Mass launch ramps closed...
 

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water
quality and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:50:40 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:


I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure they
can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

One would think, but while there may be an improvement in fishing short
term, you have to wonder about long term. I'm just guessing here, but
you have to wonder about a filter feeders entry into the food chain. Not
many native species eat the mussels, but many native species eat herring
and other plankton feeders. Remember when acid rain was a problem in the
Adirondacks? The water was incredibly clear, but for the most part
sterile. I'm not saying that will be the case with the mussels, but it
is something to consider.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:50:40 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

Engineering will eventually solve the water intake issue. Lake
Ontario has been a huge success story as far as I can see and local
residents agree. The lake is cleaner/clearer now than any time since
the early 50s and I'm seeing signs that other fresh water shell fish
are coming back also. When I was a kid Lake O's beaches were covered
with small shells at certain times of the year but that all went away
in the 60s as pollution of various types took over.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:39:58 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:50:40 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

Engineering will eventually solve the water intake issue. Lake
Ontario has been a huge success story as far as I can see and local
residents agree. The lake is cleaner/clearer now than any time since
the early 50s and I'm seeing signs that other fresh water shell fish
are coming back also. When I was a kid Lake O's beaches were covered
with small shells at certain times of the year but that all went away
in the 60s as pollution of various types took over.

One of the reasons I was totally steered to salt water once I visited
Florida is the abundance of life in the salt.
Fresh water is sterile in comparison.
Great progress has been made bringing the Great Lakes back to life,
and there are plenty of fresh water lakes and streams I would fish,
but I'll take the salt.
Lake Erie seems far the best of the Great Lakes for fishing, but
that's only a guess from reading.
When I was at U.S. Steel at Chicago's South Works in 1968 the DNR's
(think it was Illinois and Michigan doing most of it) started the Coho
Salmon program, and some would show up in the cooling water intake
strainers. Saw them.
I was real happy to see them, but before I could start fishing for
them the news came out that they were loaded with PCB's.
Most of that came from the OMC plant in Waukegan, I think.
Anyway, I never even considered fishing in Lake Michigan when that
news broke. Still producing and using my semen then.
Think I was berthed in Toledo with Cleveland Tankers when the Cayahoga
river caught fire in Cleveland 4 or 5 years later.
What do I make of it?
Lake Erie Walleyes are tough critters!

--Vic

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:39:58 -0400, Wayne.B wrote:


Engineering will eventually solve the water intake issue.

I believe the engineering has already been done, it's the retrofitting.
Great Britain doesn't seem to have the intake problems, but the zebra
invaded them in the 1800s. Their water facilities were built with the
zebra in mind. Here we have to $$retrofit$$.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:12:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:50:40 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock wrote:


I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure they
can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

One would think, but while there may be an improvement in fishing short
term, you have to wonder about long term. I'm just guessing here, but
you have to wonder about a filter feeders entry into the food chain. Not
many native species eat the mussels, but many native species eat herring
and other plankton feeders. Remember when acid rain was a problem in the
Adirondacks? The water was incredibly clear, but for the most part
sterile. I'm not saying that will be the case with the mussels, but it
is something to consider.

Well, they've been dealing with them in England since the 19th century
and it doesn't appear to have hurt their eco system much at all.

I may have mentioned this in the original thread, but I read some
research a while back about Ontario and Erie - the zebra mussels may
actually have significantly contributed to the fisheries recovery in
those lakes not to mention the pollution issues.

Roseland lake here in Woodstock could use a couple of bushels of the
critters - not that I would do that you understand, but that lake is
deader than a doornail, polluted beyond recognition from fertilizer
runoff and cow crap - sometimes you can't walk in the park because the
smell from the lake is so bad. Thirty years ago it was a prime fishing
spot in this part of CT - trout, bass, crappie - great lake. Now your
lucky if you can catch an undersized horn pout.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:39:58 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:50:40 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

Engineering will eventually solve the water intake issue. Lake
Ontario has been a huge success story as far as I can see and local
residents agree. The lake is cleaner/clearer now than any time since
the early 50s and I'm seeing signs that other fresh water shell fish
are coming back also. When I was a kid Lake O's beaches were covered
with small shells at certain times of the year but that all went away
in the 60s as pollution of various types took over.

I can't seem to find the papers on the web, but there has been
research that seems to indicate that the zebra mussel has contributed
to the improvement in the health of Ontario and Erie.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county. All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control the
buggers.

--Mike

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:16:49 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:39:58 -0400, Wayne.B wrote:


Engineering will eventually solve the water intake issue.

I believe the engineering has already been done, it's the retrofitting.
Great Britain doesn't seem to have the intake problems, but the zebra
invaded them in the 1800s. Their water facilities were built with the
zebra in mind. Here we have to $$retrofit$$.

Yeah.

I wonder if the zebra mussell handles organic pollutants like e.coli
and such?

We had an outbreak of e.coli contamination in Putnam this week and
their water source is Roseland Lake (mentioned above) which is
polluted with rain water runoff from local farms.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county. All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control the
buggers.

Up here in New England, we're starting to see a problem with rock
snot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymosphenia_geminata

There are a couple of lakes around here that are infected with this
and it's another case of invasion from external sources. Similar
situation.

You can't inspect every corner, nook and cranny of a boat or trailer
and the only way to prevent infestation is to require sterization of
the equipment.

There is one lake here in CT where it's fly fishing from shore only
and it's infected.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:08:17 -0400, Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:


Up here in New England, we're starting to see a problem with rock snot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymosphenia_geminata

There are a couple of lakes around here that are infected with this and
it's another case of invasion from external sources. Similar situation.

You can't inspect every corner, nook and cranny of a boat or trailer and
the only way to prevent infestation is to require sterization of the
equipment.

There is one lake here in CT where it's fly fishing from shore only and
it's infected.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!

Arguably worse than zebra mussels. I can't see any positive aspects to
rock snot. Something curious about didymo however, it is native to parts
of North America. I'm wondering why it's expanding it's range now, when
it didn't before.

Then there's the case of smallmouths in the Rapid River.

http://www.brookie.org/site/pp.asp?c...OLvF&b=1737055

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:35:02 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:08:17 -0400, Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:


Up here in New England, we're starting to see a problem with rock snot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymosphenia_geminata

There are a couple of lakes around here that are infected with this and
it's another case of invasion from external sources. Similar situation.

You can't inspect every corner, nook and cranny of a boat or trailer and
the only way to prevent infestation is to require sterization of the
equipment.

There is one lake here in CT where it's fly fishing from shore only and
it's infected.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!

Arguably worse than zebra mussels. I can't see any positive aspects to
rock snot. Something curious about didymo however, it is native to parts
of North America. I'm wondering why it's expanding it's range now, when
it didn't before.

Then there's the case of smallmouths in the Rapid River.

http://www.brookie.org/site/pp.asp?c...OLvF&b=1737055

Wah wah wah - they introduced pike and smallmouth into my pristine
trout stream - wah, wah, wah.

Perfectly ok if they introduce lake trout, salmon and finger shad, but
add bass...WHOA - IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!! Can't have filthy bass
fishermen in our Walden Pond - no sir.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county. All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control the
buggers.

--Mike


....and do away with the TSA while they're at it.
--

John H

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:57:02 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control the
buggers.

Star Wars meets the Zebra
http://www.ener-tec.com/OurProductLi...9/Default.aspx

Well golly - NOW they tell me.

"For the mussels, exposure to electromagnetically charged water
increases calcium loss at a greater rate than the mussels can absorb
calcium, resulting in a net loss of this important mineral. ELF
magnetism inhibits the ability for Zebra Mussels to assimilate
calcium."

I spent twenty something years experimenting with ELF WAY below the
broadcast band. :)

No freakin' wonder I don't have any skeleton left worth speaking
about. :)

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

"Captain Yogi of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water
quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those
mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had
instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I
think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in
place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county.
All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a
band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone
comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control the
buggers.

Up here in New England, we're starting to see a problem with rock
snot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymosphenia_geminata

There are a couple of lakes around here that are infected with this
and it's another case of invasion from external sources. Similar
situation.

You can't inspect every corner, nook and cranny of a boat or trailer
and the only way to prevent infestation is to require sterization of
the equipment.

There is one lake here in CT where it's fly fishing from shore only
and it's infected.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!

Fly fishermen and waders are probably one of the major culprits in the
spread of mussels and snot.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

"Yogi of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:35:02 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:08:17 -0400, Captain Yogi of Woodstock wrote:


Up here in New England, we're starting to see a problem with rock snot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didymosphenia_geminata

There are a couple of lakes around here that are infected with this and
it's another case of invasion from external sources. Similar situation.

You can't inspect every corner, nook and cranny of a boat or trailer and
the only way to prevent infestation is to require sterization of the
equipment.

