Important time sensitive issues:

FCC extends comment period on GPS decision to March 16

Comment Period for Cormorant Management ends April 6 Here are two issues that are of importance to us in the Great Lakes region, issues that could impact our fishery resources and our GPS finding capability. Your action is important on both.

 

Dan Thomas, President

Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council

Glsfc444@gmail.com FCC extends comment period on GPS decision to March 16

 

BoatUS recently cautioned that America's boaters weren't out of the woods yet with the possibility of the country's sole electronic navigation system failing as the result of radio signal interference issues from a newly proposed cellular broadband network.

 

The Federal Communications Commission extended the public comment period to the network's proposed builder, LightSquared, allowing comments through March 16. Boaters and all users of GPS are urged to submit comments to the FCC to ensure that the nation's system of global positioning devices keeps Americans safely on course.

Here is how to file comments to the FCC through its online comment form:

 

Click here for the FCC online Comment form: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list

• Select ―Proceeding Number 11-109.‖

• Enter contact information.

• In the box that says ―Type in or paste your brief comments,‖ here are some points to select from:

• Explain how you use GPS in your life — on the water, on land or in the air.

• What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable?

• Wireless broadband service is important, but it should not come at the expense of GPS.

• All of the studies show that LightSquared's proposed network would cause interference and that there are no remedies.

• Tell the FCC that you rely on it to protect the integrity of the GPS signal and that you support its recommendation to stop LightSquared's current proposal.

• Click ―Continue.‖

• If the review page is correct, click ―Confirm.‖

 

Comment Period for Cormorant Management ends April 6

 

Click here to submit comments: http://www.regulations.gov/#!searchResults;rpp=25;po=0;s=FWS-R9-MB-2011-0033%252B

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting public comments to guide the preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement related to revising regulations governing the management of Double-crested Cormorants.

 

USFWS requesting input

 

These latest comments will update the original 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS): Double-crested cormorant management in the United States (USFWS 2003, 208 pp). USFWS is requesting comments to help them determine future national policy for effective management of double-crested cormorant populations in the United States.

 

One group, the Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee is supporting the Michigan DNR’s recommendation to amend the 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement to incorporate a regional approach. Managing the cormorant population at the Flyway level ensures that the cormorant population is protected and significantly increases efficiency and flexibility for the action agencies (State fish and wildlife agencies, federally recognized Tribes and State Directors of USDA Aphis Wildlife Services). The cormorant take for each state would be determined by discussions between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and each Flyway Council with the goal of each State maintaining breeding cormorant abundance above minimum thresholds while reducing bureaucratic hindrances within each State.

GLSFC Special Report - Sept 10, 2008

Cormorant control in Green Bay / Door County

Public comment period open until Sept 25
There is a public comment period on Wisconsin’s proposed cormorant control plan, and comments must be received by September 25.

Letters should reference: "EA 08-61 Double Crested Cormorant Management in Wisconsin." Just addressed your letter - To Whom It May Concern-

The Wisconsin cormorant population was state-listed as endangered in 1972, but increased to 2,213 nesting pairs in 1985. Delisted in 1986, nesting pair numbers increased to 10,546 in 1997 and 14,882 in 2005. More than 80% of the nesting pairs in Wisconsin are in the Lower Green Bay and Door County areas. Substantial numbers of cormorants migrating through Wisconsin in spring and fall also contribute to damage and conflicts.

Electronic copies of the Environmental Analysis on double-crested cormorant damage management are available at the USFWS web site: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/MidwestBird/cormorants.htm or the USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nepa.shtml Hard copies of the report may be obtained by contacting USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services, 732 Lois Dr., Sun Prairie, WI 53590, (608) 837-2727, FAX (608) 837-6754.

Written comments on the EA will be accepted through September 25, 2008. Your comments should be submitted to the above address for USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services. When faxing a comment, a copy should also be mailed to ensure that a complete version of the text is received.

The document is extremely long (157 pages), however, you don't need to comment on the specifics of the plan. We were contacted by Rep. Karl Van Roy’s office saying they submitted a letter generally supporting efforts to aggressively and permanently reduce the DCCO population in Wisconsin citing the destruction of habitat, displacement of other birds, damage to personal property, decimation of fish populations, etc.

Rep. Van Roy spoke to a person at the Wisconsin DNR about this, and she said they need to get letters of support for the program. There is concern the authorities will only hear from "bird lovers" and not from the "fish lovers."

Dan Thomas, President
Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council
staff@great-lakes.org