N. Cook
11-17-2006, 01:11 PM
The combined agencies public meeting had a good attendance of guides, anglers, business owners and UW-F for the duck hunters.
The history of aquatic plant control on the lake was traced from the 1890's by Ken Langeland from the Univ. of FL. The culprit then was water hyacinth which literally choked rivers, lakes and canals all across the south US. Giant steam driven machines were used by the USACE in vain attempt to clear routes for transportation.
It was in the late 1940's before chemicals were developed to fight the invader, and they continue to be used to this day with a few others targeted at water lettuce and hydrilla...later exotics introduced from Asia and other areas.
Dan Thayer (who we thanked for cleaning up the water lettuce in STA 3/4 before the season) gave the SFWMD presentation. Jeremy Crossland, USACE biologist (and UW-F membefr) gave the Corps. presentation and Don Fox, FWC gave that presentation.
The gist of the matter is that submergent vegetation has not been targeted for years and will not be in the forseeable future. Targets remain water lettuce and hyacinth, with specific areas of cattail monoculture to be cleared. All this is advantageous to the lake and the habitat.
However, there remains great discontent within the stakeholders. It seems most of it is due to "reported" indiscriminate spraying by the contractor applicators employees. All agencies gave phone numbers for reports of such incidences when observed.
There will be full fledged public meetings on the issue in Feb....one in Clewiston and one in Okeechibee. UW-F members who hunt and fish on the lake are encouraged to attend. Info will be posted when available.
The history of aquatic plant control on the lake was traced from the 1890's by Ken Langeland from the Univ. of FL. The culprit then was water hyacinth which literally choked rivers, lakes and canals all across the south US. Giant steam driven machines were used by the USACE in vain attempt to clear routes for transportation.
It was in the late 1940's before chemicals were developed to fight the invader, and they continue to be used to this day with a few others targeted at water lettuce and hydrilla...later exotics introduced from Asia and other areas.
Dan Thayer (who we thanked for cleaning up the water lettuce in STA 3/4 before the season) gave the SFWMD presentation. Jeremy Crossland, USACE biologist (and UW-F membefr) gave the Corps. presentation and Don Fox, FWC gave that presentation.
The gist of the matter is that submergent vegetation has not been targeted for years and will not be in the forseeable future. Targets remain water lettuce and hyacinth, with specific areas of cattail monoculture to be cleared. All this is advantageous to the lake and the habitat.
However, there remains great discontent within the stakeholders. It seems most of it is due to "reported" indiscriminate spraying by the contractor applicators employees. All agencies gave phone numbers for reports of such incidences when observed.
There will be full fledged public meetings on the issue in Feb....one in Clewiston and one in Okeechibee. UW-F members who hunt and fish on the lake are encouraged to attend. Info will be posted when available.