Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

Important time sensitive issues:
FCC extends comment period on GPS decision to March 16
Comment Period for Cormorant Management ends April 6
Here are two issues that are of importance to us in the Great Lakes region, issues that could impact our fishery resources and
our GPS finding capability. Your action is important on both.
Dan Thomas, President
Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council
Glsfc444@gmail.com
FCC extends comment period on GPS decision to March 16
BoatUS recently cautioned that America's boaters weren't out of the woods yet with the possibility of the country's sole electronic
navigation system failing as the result of radio signal interference issues from a newly proposed cellular broadband network.
The Federal Communications Commission extended the public comment period to the network's proposed builder, LightSquared,
allowing comments through March 16. Boaters and all users of GPS are urged to submit comments to the FCC to ensure that the
nation's system of global positioning devices keeps Americans safely on course.
Here is how to file comments to the FCC through its online comment form:
Click here for the FCC online Comment form: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list
Select Proceeding Number 11-109.
Enter contact information.
In the box that says Type in or paste your brief comments,here are some points to select from:
Explain how you use GPS in your life on the water, on land or in the air.
What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable?
Wireless broadband service is important, but it should not come at the expense of GPS.
All of the studies show that LightSquared's proposed network would cause interference and that there are no remedies.
Tell the FCC that you rely on it to protect the integrity of the GPS signal and that you support its recommendation to stop
LightSquared's current proposal.
Click Continue.
If the review page is correct, click Confirm.
Comment Period for Cormorant Management ends April 6
Click here to submit comments: http://www.regulations.gov/#!searchResults;rpp=25;po=0;s=FWS-R9-MB-2011-0033%252B
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting public comments to guide the preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement related to revising regulations governing the management of Double-crested Cormorants.
USFWS requesting input
These latest comments will update the original 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS): Double-crested cormorant
management in the United States (USFWS 2003, 208 pp). USFWS is requesting comments to help them determine future national
policy for effective management of double-crested cormorant populations in the United States.
One group, the Lake Huron Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee is supporting the Michigan DNRs recommendation to amend the
2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement to incorporate a regional approach. Managing the cormorant population at the Flyway
level ensures that the cormorant population is protected and significantly increases efficiency and flexibility for the action agencies
(State fish and wildlife agencies, federally recognized Tribes and State Directors of USDA Aphis Wildlife Services). The cormorant
take for each state would be determined by discussions between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and each Flyway Council with the
goal of each State maintaining breeding cormorant abundance above minimum thresholds while reducing bureaucratic hindrances
within each State.
The regional approach would allow management activities to be spread over wider areas within and between States. Especially
troublesome is managing a colony that crosses state or national boundaries. The regional approach would allow for better coordination
of efforts resulting in more effective treatments at lower costs. This new system would allow the States to focus efforts over a larger
area and in zones located at a distance from the treated colonies and to react immediately to quickly developing problems caused by
migrating or far foraging colony birds.
Each State would determine a cormorant management goal and conduct ongoing monitoring to ensure that minimum population
threshold levels are maintained and the Statesgoals for cormorant management are being achieved.
Current management regulations
Under current regulations, cormorant control activities are conducted annually at the local level by individuals or agencies operating
under USFWS depredation permits, the existing Aquaculture Depredation Order, or the existing Public Resource Depredation Order.
The depredation orders are scheduled to expire on June 30, 2014. This analysis and your comments will aide the USFWS in updating
the 2003 Final Environmental Impact Statement: Double-crested Cormorant Management in the United States.
Electronic comments via http://www.regulations.gov must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 6, 2012. Comments
submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than April 6, 2012.
You may also submit your comments by U.S. Mail to:
Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWSR9MB20110033;
Division of Policy and Directives Management; USFWS,
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 222
Arlington, VA 222031610.
Comments submitted by fax or e-mail will NOT be accepted
Support Documents
1. Latest Revision Date, Federal Register Revision to Comment period, January 27, 2012
http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/2012/2012-1807.pdf (One page)
2. Federal Register, November 8, 2011 Notice Cormorant Management, future mgmt policy
http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/2011/2011-28755.pdf (Six pages)
3. Original USFWS Final Environment Impact Statement Cormorant Management, 2003 (208 pp)
http://library.fws.gov/Bird_Publications/CormorantFEIS.pdf
Submit your comments, click here: http://www.regulations.gov/#!searchResults;rpp=25;po=0;s=FWS-R9-MB-2011-
0033%252B
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