July 2011 Volume 38 Number 7
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JULY 2011 VOLUME 38 NUMBER 7 Trap Net Safety on The Great Lakes Don’t Get Tangled Up! Trap nets are large underwater nets used by commercial fishers to Where to Look for Trap Nets catch whitefish and let sportfish go. They pose a potential hazard for anglers and Trap nets are used in parts of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior in late spring other boaters. Downriggers, fishing lines, through fall. Commercial fishermen move the nets to follow the fish, so it’s impor- and propellors canWa get caughttch for the in the flags nets and tant to always be on the look out for the flags and buoys that mark them. The nets or anchor ropes. are found in these general locations, however. buoys that mark these nets and give them a wide berth. • LakeMichigan North of Sturgeon Bay and the Bay of Green Bay Commercial trap nets are numerous and moved around frequently. Look out for the flags and buoys and give them a wide berth. • Sturgeon Bay to Sheboygan From June 29th through Labor Day, there are no commercial trap nets except in two small areas - one south of Sheboygan harbor and one between Manitowoc and Two Rivers harbors (see map below). Before and after those dates, trap nets may be found anywhere in that area - anglers should look out for the flags and buoys and give them a wide berth. • Port Washington to Kenosha Commercial fishers do not set trap nets near Port Washington, Milwaukee, Racine or Kenosha harbors. • LakeSuperior Trap nets are found most often between Houghton Point and Bayfield, but be on the look out for their markers in other parts of the lake as well. HowtoIdentify Trap Nets HowtoAvoid Trap Nets • Trap nets are generally fished perpendicular to shoreline (from shallowto • Look for the flag markers and buoysmarking the nets. At night, use astrong deep water). A double flag marks the lead or shoreward end, of the net and a light to see the reflective tape on the flags. single dark flag marks the pot, or lakeward end, of the net. • Give wide berth when passing trap net buoysand flag markers, as netsve ha °Orange flags attached to a staff buoy at the pot must be at least four feet many anchor lines extending in all directions. above the water surface. Flags will be about 18 by 9 inches. Be aware dur- • Do not pass or troll between trap net buoysaspropeller blades or other fishing ing rough water or heavy currents, these flags may tip down or be hidden gear may easily snag net lines. by high waves. • Orange buoysmay also mark the ends of the wings. • The staffs of the nets are marked with reflective tape. What to Do if YouGet Tangled Up • Cut anylines and cables immediately. • Keep the bowofyour boat heading into the waves • Shut offyour engines. • Don’tget in the water to try to free lines or fishing gear. Emergency Safety Rules Effective May 15, 2011 WISCONSERVATION 2 July 2011 “Friends” Donate Pickup Truck *** OFFICERS *** President Chuck Matyska, Route 1 5055 Cty V, Cecil, WI 54111, (715) 745-6382. Email: to MacKenzie Center [email protected] First Vice President John Wagner, 722A S Silver Lake St., Oconomowoc, WI 53066, (262) 560-1230. Email: [email protected] Second Vice President George Borchert, 7420 S. Hwy 45, Oshkosh, WI 54902, (920) 922- 1409. Secretary Tom Nissen, 811 S. Imperial Drive, Hartland, WI 53029, (262) 719-5295. Email: [email protected] Treasurer Larry Laehn, 9536 N. State Road 26, Milton, WI 53563, (920) 540-9927. Email: [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / LEGISLATION George Meyer, 201 Randolph Dr., Madison, WI 53717, (608) 516-5545. Email: georgemeyer@ tds.net BOARD OF DIRECTORS DISTRICT 8 Jack Nissen, Dousman, WI, (262) 370-8154. DISTRICT 1 John Wagner, Oconomowoc, WI, (262) 560-1230. he Friends of MacKenzie re- houses a wide variety of animals, native Connie Pribnow, Port Wing, WI, (715) 774-3301. Mike Rynearson, Oconomowoc, WI, (414) 313-2079. cently purchased a Ford pick- to Wisconsin, including bison, Canada Al Pribnow, Port Wing, WI, (715) 774-3301. Tup truck used to maintain the Lynx, bald eagle, mountain lion, river DISTRICT 9 wildlife exhibit at the MacKenzie Envi- otter, and more.All serve as “educators” DISTRICT 2 Rick Lazarczyk, West Allis, WI, (414) 321-5750. Larry Vanderhoef, Plainfield, WI, (715) 366-2453. Roger Borkowski, Milwaukee, WI, (414) 571-0002. ronmental Education Center.After pur- because they cannot be released back to Walt Camp, St. Germain, WI, (715) 542-3856. chasing the vehicle, it was donated to the the wild. Jack Macholl, Amery, WI, (715) 554-2829. DISTRICT 10 Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, who man- The MacKenzie Center begins sum- Al Phelan, Madison, WI, (608) 241-7538. ages the facility through a 10-year part- mer hours of operation on Saturday, DISTRICT 3 nership agreement with the Department May 7th. The museums and exhibits are Dave Hraychuck, Balsam Lake, WI, (715) 485-3362. DISTRICT 