WATER CHESTNUT can form a thick mass of vegetation, limiting fishing and water recreation activities, once it is established in a shallow water area. Pulling is effective before they become established in a body of water. (Photo by Janet Clerkin, Oswego County Tourism Office.)

Groups Plan Water Chestnut Pull at Port Ontario July 14

OSWEGO COUNTY – Several volunteers, conservation organizations and angler groups have worked together over the past few years to help slow the spread of water chestnuts in Oswego County rivers. Headed by the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District, the groups will hold a water chestnut pull at Port Ontario on Saturday, July 14.

An invasive species, the water chestnut plant can be very difficult to control once it is established in a body of water. The plants can create large floating mats of vegetation that restrict the penetration of sunlight, limit the growth of native plants, and disrupt the food web. Water chestnuts have become established in sections of the Oswego River and have been found in the Salmon and Oneida rivers.

John DeHollander, District Manager of the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District, is coordinating many of the control efforts.

“It is difficult to slow the spread of water chestnut once it becomes established in a shallow water area,” said DeHollander. “The non-native aquatic plant produces a large number of seeds, called nutlets, helping it to grow in colonies that rapidly multiply. The lower Salmon River area at Port Ontario is one of the areas targeted for hand pulling because the plant has not become fully established there.”

Each water chestnut plant can produce as many as up to 300 nuts per year.

Several acres of plants were pulled last summer by volunteers on the Oswego and Oneida rivers and the Salmon River Estuary. In addition, the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District applied a chemical treatment to more than 200 acres of plant cover on the Oswego River.

Nearly 30 members of the Oswego County River Guides Association, headed by Phil Bortz of Altmar, spent a day pulling plants from the Salmon River Estuary last July. County Legislator Shawn Doyle, District 3, Pulaski, helped to coordinate the project and provided refreshments for the group. Many of the guides rowed driftboats and brought their families to help out. Also assisting in the project were New York Sea Grant, Selkirk Shores State Park, the Pine Grove Association, the Nature Conservancy and several concerned individuals.

“The hand-pull last summer at Port Ontario went very well with support from the River Guides Association and New York Sea Grant,” said DeHollander. “We look forward to having another successful hand pull event on July 14, with all of the volunteers, cooperating agencies, organizations and private individuals.”
           
On the Oswego River, Dick and Naneen Drosse of Minetto have led a valiant effort for several years pulling water chestnuts with the help of other kayakers and private individuals. Their hard work is starting to pay off, said Naneen Drosse. There was a definite improvement last summer in some of the areas where they have hand-pulled each year.
           
Bass anglers conducted a very successful hand-pull along the Oneida River last summer. The project was a collaborative effort of the Salt City Bassmasters, the Good Ole Boys Bass Club, and the New York BASS Chapter Federation. They plan to conduct a similar project in 2012.

The Oswego County Legislature allocated funds to pay for chemical treatment of the Oswego River last year. The funds were reimbursed through a state grant.

“Undercutting along with chemical applications was utilized for control on the Oswego River,” said DeHollander. “Mixed results appeared during post-treatment. Further sampling last fall showed that some areas still had a high percentage of viable nuts for growth in the next season, while other areas are showing promise of reductions. This application will take place again in 2012 subject to available funding. We all need to remain vigilant in the fight against this highly invasive aquatic plant.”

For more information or to sign up for the July 14 pull at Port Ontario, contact the Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District at 315-592-9663. Additional information about water chestnuts and other invasive species in New York State can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/50272.html

FAMILY OF PADDLERS – The Jan van der Heide family helped to pull water chestnuts from the lower Salmon River at Port Ontario last summer. Oswego County River Guides, New York Sea Grant, and other volunteers will hold a water chestnut pull Saturday, July 14. Volunteers will meet at the Pine Grove Boat Launch. (Photo by Janet Clerkin, Oswego County Tourism Office.)

A WHALE OF A FISH! – Brian Franklin of Newville, PA, shows off his 26 ½ pound salmon caught on Lake Ontario with Captain Greg Gehrig of Top Gun Charters in Oswego. This year marks the best fishing many anglers have seen in more than two decades, in part due to the recent mild winter in Oswego County. Photo courtesy of Capt. Gehrig.

- Avoid bringing the fish into the boat if possible.
- Use pliers to remove the hook; sturgeon are almost always hooked in the mouth.
- Always support the fish horizontally. Do not hold sturgeon in a vertical position by their head, gills or tails, even for taking pictures.
- Never touch their eyes or gills.
- Minimize their time out of the water.
- Anglers are much more likely to encounter sturgeon in May and June when the fish gather to spawn on clean gravel, cobble shoals and in stream rapids.
 
Lake sturgeon populations are recovering as a result of protection and stocking efforts by DEC and partners. Since 1994, lake sturgeon have been periodically stocked by DEC into Black Lake, Cayuga Lake, the Genesee River, Oneida Lake, the Oswegatchie River, Raquette River, St. Lawrence River, and St. Regis River. Lake sturgeon are often tagged as part of ongoing studies conducted by state or federal agencies and their partners. If a tagged sturgeon is found, it’s important to follow the reporting instructions on the tag or contact a regional DEC office for assistance.

Lake sturgeon are an ancient fish that first appeared during the Upper Cretaceous period 136 million years ago when dinosaurs still walked the earth. Lake sturgeon are one of three species of sturgeon native to New York, the others being shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon. Lake sturgeon are native to the Mississippi River Basin, Great Lakes Basin and Hudson Bay region of North America. They are the largest fish native to the Great Lakes, growing up to seven or more feet in length and weighing up to 300 pounds.  Male sturgeon live as long as 55 years and females live as long as 80 to 150 years.
 
Lake sturgeon were once abundant in New York, but commercial fishing, dam building and habitat loss decimated populations. Today they can still be found in Lake Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, Genesee River, Grasse River, Oswegatchie River, Black Lake, Lake Champlain, Cayuga Lake, Oneida Lake, Oneida River, Seneca River, Oswego River and Cayuga Canal.
 
For further information visit the links on the DEC website:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/26035.html
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7008.html
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/26045.html

Children practice military drills at Fort Ontario State Historic Site in a unique program coordinated by Oswego County AmeriCorps members Ian Mumpton (right) and Steven Woods. To register, visit www.fortontario.com or e-mail FOSummerProgram@gmail.com.

OSWEGO – Fort Ontario State Historic Site is pleased to announce the return of its popular Summer Youth Program for youth ages 8-16. Last year over 100 youth participated in 18th and 19th century games, sports, military drill, wilderness tactics, martial arts and many more activities in a unique program which is designed to connect kids with local history through physical activity. The program is coordinated by AmeriCorps members Ian Mumpton and Steven Woods with assistance from the Friends of Fort Ontario, Oswego County AmeriCorps, and New York State Parks.
              
  “The kids have a lot of fun with all kinds of activities-,” said Mumpton, “stilt races, tug of war, games like bat and trap and croquet. They also get the chance to re-enact historical situations such as sending out scouting patrols, learning how to march and drill with wooden muskets, and building simple fortifications. They have a blast and learn through hands-on activities.”
              
  Said Woods, “This is the history that happened in their back yards, literally in many cases. This program gives kids the opportunity for an up close and personal look at life in the 18th and 19th centuries at Fort Ontario. It’s really a unique opportunity.”
             
 The program will feature weekly sessions for a variety of age groups starting July 9 and running until Aug. 24. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is required. No electronic devices (portable music players, game systems, etc…) are allowed at the program. Registration opens Monday, May 7. Information on available sessions and registration is available on the fort’s website, http://www.fortontario.com/ or by emailing FOSummerProgram@gmail.com.

The fishing season for many popular warmwater sportfish, including walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskellunge, opens Saturday, May 5 and with this, most of New York’s sportfish seasons will be open, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. This includes catch and release fishing for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) in many waters across the state and the special trophy black bass season on Lake Erie where anglers can take one 20-inch or longer fish per day.
 
Bass anglers should check the New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide (www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html) to ensure that the water they desire to fish is open to catch and release angling.  Muskellunge fishing season and the regular (harvest) season for black bass open on the 3rd Saturday in June (June 16).
 
“New York provides exceptional warmwater fishing opportunities,” said Commissioner Martens.  “In fact, the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society recently ranked three of New York’s lakes in the top 14 on their list of the 100 best bass lakes in the country. We hope all anglers find the time to enjoy these outstanding fishing opportunities in 2012 and encourage them to share their experience by introducing someone new to the sport.”
 
Walleye are very popular springtime targets, and fishing opportunities now exist in more than 100 waters throughout the state. As part of ongoing management and research programs, DEC has stocked 56 waters with walleye fry or fingerlings over the last five years in almost all regions of the state. Spring also provides outstanding fishing opportunities for yellow perch, sunfish and crappie. These species are common throughout the state and provide easy fishing for even novice anglers. A popular sportfish in southern and Midwestern states, channel catfish also flourish in many of New York’s larger lakes and rivers, provide a very tasty meal, and are state underutilized by anglers. Tips and locations for catching big channel catfish are available online at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/77432.html. A complete listing of 2012 warmwater fishing hotspots recommended by DEC biologists can be found on the DEC website.
 
DEC will continue a number of bass studies in 2012. These studies include an effort to assess black bass populations statewide, the investigation of black bass movements following bass tournaments on Lake Champlain and a tournament monitoring program on Oneida Lake. Participation from bass anglers will be requested for both tournament studies.
Use Baitfish Wisely

Anglers using fish for bait are reminded to be careful with how these fish are used and disposed of. Careless use of baitfish is one of the primary means by which non-native species and fish diseases are spread from water to water. Unused baitfish should be discarded in an appropriate location on dry land. A “Green List” of commercially available baitfish species that are approved for use in New York State has now been established in regulation. In most cases, these fish must also be certified as disease free. Personal collection and use of baitfish other than those on the “Green List“ is permitted, but only on the water from which they were collected, and they may not be transported overland by motorized vehicle except within one of three defined overland transportation corridors. Please review the baitfish regulations webpage for details at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html.
 
Preventing Invasive Species and Fish Diseases

Anglers are also reminded to be sure to dry or disinfect their fishing and boating equipment, including waders and boots, before entering a new body of water. This is the only way to prevent the spread of potentially damaging invasive plant and animal species (didymo and zebra mussels) and fish diseases (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia and whirling disease). Methods to clean and disinfect fishing gear can be found on the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/50121.html.
 
License requirements

Anglers 16 years of age and older must have a New York State fishing license available on line at www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6101.html or by calling 1-86-NY-DECALS. Fishing licenses can also be purchased from the 1,500 license issuing agents located throughout the state (town and county clerks, some major discount stores and many tackle and sporting goods stores). By law, every dollar spent on a fishing license helps fund programs conducted by the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources, including the fish stocking program.

 The maps are an excellent tool for hunters who are applying for deer management permits for harvesting antlerless deer.  They can easily gauge where state and private lands lie within each WMU.  The maps are available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/79105.html. 

 “The addition of the Region 7 WMU Maps to the DEC website provide a wealth of information for sportsmen and sportswomen,” said DEC Regional Director Kenneth Lynch.  “This greater accessibility provides ease in planning, assisting hunters in making decisions about hunting locations.”

 The new page on DEC’s website also provides links to “Places to Hunt in Region 7 by WMU” http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/75658.html.   This page provides a list of all state lands located in each wildlife management unit, a description of the area and a map and directions to the property. 

 Descriptions, directions and maps of state-owned wildlife management areas (WMAs) are also provided on the website for the region at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8279.html.  State forest lands with similar information are found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7792.html. Collectively these web pages provide a wealth of   information for hunters in central New York.   For further information on resources found in Region 7/Central New York go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/615.html.

