REGION 9 FISH AND WILDLIFE MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS. November, 2015

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1 REGION 9 FISH AND WILDLIFE MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS November, 2015 NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF FISH, WILDLIFE & MARINE RESOURCES Natural Resources Supervisor Paul McKeown Fisheries Manager Mike Clancy Wildlife Manager Ken Baginski 1 Compiled by Janine Greene

2 NEW YORK FISH, WILDLIFE & MARINE RESOURCE GOALS FOR 2015 ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION GOAL STRATEGIES PROTECT, ENHANCE AND RESTORE NEW YORK'S FISH, WILDLIFE, MARINE RESOURCES AND THE ECOSYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT THEM. RESEARCH AND MONITORING Eastern Hellbender Restoration DEC Wildlife staff continue to release and monitor headstarted Eastern Hellbenders within the Allegheny River watershed in order to supplement wild hellbender populations at historic and depleted sites. Hellbenders, a state listed species of special concern, were carefully reared for several years in a controlled laboratory environment from eggs collected in the wild by DEC. This Hellbender headstart program was done in an effort to increase their early survival. The project began in 2009 when DEC awarded a contract to the Buffalo Zoo to be the propagation facility for a hellbender "head-starting" program. High larval survival rates in this captive environment, enabled young Hellbenders to be released back into the wild in 2011, 2012 and In 2014, staff placed 22 headstarted Hellbenders in cages within selected streams for soft-release. During April-October 2015, surviving Hellbenders were removed from the cages and monitored upon release. At least 17 of these 22 hellbenders survived, and at least 8 stayed within the monitoring areas. Region 9 staff will continue work in an effort to increase survival and site fidelity of Eastern Hellbenders in Western NY. Job 3.5: Invertebrates Good water quality and the protection of unique critical habitat sites are necessary for the survival of young hellbenders such as this one. Streams with abundant large, flat rocks provide excellent habitat for hellbenders. The rocks provide cover and nesting sites. (Photo: Ken Roblee) Bureau of Wildlife Anne Rothrock

3 PROTECTION Protection of Waters Permitting Set forth in the Environmental Conservation Law Title 5 of Article 15, is to preserve and protect New York s lakes, rivers, streams and ponds. This policy is implemented by the Protection of Waters Regulatory Program, which is designed to prevent undesirable activities on protected water bodies by establishing and enforcing regulations and standards. Region 9 Bureau of Fisheries staff performed Article 15 permit activities as follows: Preapplications Reviews Permit Site County Biologist Inspections Violations Allegany Clancy Cattaraugus Cornett Chautauqua Legard Erie Legard Todd Niagara Todd Wyoming Cornett Legard Bureau of Fisheries Young Forest Initiative DEC recently launched the Young Forest Initiative (YFI) with a goal of considerably increasing suitable habitat on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) for wildlife that need young forests. Game species such as Woodcock, Ruffed Grouse, Turkeys, and snowshoe hare all rely on this type of habitat, as do many species of songbirds. Population declines of these species can be linked to declines in the amount of early successional habitats that they require for foraging, and brood habitat. To address this, the YFI program will create, and maintain habitat on WMA s so that 10% of the forested area on each WMA will remain as Young Forest. Forest cuts will create a diversity of forest age classes that will expand the habitat available to valuable game and nongame species, and increase recreational opportunities for the enjoyment of these species. The Young Forest staff in Region 9 is focused on completing both habitat and forest stand inventories on WMA s throughout the region. Three staff members, Nick Brown, Justin Kindt, and Greg Ecker are updating inventory data on Canadaway Creek WMA (Chautauqua Co.), Hanging Bog WMA (Allegany Co.), and Keeney Swamp WMA (Allegany Co.) Complete inventories have been done for Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area (MUA) (Wyoming Co), as well as Genesee Valley WMA (Allegany County), and Harwood Lake MUA (Cattaraugus County). Inventory data will be used in conjunction with other ecological factors to select the best forest stands to be selected for young forest management in the near future. DEC Young Forest staff is using the inventory data to construct Habitat Management Plans (HMPs) for each Wildlife Habitat Management Area enrolled in the Young Forest Program. A majority of this program in 3

