Thursday, July 26, 2007
from the Kennebec Journal
Sport of Kings
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Guidance counselor: Dismiss complaint based on criticism of same-sex marriage
CHELSEA: 'Practice burn' provides thrill for 9-year-old
Trust eyes orchard purchase
GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Bonenfant rises up Cony ranks
YOUTH SOCCER: Local team gives 'care package' to children in Afghanistan
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from the Morning Sentinel
YES ON 1 BACKER REBUTS CLAIM
New system for Medicaid payments worries providers
After petition drive, Clinton police force budget will go a third time before voters
A rock musician makes trip home via Black Taxi
MADISON: After revaluation, abatement requests reviewed
Parks to have facelift
GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Sweet does job for Madison
YOUTH SOCCER: Local team gives 'care package' to children in Afghanistan
All of today's:
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from the Morning Sentinel
And an infestation of it is heading toward Maine, according to state officials.
A recent sighting along the Vermont-New Hampshire border has officials at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife urging boaters to scour their hulls between outings in an attempt to stave off the onslaught.
Green, brown and aggressive, it has the texture of wet wool and seems to mimic strands of damp toilet paper.
The name of the menace?
Rock Snot.
Rock Snot, or "Didymosphenia geminata," as it is formally known, is found in Scotland and Poland, but in 2004 bubbled to the surface in New Zealand.
Within 18 months, Rock Snot had run into 12 rivers on New Zealand's South Island, according to a release from Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Rock Snot has since dribbled into Québec, British Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina.
"The ease with which (Rock Snot) can be spread is a real concern for anyone who enjoys Maine's waters," the department's Director of Fisheries John Boland said. "All of Maine's rivers and streams are at risk."
The invasive algae uses stalks to attach to underwater rocks and plants, collecting into masses of 10 to 12 inches deep and trailing 2 to 3 feet downstream along river bottoms.
Unlike variable-leaf milfoil, another much-publicized invasive plant species in Maine, Rock Snot prefers cool, clear streams with gravelly rock bottoms, according to department spokesman, Mark Latti. Variable-leaf milfoil flourishes in murky water and fertile lake bottoms. Variable-leaf milfoil can proliferate from a single 1-inch strand segment, whereas a Rock Snot infestation can explode like a sneeze from a single cell.
Boaters should make sure that they clean and dry the undersides of their watercraft to avoid spreading Rock Snot, since no one knows how to eradicate it, Latti said.
"It's really nasty-looking stuff, and it just coats the bottom," he said. "It's just gooey strands. ... Nobody's going to want to go swimming there; nobody's going to want to canoe over it."
Joel Elliott -- 861-9252
jelliott@centralmaine.com
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1-8 of 8 comments:
What? What in the far north is that? Isn't that the two-legged, tree hugging, lily livered, gun grabbin', liberal, socialistic, communistic, land grabbing, open minded individual that thinks nothing they do is subject to examination and they should be entitled to tell others what to do? That the species we're talking about?
Let me tell you. You're as consumptive as the next person. You consume huge masses of cash, when we have to file lawsuits to get access to what is rightfully ours to use as well as yours. When you decide you're not sharing, that's when you consume.
There is no reason why people can't sit down and discuss things in an agreeable manner. There is no reason why there has to be trails and motorized vehicles in every corner of the state of Maine, and no reason why there can't be an interconnected system of trails that offer a variety of riding opportunities to people in an environmentally responsible manner.
There is no level of taxation that can abate an invasive species once it is introduced. No amount of money can undo it. It takes more than one cell of any organism to infest a new environment.
Maybe we can bring in a mammal that eats this crap, or another fish? We certainly need to look at our options, if there are any.
We're all not going to rise to the sublime level of "non-consumptive, no predatory recreationist". (oh brother...) Some of us like to eat fish and meat. Come to think of it, most fish like to eat fish too.... report abuse
"at the expense of every Maine non-consumptive, non predatory recreationist."
What!!!!!!!
