June 6, 2009 - TOP STORIES
Take advantage of Take-a-Kid Fishing Weekend
Applications available for 2009 DAV Deer Hunt
DNR seeks comments on temporary hunting rules
New fishing regulations considered for Rochester-area lakes and ponds
U.S. Designates Upper Mississippi River Floodplains a Wetland of International Importance
Grand Marais man named 2008 Youth ATV Safety Instructor of the Year
DNR announces student poster contest winners
Jon Schaefer of St. Cloud, MN wins WFN/Charter Hangin’ with Hrbie Contest
Lake Winnibigoshish designated ‘infested waters’
Hmong anglers enjoy new access to white bass
Eagle Shooter Sentenced in Tampa, Florida
Upper Mississippi forest lands protected forever Conservation easement protects waters, habitat and public access regardless of potential land sale
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Blandin Paper Company (UPM) have signed a binding agreement for the purchase of a working forest conservation easement to forever protect 187,277 acres of Northwoods forests, wetlands and shoreline currently owned by UPM. The agreement includes a closing date in 2010 when Lessard Outdoor Heritage funds will be fully available for the project.
The agreement will provide public access and numerous land and water safeguards, regardless of who may own the forest lands in the future,
including:
Permanent public access to 187,277 acres of land in north-central Minnesota for hunting, fishing, birdwatching and other recreational activities.
Preservation of existing hiking, snowmobile and ATV trails.
Safeguards include:
No development permitted on any of the lands.
No dividing or subdividing of the lands for sale or other uses.
No altering of water channels, wetlands, streams or rivers.
No new or expanded roads or landings except as needed for sustainable forest management practices.
A requirement to follow internationally accepted sustainable forest management practices by being certified through the Forest Stewardship Council or Sustainable Forestry Initiative, with auditing by the DNR for compliance.
The agreement was signed today, 12 days after Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed into law the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment funding allocations, which included a two-year state appropriation of $36 million for purchase of working forest conservation easements. The state funding will come from revenues generated by the additional sales tax authorized by the constitutional amendment.
In addition, private funding of $9 million is being provided to the state by The Conservation Fund. The sources of these funds include $7 million from the Blandin Foundation and $2 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, bringing the total easement investment to $45 million.
“We now have a binding agreement for the perpetual protection of some of the state’s largest public access recreational lands,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. “The size and scope of the Upper Mississippi Forest makes it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an ideal use of legacy funding. The easement is a smart investment that will protect Minnesota’s Great Outdoors for our children and grandchildren.”
Mike Kilgore, chair of the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council, views the Upper Mississippi Forest as the signature project of the Outdoor Heritage Fund. “The Council embraced this project because it embodies everything that the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment stands for. The easement permanently protects important natural resources – forests, wetlands and shoreline – while guaranteeing public access for recreation at an unprecedented scale. Simply stated, this easement is a great buy for the citizens of Minnesota.”
The conservation easement will remain in place regardless of any possible sale of the forest lands. The timing of the easement agreement is critical for the protection of the lands, according to Tom Duffus, Upper Midwest Director of The Conservation Fund, who helped negotiate the easement. “The possibility of these lands being sold without easement protection was real. We now have in place an irrevocable promise that no matter who owns these lands, they will remain protected and open for public use.”
Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, said, “UPM has been a good steward of the land. And now, thanks to the wise investment by the state of Minnesota, regardless of ownership, we have an everlasting guarantee that they will be available for future generations, free from subdivision or development.”
“This easement is critical for the current and long-term needs of this community,” said Bud Stone, president of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “Not only will we benefit from a guaranteed source of timber that will provide jobs for loggers and mill workers, we will also remain a recreational destination for those who wish to hunt, fish, hike and recreate on these lands.”
Patrick Radzak, secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local Union No. 346, echoed the sentiments expressed by Stone. “It is always positive when an employer and the union can work together to protect our lands and good jobs for the state of Minnesota.”
