Archive for Hunting and Fishing
Bassmaster Classic returns to the Mississippi River Delta
February 24, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Hunting and Fishing, Meetings/Events, VideosThis story was originally posted the Vanishing Paradise blog.
By Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation
The Mississippi River Delta is one of the best places on earth to catch monster largemouth bass. If America’s anglers didn’t know that before, they certainly discovered it last year when Kevin van Dam shattered the previous Bassmaster Classic stringer record at the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin
Last night, the Vanishing Paradise team was honored to have the opportunity to make a presentation to executives at B.A.S.S. and the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation conservation directors about the work we are doing to rally hunters and anglers nationwide to support restoration of the Mississippi River Delta. We were particularly delighted when B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin got up before our talk and discussed the importance of restoring the delta and supporting organizations like Vanishing Paradise.
Anglers who know the region intuitively grasp the need for restoration. As Kevin van Dam said before last year’s Classic:
“The first time I fished [the delta] was in the late 1990s and I was blown away by the quality of the fisheries. I’ve fished here a half a dozen times since then. … Each time, I’m just stunned at the changes. Areas that used to be marsh are now just open bay.”
Bassmaster competitor Mike Iaconelli
Vanishing Paradise wants to thank Van Dam as well as the other Bassmaster competitors who have signed our letter to Congress, including Mike Iaconelli, Skeet Reese, Stephen Browning, Cliff Pace, Greg Hackney, Brent Chapman, Edwin Evers, Todd Faircloth, Mark Davis and Terry Butcher.
Mike Iaconelli is one angler who knows the delta well — he won the 2003 Bassmaster Classic there, after all — and he is a strong and vocal supporter of coastal restoration:
“If you hunt, if you fish, if you just love the outdoors, it’s important to step up and care about this problem. The thing is we’ve got a way to fix it, we’ve got a solution. … We’ve got the Mississippi River, which is one of the main things we can use to bring the marsh back.”
Seven-time Bassmaster Classic competitor Stephen Browning agrees, saying anglers everywhere can play a role in speaking up for the delta:
“We can spread the message to the rest of the country, to our congressmen and senators. Hopefully the right person’s eyes will be opened, and we can get something started.
Watch Kevin Van Dam, Mike Iaconelli and Stephen Browning discuss the need to restore the delta:
Restoration Wins Big at 2011 Bassmaster Classic
The 2012 Bassmaster Classic starts today and continues through Sunday (Feb. 24-26).
No CommentsVoices of the Delta: Captain Troy Frady
| Posted by Kevin Chandler in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Hunting and Fishing, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Voices of the DeltaNext in our Voices of the Delta series, you will meet Captain Troy Frady: Alabama native, owner of Distraction Charters in Orange Beach, Ala. and Gulf Coast restoration advocate.
Name: Captain Troy Frady
Occupation: Owner/Operator at Distraction Charters in Orange Beach, Alabama
What does the Gulf Coast mean to you?
My earliest memories of coastal Alabama date back to the early 1970s. There were not many people on the water back then around Orange Beach, Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island. The fish were abundant and our estuaries were teeming with life. Over the past 40 years, I have seen things change from what I remember as a child. I have seen our coastal wetlands drained or filled, environmental pollution, overfishing of our marine resources, and residential and commercial development. All have contributed to the decline of what was once a pristine coastal environment.
After 21 years of working in the corporate world of banking and logistics, I decided to fulfill a childhood dream of making my living on the water. I took off my tie and hung up my coat and purchased a 41’ Hatteras and began charter fishing in 2002.
After entering the charter fishing fleet, I noticed that there were a lot of anglers who were overharvesting reef fish simply because they could. I wanted to be different and develop my niche. I began educating my customers about conservation and why it is important to release some of your catch. I had already seen what overfishing had done to the resources since childhood, so I decided to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem. I began marketing “Keep the Best, Release the Rest,” to help manage fish populations.
The effects of the BP oil spill have complicated our fishery rebuilding process. It may be years before we know the full effects of what the oil and dispersants did to our reef fishery and the deep water marine ecosystem.
Why is it important to move quickly to restore all coastal wetlands and estuaries?
Over the years, our pristine coastal areas have been depleted and are in jeopardy of being gone for good. With natural events like hurricanes and manmade events like the BP oil spill, it is extremely important that we all do our part and build buffers around and restore our marine resources. The lessons I have learned in 40 years are valuable, and I don’t want to see future generations witness what we had a chance to correct.
