New York Mixed Bag: DEC completes annual whitefish egg collection from Cascade Lakes

Lake Placid, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 5 Fisheries staff last month completed their annual round whitefish egg take at beautiful Cascade Lakes, near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks Round whitefish have long been classified as endangered in New York State, but egg takes and associated restoration stockings are helping to change that. The goal for 2025 stocking is 23,000 fish.

At each egg take, thousands of eggs are collected. The eggs are then taken to the Adirondack Hatchery, in Lake Clear, which was originally built in 1885. Once the eggs hatch, they are reared to fry or fingerling stage and stocked into Adirondack waters to support restoration efforts of this native species and maintain a broodstock population on Little Green Pond. The Lower Cascade Lake egg take supplements December egg collection efforts on Little Green Pond.

Round whitefish are currently proposed to be down-listed to threatened status under 6 NYCRR Part 182. Fishing for (including catch & release) and possession of round whitefish is prohibited in New York State.

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Volunteers Sought To Participate In Winter Raptor Survey

Albany — DEC’s Region 4 staff is seeking volunteers to participate in a Winter Raptor Survey. The survey is designed to identify habitats used by bird species, especially those that are threatened or endangered. The data will be used to help guide future conservation and protection efforts.

Stationary surveys are completed on a weekly schedule from through late April and survey sites are located across the nine counties that make up DEC Region 4 (Greene, Columbia, Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady, Schoharie, Montgomery, Delaware, and Otsego). The survey is a 1.5-hour commitment beginning one hour before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunset.

While the specific goal of the survey is to identify habitat used by threatened northern harriers (Circus hudsonius) and endangered short-eared owls (Asio flammeus) during their non-breeding winter period, DEC records all raptors seen or heard, including owls, hawks, vultures, falcons, and eagles. Volunteers are welcome to participate in as many or as few surveys as their schedules allow and DEC will provide training to those in need.

To learn more, email: wildlife.r4@dec.ny.gov.

New York Outdoor News Welcomes Nominations For 2025 Person Of The Year

Fort Ann, N.Y. — New York Outdoor News welcomes nominations for the annual Person of the Year award. The POY is awarded annually to an individual who has gone above and beyond in his or her efforts to promote the message of the outdoors whether it is through volunteerism, mentoring, playing a leadership role or any other notable effort.

Western New Yorker Ned Librock, who founded Catching Dreams Charters, which sends cancer-stricken children on guided fishing trips, was the 2024 winner.

Send nominations to NYON Editor Dan Ladd by March 1 at PO Box 302, Fort Ann, N.Y. 12827 or email: dladd@outdoornews.com.

Hearing On Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Scup, And Black Sea Bass Management Set

Kings Park, N.Y. — The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission annually releases for public comment Draft Addenda on Recreational Measures Setting Process for bluefish, summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The states of Maine through North Carolina have scheduled hearings to gather public input on the draft addenda.

The draft addenda will onsider changes to the process used by the Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to set recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits).

New York’s public hearing is Jan. 22, from 6 p.m. 8 p.m. at 123 Kings Park Blvd. Kings Park, NY 11754, or via a webinar, with written comments to be accepted through Feb. 15. More details, including the draft addenda and public hearing information can be found here.