Attendees—CLC members or their representatives; Bill Culligan (NYDEC), Joan Duffy (MDNR), Gary Towns (MDNR), Ken Paxton (ODNR), Jack Wingate (MnDNR), David McLeish (OMNR), Rob MacGregor (OMNR), Tom Trudeau (ILDNR), Bill Horns (WDNR), Roger Kenyon (PFBC), Tom Gorenflo (COTFMA), Jim Francis (INDNR), Kelly Smith (MDNR), Tom Stewart (OMNR).

Observers; Vic Gillman (DFO), Dale Burkett (USFWS), Chris Goddard (GLFC), Randy Eshenroder (GLFC), Marc Gaden (GLFC), John Heinrich (GLFC),  Doug Dodge (OMNR), John Gannon (USGS), Gavin Christie (GLFC).

1.  Approval of Agenda, April 1997 CLC Minutes, and 1998 Lakes Committee Executive

Goddard asked for agenda time to discuss a tagging symposium, Burkett asked to discuss the fish stocking data base, and Gillman requested time to update everyone on Canadian funding. MacGregor asked whether the CGLFA could approve fish community objectives. Goddard replied that this question will be taken up at the next meeting of the Council. The 1997 minutes were approved.

2.  GLFC  responses to 1997 Lake Committee concerns

Members will mail comments directly to Dochoda.

3.a. St. Marys River sea lamprey program

Heinrich briefed on the treatments of the St. Marys River scheduled for 1998 and 1999. This effort will not diminish treatment in the other lakes. He also stated that a peer review of the treatment plan will be undertaken. The plan and review will be distributed to members. Culligan reiterated the LEC’s concern regarding increased fish marking rates in Lake Erie. MacGregor echoed the same concern for Lake Ontario. Heinrich stated that these problems will be evaluated.

3.b. Canadian Funding

Gillman reported that GLFC’s 1999 budget contribution from Canada will be increased for one year by $850,000 Cdn.

4.  Private Aquaculture Protocol

Goddard will contact A. Kapuscinski and secure the most-up-to-date draft of the protocol for the annual meeting in June and for the CLC for their purview. A special meeting for discussion may be needed perhaps by the fall.
 

5.  Fish Habitat Policy

Dodge reported that good progress was being made on a revision of the GLFC’s habitat policy. When completed it will be distributed for review by the CLC. A preliminary approval of a penultimate draft from commissioners will be sought in June.

6.  Underwater logging

Wingate reported that the LSC thought that each agency should provide for its own guidelines. Gillman said that his agency was developing guidelines.
Dodge suggested a sharing of agency guidelines. HAB was willing to collect and distribute agency policies. Agencies should send their policies to the secretariat.

7.  Incorporation of Fish Community Objectives in LaMPs

MacGregor said that the LEC decided to forge their own environmental objectives separate from the LaMP. A major problem after several years was lack of progress with environmental agencies on the issue of phosphorus levels. He foresaw that FCOs would eventually be incorporated into the Lake Erie LaMP. On Lake Ontario, the recently tabled FCOs are jump-starting the LaMP process, and a meeting with LaMP officials is scheduled for May said Stewart. Trudeau thought that incorporation would not be a problem on Lake Michigan—the Lake Michigan LaMP has been operating for a long time and those involved were cooperative. Gorenflo suggested that it would behoove each lake committee to work on their environmental objectives as much as possible in anticipation of incorporation. In a follow-up, Dodge thought that agreement on environmental objectives within each lake committee was a logical precursor to eventual incorporation within LaMPs. Several members saw that technical resolution was needed before meaningful quantitative environmental objectives could be developed. Towns sought established guidelines for Lake St. Clair, and Dodge referred him to the HAB-sponsored workshop.

8.  Environmental objectives and needs for HAB assistance

Dodge noted that the LEC was interested in direct (financial) support from HAB, and other lake committees were encouraged to seek their support. Letters seeking HAB support and including a budget and itemized needs should be sent to Goddard by 5 May. Representatives from lakes Erie, Ontario, Superior, St. Clair, and Michigan indicated an interest.

9.  EEVD diagnostics tool

Burkett stated that an internal USFWS letter sought to have the associated research transferred to the Columbia lab.

10.   Early Mortality Syndrome

Goddard reported that an award from the Michigan Trust to research EMS would be administered through the GLFC. This project should lead to a major advance of the associated science. Gorenflo noted that agencies would still need to coordinate field collections and support the involvement of their fish health experts. Eshenroder said that BOTE will be implementing a coordination task for EMS.