4 late 2015 has concentrated on finishing the Hanging Bog WMA HMP in order to achieve the goal of beginning Young Forest management of the WMA forest stands in Nick Brown, YFI Forest Tech 2, using a clinometer in the field to measure slope. Justin Kindt, YFI Forester, using a tree scale stick to measure tree diameter at breast height. Bureau of Wildlife Justin Kindt Freshwater Wetlands Region 9 Bureau of Wildlife staff performed Article 24 activities as follows: County Activity Allegany Cattaraugus Chautauqua Erie Niagara Wyoming Delineations Violations Permit Reviews During this period, Region 9 Wetlands staff, Chuck Rosenburg, Anne Rothrock and Angela Driscoll completed 16 wetland determinations/delineations of state-regulated freshwater wetland 4

5 boundaries. DEC responded to 21 inquiries about the possible occurrence of state-regulated freshwater wetlands and potential unmapped wetlands (i.e., wetlands meeting NYSDEC criteria but which are not yet mapped) on properties in the region, including seven Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. Wetlands staff reviewed 12 Article 24 freshwater wetland permit applications for proposed development projects in Region 9 counties. We also continued to review Article 24 applications for several projects initiated at earlier dates and attended meetings to discuss those and more recent permit applications. Region 9 Wetlands staff assisted Environmental Conservation Officers and Legal staff with investigating seven recent complaints of Article 24 violation/permit non-compliance issues in Region 9 Counties during this time period. In addition, we continued to work on resolving several previously initiated wetlands enforcement actions. Wetlands staff inspected 27 sites during this period to assess compliance with conditions of Article 24 Freshwater Wetland permits and consent orders. The inspections identified 11 sites with non-compliance concerns. Staff followed up with letters and telephone calls in an effort to bring the sites into compliance. Delineation of vernal pool beginning to recharge with water, Grand Island, Erie County. Compliance inspection of European black alder treatment area, Buckhorn State Park, Grand Island. Bureau of Wildlife Chuck Rosenburg RESTORATION & HABITAT MANAGEMENT Allegheny Reservoir WMA To provide better access for sportsmen and regional wildlife staff, a bridge was built over Bone Run Creek at the Allegheny Reservoir Wildlife Management Area in the Town of South Valley in Cattaraugus County. Allegheny Reservoir WMA was part of the lands acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that created the Allegheny Reservoir from the construction of the 5

6 Kinzua Dam. Since 1992, the property has been leased to the DEC and is managed by Region 9 Bureau of Wildlife. Half of the area is forested with mixed hardwoods and conifers and the remaining half is comprised of brush land and grassland. New Bridge over Bone Creek Allegheny Reservoir WMA grasslands Bureau of Wildlife Emilio Rende Carlton Hill MUA Approximately 15 acres of Early Successional Habitat (ESH) was created by brush cutting with a Bobcat Forestry Cutter at Carlton Hill Multiple Use Area, in the Town of Middlebury in Wyoming County. Carlton Hill MUA is located three miles north of the Village of Warsaw in the Town of Middlebury, Wyoming County. The area comprises abandoned farmland interspersed with scattered small woodlots. Fifteen-acre area on Carlton Hill WMA Before cutting 6

