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Mission
The mission of the NCAFS Chapter, Environmental Concerns Committee is to promote the conservation and responsible management of aquatic species and their habitat, to identify actions that may harm or benefit an aquatic resource, to consider an advocacy position when deemed necessary, and to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, information, and concerns through committee meetings, the NCAFS newsletter, and paper correspondence. Dave McHenry, Chair, NCWRC,
david.mchenry@ncwildlife.org Current Issues The Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) met on December 3, 2007 at the Baker Engineering office in Asheville and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission Office in Raleigh to discuss fishery related issues and topics to monitor or possibly address in the near future. They included, in part, a proposal to deepen the Cape Fear River at Southport, implications of amenity lakes on riverine fisheries, beach renourishment, possible changes in compensatory stream and wetland mitigation approaches, reclassification of brook trout supporting streams, and arising water availability issues in the Broad River and other basins (meeting notes). Since the December meeting, the ECC has requested that the NCDENR, Division of Water Quality reclassify several streams in the New and Watauga river basins that support wild brook trout to the “Tr” standard (see below). The ECC also wrote a letter encouraging effective implementation of Session Law (S.L.) 2008-143 to help conserve fishery habitats in the face of ongoing and future droughts in North Carolina (see below). New! Become Informed Wildlife in North Carolina Magazine graciously has allowed the ECC to post articles about arising environmental issues for fish resources in North Carolina. Take a look and learn more about invasive and introduced species, brook trout, and the hemlock wooly adelgid. Addressed Issues Reclassification of Trout Streams As in 2008 for the New and Watauga River Basins petition, the ECC compiled fishery survey data from the Catwaba and Yadkin River Basins and sent through the NCAFS Chapter president a petition to NCDENR to reclassify streams supporting trout that are currently not classified as trout supporting waters to the “Tr” standard. The “Tr” standard helps protect trout habitat in part by requiring, with some exceptions, a minimum 25-foot wide undisturbed vegetated buffer between land disturbing activity and classified streams. The ECC is planning to extend this petition effort to other mountain river basins in the future. Implementation of Water Conservation Measures to Address Drought As of early 2009, western North Carolina remains in a drought that has substantially reduced stream flows and fishery habitats in the region. These effects, which are exacerbated by the competing priority needs of drinking water supplies and agricultural and industrial uses, make it imperative that fishery resources be considered during drought responses. Therefore, a letter of concern was sent through the NCAFS Chapter president to the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) and North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) that encourages full and effective implementation Session Law (S.L.) 2008-143. This legislation mandates, in part, the adoption of water supply and shortage plans by local governments and formation of a Drought Management Advisory Council, which will include fishery professionals. See Response Emergency Watershed Protection The U.S. Department of Agriculture implements the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program to protect life and property following natural disasters. It was most recently implemented in North Carolina in 2004 following major flooding in western North Carolina from tropical storms Frances and Ivan. At the 2006 NCAFS Annual meeting the membership voted to approve a resolution that encourages the use of sustainable, natural methods to restore flood damaged streams during future implementations of the EWP program in the state. Floodplain Mining in the Mountains The ECC identified floodplain mining along mountain streams as a significant threat to fishery resources. Primary concerns involve the removal of riparian zone vegetation, which is important to stream channel stability and thermal properties, and floodplain instability and habitat deterioration this activity causes during major floods. In response, the ECC submitted a letter to the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Division of Land Resources to investigate this activity and take measures, as appropriate, to curtail the fishery habitat damage it causes. Environmental Commission’s Water Quality Classifications Accurate classifications of waters are critical to the conservation of existing aquatic resources in North Carolina. Many waters are misclassified or in need of reevaluation to reflect the aquatic life they support. The ECC encouraged the timely classification and reclassification of waters in North Carolina by the Division of Water Quality. ECC Comments. US Forest Service OHV Rule The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service released for public comment a Draft Policy on Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use in National Forests and Grasslands that would formally establish nationally consistent procedures for the establishment of OHV roads, trails and areas and prohibit OHV use in areas not designated. The ECC supported the expected conservation benefits of the proposal and encouraged the application of fisheries and other biological information in the selection and management of OHV areas. ECC Comments. Sedimentation Symposium and Resolution The Environmental Concerns Committee hosted a special symposium on sedimentation issues in the Southeast US during the Southern Division Spring Meeting, which was hosted by the NCAFS and held on February 12-16, 2003 in Wilmington, NC. Keynote speaker for the symposium was Dr. Charles Rabeni. As follow-up to that symposium, a resolution on reducing sedimentation was approved at the NCAFS Annual Meeting in 2004. At the 2003 NC AFS Annual meeting, the membership approved a resolution on the issue of introduced aquatic species (Resolution). In-stream Sand and Gravel Mining To initiate discussions on the issue of in-stream sand and gravel mining, the ECC, in cooperation with the NCAFS, hosted an In-stream Sand and Gravel Mining workshop and symposium at the 2002 NCAFS Annual Meeting in Huntersville, NC. At that meeting, the membership also approved a position statement on in-stream mining. A video of the in-stream mining forum is available for loan from the current chair of the ECC. At the 2002 NCAFS Annual Meeting held in Huntersville, NC, the membership of NCAFS voted to approve a resolution that expressed concerns about and need for further evaluation of a proposed dual jetty system at Oregon Inlet, NC. Major concerns raised by the membership included potential negative affects the jetty system would have on the fish populations. |
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