Clean Water, Land and Legacy funding for the easements will come from a
3/8 percent increase in the state sales tax, approved by Minnesota voters last November. The sales tax increase, which goes into effect on July 1, will also fund other land conservation measures, clean water initiatives, parks and trails projects, and arts education and cultural heritage. It is expected to take until mid to late 2010 before sufficient funds are collected to complete the conservation easement purchase. The easement purchase should be finalized before Dec. 31, 2010
Take advantage of Take-a-Kid Fishing Weekend
Minnesotans who want to catch some quality family time are encouraged to take advantage of Take-A-Kid Fishing weekend, June 5-7.
Minnesota residents 18 and older can fish for free during these days when they accompany an angler younger than 16.
“Most kids would love to go fishing,” said Mike Kurre, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) mentoring program coordinator.
“By eliminating the need for a license on these three days, we’re providing an opportunity for family and friends to try the recreational sport of fishing with a youth and encouraging people to get outdoors, have fun, and discover the joys of fishing.”
Several Minnesota state parks are planning events corresponding to Take-A-Kid Fishing Weekend including:
- Armchair Angling at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park on June 6.
- Take A Kid Trout Fishing Day at Whitewater State Park on June 6.
- I Can Fish! at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park on June 7.
Additional information about events at state parks is available at http://mndnr.gov/parks. For more on places to fish, go to http://mndnr.gov/takeakidfishing
National Fishing and Boating Week is June 6-14. Boating information, fishing tactics, tips on equipment and safety, advice and stories from pro anglers is available online at www.rbff.org.
Applications available for 2009 DAV Deer Hunt
St. Cloud VA Medical Center, Veterans Organizations, the Minnesota National Guard-Camp Ripley & Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are co-sponsors
St. Cloud, Minn. - Applications will be available June 10 - July 3, 2009 through the St. Cloud VA Medical Center’s Voluntary Service Office, for the 2009 Physically Disabled Veterans Deer Hunt. The hunt, to be held October 6-8 at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, is the 17th annual event for physically disabled veterans who are either currently receiving outpatient care or who are eligible to receive care at a VA Medical Center and cannot hunt during the regular firearms season.
The St. Cloud Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota National Guard, Camp Ripley, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and their respective Auxiliaries co-sponsor this annual event. To receive an application, interested veterans should contact the VA Voluntary Service Office at (320) 255-6365.
DNR seeks comments on temporary hunting rules
Minnesotans have until June 26 to submit written comments or requests for public hearings on a number of temporary regulations that are proposed to become permanent.
The proposals relate to a variety of areas pertaining to individual wildlife management areas and game refuges, deer hunting regulations, bear hunting regulations, upland game birds, migratory game birds, prairie chickens, and waterfowl.
“Nearly all of the rule changes included in this package are in effect as temporary rules and received support previously in past public input meetings,” said Jason Abraham, season setting specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “This final comment opportunity is part of a required public process before we can make these rules permanent.”
The only new rule included in this package would prohibit the use of bait for turkey hunting. A copy of the proposed rules and additional information about the rules process will be available online at after May 26.
Comments may be submitted to: Jason Abraham, Box 20, DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4020 or by e-mail at Jason.Abraham@dnr.state.mn.us. Input also will be accepted via the DNR’s Web site at http://mndnr.gov/input/rules/wildliferules/index.html.
Provisions, currently in effect through temporary rules that would become permanent include:
- Special provisions for some Wildlife Management Areas, State Game and Waterfowl Refuges, waterfowl Controlled Hunting Zones, and migratory feeding and resting areas;
- Definitions for terms used in special deer hunts;
- Rules pertaining to national wildlife refuges and federal waterfowl production areas;
- Deer zone and date options, deer tagging procedure and deer license validation procedures;
- Bag limits for deer in intensive, managed, lottery, early season deer areas, and metro and bovine tuberculosis deer management zones;
- Seasons for taking deer by firearms in the metro deer management zone;
- Muzzleloader deer seasons and areas;
- Bag limit for bears outside quota areas;
- License procedures for taking bear outside quota areas;
- Seasons for taking ruffed and spruce grouse, pheasants and gray partridge;
- Seasons for taking sora and Virginia rails and common snipe;
- Provisions for the harvest of prairie chickens;
- Youth waterfowl hunting date; and
- Season and bag limit for taking geese in the northwest goose zone.
New fishing regulations considered for Rochester-area lakes and ponds
Creating more opportunities for more anglers to catch fish is the goal of new fishing regulations the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will propose for most Rochester-area lakes and ponds.