7 Fifteen-acre area on Carlton Hill WMA After cutting Bureau of Wildlife Emilio Rende RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS Rewrite of Statewide Brook Trout Management Plan Begins The statewide brook trout management plan, written in 1979, had never been updated. This original plan dealt almost exclusively with pond and lake fisheries, mainly in the Adirondacks. A three person team, headed by the Coldwater Unit leader, with input from other Albany and Regional staff, have begun updating the plan. A working draft is planned to be completed by April 1, The updated plan will cover management of both stocked and wild brook trout fisheries statewide and this time will include streams, which represent a substantial portion of NY s total brook trout resource. Extensive research, modeling and sampling efforts in NY in recent years have Wild brook trout. yielded much greater understanding of the range, needs and threats for wild brook trout populations. Much of this work has occurred in conjunction with the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture. Bureau of Fisheries Scott Cornett GOAL RESOURCE USE AND ALLOCATION PROVIDE A WIDE ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY FISH, WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES. 7

8 STRATEGIES Connect New Yorkers to Nature RECREATIONAL USE Deer Check Regional wildlife staff operated the deer check station in Holland the first two days of the regular season, November 21 and 22. Approximately, 150 deer were checked. Hunters voluntarily stopped at the Check Station along Route 16, where DEC staff determined deer age and collected other important biological and harvest information. Technicians from NYS Dept. of Health were also present at the check station and examined deer for ticks, and collected samples to test for Lyme disease. With black bear season opening the same day as deer season again this year; staff also checked harvested black bears. Emilio Rende, Mike Koch, Greg Ecker, Ken Baginski, and Gary Klock at deer check station, opening weekend. Wildlife staff check deer at deer processors to collect data such as age, antler information, and harvest information from deer tags. Ann Wilcox-Swanson prepares to check deer in Niagara County. Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal neurological disease in deer, elk and moose. It poses a serious threat to the deer population in NY. Preventing it from entering NY is the most effective disease management strategy. The Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources has conducted a CWD surveillance program since The highest priority of this program is to collect and test sick and abnormal acting deer to determine if these animals have CWD. In addition, CWD samples are collected from hunter-killed deer during the open season. DEC annually examines 1,500 to 2,000 deer specimens to monitor for the presence of CWD. These white-tailed deer 8

9 heads are collected from cooperating deer processors in order to obtain a representative sample of the herd. Retropharyngeal Lymph Nodes are removed from all the collected specimens, and sent to the TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy) Lab at Cornell, which is part of the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Sample collection began as soon as archery season started in Region 8 and 9, October 1, and ended November 19. Region 8 and 9 personnel met weekly at the John White Game Farm facility to process samples and send them to Cornell for testing; 542 samples from Region 8 and 437 from Region 9 were submitted this fall. A copy of the DEC CWD Surveillance Plan is available on the DEC website. Job 2.3: Bear Jacquie Walters (Reg. 9) Art Kirsch (Reg. 8), and Kathy Kirsch (Reg. 8) process deer data for CWD surveillance Emilio Rende and Peter Iacono remove the tonsils from a deer head collected from a deer processor for routine surveillance. Bureau of Wildlife Connie Adams GOAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE MINIMIZE FISH, WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCE-RELATED NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON NATURAL RESOURCES; AND HUMAN HEALTH, SAFETY, AND LAND USE. STRATEGIES WILDLIFE AND HUMAN HEALTH Fish Collections for Contaminant Analysis In some water bodies, fish may contain chemicals that could be harmful to human health. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) issues advice to help people make healthier choices about eating the fish they catch in certain New York waters. Regional DEC fisheries 9

