THE NEXT GENERAL MEETING, REMEMBER THE DATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, 7:30 PM, AT THE CLUB HOUSE, LINCOLN PARK ROAD, IN DERBY TOWNSHIP.

The SSA December meeting theme will be "Nibble Night" and provide an opportunity for members to share some of their favorite recipes and snacks. Everyone is encouraged to bring in something to put on the table,

especially fish or game you have bagged yourself. There will be a mystery judge or judges and prizes will be awarded for the most appealing dishes. Salads and desserts would be most welcome in lieu of game if fate has been unkind to you in field, stream or lake. Fred Hunt has promised to provide some home-made gourmet goose sausage, Grant Ferris is bringing baked Saugeen rainbow trout and Gord Maher may provide a pot of his award-winning Road-Kill Chili. The bar will be open for refreshments and there will be special Christmas

draw prizes from Fletcher Sports. Guests are welcome as always. See you at the SSA clubhouse across from Lincoln Park at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 7.
 

New Members!!

The S.S.A. welcomes the following new members:

Don Martell Adult

Terry Faulkner Senior

Carol & Ken Cowtan Family

Dennis Boiteau Adult
 

DATES TO REMEMBER!!
 

Reminder of Early Bird Prize for Membership Renewal

This is a reminder for S S A members. If you renew your membership in December you will get 2 free chances on the B B Q. Those who renew at the January meeting will get one chance. Please take time to complete the renewal form included in this newsletter. This allows us to update your profile of interests.
 

News Year's Eve Party

For the first time in many years, the S S A had a party to bring in the new millenium. While the attendance was less than hoped, those present had a great time. We have decided to again have a party this year. This is not intended as a fund raiser but simply as a cost recovery event. All S S A members and guests are welcome. However, we need to know how many to expect. Would you call John Ford at 372-0410, Fred Geberdt at 376-2369 or Richard Manley at 376-4669 to tell us numbers. We will inform you as to times and costs. Be sure that costs will be kept to a minimum and be much less than other parties on this special night.
 

Awards Night, Saturday February 10, 2001, more details in the next newsletter, contact Stewart Wallace, 794 4423.
 

Nominations Requested for 2001 Executive

Nominations for the 2001 Executive will be received at the November, December and January 2001 General Meetings. 

Nominations will be accepted verbally provided the person nominated is present at the meeting to accept or refuse the nomination. If you wish to run for election to the 2001 Executive but are unable to attend the meeting you must send a dated and signed note indicating your willingness to stand for election. 

Fred Geberdt, Fred Hunt, John Ford, Blake Smith and Chris Geberdt will be serving the second year of their two year term to expire on December 31, 2001 as directors. All other present directors and general members shall be eligible for nomination and election provided they are members in good standing.

Please plan to attend these important meetings to nominate and vote for the members who will manage your club.

Anyone who has a computor and would like to receive their newsletter via the internet, posted to our webpage www.bmts,com/~ssa, please advise me at "wils@bmts.com"
 

DISCLAIMER:

The views presented in the "Sportsman" are the opinions of the writer or editor only and do not necessarily reflect official policies of the Sydenham Sportsmen's Association.
 

Handgun Committee

The S.S.A. is entering a pistol team in the Western Ontario Handgun League. Our home range, for the winter, will be at the Owen Sound Pistol Clubs range, on Highway 10, north of Rockford.

Handgun members of the S.S.A., who have not paid the $60.00 fee to shoot for the winter, are welcome to attend on Wednesday evenings, for a pay as you shoot fee of $3.00 per evening per person. Shooting commences Wednesday November 22nd at 6:30 pm till 10:30 pm and runs every Wednesday till spring.

The Club outdoor range will be enclosed for the winter season, to make it more hospitable for those members who wish to shoot there during the winter months.
 

Stewart Wallace

Handgun Committee
 

Wildlife Advisory Committee

INDIAN AFFAIRS -ZONE H. O.F.A.H.

You are all aware that an agreement to manage the Lake Huron commercial fishery, fronting Bruce and Grey Counties, has been signed by the Federal and Provincial governments and the Saugeen and Cape Croker

Indian bands (see Zone H Indian Affairs Report Barrie Aug.13/00 

At that time, we sportsmen expressed a wait-and-see, guarded optimism. We hoped that the agreement might work. Three months later, we are pleased to report that we are unaware of any verified instances of angler/Indian conflicts related to the sport fishery.

Our latest information from M.N.R. indicates that there have been several MNR/Indian meetings, and that a good working relationship appears to be developing. The main thrust has been directed towards biology and

catch reporting. The Indians have been reporting their catches. MNR has been compiling the figures. As a result, when the MNR indicated that the agreed-upon quota had been reached in any quota management area, the Indians had then stopped fishing for that species. Right now, the whitefish quota has been reached in all quota management areas, and fishing for that species has stopped for the balance of the year 2000.

Note that any game fish taken may only be for personal use, and cannot be sold.

Although MNR is the enforcement front line, they have been working with the Indians towards an enforcement protocol. Conservation Officers endeavour to have a band by-law officer accompany them when doing direct

commercial fish enforcement. For example, dockside inspections are carried out jointly by MNR and band enforcement staff.

There were several reports of gill-netting inside 1,000 metres of the mouth of the Maitland River at Goderich. Several investigations :by MNR CO's indicated that there were no nets set anywhere near the prohibited area.