How does the RESTORE Act fit into this process?
For the first time in our nation’s history, we have an opportunity to divert Clean Water Act fines, without using taxpayer dollars, toward projects that will protect our estuaries and marine resources from natural or manmade disasters. The RESTORE Act gives hope to all of us who make our living by educating and being good stewards of such a great national resource. It may be years before we know the full effects of what the BP oil spill did to our marine environment. Only through a robust research and monitoring program will we be able to detect delayed or subtle impacts, track the recovery of the injured species and implement appropriate restoration strategies.
One thing’s for sure — the seafood industry and recreational fishing are pillars of our coastal economy. Neither can prosper without the natural resources that support them. In the gulf, environmental restoration is vital to economic restoration. What we do today will have an effect on what happens tomorrow. Your children and grandchildren will love you more because of it. Restoration is the right thing to do.
No CommentsVoices of the Delta: Keith Blomstrom
February 14, 2012 | Posted by Kevin Chandler in BP Oil Disaster, Hunting and Fishing, Hurricane Katrina, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Voices of the Delta
"The Minnesota state bird, the Common Loon, spends two to three years maturing in the gulf. To Minnesotans, this bird represents wilderness, and it also links us to the Mississippi River Delta." - Keith Blomstrom
This is the second post of our Voices of the Delta series.
Name: Keith Blomstrom
Occupation: President of the Minnesota Conservation Federation
Why are the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast important to Minnesota?
Minnesota is linked to the gulf in many ways. The Mississippi River starts in Minnesota — its headwaters are located in Itasca State Park, near Bemidji, Minn. — so the river itself means a great deal to us. Some of the beneficial sediment that travels to the delta comes from Minnesota, but at the same time, our farms and cities are responsible for pollution traveling downriver as well. As an acknowledgment of our commitment to the river, the state of Minnesota and the Environmental Protection Agency have recently partnered with farmers and others to clean up water draining into the gulf.
Additionally, our waterfowl winter in the gulf — all total, 75 percent of our continent’s waterfowl pass through the region. The Minnesota state bird, the Common Loon, spends two to three years maturing in the gulf. To Minnesotans, this bird represents wilderness, and it also links us to the Mississippi River Delta.
What does the RESTORE Act mean to you personally?
After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I visited a fish camp owned by some friends in Montegut, La., and I saw firsthand the devastation and problems caused by the loss of wetlands. The place we stayed was on 10-foot poles. During the storms, the tidal surge there was 8 feet. Anything that wasn’t higher than that was destroyed. We were 6 miles from the gulf, but the canal was still full of saltwater with bull sharks, stingrays and other saltwater creatures swimming everywhere.
The oil spill further devastated the area, killing the plants that hold together the soil, killing wildlife and hurting the fishing industry. It will take many years for the ecosystem to recover. But with the RESTORE Act, we have the chance to make a down payment on restoration, to help build a better future for the Gulf Coast and for our country.
No CommentsVoices of the Delta: Chris Macaluso
February 9, 2012 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Hunting and Fishing, People, RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act, Voices of the Delta
"I have spent my life fishing and hunting in the rich marshes, barrier islands and swamps along Louisiana’s coast." - Chris Macaluso
This is the first in our “Voices of the Delta” blog series, where we’ll be interviewing coastal Louisiana restoration advocates from across the country. From Louisiana to Florida to Minnesota, these spokesmen and women have come to Washington to tell Congress that the Mississippi River Delta is a vital natural resource and that we need to pass the RESTORE Act now and send oil spill fines back to the Gulf States that deserve them. Check back over the coming days to read more of their stories!
Name: Chris Macaluso
Occupation: Coastal Outreach Coordinator, Louisiana Wildlife Federation
What does coastal Louisiana mean to you?
I have spent my life fishing and hunting in the rich marshes, barrier islands and swamps along Louisiana’s coast. My earliest memories of fishing with my dad are filled with images of vast areas of marsh grasses, scattered coastal ponds and bayous teeming with fish and waterfowl. Endless meadows of golden marsh grass stretched through the wetlands in some of our favorite fishing destinations, like Buras, Grand Isle, Cocodrie and Dulac.