10 staff routinely collect specific fish species, which are then sent to the DEC Hale Creek Field Station for contaminant analysis. Contaminant monitoring needs for 2015 included brown trout and lake trout from the western basin of Lake Ontario. Collection efforts focused on tributaries where these trout migrate to spawn. On November 2nd, Region 9 Fisheries staff collected ten brown trout from Eighteenmile Creek by electrofishing. On November 17th and 18th, ten lake trout from the lower Niagara River were obtained with the help of a local angler and charter captain. Following testing at the Hale Creek laboratory, DOH will update the specific consumption advisories if contaminant levels have changed. Current consumption advisories are available on the internet at Bureau of Fisheries Michael Todd Type E. Botulism Surveys During the first week of November, Wildlife technician staff Jacquie Walters, Ann Wilcox- Swanson, and biologist Connie Adams conducted annual Type E Botulism surveys along the shorelines of Lakes Erie and Ontario. This disease has been and remains responsible for extensive waterfowl and some fish kills, mostly affecting waterbirds like gulls, ducks, loons, mergansers, and cormorants. Affected birds typically die from drowning after becoming paralyzed by botulinum toxin in the fish they are eating. The most common fish being consumed is the round goby, an invasive species that accumulates toxin by feeding primarily on invasive mussels on the lake bottom. The toxin is generated by Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that may grow in decomposing algae and other organic matter in the vicinity of mussel beds. This disease has been and remains responsible for extensive waterfowl and some fish kills, first noticed in Region 9 initiated surveys this fall, prompted by the deaths of waterbirds found along the shores of Lake Ontario in Wayne, Oswego and Jefferson counties since mid-october. During these surveys, staff walk 13, 500 meter transects of shoreline on Lake Erie and 6 transects on Lake Ontario, in search of dead or sick waterfowl, which might indicate that Type E Botulism outbreak is present. Any carcasses found are submitted to the NYSDEC Wildlife Health Unit for testing. Common Loons are often hit the hardest by botulism, such as in 2002 when thousands died of Botulism, and were found washed up on the Lake Erie and Ontario shorelines. During the surveys this year, Region 9 staff only found one dead Common Loon along Lake Erie which was found not to have died from Botulism E, but from lead poisoning after ingesting a lead sinker. Jacquie Walters on Botulism transect on Lake Erie, Chautauqua County. 10

11 Common Loons are fish-eating waterbirds that are often killed during Botulism outbreaks on the Great Lakes. Bureau of Wildlife J. Walters/C. Adams Region 9 Natural Resources Paul McKeown Region 9 Fisheries Staff Mike Clancy Scott Cornett Michael Todd Christopher Legard James Zanett Justin Brewer Amanda Wagner Kyle Keys Natural Resources Supervisor Regional Fisheries Manager Fisheries Biologist Fisheries Biologist Fisheries Biologist Principal Fisheries Technician Seasonal Fisheries Technician Seasonal Fisheries Technician Seasonal Fisheries Technician Region 9 Wildlife Staff Emilio Rende Connie Adams Anne Rothrock Chuck Rosenburg Greg Ecker Justin Kindt Nick Brown Gary Klock Mike Koch Eric Maringer Jacqueline, Walters Sean Rockefeller Angie Driscoll Kyle Keys Alex Zerbian Iacono, Peter Demo, Shane Kate Harrington Wildlife Biologist, Stewardship & Land Mgt. Wildlife Biologist Wildlife Biologist-Wetlands Program Wildlife Biologist-Ecology, Wetlands Program Wildlife Biologist-Young Forest Initiative Program Forester-Young Forester Initiative Program Forester-Young Forester Initiative Program Fish & Wildlife Technician II Fish & Wildlife Technician Seasonal Clerk, Sportsman Education 11

12 Region 9 Niagara River Habitat Specialist Tim DePriest Niagara River Habitat Improvement Specialist Lake Erie Unit Fisheries Staff Don Einhouse Jim Markham Jason Robinson Doug Zeller Brian Beckwith Rich Zimar Ginger Szwejbka Carrie Babcock Jon Draves Ann Wilcox-Swanson Lake Erie Unit Leader Fisheries Biologist Fisheries Biologist Research Vessel Captain Senior Fisheries Technician Senior Fisheries Technician Secretary Seasonal Fish Technician Seasonal Fish Technician Seasonal Fish Technician Vacant Items Fisheries Habitat Biologist Fisheries Biologist (2) positions State Wildlife Grants Biologist Regional Wildlife Manager Wildlife Biologist Senior Fisheries Technician 12