Subject: Re: hatchery bird predator control
Date: Apr 10 22:51:49 1997
From: "Martha Jordan" - marthaj at premier1.net


It appears that even after 30 years the fish hatcheries in Oregon are
still conducting "predator control as usual". I lived at two fish
hatcheries in Oregon for about three years. During that time the policy
was to kill herons, kingfishers, mergansers and other fish eating birds and
mammals.
At the time, in addition to shotguns and slingshots they used a pole with
a leg hold trap on top to catch kingfishers. It also caught owls and other
raptors at times. I got this practice stopped at both places I lived.
Some staff also went out of their way to take mergansers off site, pursuing
them onto the nearby river. Herons were just shot on sight.
While some of this has been curtailed it appears that not enough has been
done to deal with the hatchery-bird problem. It has been documented that
various methods of "covers" for the ponds can deter many birds.
Contructing strings of lines across the ponds has been effective in many
places. Other types of barriers can be put up for herons. Yes, these add
to the cost of rearing fish. When you put out a banquet you cannot expect
hungry critters to stay away.
I find it sad that we continue to support hatcheries to rear fish for
release to be harvested later, yet cannot find a solution to the fact that
these fish rearing facilities continue to harvest birds so fisherman can
fish and we can eat trout and salmon.

Martha Jordan

----------
> From: Mike Patterson <mpatters at orednet.org>
> To: halroth at teleport.com
> Cc: obol at mail.orst.edu; tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: loons being killed by Wash. officials
> Date: Wednesday, April 09, 1997 6:04 PM
>
>
>
> I can't speak for what goes on in Washington, but the Oregon Department
of
> Fish and Wildlife has the authority to remove problem predators around
> fish hatcheries. The species most often targeted are Great Blue Herons.
>
> However, I recently had an uplifting chat with one of the managers of the
> Big Creek Hatchery near Astoria. He said that current policy regarding
> Belted Kingfishers was to let a pair set up a territory, the pair will
> run off all other kingfishers and other small fish predators.
>
> He also told me that they encourage dippers at the hatchery, because they
> feed mostly on dead fingerlings caught in the drain grates.
>
> These two changes alone speak volumes about the progressive changes in
> management policy.
>
> As to Great Blue Herons... I've seen them camp out at hatcheries and
stuff
> themselves...
> I can sympathize with hatchery managers forced to get aggressive even
though
> I would lobby for more creative solutions.
>
>
> >
> >Found this on my Raptor listserv. today and I'm posting to Tweeters and
> >Obol in hopes someone will say it isn't so!
> > Judy Stone-RothFrom: "Sandy J.
> >Lupo" <goshawk at i-link-2.net>
> >Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 19:12:57 -0700
> >Subject: RR: death
> >
> >I experenced one of thoes moments that make you stand back and just
> >pause for a moment. I was checking out a job at a state hatchery
> >here in washington when I noticed a large object in the water. I walked
> >down and raised up a Common Loon. Everything was perfect about the
> >bird; all bones in place, eyes good, wings and joints felt good and
> >moved freely. Everything was fine except for the part of the birds head
> >that took a shotgun blast. I layed the loon in the back of my truck
> >and took it to the hatchery personnal. A person at the hatchery said
> >the birds are shot by a dept. of Agriculture hazer to cut down on the
> >amount of fish lost at the hatchery.
> >Now don't get me wrong I love to hunt, fish and fly my bird. I'm not a
> >tree hugger, but there is something that just rubbed me wrong about
> >killing loons. Do the dept. of Agriculture folks also shoot Bald Eagles
> >and Ospreys? While rehabbers are fixing their shooting. Sorry for the
> >soap box.
> >
> >Yours in feathers
> >
> >Clarence
> >
> >------------------------------
> >
> >End of raptors.digest V1 #118
> >*****************************
> >
> >***************************************************
> >"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul."
> > -Edward Abbey
> >***************************************************
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
> *********************************** I got the blues so bad one time
> * Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * it put my face in a permanent
frown
> * mpatters at orednet.org * but I am feelin' so much better
> *http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters* I could cake-walk into town