen lawsuits and $32,500 per violation per day penalties.
The EPA proposal also allows individual states to implement their own boating permits, creating the
potential for mass confusion with a patchwork of differing state-by-state laws for boaters.
Equally problematic is that recreational boats above a certain length will be categorized as commercial
ships and will be required to follow a different and more complex set of permit rules applicable to
commercial vessels. There are two proposed general EPA permits: One for boats under 79 feet, and
another for recreational boats 80 feet and above. This second permit, which also encompasses
commercial ships, is even more complicated and makes an arbitrary and unreasonable distinction
among recreational boats based on footage in order to classify them as commercial boats.
"Now more than ever, it is critical that we unite—as an industry and as boating enthusiasts—and
compel Congress to pass the Clean Boating Act of 2008," said Thom Dammrich, president of the
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). "Boaters everywhere must reach out to their
state and local representatives and ask that they support this key piece of legislation."
NMMA and BoatU.S., along with a broad coalition of partners, are leading the charge to prevent this
unnecessary new regulation onAmerica’s boaters.
"Congress must pass the Clean Boating Act before it’s too late and the federal government steps in to
regulate how average Americans enjoy a day on the water," said Scott Gudes, vice president of
NMMA Government Relations. "These new regulations are the poster child for excessive regulation,
and we’re calling on the boating industry and America’s boaters who cherish their time on the water to
act today and get commonsense legislative relief passed in the form of the Clean Boating Act."
"We only have until September 30, 2008 to accomplish this goal; time is running out for Congress to
do the right thing," Gudes continued.
For the new regulations affecting 18 million boat owners nationwide, EPA will hold a total of four public
meetings during the workday—in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Portland—to hear from boaters and
the boating industry on this new regulation. NMMA strongly encourages people who care about
boating to attend these meetings and share their views on why they should not be exposed to the
requirements and legal jeopardy this new permit program will entail.
The boating industry and recreational boaters who want to take action to prevent this new regulatory
proposal from becoming law should visit BoatBlue.org and take just a few minutes to send a message
to their Representatives and Senators, urging them to support recreational boating and pass the
Clean Boating Act of 2008.
For more information about the Clean Boating Act of 2008, contact Mathew Dunn at (202) 737-9760;
mdunn@nmma.org.
About the Clean Boating Act of 2008: The Clean Boating Act of 2008 would fully and permanently
restore a long-standing regulation that excludes recreational boaters and anglers from the federal
and state permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act designed for land-based industrial
facilities and ocean-going commercial ships. The exemption was overturned by a federal court in 2006
in a case focused exclusively on ballast water from commercial vessels. The Clean Boating Act of
2008 has the support of the $36 billion recreational marine industry, the nation’s 59 million adult
recreational boaters and more than 50 organizations involved in outdoor recreation, sportfishing,
hunting and conservation.
About NMMA: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association
representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80
percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in theUnited States.
The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research
and data, product quality assurance and marketing communications.
International Fishing Hall of Fame Completes Building Fund
Campaign for Game Fish Conservation continues drive
A major milestone in the history of the International Game Fish Association has been reached as the
mortgage for the worldwide headquarters of the 69-year old conservation and record-keeping body
has been paid off.
"The remaining building debt of $5 million has been paid in full," said IGFA Development Director Eric
Combast, who 18 months ago helped initiate the IGFA’s five-year Campaign for Game Fish
Conservation. "It now launches us into a transition phase of our multi-faceted campaign which enables
hard work and focused planning to translate into solid global conservation outcomes for all
recreational anglers."
The IGFA was founded in 1939. The actual 60,000 sq. foot building, which is now the permanent
home of the International Fishing Hall of Fame, was completed in 1999. Besides a movie theatre and
the extensive E.K. Harry Library, it holds the world’s largest collection of angling artifacts. It also
features permanent and changing exhibits including historical memorabilia and interactive displays
providing the hall’s visitors an excellent learning experience. The IGFA has its global headquarters in
the three-story facility where it administers its world-wide programs.
"The IGFA would like to thank all of our trustees, close friends and corporate sponsors that
contributed to the International Fishing Hall of Fame building fund," said IGFA President Rob Kramer.
"Their tremendous support has helped us reach this milestone in the Campaign."
A "burning of the mortgage" ceremony will be held October 24 during the Hall of Fame induction
weekend.
Campaign Chairman Jeff Storm Harkavy said the completion of the loan was a major step in the $15
million campaign adding, "This positive momentum is allowing us continued progress in the four key
areas of the campaign including education and outreach, conservation, the International Fishing Hall
of Fame and a permanent endowment."
"We’re now able to focus resources and attention on youth education and game fish conservation,"
said Harkavy. "This includes a public awareness campaign to ban the importation of billfish into the
United States and youth education programs that teach children ethical angling practices using fishing
as a tool to get them excited about the environment."
