10-29-2008, 04:09 PM
First catfish-logic: [#40a0ff]"Ummm....why are we choosing Utah Lake to recover the June Sucker anyways? Bad target, hello McFly hello McFly? Anybody in there,hello? "[/#40a0ff]
We did not "choose" Utah Lake to recover the June sucker. The June sucker are native only to Utah Lake - NO other body of water in the world has the June sucker (naturally). It is something Utahns should be proud of. So June suckers (in some sense) chose Utah Lake. Then their numbers declined due to heavy fishing pressure, they were once a number one food resource for the pioneers, and now we are tasked with recovering the species.
Second Bigguyone1: The idea of a dyke is not a horrible one - I'm not sure the logistics of it, but maybe? Several ideas I've seen posted here regarding carp removal would likely work. In response to your statement below - may I invite you to attend one of our Utah Lake Fish Forum meetings? I can offer a short explanation here about June sucker recovery, but I think you'd benefit by attending one of the meetings where you can talk to a number of different people involved in June sucker recovery. Most of whom have been working at this for far longer than I (I've been on the team for only two years). [#40a0ff]"I do have a degree in Biology but do not have a complete understanding of the HUGE significance that the June Sucker plays in the success of the fishery. Please infom me further for the reasoning in spending millions of dollars to keep the june sucker population growing?" [#000000]So the short and dirty - Because June sucker has made it onto the endangered species list we are required to spend resources (time and money) to recover this species - it's the nature of the beast. However, please understand that while the primary goal is to recover the species the June sucker Recovery Program is focused on recovering the ecosystem - which is a benefit to us all (fish and humans alike). I like to think of Utah Lake as being the Lake Erie of the west. When I was a kid I went swimming in Lake Erie with my aunt and her kids - my parents were horrified. They grew up thinking of Lake Erie as a polluted sesspool (because it was). But with a lot of work and effort, by the time I was swimming in it, the lake was nothing of the sort. Through June sucker recovery, Utah Lake (hopefully) will no longer carry the negative perceptions it once did.[/#000000][/#40a0ff]
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[#40a0ff][#000000]Finally kentofnsl, doggonefishin, therapist: Thanks for your comments and input. I know that the issue of a "carp bounty" has been brought up a number of times within the program, but can not remember all of the reasons it was left behind. It is an idea that we should discuss in more detail at one of our next meetings. [/#000000][/#40a0ff]
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[#40a0ff][#000000]May I say, I'm just one fish loving biolgist with an optimistc view of Utah Lake and June sucker recovery. What I write on this website are merely my personal opinions and experiences. There are a lot of caveats and discussions happening constantly in the program. I'm super excited to have opened lines of discussions with folks outside of the recovery program - I like the idea that we're all in this together. And I hope I can help clear up any "vagueness" associated with recovery of June sucker.[/#000000]
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We did not "choose" Utah Lake to recover the June sucker. The June sucker are native only to Utah Lake - NO other body of water in the world has the June sucker (naturally). It is something Utahns should be proud of. So June suckers (in some sense) chose Utah Lake. Then their numbers declined due to heavy fishing pressure, they were once a number one food resource for the pioneers, and now we are tasked with recovering the species.
Second Bigguyone1: The idea of a dyke is not a horrible one - I'm not sure the logistics of it, but maybe? Several ideas I've seen posted here regarding carp removal would likely work. In response to your statement below - may I invite you to attend one of our Utah Lake Fish Forum meetings? I can offer a short explanation here about June sucker recovery, but I think you'd benefit by attending one of the meetings where you can talk to a number of different people involved in June sucker recovery. Most of whom have been working at this for far longer than I (I've been on the team for only two years). [#40a0ff]"I do have a degree in Biology but do not have a complete understanding of the HUGE significance that the June Sucker plays in the success of the fishery. Please infom me further for the reasoning in spending millions of dollars to keep the june sucker population growing?" [#000000]So the short and dirty - Because June sucker has made it onto the endangered species list we are required to spend resources (time and money) to recover this species - it's the nature of the beast. However, please understand that while the primary goal is to recover the species the June sucker Recovery Program is focused on recovering the ecosystem - which is a benefit to us all (fish and humans alike). I like to think of Utah Lake as being the Lake Erie of the west. When I was a kid I went swimming in Lake Erie with my aunt and her kids - my parents were horrified. They grew up thinking of Lake Erie as a polluted sesspool (because it was). But with a lot of work and effort, by the time I was swimming in it, the lake was nothing of the sort. Through June sucker recovery, Utah Lake (hopefully) will no longer carry the negative perceptions it once did.[/#000000][/#40a0ff]
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[#40a0ff][#000000]Finally kentofnsl, doggonefishin, therapist: Thanks for your comments and input. I know that the issue of a "carp bounty" has been brought up a number of times within the program, but can not remember all of the reasons it was left behind. It is an idea that we should discuss in more detail at one of our next meetings. [/#000000][/#40a0ff]
[#40a0ff][#000000][/#000000][/#40a0ff]
[#40a0ff][#000000]May I say, I'm just one fish loving biolgist with an optimistc view of Utah Lake and June sucker recovery. What I write on this website are merely my personal opinions and experiences. There are a lot of caveats and discussions happening constantly in the program. I'm super excited to have opened lines of discussions with folks outside of the recovery program - I like the idea that we're all in this together. And I hope I can help clear up any "vagueness" associated with recovery of June sucker.[/#000000]
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