“The new regulations are designed to address the intense amount of fishing pressure and harvest that occur on the area’s small bodies of water,” said Kevin Stauffer, DNR area fisheries supervisor in Lake City. “Reducing the number of fish people can keep will help spread harvest over a longer time period and across more anglers, which should result in a higher number of successful fishing trips.”
Proposed regulations include a combined possession limit of 10 for sunfish, crappie and yellow perch, with no more than five crappies. This means anglers could take any combination of these species up to a total of 10 per person, but only five of those could be crappie.
“We decided to go with a combined possession limit because the fish populations in these waters are highly variable. This approach will allow us to have a uniform regulation that is simple to understand,” Stauffer said.
Proposed regulations also would reduce the possession limit to one each for largemouth bass and northern pike.
“We already have an active fisheries management program on most of these waters, but as demand for local fishing opportunities increase, we are looking for new ways we can improve these fisheries,” Stauffer said.
Waters on which the proposed new fishing regulations would become effective total about 600 acres, a rather small lake and pond resource compared to other areas of the state. Most anglers who fish these waters are local and fish from shore, using the accesses developed by the city of Rochester and Olmsted County.
Local waters included in the proposal include Silver Lake, Foster-Arend, Willow Reservoirs 4 and 6A, Silver Creek Reservoir, Quarry Hill Nature Center Pond, Kalmar Reservoir, Manor Woods Pond and Cascade Ponds. Trout regulations on Foster-Arend would not be affected.
Bear Creek Reservoir, located in Chester Woods County Park, also will be considered for the new regulations. Existing special regulations for sunfish and largemouth bass, which are already are in place, are up for review this year.
“It’s very important that we have public support for any regulation changes we eventually make,” according to Stauffer. He said the DNR will hold formal public meetings in October, “but I really want to hear what anglers think of this proposal at any time. This is the starting point for discussion.”
Information signs will be posted near the water bodies in mid-May. Anglers are encouraged to provide their comments to the Lake City DNR Fisheries office at 651-345-3365 or by e-mail to lakecity.fisheries@dnr.state.mn.us.
U.S. Designates Upper Mississippi River Floodplains a Wetland of International Importance
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced approval of portions of the Upper Mississippi River, including the Midwest’s largest national wildlife refuge, as a Wetland of International Importance.
In making the announcement, Secretary Salazar said, “The ecological, social, and economic values of the Upper Mississippi River make it one of the crown jewels of this nation’s wetlands. This marks the 27th U.S. wetland designated under the Convention on Wetlands. The U.S. became a party to the convention in 1987, which now includes 150 countries. It’s certainly fitting that this area has now officially received international recognition.”
The designation includes just over 300,000 acres of federal and state lands and waters of the Upper Mississippi River floodplain from near Wabasha, Minn. to north of Rock Island, Ill. The designation includes all of the 240,000-acre Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge headquartered in Winona, Minn. and the adjacent 6,226-acre Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin.
Other designated sites in the U.S. include such wetland icons as Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia and Florida, Everglades National Park in Florida, and Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin.
Don Hultman, refuge manager of the Upper Mississippi River refuge, said designation is aimed at strengthening public awareness and appreciation of the role wetlands play in sustaining environmental health, economic enterprise, and recreational well-being.
“The upper reach of the Mississippi River is an ecological treasure,”
Hultman said.
Hultman said the refuge and surrounding public lands in the site support more than 200 nesting pairs of bald eagles, 120 species of fish, 42 species of mussels, and provide migration habitat for up to 50 percent of the world’s population of canvasback ducks.
He said the site also serves as a major navigation highway for commerce and provides millions of citizens abundant hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities.
Hultman said a Wetland of International Importance designation has no effect on current jurisdiction, authorities, or management responsibility of federal, state, or local governments that partner on management of the river. He stressed that designation does not affect current river uses.
“All commercial and recreational uses currently allowed or allowed in the future are not affected. Designation does not dictate land and water use of any kind,” Hultman said.
The designation proposal was endorsed by the Department of Natural Resources of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and seven members of Congress from the respective states.
With Fish and Wildlife Service approval, the designation package now goes to the Ramsar Secretariat located in Gland, Switzerland, for technical review and formal addition to the international list of wetlands which now numbers more than 1,600 sites. Formal designation is expected early in 2010.