"Of the remaining $10 million to be raised over the next three years $6 million will go to education and
conservation and $4 million to endowment development," said Combast.
Kramer added, "We believe that the International Fishing Hall of Fame is an international treasure -
one that embodies the grandeur of our great sport - one that houses the most complete history of
angling - and one that belongs to all fishermen from all walks of life around the globe,"
To learn more about the campaign, and the many ways you can support the IGFA’s efforts, contact
Eric Combast, at 954-924-4325 or ECombast@igfa.org or Jeff Storm Harkavy at Jeff.
Harkavy@raymondjames.com or 954-449-4350
The IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of
responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.
IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its
interactive International Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania Beach, Florida.
New York National Boat Show Gets New Dates
Following an extensive analysis of exhibitor feedback and in-depth discussions with both exhibitor and
show committees, the New York National Boat Show will move to a new set of dates beginning this
year. The new dates are December 13-21, 2008, nearly two weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
After five years of less-than-ideal dates that straddled the Christmas and New Years holidays, the
earlier date pattern opens up new marketing opportunities for the long-standing show, as well as the
ability to piggyback off continuous holiday media attention. The earlier dates are also likely to ensure
increased consumer attendance, as the show’s boating demographic is home preparing for the
holidays instead of vacationing out of town, which has been the case with previous years’ dates.
"This change represents a significant development in ongoing efforts with the City and State ofNew
York to relocate the show to a more favorable timeframe," says Ben Wold, executive vice president of
the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), which owns and produces the New Yorkshow.
"At exhibitors’ requests, we’ve worked hard to find a date pattern that better accommodates the needs
of show participants and attendees alike, and we think given the pre-holiday buzz encompassing the
Big Apple at Christmastime, this new time slot could be a winner."
"We’re excited to participate in the New York show this year," says Scott Crutchfield, vice president of
sales for MasterCraft Boat Company. "The previous date pattern made it difficult to attract the local
consumer we were accustomed to seeing in New York. We’re certain these new dates will spur
renewed interest in the show and deliver enthusiastic boaters to the Javits Center."
"Christmas shopping will never be the same in New York," echoes New York exhibitor Marc Hannah of
Follansbee Dock Systems. "They say timing is everything; what a difference a few weeks will make!"
The show will retain its nine-day format at Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and space
renewal applications will be mailed to exhibitors sometime in mid-May.
For more information about the New York National Boat Show or the recent date change, contact
show manager Michael Duffy at (212) 984-7016; mduffy@nmma.org.
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the
recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats,
engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States. The association is
dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research and data, product
quality assurance and marketing communications.
Jami Miller is First Woman to Become Yamaha Outboard Master Technician
Yamaha Marine Group announced today that Jami Miller of Pine Knot Concessions in Big Bear Lake,
Calif. is the first woman in the history of Yamaha training to achieve Yamaha Outboard Master
Technician status. Ms. Miller was one of only two in her class to pass the Master Technician
qualification test. She finished in the upper half of the 114 Master Technicians nationwide.
"Those who achieve Yamaha Master Technician status are truly considered industry experts in
specific areas of Yamaha outboard motor technology," said Bob Popiel, assistant division manager,
Marine Service. "Jami joins a very elite list of the nation’s best technicians. Her commitment to
excellent customer service and her drive to succeed are truly commendable."
Jami Miller has been a technician with Pine Knot Concessions since 1985 and started her career as a
technician in 1979. She began her Master Technician training five years ago.
"Achieving Master Technician has been a goal of mine for a while and I’m still floating over this
accomplishment. I’m very proud to be the first woman Master Technician," said Miller. "The structure
of the Yamaha training program really worked for me and I felt like I got a lot out of the classes
because of the way the modules are set up. They start with a basic overview and then break it down
into specifics, which is a great way to really learn the product."
To achieve Yamaha Outboard Master Technician status, technicians are required to complete six
different training modules and pass the Master Technician Certification test. The modules include:
Outboard Systems, Fuel Systems, Four-Stroke Systems, Drive Train Systems, Electrical Systems and
Advanced Four-Stroke and Certification. All Master Technicians must also complete Yamaha Marine
University’s Five Star Certification Program, an instructional DVD course followed by a series of tests.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha
Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,200 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with
marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in
reliability, technology
and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard company to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I.
Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
This document contains many of Yamaha’s valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks
belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for
identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement.
