Syracuse.com - Oneida Lake Association meeting stresses need for continued awareness, volunteerism

[HuntingNY-News]

The 68th annual meeting of the Oneida Lake Association was held Monday night.

Fish-cormorants remain a concern on Oneida Lake. 

The themes discussed at this year’s annual spring meeting of the Oneida Lake Association Monday included the need for increased volunteerism and awareness concerning the lake and its fishery.

The meeting, held at the Cicero-North Syracuse High School Auditorium, featured the usual update on lake and fishery issues from state Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Biological Field Station and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials.

The experts said the lake’s fishery (walleye, bass, pike and various panfish) remains healthy. Walleye are still the primary species sought by anglers (an estimated 60-70 percent), with bass being the second most popular target (30 percent), according to Randy Jackson, associate director of the Cornell Biological Field Station.

Thanks to the annual stocking of walleye in Oneida from the DEC hatchery in Constantia, the lake has “more than enough fish” to support all the angling pressure it gets, Jackson said. He noted Oneida’s perch population is down a little, but otherwise stable. He said Oneida’s bass population (particularly the smallmouth) has tripled in numbers since the 1970s and 1980s, thanks to warmer water temperatures and clearer water resulting from zebra mussels.

Some of the speakers made references to tight budgets or budget cutbacks, followed up by requests for help by lake users – activities ranging from pulling out invasive plant species such as water chestnuts, reporting poachers and other lawbreakers to the DEC or donating boats and gas for the cormorant harassment program.

“This is the time to work together and be creative,” said Martin Lowney, state director for the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Wildlife Services – the agency that previously oversaw the cormorant harassment program on Oneida before it was cut out of the federal budget in 2010.

David Lemon, regional fisheries manager for DEC's Region 7, was named "Conservationist of the Year" by the Oneida Lake Association for his work in organizing a volunteer team to deal with cormorants on the lake.Patricia Cerro-Reehil 

The past couple of years, David Lemon, regional fisheries biologist at the DEC’s Region 7 office in Cortland office, has worked closely with DEC staff from Region 6 and a cadre of volunteers to count and harass the cormorants on the lake during September. September is the time many of the migrants are passing through the area.

Lemon reported that volunteers are again needed this fall, and that time on the lake may be extended into late August and possibly later In the fall. For his efforts with the program, Lemon was recognized by the Association this year with its “Conservationist of the Year” Award.

Capt. Matt Revenaugh, who heads the Region 7 environmental conservation officer staff, said due to budget cutbacks and retirements, “we’re spread thin and we rely on sportsmen to be our extra eyes and ears on the water.” He emphasized those seeing poachers or any lawbreakers should call the DEC as soon as possible. He recommended using the Poacher Tip Hotline (1-800-TIPP-DEC) or the DEC’s regional number (315-426-7431). Individual conservation officers can also be called, he noted. Their cell phone numbers are listed in the DEC hunting and fishing guides.

Jackson while discussing the lake’s fishery, spoke about the Oneida’s biggest fish – sturgeon. One netted by Cornell staff last year weighed 93 pounds. He said anglers need to keep in mind, though, that they’re a “threatened species” in this state, and that’s it’s illegal for anglers to target or possess them.

This 93-pound sturgeon was netted last spring by staff at the Cornell Biological Field Station.Cornell University 

Jackson said sturgeon, once a native of these waters, were reintroduced into the lake by the DEC in 1995. He said females are finally maturing to the point where they’re beginning to spawn in the lake’s tributaries , such as Fish Creek.

“Females spawn every four years. If you see a big female in one of these tributaries surrounded by splashing males, leave it along,” he said, noting that hooking it might result in stressing the fish so much it won’t spawn that year.

For more on the Oneida Lake Association, see its website.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog