Invasives

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  The video was quite compelling. It’s the kind of thing that you just can’t stop watching or thinking about. It’s still going on now pouring over 200,000 gallons a day and spreading the worst oil spill in history over 3500 miles2, that’s about 10 times the surface size of Lake St. Clair. It could take decades to clean it up if at all. The current strategy is a chemical that breaks down the oil into smaller particles that bacteria can break down. No one knows how long the process will take but it’s the best we have right now. We can pin point where a space ship will go but can’t handle something of this magnitude. So the oil slick becomes the latest invasive on our delicate ecosystems.



   Just 2 quick questions. When a gasoline tank truck rolls over and catches fire, the price of gas usually shoots up $.50 per gallon but not for this little burp. What gives? I’m not complaining but when gas prices were going up and down like a yo-yo we were told just little problems can cause big spikes. I’m sure glad those times are over. The other question is about the animal savers that advertise on the TV and internet all the time. You now the picture of the dog with the long eyes and a foot in a cast. Where were those people when the dolphins and turtles started dying because of the oil spill? I would have thought they’d be there cleaning up birds for photo-op but nothing. So I googled oil spill and HSUS and found only 1 article from W. Purcele stating they’re using patience to see when they’ll be needed. Maybe donators should be using the same strategy.



   It seems the whole strategy on this spill is out of sight – out of mind. The chemical is breaking up the oil but this is just making the slick sink down 6 to 10 feet below the surface. There’s also those little tar balls that are washing up on shore. Some aren’t so little, reaching an 8 inch across size. When the oil starts coming on shore no matter what phase it’s in the trouble will start. My Brother-in-Law was just down there on vacation. You can see some pics on the slideshow (hopefully). When he was there he saw the bottom of the gulf in a pinkish red tone. The red snappers were just getting ready to spawn. I believe there are many other species spawning at this time of the year. The implications aren’t good but nobody is speaking of them, they just closed fishing from the Mississippi River to the pan handle of Florida.



   Now something is happening to our fish. The Chinooks of Lake Huron are being displaced by walleye. No one is sure why but we do know by creel reports what is being caught now. One invasive alewife) was probably decimated by another invasive (zebra mussel) and the Chinook (another invasive but an invited one) over fed on the alewives and knock them out of the lake. One action causes another reaction and so on and so on down the line. That’s Mother Nature. Now in Lake Erie the walleye are in a pretty steep decline, mostly from poor spawning. At least that’s what the experts think but could it be the zebra mussels or the round gobies or some new invasive? Because of the drop it looks as though the walleye limit on Lake Erie will drop to 4 fish per day until the situation changes. Hopefully this year’s spawn effort will explode and the drop to 4 fish won’t be needed. Keep your fingers crossed.



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