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The New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation and Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation are working along with an independent fisheries consultant to come up with a plan to eventually eliminate IPN from the trout in Connetquot State Park Preserve. It is the understanding of the Friends, that this plan will take into consideration all of the related issues including fish pathology, environmental impacts on the ecosystem, historic preservation, park management and economics.

HEALTH
• Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN) is a virus that primarily effects juvenile trout.
• IPN is not harmful to humans.

HISTORY
• The hatchery has operated successfully and continuously for over 140 years.
• The presence of IPN at Connetquot was first confirmed by tests in 2006.
• The Connetquot hatchery is one of the most successful programs in the State for Brook Trout.
• Connetquot trout are genetically unique. Brook, brown and rainbows trout at Connetquot have been bred from a combination of gene pools including sea run fish. New trout may or may not be as successful in the Connetquot River.
• Connetquot Trout are almost free from boils, square tail and other diseases. No chemicals or drugs are currently required.
• The Connetquot Hatchery is an integral portion of the historic framework and cultural landscape of the Connetquot Preserve.

SCIENCE
• In order to eliminate IPN from Connetquot it is important that only fish which are IPN free are used as a source of eggs. It is also important that fish density and water source be carefully managed at the hatchery to eliminate horizontal transmission of the disease.
• Even if all of the fish in the Connetquot were destroyed, there is no guarantee that IPN would not be reintroduced in a short time from muskrats, raccoons, rats, possums, gulls, egrets, osprey, invertebrates and eels all of which have constant access to the River and all of which may carry IPN.
• It is clear that a comprehensive scientific investigation including testing of fish at various locations in the river will be required to attain optimal results and long term health of Connetquot trout.

LAW
• New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) requires all state and local government agencies to consider environmental impacts equally with social and economic factors during discretionary decision-making. SEQR requires the agencies to balance the environmental impacts with social and economic factors when deciding to approve or undertake an "Action". Closing the hatchery will impact the entire Connetquot estuary ecosystem including Park economics, ecology and cultural landscape including the historic buildings and activities. No study has been done.
• If the hatchery license is not renewed there is no guarantee that the hatchery can ever be reopened due to the potential conflict between current regulations and the status of the hatchery on the National Registry of Historic buildings.
• NYS DEC maintains that effective January 1, 2008 it is illegal for any one to possess or release fish into the waters of the State of new York unless those fish have been certified as being IPN free within the prior 12 months. The FOC agree that Regulation 188.1 is the enabling portion of the Reg. which mandates a fish health certification report as described in 188.2 on all fish to be released. We also agree that Regulation 188.2 provides that the report indicate that the fish are free of IPN. However 188.1(b) (2) provides that fish can be released without a health certification report “pursuant to permit issued by the department in its discretion.”
• IPN is not considered a reportable disease by the US government, England and most other states including Pennsylvania.

FINANCE
• Approximately 230,000 visitors log into the Connetquot Preserve. Based on anecdotal
information almost 80 % of those visitors go to see the hatchery. No one is going to pay to see empty concrete ponds. Few anglers will pay to fish and not catch.
• It makes no sense to intentionally reduce the Preserves revenue steam, especially considering our national and state budget crises.
• Plans for a new hatchery that relies on well water would involve complex and expensive permitting, design and construction issues.
• Replacing natural stream flow with pumped water is an expensive environmental step backwards. Yearly operating costs would skyrocket with massive pumps running 24 hours a day.

ALTERNATIVE
• There is no downside to allowing Connetquot to operate as an isolated hatchery and fishery, with no fish shipped out. Only clean eggs would be used for breeding and all hatchery operations would be conducted in consultation with an expert.
• Allowing the hatchery to operate on a limited basis will allow for public debate and considered review of the science, preservation, financial and operational issues.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The experts required to consult on managing IPN are expensive and it is unclear when or how the State will be able to fund this effort.

Please send your donations to:
Friends of Connetquot
Box 472 Oakdale, NY 11769

UPDATES
UPDATE: December 24, 2008
FLY FISHING SEASON OPENS EARLY
TAKING FISH ENCOURAGED AT CONNETQUOT RIVER STATE PARK PRESERVE


The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will open Connetquot River State Park Preserve one month earlier, January 3rd to fly fishing this winter. Anglers will be allowed to keep 10 fish per day until further notice. The earlier season and increased fish take will help to decrease the river trout population in an effort to reduce Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN). IPN is a serious fish disease that was found in fish tested at the Connetquot hatchery. While there is no known health threat to humans who handle or consume fish that contain the IPN virus, it is capable of causing extensive mortality in young trout.

Only fly fishing with fly rod, reel, and artificial flies is permitted at designated areas. A valid New York State fishing license is required; wading and boot regulations apply. Anglers must stop fishing when (10) trout are in possession and injured fish should not be released. Boats are available for fishing in the Main Pond weather permitting.

Thirty sites are available per session, which are as follows:
January through March
Sessions: 8:00am - 12:00noon; 12:00noon - 4:00pm
Wednesday - Sunday

April through September
Sessions: 7:00am - 11:00am; 12:00noon - 4:00pm; 4:00pm - sunset
Tuesday - Sunday

October 1st through 15th
Sessions: 8:00am - 12:00noon; 12:00noon - 4:00pm
Wednesday - Sunday
Reservations are required and must be made one week in advance, starting on Sunday at 8:00am. Anglers should call the park directly, at 631-581-1005, to make a reservation or to request more specific information about fishing opportunities. The session fee will remain $20.00 in 2009.

For more information about New York State Parks, visit their website at www.nysparks.com.
 
UPDATE - 12/8/2008: State Senator Owen H. Johnson has contacted Commissioner Grannis with a request to "postpone any decision on the closing of the hatchery at Connetquot State Park."  Click here to read the full letter.
UPDATE - 11/21/2008: Friends board member Keith Snedecor has sent a letter to DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.  Click here to read.
UPDATE - 11/17/2008: Friends President Bob Labuski has sent a letter to DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.  Click here to read.
UPDATE - 11/14/2008: Richard Remmer has put together a video about the hatchery and IPN and uploaded it to YouTube.  View it here or click here to view it at the YouTube website and leave comments or send a link to someone.
UPDATE - 11/7/2008:  Click here to Read former Friend's Chairman Richard Remmer's letter to Carol Ash, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and State Historic Preservation Officer.
UPDATE - 11/5/2008:  Lawrence Merryman, Conservation Chairman of the Great South Bay Audubon Society and member of the Friends of Connetquot has penned a letter and sent it to Carol Ash (click here to read) and DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis (click here to read.)
UPDATE - 9/30/2008:  NY Assemblywoman Ginny Fields has sent a letter to DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis (click here to read.)

Friends of Connetquot | PO Box 472 | Oakdale, NY 11769 | info@friendsofconnetquot.org

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