The Mighty Angler » pollution

Pollution on the East Coast

Irlandes1 — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:22:39 +0000

Every year the human species continues to dump toxic waste and chemicals into the very water that we use on a daily basis. While oil is the most publicized form of pollution, there is a wide array of troubling pollutants that end up in the ocean every year. And the east coast water bodies feel the wrath of our destruction day in and day out.

More than 2.8 billion gallons of industrial waste water per day is placed directly into U.S. ocean waters. Heavy metals from machinery’s and industry buildings like mercury and lead can often be found in marine life. What a lot of people don’t even realize is the same fish that we are polluting end up in our digestion down the road.

Longer-lived and larger fish like kink mackerel and swordfish contain harmful levels of pollutant mercury. As a result, this can lead to harmful development in the brain and nervous system for children and fetuses.

There is no need for mentioning any particular body of water that has the most pollutants or a specific kind. The reason for this is because sadly they are all in grave danger. The list of contaminants is endless with chemicals such as pesticides and pharmaceutical agents, human wastes that contain bacteria, and household garbage. All of these contaminants and more find their way into coastal water and fresh water alike.

There are poly-chlorinated biphenyls that come from older electrical equipment that simply gets dumped into the water. This can cause a great deal of reproduction damage in most marine organisms. Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons that come from oil pollution and burning wood and coal has just as powerful of an effect on marine animals as well.

Too many people are unaware of the negative implications they are having on the east coast water bodies until it personally affects them. Of course, killing and eating fish with chemicals and bacteria only leads to harmful seafood placed directly in to our diets.

While it should not have to be said, it is important to highlight simple rules to avoid polluting east coast water bodies and any other water for that matter. We should always recycle all oil and chemicals while reducing the use of hazardous chemicals by choosing household cleaners and fertilizers that are not toxic.

By consuming less pesticide-dependent foods you can reduce the amount of pesticides in general that are used. And composting your household, kitchen and yard wastes can make for a terrific fertilizer.

The bottom line is we as a human species are killing off countless marine animals and destroying the water we so greatly depend on with horrific pollutants. Common sense practices can put an end to this. I encourage you as human beings to consider how your day to day actions can effect our environment long term. However, an individual contribution is still minuscule, it is truly going to take national and even global contribution and commitment to fix what we have done.

So consider this later in the year when you are deciding who to vote for on both a national and local level. Be sure that the candidates you put your faith in have knowledge of the ongoing pollution issues and that they plan to address them. As always thanks for reading and remember together we can help slow the destruction that our planet is facing.

Harmful Effects of Acid Rain on Fish Populations

Irlandes1 — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:28:33 +0000

Acid rain is destructive to the environment. The term acid rain is a generic term for any precipitation from the atmosphere that has a higher than normal acidic range. There can be acid snow as well as acid dew or fog. The high levels of acid can attack many species of fish, local wildlife, and trees.

Acid precipitation happens from an increase of the hydrogen ions being absorbed into water molecules, making the pH balance more acidic. When acid precipitation effects habitats with a low buffering capacity the habitat cannot cope with the high acidity and the organisms are affected dramatically.

When we say buffer we are referring to the bicarbonate and carbonate ions; these are found in areas with large amounts of sedimentary rock (specifically limestone). They have the ability to remove the hydrogen ions and make them nonreactive carbonic acid.

Some lakes such as Lake George, which is located in the Adirondack Mountain Region of New York, near the Vermont border. Have a unique composition of the limestone deposits in the lake structure that can help neutralize any acid rain that falls in or around the lake. However, Mother Nature does not always provide this protection and some other nearby by lakes and streams struggle to survive. For example just north of Lake George; Indian lake has an acidic ph of 5.47; this means that it is on its way to levels that can be detrimental to game fish populations.

Head waters of streams are particularly vulnerable because they have little sedimentary input and a low buffering capacity, they often already run a bit acidic; so any introduction of acid can be devastating. Acid can build up in the snow pack and enter the stream during the spring thaw, bombarding the stream with a turbo shot of acid.

These head waters are usually where we will find brook trout. The only species of trout that is truly native to the east coast United States. This makes the threat of contamination all that much more important; to those who are trying to maintain the native fish populations.

The effect of acid rain on aquatic habitats limits or eradicates fish populations because of less fruitful spawning seasons, the lack of food, and from disease.

Emissions from industry are a large contributor to the problem, however; any burning of fossil fuels will contribute to the release of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Theses all react with water molecules to create acid.

A neutral pH balance is 7.0 anything below this is considered to be acidic. The levels of pH that are critical to fish populations are 5.0 down to 4.0 and any level of aluminum above .3mg/l. Why did we mention aluminum? Well that is because acid during heavy rain falls and snow pack can liberate aluminum from the areas that surround the water and introduce it to the fish’s habitat in large amounts.

These critical levels of acid and aluminum can devastate fish and invertebrate (i.e. mayflies) populations because they can cause an increase of mucus on their gills. The mucus then causes the fish to suffocate. The same effect has been found in mayfly nymphs captured by researchers. This is significant because if the mayfly populations die off, than the brook trout and other fish will lose their primary food source.

Acid precipitation also has an effect on lakes. Many lakes that have become polluted by acid rain can no longer maintain pH levels suitable for the game species of fish, such as trout, bass, and salmon. This leaves the lake inhabited by trash species like bullhead and suckers, if inhabited at all.

The future of our fish populations are threatened by acid precipitation and other environmental issues, which we will discuss in future posts. As anglers we can do our part by limited our use of fossil fuels and by keeping our water bodies and the areas surrounding them clean.

Hemp – a Natural Resource

Irlandes1 — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:21:08 +0000

Environmental issues such as pollution and deforestation are a huge concern, especially when considering the future availability of our natural resources. Some may think that we can count on the politicians to implement policies that will aid in the recovery of the damage that has already been done, or to lessen the load in the future. But the fact is that they really aren’t doing enough, perhaps they are not recognizing the severity of the issues we are facing. The thing that I find most disturbing is that there are solutions out there, but for the sake of not losing support for their re-election; most political figures choose to shy away from the tough moves. Last summer I had to give a seven minute persuasive speech on an environmental issue and I chose to speak about industrial hemp, because the fact is that many of the U.S. lakes that are contaminated got that way because of factories that manufacture products such as paper. These factories were in use for decades and they would dump their waste into rivers which would eventually spill into large lakes, other rivers, streams, or even the ocean.

Contaminates such as Mirex, Kepone, DDT, and other PCB’s have accumulated and still exist in our Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and other water bodies. The use of industrial hemp would reduce the chemical load significantly, but because of shear ignorance it is avoided as a potential solution. However, as we face some of the most difficult financial times of our generation, the pressure to make better decisions for the good of the nation could provoke a change in the hemp laws. The environment could then benefit from the very same greed that damaged it in the first place. It is a bit ironic, but if it gets us moving in the right direction to preserve our planet; who cares why it’s done! Here is the outline that I used during my speech; I hope you find it informative.

• First I would like to begin with a quick story about when I was a child. I used to ride my bike to the store which was located 2.5 miles away. I would make sort of a circle riding a different route each way. At that time there were four working farms along this route; which produced all sorts of products from strawberries, and corn, too dairy. I recently drove these same roads and found that only one of these farms still remains. This may seem like no big deal, but if you take a moment to think about why it has happened it is a very serious issue. Our small farm businesses have been driven out of existence by the lack of demand for their products. Big chain stores now import their produce and other grown goods from out of state and foreign mass producing farms that they own interest in; devastating the local farmers and the local economy.

• I feel that the loss of these farms represents a much larger problem, because not only does it hurt the local markets, it also shows that our country is slowly losing its self sustaining resources.

• I am sure many of the people in this room could think back to their childhood and come up with similar examples of local businesses that once existed that are now abandoned or gone all together. So, that is why I chose to talk to you today about one potential solution to this problem.

• My goal here is to convince you that industrial hemp should be legalized in the United States.

• Specifically we will look at some historical facts about industrial hemp, the financial impact, and the benefits it has for our environment.

• Historical Facts

• PBS.org -The first hemp laws that were placed in this country were in 1619 by the Virginia Assembly, but they were laws that declared that farmers must grow hemp. It was used for rope, ship sails, and clothing

• During this time Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.

• 95% of all the paper made in the world before twentieth century was made from hemp; that was until about 1893 when it was decided to be too difficult to harvest. The automated harvester wasn’t invented until the 1930’s

• Up until the early twentieth century it was still a common ingredient in many medicines.

• The declaration of independence was written on hemp paper

• 1930’s lumber industry was booming and J Edgar Hoover was head of the newly formed FBI, his Secretary of Treasury was Andrew Mellon. Mellon was the chief financial backer of the DuPont Corporation. Dupont was a leading force in the production of wood fiber. Mellon appointed his nephew Harry Anslinger to commissioner of the newly formed Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

• Anslinger led a propaganda campaign against marijuana, making no distinction between the different types. Misled people into believing that marijuana led people to abandon their moral values and to participate in degrading sexual acts. Most notably was the propaganda film “Refer Madness” which was shown in the introductions @ movie theaters in 1936

• 1937 Marijuana Tax Act- Congress passed a statute that effectively criminalized all forms of marijuana, restricting possession of the drug to individuals who paid an excise tax for certain authorized medical and industrial uses.

• 1940 U.S. Department of Agriculture launched its “Hemp for Victory” program, encouraging farmers to plant hemp by giving out seeds and granting draft deferments to those who would stay home and grow hemp. By 1943 American farmers registered in the program harvested 375,000 acres of hemp. The fiber was used to make parachutes, ropes, and uniforms.

• 1944 New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensively researched report declaring that, marijuana did not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes, or lead to addiction or other drug use.

• According to the Department of Agriculture, industrial hemp contains no more than 1% of tetrahydrocannabinols (AKA as THC), the chemical in marijuana that creates the high. Marijuana used for this purpose often contains between 15 to 20% of THC content, sometimes more.

• 1972 Shafer Commission – The bipartisan group, appointed by President Nixon at the direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized. Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the course of the 1970s, eleven states went on to decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their penalties.

• 1986 Ronald Regan Anti-Drug Abuse Act, instituting mandatory sentences for drug-related crimes. The new law raised federal penalties for marijuana possession and dealing, basing the penalties on the amount of the drug involved. Possession of 100 marijuana plants received the same penalty as possession of 100 grams of heroin.

• None of these laws attempted to make the distinction between the industrial and recreational strains.

• 2011 -The DEA states on their website that hemp and marijuana are separate parts of the species known as cannabis. So they clearly make the distinction that one version is different from the other, yet the rest of the statements abandon this distinction by saying that all forms of cannabis is illegal to cultivate or consume.

Now that we learned some of the history of hemp in our country, let’s consider some of the economical benefits.

• Economic benefits

• Hemp is the number one biomass producer- The Obama administration is currently promoting a program in which the USDA will provide financial aid to farmers who can produce more biomass material that can be used for energy production, food, and animal feed. But yet they are unable to grow the biggest biomass producing plant known to man.

• Farmers would be able to maintain the cost of running their farms and as a result the local economies would flourish.

• Hemp is currently grown for commercial use in Europe, Canada, Asia, Russia, and the Ukraine. The U.S. is currently not competing for any of the financial gain that hemp products can bring.

• Hemp could help increase our export production dramatically.

• The DEA would no longer need to pay agents to seek and destroy harmless feral plants out west. Saving tax dollars that could be spent elsewhere.

• Products such as petroleum and plastics and many other products can be produced here in the U.S.; eliminating our reliance on foreign suppliers.

• Hemp can be grown in any climate allowing farmers all over the country to benefit.

• It is one of the most versatile plants on earth it has been used to produce paper, food, and clothing, building materials and insulation, soap, cosmetics and even petroleum. All of which can be sold and taxed.
Okay, now that we have considered the history of hemp and the economical implications, let’s look at the environmental impacts of using hemp as a natural resource

• Environmental benefits

• The department of Agriculture states that one acre of hemp can produce 4 times the amount of paper than an acre of trees.

• Deforestation will slow down and the atmosphere will benefit from the reduction of carbon dioxide. Ultimately aiding the effort against global warming.

• A hemp plant can go from seed to harvest in 4 months; trees need 20 to fifty years to mature.

• According to scientific studies conducted at MIT, Petroleum produced from hemp will create less carbon dioxide when burnt, than the plant absorbs during growth.

• Hemp has fewer natural enemies in the insect kingdom, hence reducing the need for the heavy use of pesticides.

• Hemp used for paper production can be processed without the use of chemicals, unlike wood pulp which require large amounts of toxic chemicals.

• Hemp requires only small amounts of fertilizer. Less fertilizer use means less runoff into water ways and ground water, this means less pollution.

• Most hemp products remain completely biodegradable

• Conclusion

• To review what we have covered here; we learned that hemp was used as a natural resource for everything from medicine to clothing long before it classified as a drug.

• We also learned that pressure from big business influenced the creation of laws regarding hemp and that no clear distinction was ever made between the drug form and industrial forms of cannabis.

• We outlined the clear economical benefits to the country as a resource for exportable products, as well as products to help make our country self sufficient. Also, the financial impact that a hemp crop would have for our nation’s farmers and the local economy.

• We made clear the environmental advantages of hemp which included reduced pollution, an alternative for deforestation, and a viable solution to slow global warming.

• For those of you who believe that this is a worthy effort, I encourage you to write to your elected officials and make it clear that we can no longer ignore the benefits of this natural resource.

• Let’s encourage them to be honest; hemp was not banned because it was a harmful drug it was banned because it was a competitive threat to the wood products industry.

• Let’s also force them to make the distinction between the drug producing strains and the industrial plants, because hemp is a real solution for the environmental and economic problems that are country currently faces.

My hope is that you gained some knowledge here that will inspire you to look at this particular issue differently. We need to make some dramatic changes in order to assure the existence of our natural resources. I would like to think that my grandchildren and great grandchildren will enjoy all the great fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, and other outdoor activities that we have. We are a creative and resourceful nation we just need the policy makers to make the right choices. Thanks for reading and remember to speak your mind for what you feel is right, our planet depends on it!

Hudson River Dredging

Irlandes1 — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:15:03 +0000

Hi folks,

I know by now most of you are aware of the dredging going on in the north end of the Hudson River. Those of us who fish the Hudson need to be very wary of the fish we catch there. I only fish the Hudson during the month of May when the Striped Bass are running, but the Hudson is always active with anglers and recreational boaters from April to November. I would advise anyone who uses the river to do their own research on the dangers of the PCB’s that they are attempting to remove from the river.

I find local newspapers are not always the best resource, I truly believe the media is tainted by the powers that be and only report what they are told to report. I think we have seen enough of that during the last presidential administration! Anyway let me stay focused on my point, I am putting a link in here to the official dredging site, but keep in mind this site is maintained by G.E. the same company that caused the pollution in the first place, but none the less it does contain some helpful information on the dredging process. You can find them at http://www.hudsondredging.com/

Although it is only my personal opinion I would not eat anything from the Hudson River and certainly would not drink from it. I have read reports that still say you can consume one meal every thirty days, but why would you take that chance. Maybe you should fish from one of the natural streams that run off the mountains and empty into the Hudson. I am sure the fish you catch there will be a much safer bet.

A quick need to mention about a personal experience I had fishing in the Hudson River. About seven years ago I was fishing from a boat with a few friends at the intersection of the Hudson River and the Rondout Creek. I hooked a thirty pound Striper. After pulling the fish in I noticed two large round lesion’s one on its belly and one around one of its eyes. I don’t know why this fish had this deformity, but I have never kept another fish for consumption out of the Hudson ever again. I have also seen other people pull out Channel Catfish with similar infections on their bellies. This may be related to the PCB pollution or maybe something else, but either way I am not going to feed my family these fish.

I know this was a bit long winded just to provide you with a link, but I feel very strongly that we need to open our eyes to what is happening to our planet. Even if we bring it to the public one river or one polluting company at a time! The resources of our planet belong to all of us, not just the rich and powerful. This is America and we all have the right to speak up and disagree with what is going on around us especially when the future of our rivers and lakes are at stake.

If you are aware of other issues that are affecting our environment or have a helpful link that can motivate people to change how we treat our planet, Please post them here or send them to us through or contact page here.

Thanks for reading my blog; I will be posting again soon….