There is one lake here in CT where it's fly fishing from shore only and
it's infected.

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!

Arguably worse than zebra mussels. I can't see any positive aspects to
rock snot. Something curious about didymo however, it is native to parts
of North America. I'm wondering why it's expanding it's range now, when
it didn't before.

Then there's the case of smallmouths in the Rapid River.

http://www.brookie.org/site/pp.asp?c...OLvF&b=1737055

Wah wah wah - they introduced pike and smallmouth into my pristine
trout stream - wah, wah, wah.

Perfectly ok if they introduce lake trout, salmon and finger shad, but
add bass...WHOA - IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!! Can't have filthy bass
fishermen in our Walden Pond - no sir.


Small mouth and trout live nicely together. Pike decimates a trout and
salmon stream. We here have spent millions trying to eradicate pike from
one of the feeder lakes to the Sacramento river. Someone introduced Pike in
an Alaska River and there are no more salmon in the river.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

"Gene" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:50:50 -0400, Lil' John
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water
quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those
mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The
ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had
instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed
damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been
found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I
think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in
place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county.
All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a
band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken
the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along
with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone
comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control
the
buggers.

--Mike


...and do away with the TSA while they're at it.

Amen...!
--

Forté Agent 5.00 Build 1171

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by
the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover." - Unknown

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://pamandgene.tranquilrefuge.net...at/my_boat.htm



TSA = = Trained to Steal Anything.

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:09:47 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Gene" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:50:50 -0400, Lil' John
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:35:23 -0700, "mgg" wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
m...
On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:26:19 -0500, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water
quality
and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

And, closing launch ramps is only delaying the inevitable. Those
mussels
can be transferred on something as simple as a fishing line. The
ladies
right about kayaks. I was looking at another site, that had
instructions
on cleaning to prevent the spread, and, from my perspective, seemed
damn
near impossible to do adequately. Zebra mussels have already been
found
coast to coast, and in another 20 years, I would expect them to be
pervasive.

I agree, but it seems to me, and I'm not an expert by any sense of the
word, that every article seems to emphasize the negative, but always
somewhere in the middle or bottom, the water clarity improves, the
fishing improves and there seems to be a benefit in having these
critters around. I can only relate my experience in these invested
waters and the diving was terrific - almost like diving in the
Carribean and the fishing was fantastic.

I've got to believe that there is some kind of preventative measure
they can take to lessen their impact on water intakes and such.

They are a nusiance to boats and water delivery systems. However, I think
control is the way to proceed, and not prevention from infestation. I
think
infestation is inevitable.

Here in Santa Clara County (CA), they have an inspection operation in
place.
Your boat must be inspected before launching in any lake in the county.
All
they're really looking for is standing water of any type. They place a
band
on your boat/trailer when you retrieve, and if that band is not broken
the
next time you launch, you don't need to be inspected again.

It all sounds nice, and it's some nice revenue for the county I'm sure.
However, many of the boats in these lakes are of the wakeboard type that
have inboard ballast tanks. No matter how long you leave those pumps
running, there will always be some water left in those tanks... along
with
mussel larvae. They can inspect all they want, but as soon as someone
comes
from an infected lake, passes inspection, then fills and drains their
ballast tank, the lake will be infected.

They are only delaying the inevitable. Instead of inspecting boats, they
sould raise the launch fees, and use that $$$ to find a way to control
the
buggers.

--Mike


...and do away with the TSA while they're at it.

Amen...!
--

Forté Agent 5.00 Build 1171

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by
the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover." - Unknown

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://pamandgene.tranquilrefuge.net...at/my_boat.htm



TSA = = Trained to Steal Anything.


A year ago I'd have said they're the biggest waste of money ever
invented by government. But now I realize how much the government can
*really* waste if it sets its mind to it.
--

John H

Mass launch ramps closed...
 

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:17:28 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:56:06 -0400, Captain Zombie of Woodstock
wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/me4daq

It's an interesting article - on the one hand they improve water
quality and fishing and on the other hand, they are a pest.

There's got to be a middle ground.

We can hope that Mother Nature has an equilibrium planned for this.
Donning rose colored glasses, I can imagine that the Chesapeake area
(for example) is cleansed by the Zebra Mussel, allowing Blue Crabs to
flourish and, thence, control the number of Zebras.

Anyway, interesting article:
http://www.sgnis.org/publicat/proceed/1994/489_500.pdf

The Zebras don't do salt water.
--

John H