Yet in the 30 years since those first memories were made, most of that habitat has washed away, leaving behind vast areas of open water. Mississippi River levees built to protect communities from river flooding have separated the marshes from their essential sediment and freshwater source. These levees have also made those same communities fatally vulnerable to storm surges from the Gulf of Mexico. Jetties and dredging meant to keep the river open for navigation have directed the land-building sediment into the gulf’s deep waters, and manmade navigation channels have carved up swamps and marshes, allowing saltwater to penetrate as much as 40 miles inland.
Chris Macaluso, Louisiana Wildlife Federation
Why is it important that we move quickly to restore the Mississippi River Delta?
Simply put, my coast is dying. Louisiana’s coast is losing land at the fastest rate in the world, with more than 1,900 square miles washing away in the last 80 years. There is the possibility of almost that much more vanishing in the next 50 years unless projects are soon built to curb and hopefully reverse that loss.
Many of those projects have already been approved by Congress. A host of freshwater and sediment diversions as well as marsh and barrier island restoration projects meant to fix Louisiana have been listed in federal Water Resources Development Acts over the last 40 years. The state of Louisiana recently released a draft of a comprehensive coastal restoration and hurricane protection plan that optimistically demonstrates coastal land loss can turn into land gains if those projects are implemented.
Sadly though, most of the approved projects languish in wait for funding while tied up in lengthy federal bureaucracies.
Where does the RESTORE Act fit in this process?
The RESTORE Act is an absolutely essential piece of legislation for my home state of Louisiana. If we are to have any hope of making significant headway in reversing the devastating coastal land loss that has plagued the state for nearly a century, Congress must pass this bill.
Passage of the RESTORE Act can provide the money needed to move some projects to construction while helping Louisiana address the environmental damage caused by the devastating oil spill of 2010. More than that, it can give hope that the wetland loss threatening to completely wipe out one of the world’s great hunting and fishing destinations — and the communities and culture that go with it — can be reversed and that Louisiana’s coastal habitats can be sustained for generations to come.
No CommentsTeen Group Hosts First Annual Nutria Rodeo
December 22, 2011 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in Hunting and Fishing, Meetings/EventsBy Chris Pulaski, National Wildlife Federation
On December 3, a group of Lafourche Parish high school students staged the first ever nutria rodeo in Golden Meadow, La. Sassafras Louisiana is a coastal advocacy non-profit organization founded by Lafourche-area teens after the BP oil disaster. The rodeo may be considered folly by some, but it addresses the serious threat that invasive species have on coastal marshes and estuary habitat. Nutria, Asian carp and feral swine impact native species and destroy plant material, and their numbers have been steadily increasing despite state and local efforts. Coyotes—also invasive to Louisiana—prowl local communities, reportedly killing pets and livestock.
Credit: Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection & Restoration
Rodeo hunters collected almost 20 nutria, eight hogs and two coyotes during the event. No Asian carp were entered. First, second and third-place awards were given in each animal category for heaviest entry submitted, and the largest nutria tipped the scales at 20 pounds. Other awards included the nutria with the brightest orange teeth. Judges compared the teeth to a strip of orange paint samples.
Although the overall numbers were low, the event organizers were very pleased with the turnout and raised close to $10,000 for their organization. Even more pleasing to Sassafras members was that the event increased awareness of the issue of invasive species on area marshes. The nutria and hogs captured during the event were donated to local food shelters, and Sassafras is partnering with Righteous Fur to use the nutria pelts at future events.
Judges compared nutria teeth to a strip of orange paint samples to determine the "brightest orange teeth" award. Photo credit: Gabe Giffin, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
Nutria were first introduced to Louisiana in the 1930s and since that time, the South American swamp rodent has driven local species, such as muskrat, out of the area and damaged thousands of acres of already-threatened marshes.
The nutria rodeo was the first fundraising event held by Sassafras Louisiana. More information about the organization can be found on their website and Facebook.
No CommentsFrom the Delta to the Headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi
September 9, 2011 | Posted by Elizabeth Skree in Hunting and Fishing, People, WildlifeThis piece is originally posted on the Vanishing Paradise blog.
By Ben Weber, National Wildlife Federation
We have to push for practices that do what is right for people, industry, commerce, and habitat. In my mind, restoring the Mississippi River Delta is the next piece of the puzzle in a long fight to protect waterfowl habitat.
