The debate between those who support stocking walleyes (a native
species) in the Milwaukee River and those who say the walleyes will eat
the baby salmon (an exotic, but important sport species) when they are stocked is raging again this season.
Here's a letter from L.A. (Larry) Van Veghel, outdoor writer and
secretary of the Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing Organizations, to
Bob Riepenhoff, outdoors editor and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel. Larry copied me and a bunch of other writers, so I
assume he wants this disseminated, so here goes...
This is a complicated issue, but from what I've read and heard (mainly
from DNR sources), the impact of walleyes on newly stocked salmon is
negligeable. Walleyes have been making a strong comeback in the river
for the past several years, thanks to stocking efforts and to some
natural reproduction apparently. And yet, chinook fishing has been as
good (or better) as it has ever been. Do your own research and draw
your own conclusions, but keep an open mind. A few hotheads at the
heart of this controversy have done everything but that.
Here's Larry's letter:
Hi Bob,
The Milwaukee River walleye/salmon controversy is rapidly getting
out-of-hand. I can't give you quotable information, but I can report some
very accurate hearsay. This could become the local major outdoor news event of our times. To those
involved, it's just as big of a topic as when the DNR scared us with CWD.
Should this situation crescendo, it could get hot.
Chris Hauser talked to a couple of people from GLSF. They
told him it's the people on the board who are causing the hassle against walleye
stocking. It's not the membership. These gentlemen said that the
members don't have a say on what's going on. Of course, on the board is
Mr. Louis Kowieski.
Gene Schmidt of Walleyes For Tomorrow, Inc. Milw. River Basin
participated in the last Milwaukee River clean-up. Someone from GLSF
contacted the DNR and the told the DNR that
Gene was shocking fish and taking them home.
In no way would Gene ever do such a thing.
Chris Hauser is renting a hall, and he's going to invite all anglers -- both walleye and salmon fans -- to
come and hear Matt Coffaro talk about this problem. The talk is
tentatively entitled "The Truth about Milwaukee River Walleye Stocking."
Contact Chris at 262.860.1004. He can fill you in on all kinds of things
regarding this topic.
The public and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel management, as you
well know, don't take the outdoors seriously. We are more than
just silly old white men who go and do foolish things like sit in a
boat all day or sit on a pail and freeze. We are now joined by all
races and the opposite sex. Per Moose Spearos, when he was
the Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism, fishing is the #1 tourist attraction in
our state. A few years ago, I read that fishing generates more
dollars than the top three watcher sports combined. Yep, fishing brings in
more than baseball, football and basketball combined. It's also the most
universal sport, and it can be practiced for a lifetime. How many people
play football after graduating?
This topic could escalate into something worth your writing focus.
The MJS should give you more space. What ever happened to the Wednesday
column that Jay Reed did? Isn't that space available
anymore?
Regarding GLSF saying that the Wisc. Council of Sport Fishing Org.
had mostly walleye club people represented at the spring meeting, they
neglected to notice that in attendance and also in favor of the walleye stocking
and river clean-up were members of the Wisconsin BASS Federation and
the people from the Lakeshore Fishermen who first pushed for the walleyes.
GLSF Milwaukee Chapter isn't the only Lake Michigan Club. Salmon
Unlimited is a WCSFO member, and we have heard no protest from them
regarding walleye stocking. The Lakeridge Boat Club was also
involved with the Lakeshore Fishing Club in getting walleyes
stocked. Lakeridge is a Lake Michigan fishing club. If GLSF
Milwaukee Chapter wouldn't have dropped out of WCSFO, thanks to Louis, they
would've been able to offer their opinions on the topic, and their vote would've
been counted.
The improvement is river habitat has also greatly improved the smallmouth
bass numbers. I would think the fans of the sturgeon stocking would find
the river clean-up to their benefit too. Have you ever seen the late
1800's photos where commercial fishermen burned huge piles of sturgeon because
the fish were clogging the rivers? I've seen them up at the Rogers
Street Historical Museum in Two Rivers. I'm a member of that
museum organization.
Another event that would be worth looking into is the possibility that
someone from GLSF contacted a lawyer who somehow contacted a politician, quite
possibly Scott Gunderson, and offered him $20,000.00 to stop the stocking of
walleyes in the Milwaukee River.
I hope you can have some fun looking into this mess. I'd be able to
write material, but I work when all of the meetings are being held.
At the Gov. Open this year, Jim Wrolstadt, who founded both
Walleyes Unlimited and the Okauchee Fishing Club and is a
former field editor for Fishing Facts magazine, told me that at a
Conservation Congress meeting, Louis threatened him and wanted to fight
him in the parking lot.
Of course, Jim declined. Being a wise senior citizen, he knows
his limitations.
Take care,
L.A. Van Veghel (Larry)
Secretary & Media Director - WCSFO
9:40:04 PM 
|
|