Most fly fishermen today refer to themselves as "non-Comsumptive" yet clearly the spread of didymo in VT is the handy work of fly fishermen and paddlers in canoes and kayaks. It is a hard pill for some to take but the facts is that the so called "non-consumptive" recreationist has had a big hand in the spread of didymo in Vermont and around the globe. That doesn't mean that once it is in the system motorized boats will not continue the spread. Isn't it time for "non-consumptive" types to do a reality check instead of buying into the marketing BS that tell us that we are Sooooo Much bettttterrr than the rest of humanity if you use or do.......... what ever? There is a problem and all of us need to take responsibility. I say this as a life time fly fisherman who owns a canoes and no motorized boats.
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report abuse
Fly fishermen are likely the primary vectors spreading this around the globe. We walk on it crush it into the soles of our boots today and fish another stream tomorrow. No one appears to know how long didymo needs to be present in a stream before colonies are large enough to be identified.
One may ask how it got to New England.
I believe it is the Orvis Mc Dorvis types that fly to fish over priced destination rivers loaded with didymo like those found in New Zeland, or Doucho el Fungulero that have brought it to the White River and likely the finest rivers in Maine yet undiscovered. I personally know a number of White & Connecticut River anglers that fish fabled Maine waters touted as the "Yellowstone of the East". My guess is there will be a lot of huff and puff in a Rubbermaid tub among fly anglers and then back to business as usual all worried about a local guy and his kid bait fishing, ice fishing, or owning a tin boat instead of an elegant drift boat to guide more Orvis Mc Dorvis types.
How ironic that fly fishing sports and their guides are likely responsible for the introduction of didymo to my home water and perhaps Maine.
We can thank all the money changers of the Environmental Recreational Industry for this gift that will keep on giving.
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1. When has the earth ever existed in a steady state? I mean after the rock state. Since then, it has existed between the extremes. Global warming my south end. It gets warmer and colder... make sure you've got a good air conditioner, a pair of gloves, and a hat. If you live near the ocean and look up alot to see inland, move. You're house is going to be underwater.
2. Every last living creature on this earth, from the lowliest bacteria to man himself, is an invasive species. It's not meant to live here? Well then, I guess like the caribou we won't have to worry about it will we? It'll die right out of the gate anyway.
I like fishing, and would love to preserve things as they are for as long as we can. But the plain fact of the matter is, we don't know that "rock snot" isn't a long absent natural plant in this area that is returning from a hiatus because of the unnaturally cold weather we've been having for the last 50,000 years, do we?
I think it's an interesting issue... and will follow it closelyreport abuse
Many bassers fish within the weeds and others are hauling their baits through the weed.
They are also the greatest culprits when it comes to the dreaded rubberized baits plugging up other species digestive systems.
No sportsmen are going to like this idea but how about an invasive plant sticker for each lake that a motorized watercraft will be utilized on. The proceeds would help fund seasonal inspectors at all launch facilities. Think about all the summer jobs for biology students we could fund.
Inspectors could charge the launcher and issue a sticker jonny on the spot, that is after inspecting the watercraft. No sticker, no launch.
Those who keep their boat on one lake wouldn't pay a dime more than they do now. Those who like to hop about would be expected to pay for all the extra inspections they cause to happen.
Finally, those heading into the north woods land holdings would pay a single user fee at the gates of entry where a single inspector could check all boats going through or coming out. Everybody knows how long it takes the clerk at the gate to check you through. Plenty of time for an outside inspector to do his job.
Which brings me to a real sore spot. Why don't we stop all boats coming into Maine at the Truck Scale facilities before the toll booths to issue the original invasive plants sticker and inspect the boat before it hits our waters. I see hundreds of boats coming into Maine without stickers or registration.
"What a fee windfall that would be."report abuse
Bass fishermen, on the otherhand, have been known to travel great distances in their quest to participate in another bass tournament.
I would cerainly want to inform this group of sportsmen about the dangers of inadvertantly spreading something like this.
What do we do, if anything, to inspect these boats and boaters who may have just participated in a tournament in Virginia and who now wishes to launch their boats into one of our lakes?
We'd better get a handle on this one real quick. Lets not drag our feet like we did when deciding a course of action towards the milfoil invasion. Lets be proactive shall we?report abuse
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