Boyd Kynard is the founder of the Living Rivers School, owner of BK Riverfish and our CT river Obi Wan. He invites us to rescue lampreys with him on Monday morning:
Hi All,
Sorry to be late recruiting volunteers to rescue larvae and metamorphosing sea lamprey during the Drawdown of the Cabot Station canal at Turners Falls.
RELEASE FORM: We have the liability release form needed by First Light for all to sign.
MEET PLACE -TIME: We will park at the end of Depot St. at 8am on Monday, 14 Sept. Normally, rescue takes 3 hrs.
EQUIPMENT: You will need boots: knee-high or hip boots, even so, you may get a little muddy. Site is not dangerous but walking in the narrow band of mud to get to the sand-mud zone where lamprey are is difficult.
Bring a small personal collection bucket (1 gal) if you have one. Procedure: Rescue fish until your bucket is full, then deposit your fish into a 5gal communal fish bucket with an air bubbler.
BK-Riverfish will have 5gal buckets, bucket dollies, air bubblers , water treatment for rescued fish, and a fish hauling trailer to carry fish to a boat ramp downstream of the dam where fish will be released.
COVID: Finally, this is COVID time, so bring a face mask. I believe MA regs state that we should be wearing masks when we cannot socially distance outside, so everyone is comfortable with COVID safety, bring a mask.
Rescue will proceed regardless of weather.
This is the opportunity to walk on the bottom of a river and see what is there, so cameras are welcome. Lots to see and experience other than sea lamprey.
LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL CONSERVATION RESCUE OF AN IMPORTANT CONNECTICUT RIVER FISH RESOURCE—SUCCESSFUL SINCE 1991!
Stay Safe,
BK