Grits Gresham Obituary
NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) - Grits Gresham, noted outdoorsman, writer, author, and television
personality, died Monday after a lengthy illness, his family said. Gresham was 85. Gresham, who died
at his home on the banks of Cane River Lake here, served as field host and producer for “The
American Sportsman” television series on the ABC network, host of “Shooting Sports America” on
ESPN, was shooting editor of Sports Afield magazine for 26 years, and was published in various
magazines, including Sports Illustrated and Gentleman’s Quarterly. He authored eight books, but may
be best known for his role in the series of commercials for Miller Lite beer. Gresham was the
fisherman among the athletes who made “Tastes Great, Less Filling” marketing buzzwords for more
than a decade. Gresham’s affable personality and love for the outdoors combined with his
trademarks, a driftwood hat and white muttonchops, to make him a recognizable figure around the
world. Entertainers such as Bing Crosby, Burt Reynolds, Jonathan Winters and Andy Griffith joined
him on hunting and fishing trips as did Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner, Pro Football
Hall of Fame defender Buck Buchanan and 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones. Born Claude
Hamilton Gresham Jr. in 1921 in Spartanburg County, S.C., Gresham attended the University of North
Carolina, Vanderbilt, Yale and received his B.S. and M.S. from LSU. He served in the U.S. Army Air
Corps during WWII. A tireless worker for conservation, Gresham was one of the first public voices
bringing attention to the loss of wetlands along the Louisiana coast, an area where he did much of his
graduate work while at LSU. Gresham’s books include “The Complete Book of Bass Fishing,” “Fishes
and Fishing In Louisiana,” “Fishing and Boating in Louisiana,” “The Sportsman and his Family
Outdoors,” The Complete Wildfowler,” “Grits on Guns,” and “Weatherby: The Man, The Gun, The
Legend.” Funeral services will be held Friday at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches. In
lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Gresham Collection at the Louisiana
Sports Hall of Fame Foundation in Natchitoches or in the name of Grits Gresham to the American
Alzheimer’s Association. Survivors include his sons, Kent and Tom, a daughter, Barbara Gresham
Hammerman, as well as three grandchildren.
Giant Salvinia Found on Lakes Palestine and Sam Rayburn
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers are moving quickly to control small infestations of giant salvinia on Lake
Palestine and Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Giant salvinia was found for the first time January 28 in Sam Rayburn in the back of Coleman Creek.
On Lake Palestine, a citizen reported giant salvinia and water hyacinth in the vicinity of the Kickapoo
Creek boat ramp on February 5. The Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority has temporarily
closed the Lake Palestine Kickapoo Creek boat ramp, which is on F.M. 315 south of Chandler. The
four other public boat ramps and a number of private ones remain open on Lake Palestine.
TPWD Inland Fisheries Division personnel immediately investigated both areas and
"We will clean the areas up by hand if possible," said Howard Elder of Jasper, TPWD’s aquatic habitat
biologist. The areas involved are about 0.1 acre on Lake Palestine and 0.2 acre on Sam Rayburn.
Elder has prepared proposals for emergency chemical treatment of the areas if necessary. Those
proposals have to be approved by the controlling authorities, and treatment could not begin for at
least two weeks.
"We will continue to search more areas on both lakes," said Rick Ott, a TPWD fisheries biologist in
Tyler. "We ask that people look for the plant and call us if they see it. Boaters should remove all plant
material from their boats and trailers before leaving the ramp every time they go to the lake. Place
any plants in trash cans or dumpsters so they cannot be washed back into the lake."
It is illegal to possess or transport giant salvinia. Possession or transport of giant salvinia or other
prohibited aquatic vegetation in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500
per plant.
Giant salvinia is a highly invasive exotic floating fern that can spread very quickly. Dense mats of
floating vegetation block sunlight and can result in the death of all other life beneath it. Information on
how to identify giant salvinia can be found at http://salvinia.er.usgs.gov/.
Anyone finding suspected giant salvinia in a public water body should contact Howard Elder at (409)
384-9965 or Rick Ott at (903) 566-2161.
Collegiate Bass Fishing To Benefit From New Association
College bass fishing got another boost today when an established angler group stepped forward to
lend its organizational expertise and nationwide structure to what is perhaps the fastest growing of all
campus sport programs.
Getting involved is The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF), who is forming the Association of Collegiate
Anglers (ACA) to allow participating school-sanctioned clubs and anglers the opportunity to benefit
from a long list of advantages through membership.
With nearly 30,000 members among 47 states, TBF is the nation’s oldest and largest organized
national fishing group. Each state is a "federation," with its own by-laws and board of directors. The
ACA will also operate as an independent federation under the TBF umbrella, responsible for creating
its own board and by-laws and receiving all membership benefits. Included are club insurance
coverage and access to conservation and equipment grants.
Aside from regular benefits, the two-person team winning the collegiate bass championship, beginning
this year, will be awarded an expense-paid-spot by TBF into the Federation National Championship
presented by The National Guard. Once there, the team will compete against TBF state champions
for their shot at winning the "Living the Dream" prize package, cash awards, and TBF advancement
spots in the $1 Million Wal-Mart BFL All-American and the $2 Million Forrest Wood Cup.
