New Porous Sole Regulation & Public Comment Period

[Phil Lilley]

Deadline for public comment is November 16th.

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-bans-porous-soled-waders-help-protect-trout-waters-invasive-algae

[Phil Lilley]

Didymo Communications

TOPIC EXPERTS

• Mark Van Patten, Fisheries Management Biologist

• Tim Banek, Invasive Species Coordinator

• Didymo or “rock snot” is an invasive alga that forms large, thick mats on the bottoms of cold-water streams and rivers, reducing the quality and quantity of food vital to fish such as trout.

• Didymoeventually makes fishing nearly impossible, with devastating economic and environmental consequences.

• Didymo has not yet been detected in Missouri. Preventing its spread into Missouri is critical since there is no practical way to control or eradicate didymo once it gets established.

• The Missouri Conservation Commission has approved a regulation change banning the use of porous-soled waders or footwear incorporating or having attached a porous sole of felted, matted, or woven fibrous material when fishing in trout parks and other specific trout waters.

• To help reduce the spread of didymo, MDC encourages anglers to remember: Check, then Clean or Dry.

TALKING POINTS

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages trout anglers and others to help prevent the spread of a new threat to Missouri’s cold-water streams and rivers. Called “didymo” (Didymospheniageminata) or “rock snot,” this invasive alga forms large, thick mats on the bottoms of cold-water streams and rivers, reducing the quality and quantity of food vital to fish such as trout. This eventually makes fishing nearly impossible, with devastating economic and environmental consequences.

Didymo is native to northern parts of North America and Europe. While it has not been found in Missouri, rock snot has been found just south of the Missouri-Arkansas border in the White River.

Didymo is kept in check naturally in other parts of the country and world by lower pH, or acidity, levels in the water. Missouri’s wealth of limestone creates higher pH levels in Show-Me waters. These higher pH levels can allow didymo to spread unchecked.

Preventing the spread of this invasive species into Missouri is critical since there is no practical way to control or eradicate didymo once it gets established in the state.

Recreational equipment such as boats, lifejackets and fishing gear--particularly porous-soled waders--are the most likely ways for didymo to spread into Missouri.

Porous-soled waders and wading boots, worn by many trout anglers, appear to be a likely pathway for the spread of didymo. The soles hold moisture for days and can harbor cells of this alga. Individual cells cannot be seen with the naked eye and only a single cell is needed to establish a stream-killing colony. Anglers who visit waters with didymo can, unknowingly, transfer these cells to the next stream they visit.

The Missouri Conservation Commission has approved a regulation change banning the use of porous-soled waders or footwear incorporating or having attached a porous sole of felted, matted, or woven fibrous material when fishing in trout parks and other specific trout waters. Pending public comment through the Secretary of State’s office, the new regulation will go into effect March 1, 2012, the opening day of catch-and-keep fishing at Missouri’s four trout parks.

To help reduce the spread of didymo, MDC encourages anglers to remember: Check, then Clean or Dry.

• Check all gear and equipment and remove any visible algae. Dispose of algae by placing it in the trash, not by putting it down a drain or into bodies of water.

• Then Clean all gear and equipment with a solution of 2-percent bleach, 5-percent saltwater, or dishwashing detergent. Allow all equipment to stay in contact with the solution for at least three minutes. Soak all soft items, such as felt-soled waders and wader boot cuffs, neoprene waders and life jackets, in the solution for at least 20 minutes.

• Or thenDry all gear and equipment for at least 48 hours by exposing it to sunlight.

To help anglers clean their waders before entering Missouri trout streams, MDC has installed wader wash stations at Missouri’s five cold-water trout hatcheries: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Salem, Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Maramec Spring Park near St. James and Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery by the upper portion of Lake Taneycomo near Branson.

All anglers are encouraged to replace their porous-soled waders with ones that have non-porous rubber or synthetic soles.

Anglers can adapt felt-soled and other porous-soled waders to comply with the new regulation by sealing the soles with solutions of contact cement or marine rubber cement. VanPatten notes the cement may need to be reapplied after each use. MDC offers an instructional video for sealing waders at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_udcfZqA_w

Adapting waders is not a cure. It is just one step in prevention. It is still vital to check and clean or dry all waders and all other gear that have had contact with the water.

MDC held public open-house forums in March and April in communities near Missouri’s trout parks and hatcheries to help educate anglers, outfitters, retailers and boaters about the dangers of didymo, the need to replace porous-soled waders and to get public feedback on the proposed regulation change.

For more information, visit www.mdc.mo.gov and search “didymo.”

COMMUNICATIONS TIMELINE

February 2011

• Statewide media release on March 1 catch-and-keep trout park opener with key messages

• Statewide media release on upcoming public meetings with key messages

• Fishing Regulations booklet creation and distribution with inclusion of key messages

March - April 2011

• Public meetings at: Montauk State Park, Bennett Spring State Park, Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery – Lake Tanyecomo, Roaring River State Park and Maramec Spring Park

• Web content / social media on public meetings with key messages

• Letters to stakeholders on public meetings with key messages

April 2011

• Missouri Conservationist article with key messages

• Trout park information and cleaning stations installed with key messages

June 2011

“Invasive Species: Didymo” fact sheet produced with Tim Banek coordinating distribution

August 2011

Commission approval of regulation banning porous-soled waders

September – October 2011

• Statewide media release on wader ban with key messages

• Multiple media interviews with topic experts on wader ban and key messages

• Web content / social media on public meetings on wader ban with key messages

• Letter to stakeholders with regulation change and key messages

November 2011

• Ongoing regional promotion of wader ban and key messages through regional media staff, conservation agents and Fisheries staff

• Web content / social media on public meetings on wader ban with key messages

December 2011

• Ongoing regional promotion of wader ban and key messages through regional media staff, conservation agents and Fisheries staff

• Web content / social media on public meetings on wader ban with key messages

January 2012

• Ongoing regional promotion of wader ban and key messages through regional media staff, conservation agents and Fisheries staff

February 2012

• Statewide media release reminder on wader ban with key messages

• Ongoing regional promotion of wader ban and key messages through regional media staff, conservation agents and Fisheries staff

• Web content / social media on wader ban with key messages

• Missouri Conservationist article with wader ban reminder and key messages

• Fishing Regulations booklet creation and distribution with inclusion of key messages

March 2012

• Statewide media release on trout-opener results with wader ban and key messages

• Web content / social media on wader ban with key messages

Signing and distribution of outreach materials at the catch-and-keep opener at all four trout parks beginning February 29.

Note - The regulation is currently ending public comment through the Secretary of State’s office. The public comment period expires November 16th.