Lake Ontario State of the Lake Meetings

DEC ANNOUNCES “STATE OF LAKE ONTARIO” MEETINGS

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today

announced three upcoming public meetings to discuss Lake Ontario fisheries. The

ninth annual “State of Lake Ontario” public meetings will be held in Monroe,

Niagara and Oswego counties.

Lake Ontario’s embayments and tributaries support thriving populations of

fish to satisfy anglers, including a variety of trout and salmon, bass, walleye,

yellow perch and panfish. New York’s waters of Lake Ontario comprise over 2.7

million acres and a 1996 statewide angler survey estimated over 2.8 million

angler days expended on Lake Ontario and the three major tributaries. The

estimated value of these fisheries exceeded $95 million to the local New York

economy. DEC is committed to sound management of Lake Ontario fisheries, to

maintain high-quality angling opportunities and associated economic benefits.

The State of the Lake Ontario meetings provide an excellent opportunity for

individuals interested in the lake to interact with the scientists who study

Lake Ontario fisheries.

DEC and United States Geological Survey biologists will make presentations

on: proposed regulations changes, the status of forage fish stocks; provide

updates on the Lake Ontario fishing boat and tributary census; status of the

Salmon River salmon and steelhead fisheries; status of the lake trout

population; cormorant management and diets studies; and cooperative pen-rearing

projects for trout and salmon. In addition, the meeting scheduled for March

18th in Mexico will also include a session devoted to the draft “Sportfishing

Restoration and Spending Plan” for the Lake Ontario system. A meeting

addressing the Plan scheduled for February 14 was cancelled due to inclement

weather. The Draft Plan proposes ways to restore and enhance recreational

fishing and fisheries in the New York waters of the lower Niagara River, Lake

Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and their tributaries upstream to the first

barrier impassable to fish (hereafter referred to as the Lake Ontario system).

Funds for this restoration are available from a settlement of the state’s

Natural Resource Damages (NRD) claim with Occidental Chemical Corporation (OCC).

OCC agreed to pay the state $12 million in five equal payments over four years.

The settlement was based on an assessment of the damages to the state’s natural

resources, in particular a loss of recreational fishing benefits, resulting from

the imposition of fish consumption advisories because of the presence of

contaminants in fish in the Lake Ontario system. The proceeds of the settlement

will be used to restore/enhance sportfishing and the injured natural resources.

Copies of the draft plan can be viewed or downloaded from www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/lkontactivities.html

or can be obtained at the DEC Regional headquarters in Watertown, Syracuse, Avon

and Buffalo. There will be ample time at the end of the scheduled program for

the audience to interact with the presenters.

The meeting dates are as follows:

* Thursday, March 1, 2007: 7 - 10 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension

Building, 4487 Lake Avenue, Lockport, Niagara County.

* Thursday, March 8, 2007: 7 - 10 p.m.at the Oswego County BOCES, 179 County

Route 64, Mexico, Oswego County. .

* Wednesday, March 14, 2007: 7 - 10 p.m. at the Ingel Auditorium, in Building

4 (Student Union) on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campus,

Rochester, Monroe County. The meeting is co-hosted by RIT and the Monroe County

Fishery Advisory Board.

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Paul E. McKeown

Fisheries Manager-Region 9

NYS-Department of Environmental Conservation

182 East Union St., Suite 3

Allegany, NY 14706

(716) 372-0645