|
|
Posts: 376
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN | Hi All,
Since we don't have any ice to fish yet I have another issue to talk about. It's the new development called "The 3 bays project" on land that is now owned by U.S.Steel. The proposal was presented to the St. Louis county board at a public meeting on Nov 18th in Biwabik. The proposed development will affect about 5 miles of shoreline from Mattson to Armstrong bay.
Cable bay would be completly developed as would Mattson bay. Armstrong bay's south shoreline would be the east end of the proposed development.
Included in this 5 mile stretch of pristine shoreline there are some very sensitive spawning areas for Muskie, Smallmouth bass and Pike.
There was little or no discussion at this meeting about the possible impact of this development
on Lake Vermilion's fishery.
The shoreline impact zones should extend to protect the fishery, as well as our land based ecology. I can't imagine what the results of this development will have on the shoreline weeds and the reed beds that protect not only spawning fish, buy young juveniles as well.
The developers have showed us their view of what it can be; however, I have very little faith in what they showed us to be true. They mentioned nothing about plans for protecting the aquatic habitat along their proposed development.
The building of 73 homes and all the construction that goes with it, will put many of these areas at risk. Not to mention all the boathouse, docks and the shear impact of the extra traffic in the area.
I am pleading to all of you anglers and property owners that enjoy the fishing and all the natural wonders of Lake Vermilion.
Please!
Call the Tower office of the DNR to let them know you are concerned about these very sensitive
shoreline habitats.
Once these areas are gone you can't bring them back.
Tower DNR office #218-753-4500
Mark Johnson, St. louis county board.
[email protected]
Thank You! 
"Ace" |
|
| |
|
Posts: 376
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN | I had hoped to get a better reponce to this post. With all the interest in our Muskie fishery I had thought that someone would show some concerns about this development.
All we are asking is
that you take some time while you are on the computer, to send an e-mail. Or if you can, make a call to the DNR.
Maybe we could all stop fighting about fishing tournaments long enough, to do something worthwhile for a change???
"Ace"
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 2089
| Terry,
Very worthy cause.A fishing and an environmental issue.May not be too popular in some circles, but some of the more influential environmental groups may be of some assistance.WE will send the e-mails and follow up.Strength in numbers.May be time to bring in the Birkenstock Brigade.I'm with ya' boys!My "affair" with the V started only 2 yrs ago, but she's one of my favorites.One of the special places. Steve |
|
| |
|
| Ace
I sent an email to Mark as soon as I saw your post. Hope we can influence things for the better. I love that lake.
BrianF. |
|
| |
|
Location: Minneapolis, MN | Ace is there anything else that can be done to force the developer to pay for an impact study? At a minimum the study would delay their deal and perhaps identify efforts the developer can make to minimize the impact. Have you tried local televison or other media? Isn't Vermilion the broodstock lake for walleyes? They have many more voices than muskie. Have you tried to get the walleye guys involved in this too? What about the DNR? Are they concerned about the future spawning production of the area in question? Perhaps you already thought of the above. Just thought I'd share some ideas. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 376
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN | Thanks Guys,
I have writen some articles for the local papers and I have contacted a friend at the Masabi Daily news. (Largest paper on the iron range).
I am trying to get the word out to all anglers, not just muskie guys.
The Big V supplies walleye's to all the stocked lakes in the northern half of the state. The county is very poor so stoping this development is highly unlikely.
However there is a powerful political force in the SCLV.
(Sportsmens club of Lake Vermilion).
You can reach their website at;
www.lakevermilion.com There is a link to them on that site with contact info.
They have about 1300 members and they may need a kick in the butt. I have written them and received no reply.
I'm in this for the long haul and I'll post some contacts as soon as I can get them all. Here are a couple more.
Gene Merriam, DNR
commissioner, 651-215-6157
Mn enviromental quality board,
www.eqb.state.mn.us
MDNR, division of fisheries, 218-828-2735
All calls will help so please give me hand guys.
Thanks!
"Ace"
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 3514
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | First question:
Is there a lakes association that is involved in development of the land? The reason why I ask is that with our lakes, there is a law that requires only a 10 foot area can be cleared at the lake's edge, which allows for a dock only and possibly a lift. Also, the owner must leave 30 feet of land untouched (except for their 10 foot clearing) from waters edge back toward development to protect runoff etc..
Is anything like this in place as well?
Steve |
|
| |
|
Posts: 354
| This is a very important post. It is important for many reasons. I find Steve Jonesi's
response to be of interest. Sometimes things on the net can be difficult to interpret. I am not entirely sure what is meant by "this may be unpopular in some circles."
My fear of the past ten to fifteen years is continually being confirmed. There was a time many years ago when outdoosrmen groups like the Izaak Walton League led the way with environmental causes. The media in the past ten to fifteen years has focused on
radical extremists groups like PETA which has understandably made many people very defensive. The problem in all of this is that it is often the environment which pays the price.