National Wildlife Federation's Ben Weber and Andy McDaniels at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in northern Minnesota.
A few weeks ago I left my home in south Louisiana, as I often do, to travel the country and spread the word about the massive wetland loss we are experiencing on the Mississippi River Delta. More specifically, the purpose of these long nights away from my home and my family is to engage sportsmen’s groups, organizations, and businesses to help them understand how much we all stand to lose if we don’t restore the delta. The ultimate goal is to actively involve them in the fight for restoration.
This is my job, it’s what I do, it’s who I am, and I love it. I don’t love the fact that this national treasure is falling apart before our very eyes, but I do love that I play an active part in working to restore this special place. Admittedly and maybe obviously, I’m focused on and addicted to the delta.
For this particular trip, I was headed to the Anoka Game Fair in Minnesota, a two-weekend gathering of all things waterfowl. I had been looking forward to this trip because Minnesota is where it all begins, the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi. I’ve spent almost my entire life at the southern end of this beautiful river, and somehow, this would be my first time visiting its northernmost reaches…
No CommentsBijou Blowout
July 29, 2011 | Posted by Elizabeth Skree in Hunting and FishingThe Vanishing Paradise team and outdoor writers descend on Lafitte, Louisiana for explosive redfishing – as well as an education.
This piece was originally posted on Vanishing Paradise's website.
By Lew Carpenter, National Wildlife Federation
Five outdoor writers representing sportsmen from coast-to-coast recently joined a Vanishing Paradise team for two days of fishing out of Captain Theophile Bourgeois’ Cajun Vista Inn in Lafitte, Louisiana.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation's Chris Macaluso shows the camera his catch.
The calm skies were dusted with distant thunderheads as we headed out into the marsh with Captain Mike. Several stops along the way afforded Louisiana Wildlife Federation Coastal Outreach Coordinator Chris Macaluso the opportunity to show us areas of vast wetland loss, as well as projects that are currently working to rebuild the marsh.
By bringing key outdoor writers into this precious resource, the National Wildlife Federation’s Vanishing Paradise campaign will reach hundreds of thousands of sportsmen across the country in a significant way.
For example, Rich Holland, an outdoor writer from the West Coast, writes for BASS publications, West Coast fishing outlets and an abundance of other media outlets; Hal Herring of Montana writes for Field and Stream; Nic Conklin writes for Lone Star Outdoor News in Texas – you get the picture. These outdoor writers (among other writers in attendance) provide a well-vetted gateway to the nation’s hunters and anglers – folks who care about the quality of habitat in the coastal wetlands and understand the significance of these wetlands to our hunting and fishing heritage.
A beautiful delta redfish
Fishermen and hunters across the nation have a stake in the rapid loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. For the more than 10 million ducks and geese wintering in the fertile marshes, to the world-class inshore and offshore fisheries – Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are the key to sustaining Mississippi Flyway hunting and abundant Gulf Coast recreational fishing.
The area is at great risk.
As we cruised the grasslands of the marsh and gazed upon the sporadic ghost trees – the last remnants of once great cypress forests – our day’s dialogue pondered what losing the vast resource could mean. Conversation was broken up by the explosive strikes of bronze-backed redfish, reminding us of the great opportunities currently at hand, and those opportunities at risk as the marsh recedes and the habitat declines.
Afternoons back at Theophile Bourgeois’ Cajun Vista Inn brought the message full circle as resource managers from Louisiana highlighted the struggles and successes of their fight to restore the wetlands. A common, unfortunate message pointed to the roadblocks of working with the Army Corps of Engineers. The future of the wetlands rests in sportsmen’s ability to create action and a sense of urgency through the political process. This is where the Vanishing Paradise campaign comes into play: By uniting sportsmen throughout the Mississippi Flyway and across the country to speak up for one the greatest fisheries on the planet – as well as the millions of ducks and geese the use this area for winter habitat.
Cruising the marsh - On the second day, the group caught an average of 12 fish each.
It’s no coincidence that on July 21, a bipartisan coalition of Gulf Senators cosponsored the RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act. The legislation ensures that fines from last year’s oil spill are used to help restore the Gulf ecosystem. The oil spill compounded already degraded habitats that support many species of fish, waterfowl and other wildlife.