For more information on the Wetlands of International Importance program, go to www.ramsar.org.
Grand Marais man named 2008 Youth ATV Safety Instructor of the Year
Richard “Dick” Parker of Grand Marais has been named the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ 2008 Youth ATV Safety Volunteer Instructor of the Year.
Parker has worked closely with Cook County Community Education, the Cook County ATV Club and local conservation officers to organize youth ATV safety training in the area since 2004.
“Dick’s friendly, patient and thorough teaching style leaves a lasting impression on his many students,” said 2nd Lt. Leland Owens, DNR Enforcement Division recreational vehicle coordinator.
Owens said Parker’s knowledge and input have been invaluable to people in Cook County, Grand Portage, the DNR, and the U.S. Forest Service as they work to establish a safe, sustainable ATV trail system in Superior National Forest, and the Grand Portage and Pat Bayle state forests.
“Without the help of people such as Dick Parker, the task of providing ATV safety education by this agency would be significantly greater,” Owens said. “The DNR thanks him and all the other volunteers and organizations who work to make ATV riding safer in Minnesota.”
DNR announces student poster contest winners
Seventh and eighth grade students from Walnut Grove, Crystal and Brooklyn Park were the top winners in the 25th annual Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “Roadsides Are For The Birds”
poster contest.
Anna Gusek and Elizabeth Schwabe of Fourth Baptist Christian School and Cha Her of Westbrook-Walnut Grove School were selected as first prize winners.
Students from 29 schools entered works in this year’s contest, according to Carmelita Nelson, DNR Roadsides for Wildlife coordinator in St. Paul.
“The purpose of the contest is to help increase awareness of the growing importance of roadsides for wildlife, particularly for ground nesting birds,” Nelson said. “As wildlife habitat continues to
disappear, roadside nesting habitat is becoming more critical.”
Roadsides can provide bird-nesting habitat if mowing and other roadside disturbances are delayed until after the nesting season, usually around Aug. 1.
In addition to the first prize winners, special recognition awards in the contest went to:
· Cha Her of Westbrook Walnut Grove School in Walnut Grove for biological accuracy.
· Shiney Her of Westbrook Walnut Grove School in Walnut Grove for expression of theme.
· Rayni Pemble of Fred Moore Middle School in Anoka for pen/pencil.
· Brent Gorter of Edgerton Christian Elementary School in Edgerton for creative use of material.
· Noah Olson of Trinity Lutheran School in St Francis for humor.
· Alicia Haugh of Fred Moore Middle School in Anoka, the Staff’s
Choice Award.
Prizes and contributions for the contest were donated by Wildlife Heritage Association; Minnesota Pheasants Inc.-Steele County; Pheasants Forever; New Ulm Chapter of the Izaak Walton League; Minnesota Waterfowl Association; National Camera Exchange, Golden Valley; and the DNR Roadsides Program. Ross Frame Shop and Universal Framing, both of Minneapolis, and The Frame Gallery of New Ulm donated framing of the posters.
The three first prize winners will have their work displayed in the DNR Building during the 2009 Minnesota State Fair. Works of the top 40 prize winners will be displayed at the Minnesota Deer Classic and Sports Show at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds March 12-14, 2010.
Contest judges were: Helen Owens, retired art instructor at Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Middle School; retired DNR wildlife manager Paul Bremer of Arlington; and Dona Larkin, Renville artist.
Jon Schaefer of St. Cloud, MN wins WFN/Charter Hangin’ with Hrbie Contest
Long-time angler and Twins fan to enjoy a Fishing Trip with Kent Hrbek
ROCHESTER, MN.– Charter Communications and WFN: World Fishing Network, North America’s only 24-hour fishing lifestyle channel, will award Jon Schaefer of St. Cloud, MN and his fishing buddy and bother-in-law Matt Kramer of St. Joseph’s, MN the chance to spend the day fishing with former Minnesota Twins great Kent Hrbek on June 4 in Bloomington, MN.
