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Re: NFC: White River fish kill update: DNR begins 3rd fish survey



I do not know what DNR is thinking.  The only thing that gets media attention 
of course is game fish, particularly when they release catfish and bass.  I 
am not aware of any State fish hatcheries that support non-game fish.  Of 
course, private hatcheries also supply feeder fish (Fathead Minnows, etc.) 
for private pond stocking.  It seems logical that maybe the State purchased 
and released something like this but I have not seen anything in the media 
about it.  

Early media reports, public meetings and personal chats with Brant Fisher 
(Indiana's only non-game aquatic life biologist and NFC member) indicated 
aquatic insect larvae did not seem to be effected by the toxin.  If I recall 
correctly, someone mentioned that some larvae probably burrowed deeper in to 
the substrate if the toxin irritated them.  

There is a dam in the Indianapolis area that would prevent most fish from 
migrating up stream.  I would guess that aquatic life from above the kill 
area and from waters that flow in to the White River above the dam have 
migrated and are slowly filling in the empty niches.  

It might have been interesting to see what happened to the waters _without_ 
stocking game fish.  But then the State would have been seen as "not doing 
anything" about the disaster. And all the folks who fish and who purchase 
fishing licenses (money that supports DNR and similar agencies) would be 
outraged.  

In my personal opinion, the real outrage is that polluting the water has not 
been made such a moral and economic offense that no one would consider doing 
it.  And that all citizens, private and commercial, would do what they must 
to avoid committing any offense.  

Chuck Church
Indianapolis, Indiana USA

In a message dated 7/17/00 10:29:29 PM US Central Standard Time, 
heavymetal99 at excite_com writes:

<< Is the IN DNR focussing much on the return of non-game species as well as
 sportfish? If so, which ones? I know there are a lot of government-supported
 fish farms, but from what I've seen, most of these focus exclusively on game
 species and maybe a form of "feeder" type. 
 
 Tony Gustafson
 
 On Mon, 17 Jul 2000 22:20:44 EDT, nfc at actwin_com wrote:
 
 >   <A HREF="http://www.starnews.com/news/articles/FISH17PM.html">Starnews.co
m | 
 >  News</A> www.starnews.com/news/articles/FISH17PM.html  >>