TBF is owned by its membership and is partners in fishing with FLW Outdoors. For TBF to take an
interest in college bass fishing is neither new nor a stretch to its roots. Many of its state federations
have been supporting local college events for years.
"What we’re doing here aligns perfectly with what has been TBF’s three core principles from the
beginning: fishing, youth and conservation," said TBF president and CEO Robert Cartlidge. "The
formation of ACA and the partnership with collegiate bass fishing brings organization and benefits to
the college program right now that might not happen otherwise for a few years on down the road."
Officials from TBF and the college programs believe all student anglers, pro careers in mind or not,
stand to benefit from the new association.
Wade Middleton, tournament director for the collegiate title event, explains: "From day one of
planning our first championship in 2005, our goal has been to do what’s best for the student anglers,"
he said. "What better group to take this program to heart and the next level than TBF that is made up
of anglers who care about this sport as much as we do. We couldn’t be happier about this relationship
and the prospects it holds for the future of collegiate bass fishing."
There is a $40 annual membership fee to join the ACA, but an anonymous donor in the spirit of
making a contribution to the future of fishing has pledged to pay entry for the first 1,000 "active"
college anglers to sign up. For a club to be eligible for ACA association, it must be a school-
sanctioned organization and have at least six members. Upon joining, the club receives full TBF
benefits and each individual member gets a fully paid membership into TBF and FLW Outdoors, along
with a free subscription to FLW Outdoors magazine and various opportunities to advance on to
participate in TBF and FLW Outdoors tournaments ranging from weekend angler to pro.
"First and foremost, we want fishing to be as fun and memorable of a collegiate experience as
anything students can participate in on campuses today," said Middleton. "Perhaps the biggest
difference in fishing though is that just about anyone who has the desire can get involved in this sport.
And while some participants might aspire to go pro after graduating, all are highly likely to continue to
enjoy the healthy, wholesome fun of recreational fishing throughout their lives regardless of careers."
Without a doubt, college bass fishing is on a fast growth curve. Only 41 teams participated in the first
collegiate championship in 2006. Last year’s event grew to 83 teams representing 48 schools. It is
estimated that nearly 200 schools now have, or are in the process of starting, college fishing clubs.
The 2008 championship field is expected to fill all 100 spots soon after it begins accepting entries in
late summer, especially with TBF assisting in the planning and execution of regional collegiate bass
tournaments before the fall championship. Many of them will be filmed for television coverage, just like
the championship.
More growth is expected to come in the years ahead from TBF junior high and high school youth
programs already in place and that collegiate anglers can now become involved in as mentors.
Additionally, a newly revised and more accurate collegiate fishing ranking program is being
implemented this spring by ACA and is expected to keep the sport top of mind among the media and
participants.
More information about the newly formed ACA and its membership benefits can be found on the
respective Web sites for college bass fishing and TBF.
Senators Barbara Boxer and Bill Nelson Committed to Fixing Ballast Water Permitting Issue
for Boaters
Support from Senate Leaders a Victory for Nation’s Boaters
The nation’s 73 million boaters gained a tremendous victory yesterday in the U.S. Senate in their fight
against complex, costly and unnecessary permitting as a result of a court decision last fall. During a
Senate vote on ballast water legislation Thursday afternoon, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and
Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) unequivocally committed themselves to resolve the issue before the September
2008 permitting deadline and protect the U.S. recreational boating industry, boaters and anglers
across the country.
"A recent court ruling has cast doubt on whether recreational boaters—people going out for a day of
fishing, or waterskiing—can continue to operate without a permit from the EPA," said Senator Bill
Nelson. "They’ve never been required to have such a permit, and there’s no reason for that to
change. You shouldn’t have to ask the EPA before you take your boat out on the water."
Environmental groups and several state Attorney Generals successfully argued in a U.S. District
Court case last fall that ballast water should not be exempted from government regulation as a
pollutant because it introduces harmful invasive species into U.S. waters. Large ocean-going ships
use ballast water for stability, taking on water to weigh the vessel down.
Unfortunately for the nation’s 73 million boaters, the court’s ruling also includes boat engine cooling
water, bilge water, gray water and common deck runoff—none of which was considered by the court,
as the case focused solely on commercial ship ballast water. The court has directed the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a new, complex and costly permitting scheme for
the nation’s estimated 18 million boats by September 2008.
"I don’t think they should have to get these permits," said Senator Boxer, Chairwoman of the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee.
"I agree (with Senator Nelson) and will support that recreational boating and sport fishing should be
allowed to continue as they always have—without individual NPDES permits," Boxer said, referring to
national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) historically associated with large industrial
and municipal sites. "So we’ve decided that our offices will begin work immediately to find a legislative
solution that accomplishes both of these goals as soon as possible, and no later than next
September."
