Pere Marquette Watershed Council

Sponsored by the Pere Marquette Watershed Council and the Wege Foundation

Pere Marquette Sea Lamprey Symposium

West Shore Community College

Agenda

9:00 Welcome: Fred McLane, President, Pere Marquette Watershed Council

Moderator: Chuck Pistis, Extension Agent, Michigan Sea Grant

Facilitator: Dr. Michael McKenney, WSCC Biology Professor

Background – why are we concerned?

Objective – education in management of sea lampreys

Format – Educational sessions, panel, questions & answers

9:10 Status Quo: Jeff Slade, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Ludington

The Great Lakes lamprey program

Management options

Pere Marquette history and methods

2006 treatment summary

10:00 COFFEE BREAK

10:10 Alternatives: Greg Klingler, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Marquette

Stream selection criteria

Barriers, low-head dams, passage methods

Sterile males

11:00 Electric Grid Barrier: Jeff Smith, Smith-Root, Inc.

Rationale, effectiveness

Design, improvements

11:25 Lampricides: Dr. Terry Hubert, US Geological Survey

Efficacy

Collateral damage

11:50 Pheromones: Dr. Michael Wagner, MSU Fisheries & Wildlife Dept

Rationale, effectiveness

Development, cost

12:15 LUNCH

1:00 Fish Passage: Tom Rozich, MDNR Fisheries

Species impacted, quantification

Interruption of fish passage upstream and downstream

1:25 Recreational Impact: Ray Schmidt, Michigan River Guides Association

1:40 SODA BREAK

1:45 Panel Discussion – Questions and Answers

Both prescribed questions and audience questions

3:00 Appreciation and Adjournment

The electrified sea lamprey barrier on the Pere Marquette River located at the bridge on Custer Road AKA "Custer Weir" has become one of the most watched issues of the Pere Marquette River. In an effort to keep the public informed about the weir the PMWC will publish any information available to us.

Board Minutes

All Interested Parties: Occasionally, a PM Watershed topic and or issue resonate with many of our members as well as the public at large. The Custer Weir operation and planned TFM treatment in the summer of 2006 is one of those issues. Because that the Watersheds position on any hot button issues is often sought by members and others, we have decided to post on our website the minutes of Board meetings related to such issues when they arise. To that end please see below the actual minutes of the beginning of the April 1, 2006 Board meeting and section entitled New Business, which discusses the weir.

Administrative 1. The meeting was called to order by President Fred McLane at 9:00 AM; Fred introduced the five guests. 2. Attendance: Jay Barnhart, Paul Bigford, Jim Bos, Jeff Carpenter, Rick Conney, Jill Engelman, Dave Gibbs, Carolyn Henne, Bob Kennedy, Fred McLane, Kevin Morlock, Gary Nummikoski, Jim Schramm, Dick Schwikert, Ken Sink, and Chuck Turk. Guests: Brian McKenna, Steve Fraley, Mike Butcke, Jory Dirkse, and Jon Freyer. Excused: Tom Seroczynski.

10. Custer Weir: Bob Kennedy issued a letter (attached) urging PMWC to take the lead on this very sticky issue & the weir and TFM impose a double indignity on our river. Bob proposes a symposium in an attempt to resolve the issue and provide a basis for PMWC to develop a position statement to send to F&WS. There are really two issues: Plan A = short-term, whether to recommend shutting off the weir immediately. Plan B = a long-term solution. Jim Bos met with F&WS staff and clarified several points: TFM treatment will kill all four classes (03, 04, 05, and 06) so running the weir now is not necessary but is being done for practice and refinement. It could be an economic issue since opening the barrier would necessitate treating the entire system, at a greater expense. Paul Bigford notes that if the weir is left operating at 100% efficiency there should be no lamprey passage, and capture of larvae after TFM treatment should show no 06 class larvae & any 06 captures indicate the weir is not working properly. Motion by Jim Schramm, seconded by Dave Gibbs that PMWC contact U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service to immediately shut down the Custer Weir for 2006 operation, not implying this would affect future operations. Roll call vote: Barnhart no, Bigford no, Bos yes, Carpenter no, Conney yes, Engelman no, Gibbs yes, Henne no, Kennedy yes, McLane no, Morlock yes, Nummikoski yes, Schramm no, Schwikert no, Sink no, Turk no. Vote tally: six yes, ten no, motion fails. Discussion then turned to the symposium - what is the outcome? education? The goal should focus on better lamprey control. Jay Barnhart notes we have five options to be discussed in detail at the symposium: #1. To do nothing, no weir or TFM. #2. To only treat with TFM, no weir. #3. Run the weir only, no TFM. #4. Run the weir, reduced TFM use. #5. Replace weir with a seasonal low-head dam. #6. Pheromones, new technology added as another possible option. Jay suggests listing positives and negatives of each option, then promoting and recommending our choice. This changes PMWCs position from just opposing certain options. West Shore had only 3 Saturdays open (near term): May 13 or 27, June 3. This is too short notice to arrange for an educational symposium, thus PMWC should not be held to F&WSs June 6th deadline for their presentation to Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Motion by Jay Barnhart, 2nd by Dave Gibbs that PMWC send a letter to USF&WS stating that we are unhappy with the past and present operation of the weir, that we are disturbed with TFM treatment, that we are in the worst possible situation with inadequate fish passage plus TFM treatment: Motion APPROVED unanimously. Fred will draft the letter and Email it to all directors; the letter will be discussed in detail at the May 6 Board meeting. Bob Kennedy will proceed to plan for the symposium at WSCC this fall, likely October.