A major positive spinoff is evident in the local lake trout population. Lake trout had been a very contentious issue in the past. Over-quota commercial fishing had resulted in a total closure of lake trout fishing in those waters in and around Colpoy's and Owen Sound bays. Now, the fishing agreement provides for quotas, and the two bays are closed to gill-netting. The lake trout have responded. As a result, MNR plans to re-open the lake trout season on January I, 2001. This lake trout population is really worth looking after. MNR findings indicate very significant natural reproduction. In time, sustained reproduction may well result in this population being declared "wild" with no further need for stocking, as has already happened at Parry Sound. Needless to say, this could never happen if the uncontrolled commercial fishery had continued. 

It is readily apparent that sportsmen have a very big stake in the proper conservation and management of the fishery. We owe the MNR and the two Indian bands our thanks for sitting down and hammering out an agreement that we hope will provide for proper fisheries management. Further, it is our duty to maintain the utmost vigilance, in order to ensure that this agreement does indeed conserve and protect our superb Great Lakes sports fishery.
 

Blake Smith.

Chairperson, Wildlife Advisory Committee
 

FISH ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Conservation Clubs; who are involved with the MNR CFWIP fish rearing and stocking programs have been fin clipping large numbers of rainbow trout and brown trout for at least 15 years now, and for the past two years all chinook salmon have been fin clipped as well.

During all of these years of fin clipping we in the SSA have listened to numerous complains about the cost of this work and the probability of high mortality rates, and a possible more inferior product when these fish are released into the wild.

Having been personally involved in fish rearing and stocking for a number of years equal to these fin clipping programs, I have become aware of a number of ways in which fish can be successfully marked other than by fin clipping.

My first exposure to one proven method was back in 1992, and again in 1999 when the SSA, let MNR ,coded wire tag, (CWT), 80,000 chinook, (40,000 each year).

Another method that I have heard about and have done some research on but have never been involved with, is a method which marks hatchery-raised fish by staining their skeletons. It involves immersing the fry in water treated with oxytetracycline, it's an antibiotic. This treatment stains the bones of the fry in a way that can be detected only by examining the bone under ultraviolet light. Studies have found that the oxytetracycline does not appear in the fishes flesh, nor does it pose a health concern for people who eat fish that may be marked with this antibiotic.

My interest in this topic was again renewed when I had a chance to look at a study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on; "Differential Survival of Fin Clips and (CWT). ., It was done over a three year period, 1995-96-97, with studies in Wyoming,

Washington, and Oregon.

Their findings may indeed cause us to ponder on our present methods;

(CWT) fish survived 54.6% higher than left ventral clips

(CWT) fish survived 63.7% higher than left ventral/adipose clips

When looking only at comparative fin clips they found;

Adipose clipped fish survived 41.1% higher than left ventral clips

Adipose clipped fish survived 43.6% higher than adipose/left ventral clips.

If you look at this information, one comes to the conclusion that (CWT) is much better than fin clips and that the adipose fin, is the best fin to clip.

If you're wondering how the chemically marked fish compared, at present there are no comparative studies available. However, Washington state is oxytetracycline marking 150 million chinook. To do this they have a machine called a Salmonamatic 2000 which sets up along a hatchery raceway. The chinook fry are funneled through a running-water chute, essentially lining up single-file and swimming through the machine. The fish

aren't handled, and they're not anesthetized, as in manual marking. It appears to be much easier on the fish, and I would guess that their survival rates will be even higher.

In talking to some MNR lake managers, it appears that MNR fisheries staffers have no immediate plans to change away from the present program of fin clipping, along with some additional (CWT) marking programs.

On November 24th. and 25th. MNR will be hosting a salmonid workshop for CFWIP Clubs. The SSA fisheries committee members attending will make sure the this topic is a point of discussion.
 

Fred Geberdt, Chairperson

Advisory Committee
 

For Sale:

Oneida Aeroforce X 80 Compound Bow, 50-70 lb. at 30 " draw

$250.00 Call Doug Murdoch at 371 7848

Please take a moment to update your interests. If you send this with your cheque or bring it to meetings, we can provide assistance for Committee Chairs in contacting workers. 

Memberships are based on the Calendar Year (January until December). Please use reverse for additional names, ages etc. for family memberships. Membership Fees are: 

FAMILY (Adult, Spouse, Children)-$ 90.00 STUDENT (Age 13-16 or in full time study; (no magazine)...$20.00

ADULT (Individual)..........$70.00 SSA JUNIOR (12 and under; no magazine)..$15.00 

SSA SENIOR CITIZEN(Age 60 & over)..$55.00 PROPERTY GATE KEY: Add $2.00 to Membership Fees

Please review my application for Membership as a ______________member. (Magazine available for Juniors & Students extra $8.00)

NAME:_________________________________________________________________TELEPHONE:_______________________

ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________POSTAL CODE:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________DATE OF BIRTH:__________________(Juniors and Students only) 

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A STRONG AND VIABLE ASSOCIATION, ALL MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST. Please indicate which of the following activities are of special interest to you. This information is used in planning work parties, committees, etc.

Wildlife Advisory___

Derby P R Booth___

Tree Planting___

Board of Directors___

Derby Fish-fry___

Black Powder___

Property Care___

Fish Stocking___

Hi-Power Shoots___

Fall Fair___ 

Derby Committee___

Shotguns___

Social Activities___

Fishing___

Trap Shooting___

Ticket Sales___

Wildlife Enhancement_

Hunting___

Pitch-in___

Telephone Committee__

Fish Advisory___

Hatchery Duty___

Derby Weigh-in___

Turkey Shoots___

Hand Guns___

Archery___

Stream Work___

Jr Activities___

Computer__