"Florida has almost a million boaters…it’s vitally important to them, and to me, that we continue a
reasonable, commonsense exemption for recreational boating and sport fishing," Senator Nelson said.
"The clock is running out for the nation’s boaters; without congressional action boaters will be trapped
in this unprecedented and costly ballast water permitting scheme," said Thom Dammrich, president of
the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the nation’s largest trade association
representing the $39.5 billion U.S. recreational boating industry. "We welcome and applaud the strong
resolve of Senators Boxer and Nelson to solve the issue before the September 2008 deadline."
NMMA, leading a collation of boating and outdoor recreation partners, has created a grassroots
website to mobilize the boating community on the ballast water permitting issue. It’s estimated
spending by recreational boaters is responsible for some 855,000 U.S. jobs.
"I’d urge every boater and everyone employed in the boating industry to visit BoatBlue.org to learn
more about this issue, and to make their voices heard with their Senators and Representative,"
Dammrich said.
"I’ve committed with Senator Nelson to make sure we fix this before that time," Senator Boxer said,
referring to the court ordered September 2008 permitting scheme deadline. "We are going to make
sure that individual boaters do not need permits—that’s as simple as it gets. That’s my commitment,
and it will happen."
Lake Erie Trawlers, Murder on the Great Lakes
These words, though rather harsh seem the only words that describe what is happening to a grand
old lady , and friend of mine. I have known her all of my life and have grown to love and cherish her
like a close family member. I am driven to write this story in the sincere hope that someone or
something can be done to stop this attack and save this lovely lady's dignity. This victim is a neighbor
and close friend to millions of people. She has provided them with food, comfort, jobs, peace and
tranquility. In return she has been almost poisoned to death, been invaded by foreign organisms and
deluged by every manner of physical abuse you could imagine. Yet today she has still managed to
survive in almost pristine beauty. The lady, being as she is, has only on very rare occasions raised
her voice to strike back at her assailants and never without warning. Her name? LAKE ERIE !
In recent years she has come under attack. From a source that I fear she can not survive from. A fleet
of fishing boats, large trawlers are scouring the lake bottom between Port Dover and Wheatley in
search of the beleaguered SMELT. (Apparently there is a large market for this small fish in Japan
where it is considered a delicacy). To this end the commercial fishermen are using a "small mesh drag
net" to harvest smelt. The devastation that these nets reap is hard to believe. Each net scours the
bottom of the lake. They are, NON SELECTIVE and kill everything they consume. I have seen the
destruction that these nets reap first hand, and found it hard to believe. While fishing on Lake Erie I
used to see hundreds of schools of bait fish on my sonar (smelt, emerald green shiners, shad and
many more) in huge schools driven into huge mounds 20 & 30 feet high by feeding Walleye and
Salmon and Trout. In last few years all of us sport fishermen have seen a big decline in the size and
quantity of these schools . I have seen first hand why. I have gone out of my way to pass behind
several of these trawlers and could not believe the lack of fish left in their wake. For an area 200 feet
wide behind each boat there was literally nothing left in the water to show up on my sonar screen.
These nets are true killing machines! They are held down on the bottom and open by using large
steel dagger boards that weigh 200 to 300 lbs. (est.) . You can imagine the furrows that these steel
plates leave in the soft lake bottom and the amount of damage that they reek to the ecosystems
there! The lake bottom is where life begins in the lake, if this is destroyed it could take years to
recover, if ever! I truly believe that the only thing that is saving a SMALL portion of the bait fish is the
fact that the Canadian trawlers cannot legally fish on the American side of the Border and the
Americans DO NOT TRAWL!. I say a SMALL portion of the bait fish, because the Canadian side of
the Lake tends to stay cooler during the Summer months and the bait fish tend to congregate here
rather than on the USA side of the Lake. The Trawlers are aware of this, and target these areas with
impunity. Scouring the bottom with their nets, which reek total destruction in their wake! It will not end
until they have nothing left to catch!!
Just because these boats are working in deep water a long way offshore and out of sight of the
average person does not mean they are not there doing terrible damage. These nets do not know the
difference between a Smelt and a small school of Perch or Trout or any other species and they are all
smothered to death in the net.
Many of the commercial fishermen realize that the lake can not sustain this kind of abuse. These nets
are the same type of nets that have devastated the Cod stocks on the East Coast. I know of several
gill net fishermen who have spoken out against the trawlers. There are still others who agree, but
cannot justify refusing the extra income to be made trawling, and continue to do it begrudgingly.. I
realize they are just trying to make a living. But at what expense? Regardless of how much money this
fishing generates it just can not justify the horrific damage that is being done to the ecosystem. The
fishery cannot survive much longer if something is not done. The implications are far reaching for all
of us. Why is it that we do not hesitate to prosecute someone who accidentally destroys fish habitat,
through the discharge of chemicals, or disturbs the shoreline while building docks or improving
harbors? Yet we let a DEADLY process like this go on unabated and condone it!! SOMETHING IS
VERY WRONG!. I really believe that the lake cannot survive this "madness".The commercial fishing
boats are finding it harder and harder each year to find the remaining schools of smelt in the lake.
