Beaver Island vs Motor Island

[Jim Kinner]

  

 The link between protecting the trees on Strawberry Island and muskellunge conservation is pertinent. The large trees hold soil and and slow erosion. The island breaks the current, and protects a large shallow flats area that is an important spawning area for many types of fish. Over the years, some rip rap strengthening of portions of the shoreline have been installed to help in it's preservation, but the trees are very Important here.Our group has always fought to save Strawberry.

  Motor Island, is a different story. Long and narrow, with substantial shoreline hardening, (for now) It only produces a narrow finger off of it's northern shore. The islands trees are one of the largest local nesting colonies for fish eating birds. Cormorants, Herons and Egrets can be seen here, often in the hundreds. I enjoy watching them. Getting a cormorant on film underwater has long been a goal of mine.

Last night was the first I had heard about the Motor island tree wrapping project. I could speculate that the birds who live in those trees remove a couple tons of fish each year from that area. Now, the Birds are nature, and they need to be respected. They also need eat more than I need to catch a fish. Beaver have to eat, as well. If the critters down some nesting trees, I'm ok with it. I could reasonably assume it's nature balancing things.

Just my opinion.

                       

 

[John Jarosz]

dammmmm, that's a good take on the situation and to tell you the truth, I've been thinking about it most of the afternoon (nice goin') & my wife is wondering why I've suddenly turned into a useless blubbering human being.  I'm going to think about it some more because I think you've hit on a point that's been discussed for many years that deals between nature and people's intrusion into it (or not to intrude onto it).  I keep thinking of my college years when I went to the College of ES & F in Syracuse in the early '70's & we had quite a classroom discussion on how much people should get involved in slowing down erosion (really protecting) Niagara Falls in order to protect the park for people's enjoyment or do we let it go "naturally" the way nature meant it to erode and eventually fade away.  Terrapin Point at the Falls was a good example of what to do or what not to do.  I think that's the same question now.  What do we protect (or even should we), and what don't we protect & let nature take it's course?  I don't think there's a definite answer to that but I'm going to dwell on it some more.  You've made a real good thoughtful point & have given me a lot to think about, and I appreciate that.

Hey, have a good time diving next week & hope you get to see some good wrecks.  BTW, my neighbor, who lives right across the street from me retired from National Grid last year & used to work with Ed.  We'll talk next time...JJ

[Jim Kinner]

 I tend to break thing down to value and importance. I would say our primary objective as an organization is to protect the Native Niagara River musky, and secondly to protect our rights to fish for them.

  When we start getting away from our main objectives, we lose our way. The parties, and events all have the value of building teamwork and unity. Holding tournaments draws in folks who may not have developed into catch and release anglers. The same for recognizing anglers for turning trophy class fish loose with our top ten awards. These all work toward the main goals.

  Sometimes, we get involved in things for political reasons, to win favor for things we may want in the future, for example. As long as they are not contrary to the main goals, ok.

I have to say saving rookery trees on Motor Island just might be. 

[John Pensyl]

Let's go kill the cormorants! I've got guns for all and we can use the conservation fund for bail and fines!

[John Jarosz]

Jim...value & importance; that's a good way to look at things that I hadn't given a lot of thought.  I think though, too, that V & I are dependent on the individual.  Just ask your wives what they think of our fishing equipment.  Mine has already told me that when I die, the first guy who shows up at the door with a $100 bill in his hand gets everything.

I liken value & importance to the links on a chain.  Every link is connected but as I go down the links, I get farther away from the 1st (& most important) link. The 1st, 2nd, or 3rd links are different for each person.  For me, the 1st link is conservation, especially by habitat restoration.  I love doing that kind of work, even more than actual fishing itself.  So, to me, the best and most valuable way to protect the native musky is to maintain, rebuild, or protect existing and/or new habitat.

Shallow, marshy areas are the most bio-diverse & most productive type of land/aquatic mass that exists.  Marshes can support hundreds of different kinds of plant & animal life that fields, forests or mountains don't.  I'm not sure the shallows between Strawberry & Motor would exist if both of those islands didn't exist.  If Motor went away, I think (opinion only) that the downstream side of Strawberry, over time, would become like the downstream side of Motor as it is now.

