Improving fish habitat in small lakes

fishinChristian · Post by **fishinChristian** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:08 am

So, I was wondering what one or more could do to improve habitat in the smaller lakes, particularly gravel pits like the I-82's. I have built PVC habitat enhancements for private ponds, and seen quality and quantity of fish rise dramatically, but for the public realm, is there any legal way to do so? From what I read in the regs, I don't see one. Any way to get permission?

Post by **Amx** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:50 am

You'd have to call the Mill creek office and find out how to get permission.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 6:48 pm

I was perusing WDFW a few days ago, something about volunteering, some of those are funded through umptyfrats, ...... I think to do it right and legally, you'd have to go/contact your local bio guy at the WDFW and snuggle with him. I know in some lakes they submerge some of those plastic barrels, weighted down, for cats. This part I'm pulling out of my arse, but, there's something about these ESA? permitting processes that has made it more difficult....expensive... if you could piggy back on a state permit, ESA, it may not be hard with cooperation of your bio guy.... enforcement guys haven't been knowledgeable on the subject in the past. I think Mike Schmuck? is your guy to contact if he's still there.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 6:49 pm

volunteering.....you can get a no cost Discovery Pass for about 25 hours.

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:17 pm

maybe it's this SEPA thing instead of ESA... LOL
http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/sepa/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:22 pm

This guy has some interest in Yakima....on a current SEPA permit... Chris Gourley
Biologist
Capital and Asset Management Program
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
(360) 902-8392

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:32 pm

Here's a habitat guy.. Eric Bartrand
[email protected] WDFW
1701 S 24th Ave
Yakima, WA 98902 (509) 457-9310

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:46 pm

These guys are primarily salmon but your area 12 guys may extend into what you're looking at.
http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/volunteer/rfeg/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I did one of these projects with the Pogey Club almost 20 years ago on a Skykomish tributary. Above ground swimming pool was the rearing pond for the smolts, state provided the fertilized eggs, built weirs to keep beavers from clogging the crick.

Some of the cricks entering Lake WA have similar community involvement. ie Denny Creek.

fishinChristian · Post by **fishinChristian** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:03 pm

I'll check some of this out. Thanks.

MarkFS: I ain't snuggling with any bio guy... Heh, did you read that garbage SEPA? Talk about saying little with many words! What was it Twain said about choosing between verbosity and non-disclosure....

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:43 pm

fishinChristian wrote:I'll check some of this out. Thanks.

MarkFS: I ain't snuggling with any bio guy... Heh, did you read that garbage SEPA? Talk about saying little with many words! What was it Twain said about choosing between verbosity and non-disclosure....

LOL Rhetorical, snugglin.... LOL One of those great bio guys called me on a Sunday while I was fishing Lake McMurray a couple years ago to answer a question... heck, he was in E WA working a lake while I was in a boat in W WA. Those guys do work man! The SEPA speak is something, I read more of them a few years back.... most of it is an acknowledgement of receiving info in another source or reference, that, isn't part of the SEPA package. LOL If I recall correctly it's a fed mandate... maybe that's where it fell under ESA??? LOL Mark Twain was a drunk that got chased out of Virginia City, NV and he had ten times the sense of politicians today. LOL

endangered species act

fishinChristian · Post by **fishinChristian** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:30 am

Precisely. And just to be clear, I detest what the government is doing to our freedoms of late, and the red tape especially, but I do know the F&W guys are mostly hard working folk who believe in what they are doing. Any field has exceptions, but most I've met were dedicated professionals. Mark Twain would have loved Robert Hienlien who said "Beware of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss!"

MarkFromSea · Post by **MarkFromSea** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:38 pm

LOL Three cheers for the Bucket of Blood Saloon, Mark Twain and strong drink! LOL

"Virginia City could be considered the "birthplace" of Mark Twain, as it was here in February 1863[11] that writer Samuel Clemens, then a reporter on the local Territorial Enterprise newspaper, first used his famous pen name."

Did Eric Bartrand have any answers for ya FC?

fishinChristian · Post by **fishinChristian** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 7:42 am

Been pretty busy, so haven't reached him yet. I'll post when I do!

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Improving fish habitat in small lakes

Improving fish habitat in small lakes

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