Apparently this whole scenario is a result of some biologists years ago declaring that Rainbow Smelt
were an undesirable species, because they were introduced into the Lakes through the Sea Way
System. It is NOW time to reassess this decision! Stop the destruction of the habitat that the trawl nets
are causing to the Lake bottom. Smelt have become an integral part of the food chain for many of the
Sport fish in the Lakes. It seems to me that it would be far better to control their population through
stocking of predator species like Walleye, Coho Salmon, Chinook or Rainbow Trout. If this was done it
would help revive a Sport Fishery that is dwindling every year.
My name is Barry Nash .I have operated Bluegoose Fishing Charters for 25 years, fishing Lake
Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Huron through those years. I have seen a lot of wonderful sport fisheries
come and go over the years for many different reasons, but to see one disappear for these reasons
just does not make sense to me! It really irks me to see a resource being destroyed that should be
protected for future generations.
By: Barry Nash
NEW MUSKY DISEASE IN AMERICAN WATERS OF LAKE ST. CLAIR
Biologists from Michigan State University have identified bacteria in wounds found on Lake St. Clair
muskellunge that may cause disease in the fish. To date, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)
has received no information that the disease has been observed in muskellunge in the Ontario waters
of Lake St. Clair or elsewhere in Ontario.
In 2001 and 2002, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists observed quarter-
sized, rash-like lesions on live muskellunge caught in trap nets while conducting spring sampling
programs on Lake St. Clair. In 2002, biologists at Michigan State University identified bacteria from the
lesions on these fish as Piscirickettsia.
Piscirickettsia is a group of bacteria that may cause disease in fish under certain conditions. This
group of bacteria was first identified in 1989 in young farmed salmon in Chile, and has since been
found in salmon in southern California and British Columbia. The associated disease,
piscirickettsiosis, has caused high mortality in farmed salmon. There is no indication that
piscirickettsiosis in muskellunge is threatening to the population or causing mortality.
This is the first record of Piscirickettsia in the Great Lakes basin and the first isolation of the bacteria
from muskellunge, or any other wild freshwater fish. The species of bacterium that causes the disease
has not yet been identified, but it is believed to be different than that previously identified in salmon.
Reports from MNR’s 2001 fall adult muskellunge assessment program and from the summer 2002
Lake St. Clair Angler Creel Survey recorded no occurrences of lesions on muskies. The Lake St. Clair
Annual Sport Diary Program reported a total sport catch of 844 muskellunge, and no anglers
commented on fish with unidentified lesions.
The Ministry of Natural Resources will work with Michigan DNR to monitor the muskellunge population
in Lake St. Clair for fish with lesions, as well as the incidence and prevalence of this disease in Lake
St. Clair.
Don’t Flush Your Meds
ATLANTA, GA—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the nation’s pharmacists have launched a
campaign to educate the public about the potential negative impact that flushing unused medication
down the toilet can have on the nation’s waterways—an especially the sportfish that live there.
The campaign, announced during the American Pharmacists Association annual meeting in Atlanta,
will focus on the hazards that prescription medication pose to the environment and, in particular, the
nation’s fisheries.
“Medications that are flushed down the toilet or thrown straight into the garbage can and do find their
way into our nation’s waterways every day,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeastern FWS Regional
Director.
Some recent studies indicate that high amounts of certain compounds such as estrogen can cause
defects in some fish species.
“Those drugs are present in water that supports many species of fish and other wildlife,” Hamilton
said. “We are concerned about reports of fish abnormalities possibly caused by improperly disposed
prescription medications.”
The initiative will begin with a pilot program in selected U.S. markets later this year and will expand in
2008.
APhA and FWS point to three steps that can make a difference when destroying unused pills.
- Do not flush unused medications, unless specifically advised to do so.
- When disposing unused medications, crush solid medications or dissolve them in water and mix with
kitty litter, sawdust or any material that absorbs the dissolved medication. Place the materials in a
sealed plastic bag before placing in the trash.
- Talk to your pharmacist about how to properly dispose your unused medications.
North Carolina Working To Restore American Shad
American shad, once an important commercial and recreational fishery, declined sharply in the late
20th century. However, this trend may be reversing, thanks efforts of the North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Since 1998, the two agencies have worked together to restore depleted populations of American shad
along the Atlantic Coast by stocking more than 8 million “marked” shad fry in the Roanoke River as
part of the Roanoke River American Shad Restoration Program.
