Draft Email to Aquatic Mgmt Plan

[BOGSTER]

Chris,

I am writing in regards to the 2011 Aquatic Plant Mgmt Plan.
First I would like to commend SCDNR and Santee Cooper for their efforts in transplanting Vallisneria on Marion.
This program is crucial in rebounding wildlife habitat.
I am pleased at last year's efforts and look forward to helping this spring and summer.
I would also like to express my displeasure with the increase in white amur.
I believe the increase was due to hydrilla propoganda rather than sound biology, and had hydrilla never been brought up as a management tool, the responses last year would've never reached the number it did.
I request a return to the sustained 12k fish, rather than an increase to 20k, plus an additional 10k this year.
I fear that an increase of that magnitude may jeapordize the vulnerable vallisneria beds once the hydrilla has been controlled.
I realize plants such as coontail and vallisneria are not preferred by amur, but I also have seen them eat less than desirable plants when hydrilla was not present.
I hope that the benefit of wildlife is taken into account when drafting the plan. We have two wonderful lakes, capable of hosting the most diverse inland ecosystem in the state, and I think we should capitalize on it for the benefit of all South Carolinians.

Thank you,



Guys, your responses matter.
Please take the time to send a letter and Post "DONE" in this thread when you have sent it.
I would like to keep a record.

scducks has a lot of members.

Thanks JABIII for giving us a venue to assemble.

[Jay]

It may be somewhere else, but where do we send it?

[WNM]

invasiveweeds@dnr.sc.gov

[BOGSTER]

invasiveweeds@dnr.sc.gov

[jaTant]

Done

[santee11]

Done

[dfasano]

Done

[sbt]

Done

[jwilliams]

done

[deadducks]

Done

[dukhuntr]

Done, I'll spread it around tonight on a couple other sites and see what we can drum up.

[Greco]

Email sent to Chris - changed it up a little and added some other personal verbiage. Otherwise used your letter.

[deadducks]

Last year we were at 20,000 fish system-wide. That is 1 fish for every 8 surface acres. That is considered maintenance mode. We saw increases in both native vegetation and hydrilla. Acreage for submersed vegetation alone is around 10%, with total vegetative coverage in the 17% range.

The hydrilla increase is what is so bothersome. The hydrilla acreage doubled on the main lake system. It actually replaced some of the native eel grass(Vallisneria) in some coves in lower Marion and upper Moultrie. The stocking this year targets 6400 fish just to replenish the existing numbers and keep them at 20,000. An additional 10,000 were to be stocked this year to specifically target the increase in hydrilla, about 400 acres more, or about 25 fish per vegetated acre for the new hydrilla. If left unchecked we will begin the transition to a hydrilla dominated system as the hydrilla will replace the native species such as eel grass and bacopa. The total stocking number for this year is 16,400. The vegetative coverage will be closely monitored for any changes.

The effort to establish additional eel grass is continuing. Santee Cooper and SCDNR staff spent numerous hours on the lakes in an effort to harvest seed for additional plantings in the spring and summer. Techniques are currently being developed to enable us to try and effectively do more as far as the plantings are concerned.

Thanks again for your comments, I will include them with the information to the Aquatic Plant Management Council.

Thanks,
Chris

Got this response

[dfasano]

Last year we were at 20,000 fish system-wide. That is 1 fish for every 8 surface acres. That is considered maintenance mode. We saw increases in both native vegetation and hydrilla. Acreage for submersed vegetation alone is around 10%, with total vegetative coverage in the 17% range.

The hydrilla increase is what is so bothersome. The hydrilla acreage doubled on the main lake system. It actually replaced some of the native eel grass(Vallisneria) in some coves in lower Marion and upper Moultrie. The stocking this year targets 6400 fish just to replenish the existing numbers and keep them at 20,000. An additional 10,000 were to be stocked this year to specifically target the increase in hydrilla, about 400 acres more, or about 25 fish per vegetated acre for the new hydrilla. If left unchecked we will begin the transition to a hydrilla dominated system as the hydrilla will replace the native species such as eel grass and bacopa. The total stocking number for this year is 16,400. The vegetative coverage will be closely monitored for any changes.

The effort to establish additional eel grass is continuing. Santee Cooper and SCDNR staff spent numerous hours on the lakes in an effort to harvest seed for additional plantings in the spring and summer. Techniques are currently being developed to enable us to try and effectively do more as far as the plantings are concerned.

Thanks again for your comments, I will include them with the information to the Aquatic Plant Management Council.

Thanks,
Chris

Got this response

x2

[Greco]

x3

[jwilliams]

Wouldn't hurt to have your wife, son, daughters, mom, dad, grandparents, neighbors, associates, and other registered "Chicago" voters send one too... Also, put in the subject line NO MORE CARP PLEASE.

[dukhuntr]

I got the same response as well, he stated he was sending it to several people that had the same concerns in their letters as well.

[dukhuntr]

Wouldn't hurt to have your wife, son, daughters, mom, dad, grandparents, neighbors, associates, and other registered "Chicago" voters send one too... Also, put in the subject line NO MORE CARP PLEASE.

I plan on working on that tonight! I hope it helps, this is Bull shit about the carp no other states have such baron lakes as our state!

[DUCK MASTER]

done

[jwilliams]

Alternate letter:

Dood, Please don't add any more carp than the 6400 planned. Matter of fact, please scrap them. It takes 2 years to gauge the success after stocking carp. Once they are in, you can't "recall" them. We are excited about the eel grass and coon tail coming back. These carp will start eating the natives, AGAIN, once the little bit of hydrilla is gone...Come on man. Don't poot on my head and tell me it is gusty outside.
Thanks,