11.   Law Enforcement

Goddard reported that the GLFC will purchase software for collaborative use by law enforcement agencies. Also, Canadian Coast Guard vessels will be available for fisheries and law enforcement work.

12.  Law enforcement effectiveness and reporting arrangements

The relevance of having law enforcement officers attend lake committee meeting was questioned. Officers also had difficulty in traveling out of state/province said MacGregor. It was agreed that the CLC would initiate a letter to enforcement chiefs pointing out the need for out-of-agency-jurisdiction travel; CLC members will be carbon copied. MacGregor urged lake committee members to participate in law enforcement meetings.

13.  SCOL II

Eshenroder reported that candidate PIs have been selected for this exercise and that the GLFC will be making a funding decision in June. Dodge said some overlap/time conflict may occur with a SOLEC meeting scheduled for the fall of 2000. Christie noted that SLIC II was also scheduled for 2000.

14.  USGS—BRD Great Lakes Science Center draft five-year strategy

Gannon announced that Nancy Kasselbaum is the new director for the GLSC. A new initiative resulted in funding for the GLSC and the USFWS. GLSC obtained an increase of $1 million, which will be devoted to undertaking the five-year strategy. Maintaining and improving the vessel operations is the top priority. Two vessels require major overhauls. Four research priorities identified by the LSC committee are also important to the GLSC.

15.  1997 revisions to SGLFMP

Goddard reported that a delay in publication of the new plan was caused by the time required to secure signatures. A one-page fact sheet will be distributed at the annual meeting. The new plan will come out as a special publication.
 

16.  Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act

Goddard said that the act was not amended by Congress despite an effort to obtain it. Another attempt should be made and it would be important for the CLC vice chair to may a presentation before the congressional subcommittee.

17.  Coordination Activities Program

The LSC, LEC, and LOC will be or are anticipating submitting proposals.

18.  Mechanism for advising USFWS on priority projects for funding

Burkett reported that $75,000 is available for funding proposals advocated by the CLC in FY 1998. A 25% match is required. Proposals are needed by March in subsequent fiscal years. Proposals over budget for the Coordination Activities Program could be submitted to the USFWS or the CAP could be used for the match. Projects for FY 1998 should be developed by mid July. Because of timing considerations, use of the CAP for the match was preferred. The secretariat was authorized to act on behalf of the CLC for FY 1997 proposals.

19.  Serving committee reports on the internet

Gaden asked whether lake committee reports should be placed on the GLFC  website. Agency reports should go on agency websites and be linked to the GLFC’s website. If full reports are not appropriate, titles or abstracts may still be useful. Serving task group reports (e.g., Yellow Perch Task Group) needed further discussion among lake committees—individual reports will be handled on a case-by-case basis by each lake committee.

20.  Communications strategy

A workshop sponsored by the CGLFA will be held on May 1 in Chicago to develop a communications plan as specified in the revised SGLFMP.

21.  UN Code of Conduct for Fisheries

Informational item.

22.  Terms of Reference for CGLFA

An issue involving the terms of reference of the CGLFA concerning their involvement in consultation on fishery management issues was explained by Goddard. The CLC will point out to the CGLFA in a letter the potential difficulty with the consultation language. Goddard will provide a draft letter for the CLC chair.

23.  Lakes conferences

A suggestion to have the lake conferences in conjunction with the annual meeting of IAGLR was a possible venue. Each lake committee will decide on venue. The conference schedule is: LMC, 2000; LHC, 2001; and the other lakes will be held 5 years after publication of their FCOs.

24.  Great Lakes Fish Stocking Database (added item)

Burkett reported that 5,000 records have been added to the 12,000 records already in the database at the Green Bay office. It will take several months to complete.

25.  Coded-wire-tag conference (added item)

Goddard will be putting together a proposal for a half-day session at the upper lakes and lower lakes on the latest tagging technology.

26.  Meeting schedule

The lower lakes meetings, with a half-day session on tagging technology, will be held 29-31 March in the Niagara Falls area. The upper lakes meetings, with a session of tagging, will be held 22-26 March in Milwaukee. The CLC meeting will be held on 21 April.

27.  Agency news

Wingate stated that he was replacing Jack Skrypek as Minnesota’s representative on the LSC. Gillman reported that 14 PYs were being added to DFO’s freshwater research capability.
 

RLE
15 April 1998