So far, Commission biologists have captured more than 50 3- to 4-inch, hatchery-origin juveniles in
the lower Roanoke River, as well as three adult fish with hatchery marks upstream on the spawning
grounds.
The appearance of these adult fish indicates that the propagation program is working and that some
of the fish are surviving four to five years in the ocean and then returning to where they were stocked.
“The marked adult fish that we collected in 2005 and 2006 are the first hatchery-reared fish that have
survived to spawning age that we’ve documented.” says Pete Kornegay, coastal region fisheries
supervisor with the Commission.
Currently, only four rivers in North Carolina still support adequate stocks of American shad: the Cape
Fear, Neuse, Tar, and Chowan rivers. Because of this, these rivers provide the brood fish used for fry
production in the restoration program.
In the early days of the restoration program, collecting and fertilizing American shad eggs met with
limited success. In 1999, however, the Commission’s Watha State Fish Hatchery in Pender County
and the Service’s Edenton National Fish Hatchery developed improved hormone injection and tank
spawning techniques that significantly increased fry production.
Before the fry are stocked, hatchery personnel immerse the young fish in water that contains a small
amount of oxytetracycline (OTC), an antibiotic that stains the ear bone. Fry stocked below the
Roanoke Rapids Dam in Halifax County are treated once to give a single mark on their otoliths while
fry stocked above the dams are treated twice to give a double mark.
In addition to helping biologists distinguish fry from wild fish, this marking protocol helps them
determine where the juveniles and adults they collect were stocked originally.
“Our collection of juveniles with a double OTC mark indicates that fry can survive their passage
through the hydroelectric turbines of three dams,” Kornegay says.
While overharvesting and habitat degradation have had a devastating impact on American shad
populations coastwide, the construction of a series of dams along the Roanoke River has harmed the
fish as well. For this reason, Dominion North Carolina Power, which owns two of the dams, has agreed
to a long-term, well-funded mitigative program as a condition of its Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission hydropower license.
Included in this program are measures to improve fry production as well as monitor fry stocking
success upstream and downstream of the dams.
Because dams prevent fish from migrating upriver to spawn, the power giant is also assessing the
feasibility of providing upstream passage facilities through a capture-tag-and-release program it
started this spring. Dominion personnel, working with N.C. State University researchers, are capturing
American shad, fitting them with radio transmitter tags and releasing the tagged fish in upstream
reservoirs.
If the shad continue migrating to the next upstream dam (as they have in other states), it may suggest
that these fish could be successful in migrating on their own to reach historic spawning areas
upstream of the dams if a fish ladder, elevator or some other fish passage mechanism were provided.
Restoration of the Roanoke River’s American shad population isn’t just about having more shad to
catch.
“Like its cousins the hickory shad and river herring, the masses of juvenile American shad produced
each spring provide much needed food for other game and commercial fish species, many of which
eventually end up on our plates,” Kornegay says. “The importance of restoring the Roanoke River’s
American shad population cannot be overstated.
“We are hoping that the work we’re doing here in North Carolina will eventually have a positive,
coastwide impact on a host of popular fish.”
Arostegui achieves his 200th IGFA World Record
His first world record fish was caught in the summer of 1994, a 10 lb triple tail on 4 lb tippet near
Flamingo in the Everglades National Park. His 200th, also on fly, came nearly 14 years later with a
mullet snapper caught in Costa Rica.
The news of Dr. Martin Arostegui, Coral Gables, Fla., USA, being the first angler to reach the
International Game Fish Association milestone came on the eve of the IGFA’s World Record
Achievement Awards banquet where ironically he was receiving his third consecutive grand slam as
the top male angler for the most world records in freshwater (24), fly (24) and tied for first for saltwater
records (11) caught in 2006.
"Dr. Arostegui’s accomplishment of achieving 200 world records is truly a remarkable feat," said IGFA
President Rob Kramer. "Through careful planning, detailed preparation and steadfast perseverance,
he has taken world record game fishing to an all time high."
Arostegui surpassed Herb Ratner, Greensburg, Pa., who retired from the intense pursuit with 181
world records. Through it all he’s also helped set the standards for fish conservation catching,
documenting, photographing and then safely releasing over 90% of the fish.
Noted as mostly a light tackle angler especially with a fly rod, among Arostegui’s smallest fish
recorded was a one pound fish (the IGFA minimum accepted weight) in the Unini River in the Amazon
rain forest of Brazil called a pinktail chalceus.
"We weren’t sure what it was but we entered it and through the documentation and identification it
became an all-tackle record and a new entry to the IGFA’s record book," said Arostegui.
Holds world record for the largest fish on fly
Last year he received international attention from the news media for his largest fish, a 385 lb lemon
shark caught on fly off Key West, Fla., USA.
