heroes blog

The idea of fish hatcheries is nothing new to trout anglers, but Florida wildlife officials are hoping that it can help their redfish, snook, and tarpon populations. Four independent aquaculture labs helped develop the plan with state officials last week.

Florida wildlife officials have embarked on an ambitious plan that would create a statewide network of about 12 new and existing fish hatcheries focused on raising popular sport species such as redfish, snook and tarpon, then releasing them into the wild.

Scientists and sport fishing groups are championing the estimated $50 million plan as a way to replenish depleted and over-fished stocks, counter habitat declines and protect the state's $8 billion recreational fishing industry.

A major aspect of the plan, researchers said, would be seagrass and mangrove restoration.

Scientists involved in the plan vow to meet the strictest environmental standards. The hatcheries would not release nutrients or antibiotics into the lagoon, Shenker said.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080128/NEWS01/801280326

Brian and Michelle Nelson
East Grand Forks, Minn.
Brian Nelson describes his family as an “outdoor family.” Along with his wife, Michelle, and six kids, The Nelsons spend their free time fishing for bass and hunting for anything from pheasants to big game, and eat venison three to four times a week. In 1999, Michelle got involved with the Red River Valley chapter of Pheasants Forever. She and Brian started helping with the chapter’s banquet, but when the chapter was about to shut down, the Nelsons decided to take over. Since reviving the chapter, the Nelsons have raised money to put together youth hunts and provide local wildlife with food sources. –Erin Kelley

Labels: Heroes of the Week

As soon as gray wolves were delisted about a year ago, the debate about whether or not states should start hunting them started. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife decided to give states and tribes more flexibility in managing the wolf herds. Including hunting them.

The Safari Club has come out strongly against the hunting of wolves, saying that if we start hunting them now, they will just become endangered again.

“If we call open season on wolves now, we could soon find ourselves back at the starting line. It’s a tremendous waste of taxpayer dollars,” said Sierra Club representative Melanie Stein. “Deer and elk populations are thriving in this region. There’s absolutely no reason to begin slaughtering wolves, other than to please a handful of special interests. This is another example of politics trumping science in the Bush administration. Federal and state agencies are tripping over each other, and our wildlife are suffering as a result.”

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Do think that it's time to start hunting wolves, or is this a political ploy as the Sierra Club suggests?

Labels: Discussion Topics

If the phrase, "leave only footprints" was popularized today, it would be "leave only carbon-neutral footprints." And while the green groups have been pushing people to neutralize their carbon emissions by buying carbon offsets to help battle global warming, the movement hasn't really taken hold in the outdoor conservation community. Until now.

Last weekend, the Florida Wildlife Federation hosted the world's first carbon-neutral fishing tournament in Miami.

"Sportsmen know climate change threatens the fish we love and the habitats they live in. Offsetting our emissions is just one way to show we're not going to pass the buck to the next generation of anglers," said Captain Dan Kipnis, tournament organizer and director-at-large for the Florida Wildlife Federation.

The tournament is offsetting an estimated 200 tons of carbon dioxide emissions through AgCert, which will use the funds for an East Coast methane capture project. Methane gas from dairy farms will be converted into electricity, balancing out the tournament's greenhouse gas impact on the environment.

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2008/2008-01-16-091.asp

Do you think that you should offsetting that trip out on your bass boat by buying captured cow farts?

Labels: Discussion Topics

It seems impossible to escape the Global Warming debate no matter who you are and where you live. And now, Canadian Inuits are getting in the fight. The past few weeks, the United States government and environmental groups have been debating over the issue of protecting polar bears because of their dwindling habitat. Worried that they would lose the money of American hunters coming to Canada to pursue polar bears, the Inuits denounced the environmentalists for pushing hard to get the polar bear protected.

Mary Simon, president of the Inuit Tapiriit of Canada group, said green organizations were using polar bears as an excuse to attack the administration of U.S. President George Bush over its position on climate change.

"As Inuit we fundamentally disagree with such tactics ... the polar bear is a very important subsistence, economic, cultural, conservation, management, and rights concern for Inuit in Canada," she said in a statement.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1439628820080114

Do you think that you should able to hunt a supposedly threatened animal?

Labels: Discussion Topics

Rick Meyer
New Liberty, Iowa
As a full-time farmer, Rick Meyer has grown up with an appreciation for nature and wildlife and an even greater appreciation for conservation. Since most of Iowa is fence-to-fence farmland, Meyer dedicated 120 acres in rural Scott County to providing wildlife with a place to call its own.
Meyer installed three ponds and seven wetlands on the land. He also worked to establish native prairie grasses and plant a thousands trees.
“I enjoy putting away areas for wildlife,” says Meyer.
In the future, Meyer hopes to build another four wetlands on a 50-acre piece of property he wants to develop, as well as maintaining the areas he has so far. –Erin Kelly

Labels: Heroes of the Week