The Vanishing Paradise campaign is having success, and we urge all sportsmen to join the fight to restore coastal wetlands and provide the habitat necessary for the fish and game we love for now and future generations to enjoy.
No CommentsSportsmen Tell Congress: Restore the Mississippi River Delta
June 17, 2011 | Posted by Elizabeth Skree in BP Oil Disaster, Clean Water Act, Hunting and Fishing, Meetings/EventsThis piece was originally posted on the National Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Promise blog.
Outdoor industry leaders from across the country are in D.C. this week, asking Congress to dedicate BP’s Clean Water Act fines from the oil spill to Gulf restoration.
The oil spill hit the Mississippi River Delta particularly hard. The Delta hosts as many as 10 million ducks and geese during the winter and is famed for its diverse fishing opportunities. But this region was in trouble even before the spill. Over the past eight decades, the Delta has lost an area of wetlands almost as large as the state of Delaware.
We asked some of the sportsmen involved why they volunteered their time to come and talk to Congress about restoration of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River Delta. Here’s what they told us:
“These folks know how critical restoration of the Gulf and the Delta is to the future of waterfowl hunting in this country,” said Land Tawney, National Wildlife Federation's Senior Manager for Sportsmen’s Leadership. “It just makes sense to do right by the Gulf and direct the Clean Water Act penalties back to the places where the damage occurred.”
Vanishing Paradise, a joint effort of the National Wildlife Federation and Ducks Unlimited, organized the event and took out a full-page ad in Politico magazine with support from over twenty of the top hunting and angling companies and conservation organizations in the country, including The Sportsman Channel, B.A.S.S., The American Sportfishing Association, Drake Waterfowl, Frabill, Webley & Scott, and Lund Boats. You can send a similar message to Congress here.
Outdoors industry leaders flew in from across the country to give Congress the message that the penalties from the BP oil spill need to be dedicated to restoring the Gulf.
B.A.S.S. Backs Vanishing Paradise's Coastal Louisiana Restoration Efforts
February 18, 2011 | Posted by Delta Dispatches in BP Oil Disaster, Congress, Hunting and Fishing, Restoration Projects, Wildlife
The 2011 Bassmaster Classic, which begins today (Feb. 18) in New Orleans and continues through Sunday (Feb. 20), will showcase more than 50 of the world’s best bass anglers. It also will draw attention to important efforts to revitalize what the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) calls a “Vanishing Paradise.”
B.A.S.S. LLC, a Florida-based membership organization with more than 500,000 bass anglers, which conducts the annual world championship of bass fishing, is partnering with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) and NWF in campaigns to promote the restoration and protection of Louisiana’s imperiled coastal wetlands and reconnect the Mississippi River to its delta.
"While the Louisiana Delta is rebounding from devastating hurricanes and a massive oil spill, a continuing and more destructive force threatens the long-term survival of the coastal wetlands," said Land Tawney, NWF’s senior manager for sportsmen leadership. "Levees and navigation projects along the Mississippi River have isolated Louisiana’s wetlands from the freshwater and sediment that once built them, while allowing saltwater to penetrate far inland, destroying once healthy coastal forests and freshwater swamps."
River diversion projects already in place have improved delta bass fishing dramatically since the Classic last visited New Orleans in 2003. LWF’s Sportsmen for the Coast campaign and NWF’s Vanishing Paradise effort are aimed at gaining federal approval of additional projects to restore the vast marshland.
“B.A.S.S. supports these efforts to protect and improve this great fishery that is so important to bass fishermen and other sportsmen,” said Jerry McKinnis, an owner of B.A.S.S. “Unless something is done to protect these coastal wetlands, the fantastic fishing we have now won’t be around for our children to enjoy.”
Yesterday (Feb. 17), McKinnis and other B.A.S.S. owners Don Logan and Jim Copeland added their names to a group sign-on letter authored by Vanishing Paradise, urging Congress to support funding for large-scale land building restoration projects in coastal Louisiana. The signing took place at the Bassmaster Classic Media Day, an event hosted by LWF and NWF, where representatives from each organization were present to answer questions and distribute information to angling enthusiasts attending the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Feb. 18-20.
More information about both LWF’s and NWF’s efforts to involve anglers, hunters and all outdoors enthusiasts in the restoration of Louisiana’s coast can be found at www.vanishingparadise.org and www.lawildlifefed.org/coastal.
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