Into the hour long fight, as he muscled the fish next to the boat, Arostegui said the dangerous and
toothy shark attacked the hull of Capt. Ralph Delph’s 29’ craft.
"When it opened its huge mouth, I said to myself this shark could eat half of me in one bite," joked the
diminutive retired emergency room doctor who stands 5 ft. tall and weighs 125 lbs.
What happened next was typical of the extensive planning and preparation for which Arostegui is
noted. With the help of two other nearby fishermen the huge fish was lassoed and wrestled into a
specially designed eight foot long, three foot deep aerated, hydraulic live well. After an hour long ride
back to Key West the pair, with the help of Delph’s son Mike who is also a prominent Keys guide,
finished documenting the catch using a portable briefcase-sized scale along with a special canvas
sling to cradle the fish.
Minus the weight of the ropes and cradle the lemon shark weighed 385 lbs (174.63 kg).
They then carefully slid the shark into the water of a nearby basin and while resuscitating it --
Arostegui in the water -- measured the shark for its girth (49") and length (90") plus took photos.
Looking at the photos of himself and Capt. Mike Delph standing in the water before releasing the
giant fish which an hour before had been biting the boat, Arostegui laughed and said, "I don’t
recommend getting this close to a lemon shark, especially in his environment." Caught on 12 lb tippet
which over-tested at the IGFA world records lab by one pound the record was moved up to 16 lb
tippet, but it was still the largest fish ever caught on fly.
The year before Arostegui caught a 247 lb lemon shark on 8 lb tippet, another record that he believes
will probably be in the record books for a long time.
Prepared purveyor of unusual and "ugly" fish
Over this decade Arostegui began traveling the world catching some obscure, unusual and frankly
"ugly" fish such as the giant snakehead in Malaysia; the prehistoric giant trahira in Suriname with
sharp canine-like teeth, fly-fished the deep-waters of Alaska for yellow eyed rockfish, and targeted
alligator gar in Texas.
And sometimes he doesn’t need to travel any further than the canals of Broward County outside of Ft.
Lauderdale for a snakehead, a gar along the Tamiami Trail beyond Miami’s city limits, or for a
barracuda in the Keys.
"Some of my friends make fun of me for catching all these weird fish," smiled Arostegui. "Most of my
buddies’ primary focus is the snook and tarpon. I’ve caught a lot of those and like catching them. But
after catching so many I said I need to find new challenges and weird things to learn about. I kind of
have a challenge of catching them on a fly rod."
Like a professional golfer with his bag of clubs for certain situations, Arostegui prepared numerous
rods and reels for specific fishing circumstances. For a recent trip to the Kabelebo River deep in
Suriname, he organized all the reels and spooled them with line that would test at the prescribed
breaking strength for different records. He’ll also designs specific flies and specific weed guards along
with shock tippet made of wire knotted in front of the class line or tippet.
"There are a lot of piranhas there and when we fish, especially with bait we need to use wire or cable.
"While in the planning stages for a trip I go on the IGFA web site and look up the line class records,
the all-tackle records, the fly and the junior records (when he’s accompanied by his son Martini who
himself has over 80 world records at just age15), or ladies records (for wife Roberta) of fish in that
country or region. Typically I’ll spend some 30 hours of research finding out as much about the fish
and what they eat and what flies to take."
Just days before leaving on a spring-break trip with Martini to Suriname, their guide in the small South
American country let him know to expect waters four hours upriver (by dug-out canoe) on the
Kabelebo to be 15 ft. higher than normal.
"That basically shut down my fly fishing efforts but I couldn’t cancel the trip because it was a
meaningful event for my son and me so we did the next best thing. Because I wouldn’t have much of a
chance at my record quest on fly for three specific fish (giant trahira, redtail catfish and sorubim
catfish we used the information gathered for Martini to pursue some records."
The time was well spent as Martini has four pending junior records and could break two others – his
father’s – from the trip. Martini hopes to be the first junior to capture 100 records before turning 17.
More fly fishing ahead
Arostegui says some of the best opportunities for records are on fly in the 2, 4, and 6 lb tippet
categories.
"But those are very frustrating because sometimes just hooking the fish the line breaks." He chuckled,
"Every once in a while I swear I’m not going to do that anymore and then I’m back trying to catch a
bigger one on 2 lb tippet. Sometimes it’s frustrating because you can lose a lot. Everything has to go
perfectly. It’s frustrating to have one big fish all day. Because you’re using this light line most of the
time you don’t catch it. That happens a lot and as a result not a lot of people do the light line. And
when you have 2 lb or 4 lb tippet it’s even more difficult than done on line class.
"It’s so frustrating," he repeated, "but I’ve caught some very nice fish on light tippet."
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