The Oswego County Historical Society will host an Annual Meeting on Monday, May 14th at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Oswego Public Library at 120 East Second Street, Oswego. Following a brief business meeting, Dr. Paul Stewart will give an encore presentation entitled “Restoring History and the Swits Conde Estate: An Architectural Detective Story.” Pictured is a late 19th century image of the Swits Conde estate known as Mon Repos. The mansion once stood at West Fifth and Seneca Streets and was demolished in 1913. The event is free and open to the public. (Courtesy of the Oswego County Historical Society)

OSWEGO — The Annual Meeting Presentation for the Oswego County Historical Society will be held on Monday, May 14 at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of the Oswego Public Library at 120 East Second Street in Oswego. During the membership meeting, board president Justin White will present an annual report of the projects and events of the year. Presentation of new trustees will be presented, as well.

“The Annual Meeting is an important part of our organization. We welcome all members and interested parties to attend and participate,” said White. “So much has been accomplished over the last year and we look forward to sharing that with our members and the community.”

Following the business meeting, Oswego resident Dr. Paul Stewart will give an encore presentation of his program entitled “Restoring History and the Swits Conde Estate: An Architectural Detective Story” This lecture was presented last year with much interest. The visual presentation will feature many photographs from the society’s collection related to the Conde family and estate. The program will also highlight Dr. Stewart’s journey along with partner Steve Phillips in the restoration of the residence of Swits Conde’s oldest son Swits Churchill Conde, which was part of the family estate known as Mon Repos.

“The story of Swits Conde as one the leading industrialist in 19th century Oswego, along with that of his wife Apama and their children is a fascinating one,” said Justin White, president of the Oswego County Historical Society. “The historical society is fortunate to have a substantial collection of photographs and memorabilia donated by direct descendants of the Conde family, which documents the grandeur of their estate known as Mon Repos.”

The Conde’s had the most lavish house warming party ever given in Oswego on June 7, 1883. Many society notables from New York City arrived by train to attend. Mon Repos was considered one of the finest private residences in all of New York State at the time it was finished. In the 19th century, Swits Conde and his family were local celebrities both in Oswego and in New York City, where they also had a home.

“Mon Repos was demolished in 1913, and now several early-20th homes occupy the site on West Fifth Street, between Seneca and Schuyler,” said White. “Today the restored Queen Anne style home of Swits Churchill Conde and the caretaker’s cottage are all that is left of this remarkable estate.”

The meeting is free and open to the public. Prospective members are also encouraged to attend to help support the society continue to preserve the area’s rich local history. The Oswego County Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1896 and dedicated to the collection, promotion and interpretation of the historical resources of the county. The Richardson-Bates House Museum is open for tours Thursday through Saturday from 1 – 5 pm and other times by appointment. For more information contact the museum at 343-1342.

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About the City of Oswego Fire Department

The City of Oswego’s Fire Department has been operating as a paid fire department since 1876, making it the third oldest paid fire department in New York State. The department is responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical treatment and transport, water rescue, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, fire prevention education and fire safety inspections. For additional information visit http://www.oswegony.org/DEPT_fire.html.
 
About Oswego County Tourism

Oswego County offers an amazing variety of vacation opportunities — world-class fishing, beautiful scenery, abundant waterways, colorful historic sites and entertaining community festivals. The Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning promotes Oswego County through a comprehensive international marketing plan. For upcoming events and visitor information, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com
 
About The Palladium-Times

The Palladium-Times is Oswego County’s only hometown daily newspaper and has served the City of Oswego and surrounding areas in that capacity since 1845. Combining the newspaper with the area’s premier online platform for breaking news headlines and developing stories, www.palltimes.com.  The Palladium-Times is a multi-media company that maximizes audience reach in the county seat of Oswego and brings buyers and sellers together every day. In print, online, anytime…miss a day, miss a lot.