I'm a musky fisherman AND an environmentalists. I know that too many of you that is now a dirty word. Believe it or not, I believe that when you pit development/money/business v. the environment is almost always business which wins out. I have been alarmed and shocked by the little concern most people have over issues like the one being discussed here. Vermillion, I am told, has plenty of development already. Does it need more? If you travel throughout Northern Wisconsin you will see that there are virtually no undeveloped lakes left. We call the Chip wilderness waters as you pass by the 20+ resorts. You travel to LOTW and see cabins on literally hundreds of islands.
I am of course in the minority. My views quite unpopular. To suggest that we check
development un-American. So be it I guess. I do know that unitl this year I, as well as others, use to enjoy a small stretch of river in NE Wisc. This stretch of river was undeveloped and owned by WPS. WPS then donated 98% of the property to the state except for the all important 2% of land which bordered the waterfront. 70+ lots were sold off in auction and development has already begun. It was was literally one of the last places a person could fish relatively undeveloped water within an hour and a half of Green Bay. Money and development won out.
I believe fisherman and hunters alike need to realize that the "antis" are a radical wing of the environmental movement. I suggest that as America continues to grow and become more and more heavily populated that we need to protect places like Vermillion. This is not radical in my opinion. I am alarmed that people can not discuss things without reducing things to labels, agendas, and name calling.
I will enjoy attending this winters musky shows. I always like looking at those beautiful art prints of musky fishing images. Funny how many times those paintings are placed in
wild, natural settings. Why not a new print entitled "A day on Vermillion." You could have a new development in the background. People cutting their grass, installing more docks, burning garbage, applying herbicides to weedbeds, and a musky fisherman casting a reef hawg. That is actually a more accurate picture of what is taking place in
most of Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Bill C. aka the greenduck |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2089
| My point is that there is too much division between the fishing community and the environmental community.I know a lot of people that won't even listen to environmental discussion.Perhaps the media IS to blame in part, but no matter where or how it started, it's unproductive.Bottom line is that some of these environmental groups carry a lot of weight and $$$$$ and if WE can align ouselves with them for the preservation of the Bays, perhaps a greater impact could be made. Steve |
|
| |
|
| ace,
keep up the great effort man.
i sent me emails last week.
please, if everyone who cares and enjoys the lake responds witht their opinion. we can make a difference.
take care
dannyboy |
|
| |
|
Posts: 259
Location: Alexandria, MN | I have been sending Emails and making calls, I have spread the word to others, and
will keep the push going.
It would be nice to see a group like Wildlife Forever step up and make some noise. Plus
Muskies Inc., North American Fishing Club, The Muskie and Smallmouth Alliance's. Any
Groups that can spread the word and get this project "checked" would be great. I don't
see where this can be stopped, but if we can get their plans 'checked' and keep the
project under check, then maybe the habitat would have a chance. If they are allowed to
flatten the area and cause runoff, the sediment and chemicals will have a negative affect
on the bays, destoying spawning areas and safety zones for young of the year to hide.
Vermilion is not just another "stocked" muskie lake, there have always been muskies in
Vermilion. The stocking has just helped the numbers come up to what we see today. The
native fish and the stocked fish all have a chance to reproduce and the numbers are growing.
We don't want to see the natural reproduction lost. Stocking helps, but would not create a fishery
like we have now. We need the fish in Vermilion, to be able to do their part too.
Please make the effort to contact those on the above posts.
Steve Sedesky |
|
| |
|
Posts: 376
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN | Thanks for your post Bill, we see things in a similar light.
If this were just a few plots I doubt it would be worth all the effort. However we are talking about 5 miles of shoreline in a pristen area of the lake.
The DNR concluded that the Muskies on Vermilion are using reed beds for thier spawning. There are very few of these areas on Vermilion and most of it is in this proposed 3 Bays development area.
Of cource this goes way beyond just the Muskie fishery. The Big V's World Class Smallmouth bass will also be effected, if this project isn't held accountable for it's actions.
Here are a few more contacts for you to call or e-mail.
This is a link to the St. Louis county commissioners, with thier phone numbers and e-mail.
www.stlouiscounty.org/commissioners.htm
The board has given it's approval to do an EAW,(Enviromental assesment worksheet)
The guy behind the push to get this approved is county commissioner FINK.
Thanks guys, I'll post more names for you to call as I get them.
"Ace" |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Ace,
Thanks for the information, sir. This is always a tough issue, as some view development as progress while others see it as damage to the resource. Money is very hard to fight, that's for sure, but there's plenty of examples of those who care for the resource winning the day. Sometimes compromise, sometimes not, but there is a real chance that at the very least the development will have to be placed in a manner that will not hurt the Big V. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 244
Location: Mallard Island Lake Vermilion MN | 
Edited by KidDerringer 12/7/2004 3:56 PM
|
|
| |