As the grand prize winner in the “WFN HD/Charter Hangin’ with Hrbie” contest Schaefer and Kramer will spend the day of June 4, with the former MLB great and host of Kent Hrbek Outdoors on Hrbek’s boat at one of his favorite fishing spots on the Mississippi River near Bloomington. A camera crew from Kent Hrbek Outdoors will attend the event and shoot highlights to run on a future episode of the show. After fishing, the groups will tell fish stories over lunch. Schaefer will also receive a WFN prize pack.
“I am so excited to fish with Kent that I have actually lost sleep over it,” admits Schaefer. “I grew up watching Kent and the Twins and now I am a totally obsessed angler, fishing for with my brother Ben and brother-in-law Matt.”
“We are thrilled that a passionate angler and WFN viewer like Jon was selected for this experience,” said Chris Doyle, Vice President of Marketing for WFN. “We couldn’t think of anything more memorable for a Minnesota angler than spending the day on a great lake with a legendary former ball player who is now one of the most popular outdoor television show personalities.”
Hosted by the former MLB star and award winning journalist Eric Gislason, Kent Hrbek Outdoors prides itself on entertaining, non-traditional, personality-driven television at its best. Guests include newsmakers from the worlds of sports, business, entertainment, politics, media, and even everyday people – all woven together with trademark storytelling and stunning high-definition photojournalism.
Hrbek, who was born and raised in Minnesota, is a true Minnesota sports legend. His 13-year MLB career (1981-94) with the Twins included two World Championships and one All-Star selection in a career that included 293 career home runs, a .282 batting average and 1,086 RBI. His uniform #14 is one of just four retired by the team.
“We are pleased to partner with WFN to offer our customers this unique opportunity,” stated John Crowley, Vice President and General Manager for Charter’s Minnesota operations. “Charter is committed to building long-term, satisfying relationships with our customers by providing services they want. World Fishing Network offers content that adds value to our service, and responds to requests from our customers,” Crowley added.
Lake Winnibigoshish designated ‘infested waters’
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - Anglers and boaters must follow stricter rules on Lake Winnibigoshish near Deer River after it was designated ``infested waters.’’
The lake received the designation last month because of a faucet snail infestation. The exotic species was first spotted there in 2007.
The snail is a host for a parasite that has killed hundreds of waterfowl on the lake during the past two autumn migrations.
Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor Chris Kavanaugh says it’s important for anglers and others to follow the rules so the snail doesn’t spread to other water bodies.
The rules prohibit anglers from moving water from the lake, including in boats, livewells and bait containers, or trapping minnows in the lake for personal use.
Hmong anglers enjoy new access to white bass
By CHRIS NISKANEN
St. Paul Pioneer Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - About 100 white bass hitched a short ride recently between two small Ramsey County lakes, but the fish relocation was a bigger step in relations between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Southeast Asian anglers.
DNR fisheries workers captured the white bass in Pleasant Lake in North Oaks and trucked them two miles downstream to Sucker Lake in Vadnais Heights. Pleasant Lake is off-limits to fishing, so the fish are now available for anglers to catch.
More specifically, they are available to Southeast Asian anglers, who in recent years have pushed the DNR to put more effort into white bass management. The white-fleshed fish are highly coveted by Hmong and other Southeast Asian anglers because they are tasty and resemble a species native to their homelands.
``It is a good fish to eat, with less bones,’’ said John Ny Vang, of St. Paul. ``You can steam them and fry them, and the meat is firm.’’
White bass are found mostly in large rivers, such as the St. Croix and the Mississippi, but in few lakes. Most of the state’s anglers hold the species in low regard, preferring walleyes, black bass and northern pike - species that get the bulk of the DNR’s attention.
But a new St. Paul sportsman’s group has persuaded the DNR to pay more attention to white bass.
The group, the Capitol Sportsman’s Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, represents mostly Southeast Asian sportsmen and has interests that include fishing and squirrel hunting. Vang is one of its founding members. He said that in 2007 he presented a program at a DNR round-table, which included Commissioner Mark Holsten, to make white bass a higher priority.
The agency agreed. The DNR’s fisheries managers have developed a four-part plan to publicize more of Minnesota’s white bass hotspots, conduct white bass fishing clinics, test fish for contaminants and try experimental stockings to boost populations.