I found a study on the internet (please take the internet for what it is) that was a "Habitat Rating Form" that was done on the shallows between Strawberry & Motor.  Here is an excerpt & the link for the article:

"Strawberry Island - Motor Island Shallows is the largest area of riverine littoral zone in the Niagara River. Areas such as this are rare in the Great Lakes Plain ecological region, and are extremely valuable fish and wildlife habitat. Strawberry Island - Motor Island Shallows is one of the most important fish spawning areas in the upper Niagara River. Studies during the mid-1970s indicated that this was one of two principal spawning grounds for muskellunge in the river, supporting an estimated annual population of 2-6,000 legal-size (28+inches) fish. Most spawning by this species occurred during May and June, when water temperatures were 16-18C, in heavily vegetated areas, 3-6 feet deep, with an appreciable current. This area is also one of the most productive spawning areas in the upper Niagara River for smallmouth bass, yellowperch, and various other resident freshwater fish species. Strawberry Island – Motor Island Shallows contains relatively large concentrations of many fish species throughout the year. As a result of the abundant  fisheries resources in…"

http://www.dos.ny.gov/communitieswaterfronts/consistency/Habitats/G...

I think one island needs the other to maintain the shallows in between.  If we're beaver wrapping trees to protect the Motor's shoreline to preserve the island in order to protect the shallows , that, to me, is a connection high up the chain.  If we start wrapping trees inland of the shoreline (on Motor), that, to me, starts going farther down the chain and becomes less valuable/important.  Then it starts to feel like we're protecting the rookery, which I don't think is in the club's mission.  Now, wrapping trees inland on Strawberry was important only because S'Berry takes the full force of the Niagara & doesn't have much protection upstream.  It's the rationale that both islands are equally needed to protect the shallows in between.

So, in 13,000 words or less, that's my opinion (only).  I won't say I didn't toss & turn a little last night, but a couple of Grey Goose martinis took care of that.  Thanks again for posting your opinion.  I really enjoyed it & made me re-think & re-evaluate why I joined this club.  It was very well appreciated.

[Scott McKee]

If we protect the trees on Motor as well as Strawberry, the beavers will find food somewhere else and may be conditioned over time to leave the two islands alone.  Motor is significantly smaller than the Patch.  If we leave Motor alone will the effect of the beavers be much more significant?  Beats me?

Sorry to get off topic, but... $100 for all of your fishing stuff, huh?  Is everything okay John?  Are you feeling well?  Any aches or pains?  Keep me posted!  (Please shoot me your wife's cell phone number as well, just in case.)  THIS IS A JOKE.  I sincerely hope John lives for many, many healthy and happy years.  When I see an opportunity to kid around I usually take it.

[John Jarosz]

HA! HA!, funny guy, Scott.  When I read your reply to my wife, she laughed out loud but it sounded like an evil kind of laugh...then she asked me for your cell phone number with some mumblings about accepting a down payment.  But, don't worry.  I have utmost respect for your privacy and wouldn't give it to her (ha! ha!).

Here's a hint though.  Check if you can get a Buffalo News Obituary App so when I eventually go to that great fishery in the sky, you'll get the jump on everyone else.  I've got a feeling the line to my door will be very, very, very long.  If Frank beats you to my front door, that monthly drawing table will be perpetually filled (and all for only $100!!).  He'll also have to get a larger table.
To tell you what she puts up with, there was a time I owned four boats & three trailers at once.  My 15' Tracker would sure look nice on that table.

To get back on topic, there are many good points made for doing or not doing anything with Motor. Since the DEC gave us permission to go on Motor, what thought process did they use to say it's OK & that we should do it?  I mean, if we ask to wrap trees in Beaver Meadow, would they give us the OK?  So why did they give us the OK for Motor?  Why do they want the trees saved from the beavers on Motor? 

[Jim Kinner]

 When my friend passes, he instructed his wife to give his rather large fishing collection to his nephew.

She replied: You have so much, more that you will ever use, why don't you give some to him now?

" Lets go through your shoe collection first, and donate some of your over 100 pairs to charity!"

That was the end of that.

Motor Island is an Avian dream. A birder's paradise. Kayakers love to paddle around it. I would assume the DEC wants to save the Rookery trees from damage. Should the Audubon  club, or the riverkeepers want to take up the Project, , I do hearby vow NOT TO drive through their Kayaks in plowing S turns, creating large wakes and soaking their LL Bean apparel.

It would be a worthy project for them. I don't think it's a good one for us.