11 Larry Freitag, Sheboygan, WI, (920) 458-4117. of Natural Resources. Support by the open 7 days per week, including holi- Russ Hitz, Wheeler, WI, (715) 632-2143. Friends is greatly appreciated. Pictured days, from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. The David Lorentz, Rice Lake, WI, (715) 931-8707. Richard Baudhuin, Sturgeon Bay, WI, (920) 743-2581. Keith Pamperin, Green Bay, WI, (920) 494-3990. left-to-right; Don Jackson (Friends trea- grounds are open daylight until dusk. DISTRICT 4 surer), Reggie Finn (president), Anna Please call 635-8105 for directions and DISTRICT 12 Randy Teresinski, Granton, WI, (715) 238-8010. Lynn Hammond (wildlife technician), further information or visit our web- Chuck Matyska, Cecil, WI, (715) 745-6382. Dave Verhage, Plover, WI, (715) 344-3497. Jim Weishan, Wabeno, WI, (715) 473-6013. Derek Duane (manager), & Ruth Ann site at http://www.wiwf.org/education/ Lee (lead educator). The wildlife exhibit MEEC.php DISTRICT 5 George Borchert, Oshkosh, WI, (920) 922-1409. WWF OFFICE PHONE: Dan Gries, Menasha, WI, (920) 725-0052. 800-897-4161 - Toll Free Bob Kirk, Omro, WI, (920) 685-5254. FAX 608-635-2743 Film Screenings and Stage Production – Open DISTRICT 6 Dennis Reinhardt, Osseo, WI, (715) 597-3535. WEB PAGE ADDRESS: John Wetzel, Holmen, WI, (608) 526-4238. www.wiwf.org to Public at National Wildlife Refuge System’s Ed Rollins, Humbird, WI, (630) 561-3099. Conserving the Future Conference DISTRICT 7 N.W.F. REGIONAL REP Dave Chingway, Watertown, WI, (920) 261-0379. Jason Dinsmore, 213 W Liberty, Suite 200, Ann Don Hammes, Middleton, WI, (608) 836-1205. Arbor, MI 48104. Office: (734) 887-7112. Phone: he public can see two nationally instrumental in the establishment of Greg Taylor, Watertown, WI. (517) 204-8962. Email: [email protected]. acclaimed documentary films the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Tand an original stage produc- Alaska. Mardy Murie was awarded the tion free of charge when the U.S. Fish Presidential Medal of Freedom – the ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife highest civilian honor awarded by the Craig Challoner, Omro, WI Russell Froehlich, Oak Creek, WI Bob Chojnowski, Plover, WI Mike Arrowood, Oakfield, WI Refuge System brings its Conserving the United States – for her work on behalf of Jim Huhn, Watertown, WI Mike “Oscar” Stueck, Whitelaw, WI Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next the environment. Norb Moes, Green Bay, WI Roxanne Taylor, Plymouth, WI Generation conference to Madison, Wis- These events are open to the public on Jeff Nania, Portage, WI Clay Utzig, UWSP consin, in mid-July. a first-come, first-served basis. For more Tom Nissen, Hartland, WI Mike Bizak, UWSP America’s Wildest Refuge: Discover- information about the presentations and ing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge the Conserving the Future conference, go will be shown at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July to AmericasWildlife.org. 12, at the Orpheum Theatre, 216 State About 1,200 people are expected to Wisconservation St. in Madison. The hour-long, high-def- attend the July 11-14 conference, with inition documentary includes sweeping thousands more tuning in virtually,as WISCONSERVATION (USPS 108-190 ISSN 0164-3649) is published monthly for $25 per year by Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, W7303 County Road CS & Q, Poynette, WI 53955-9690. Periodical postage views of the expansive wildlife refuge in a new vision is ratified to guide the Na- paid at Oshkosh, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: WISCON- northern Alaska, close-ups of its wildlife tional Wildlife Refuge System for the SERVATION, W7303 County Road CS & Q, Poynette, WI 53955-9690. All communications regarding adver- and interviews with federal land manag- next decade.The conference will take tising, editorial, circulation and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation matters should be sent to W7303 County Road ers and others who have worked to pro- place at the Monona Terrace Community CS & Q, Poynette, WI 53955-9690. Permission to reprint articles is normally given providing proper credit tect this majestic landscape that recently and Convention Center in Madison. is given both publication and author.Views expressed by freelance writers are their own and do not neces- celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Refuge System, managed by the sarily represent those of the publication or the WWF. Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the na- $25.00 of annual dues paid to Wisconsin Wildlife Federation entitles members to one year’s subscription Ethic for Our Time will be shown at 8 tion’s largest network of federal lands to Wisconservation. One year’s subscription to non-members—$25.00. p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, also at the and waters dedicated to the protection of Printed by Ripon Printers, 656 S.