The Sucker Lake stocking was the first such effort. ``If this works out reasonably well and there is some measure of success, we’re willing to give it a try for a few more years,’’ said Dirk Peterson, DNR regional fisheries supervisor. ``It’s a small, inexpensive thing we can do and it addresses the concerns of a group that has a strong angling tradition.’’
Peterson said the Sucker Lake project costs $1,000 or less.
In the past two decades, the agency has translated fishing regulations into Southeast Asian languages, hired Southeast Asian managers and recruited and hired three Southeast Asian conservation officers.
More recently, those officers and volunteers have been teaching five or six firearms safety classes to Southeast Asian hunters annually.
There are 30,000 to 40,000 Southeast Asian anglers, according to Josee Cung, the DNR’s Southeast Asian liaison officer.
But the white bass program is the DNR’s first wildlife management effort that caters to that group.
``It’s such an important species that many Minnesota Southeast Asian anglers go to Devils Lake in North Dakota to fish for them,’’
Cung said. ``The Sportsman’s Chapter made the economic argument, if people drive to Devils Lake, why can’t we have more white bass in Minnesota?’’
Pleasant Lake is part of St. Paul’s water supply system and off-limits to fishing. The fish are in Pleasant and the connecting chain of lakes because the system is linked to the Mississippi River. The fish survive in Pleasant Lake because it has moving water, but it is doubtful the bass will reproduce in Sucker Lake, Peterson said.
The Pleasant-Sucker relocation makes sense, said Peterson, because both have invasive zebra mussels present. It would be impossible to move the white bass to any lakes that don’t have zebra mussels.
The Pleasant Lake has a similar fish contaminant warning as many Minnesota lakes, limiting anglers to eating one meal of fish per week.
But contaminants are an issue for white bass anglers using other waters. White bass tested in the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers 20 years ago showed high levels of PCBs and mercury. The DNR, along with the Department of Health, will retest those populations soon.
``We actually assume those contaminants will be lower because water quality has improved,’’ Peterson said.
Using electrical gear and special boats, the DNR captured white bass and moved them to Sucker Lake, which has a public park. The bass averaged about one pound, a typical size for white bass that anglers catch, said DNR fisheries specialist Rick Walsh.
The DNR hopes to expand its Web site and publish a brochure with white bass information.
``It’s a small effort,’’ said Cung of the Sucker Lake stocking, ``but the community is very appreciative of the effort.’’
Eagle Shooter Sentenced in Tampa, Florida
Jesse Barresse of Hudson was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Tampa today for intentionally shooting and killing a bald eagle, while he was illegally duck hunting in Ruskin on January 13, 2008. Barresse received six months in federal prison, followed by a year of supervised release. He also must pay $500 in restitution to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund and $25 in court fees. Barresse was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven D. Merryday.
Barresse was charged with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, a federal law protecting eagles, their nests, and young. For the violation, Barresse could have received a maximum sentence of one year in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.
“We will vigorously pursue those who kill or injure our nation’s symbol,” said Andrew Aloise, resident agent in charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Barresse was arrested after information was revealed he bragged about killing a bald eagle. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Special Agents uncovered the information while investigating the shooting of another bald eagle in a separate, unrelated case in Manatee County. This led to Barresse, who at the time was wanted in Missouri on drug- related charges. U.S. Marshals and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agents arrested Barresse at his girlfriend’s home in Hudson on February 1, 2009, on that outstanding warrant.
Agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives interviewed Barresse at the Pasco County Jail, where he confessed to shooting the eagle. Barresse first claimed he thought he had shot an osprey, another federally protected species.
Two witnesses to the shooting gave statements implicating Barresse who pled guilty to shooting the eagle in U.S. District Court in Tampa, Florida on February 17, 2009.
As a species, the bald eagle was brought back from the brink of extinction through efforts to ban the use of the pesticide DDT, which was damaging the eagle's eggs, and through the protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act.
The bald eagle was delisted last year and is an American success story and a victory for the Endangered Species Act. However, the bald eagle is still protected under State of Florida Statute 372.0725 which makes it a third degree felony to kill or wound any species designated as endangered or threatened under Florida law. Killing or wounding a bald eagle also violates two federal laws, the Eagle Protection Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherie Krigsman from the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Middle District of Florida.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
© 2009 Outdoors Weekly