News stories tagged with "fish"

(02/06/12) River and stream rehabilitation is under way in communities hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene last year. But officials say a lot of work still remains to be done to put things right.

Lawmakers, local politicians and state officials joined state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens in Keene Valley last week to inspect stream restoration work on Johns Brook.

Local works crews did emergency repairs immediately following Irene, but environmental specialists said additional work was needed to restore fish and wildlife habitats and protect against future flooding. Chris Morris went along for the inspection. more

(10/04/11) Here in the North Country, as in much of the US, the economy and jobs top the agenda. It's what politicians and business leaders talk about. But in a time when many of the best jobs in government and education seem less and less reliable, it's also what workers and union leaders are focused on.

At a conference yesterday in Lake Placid, organized by the Adirondack North Country Association, economists tried to give a clearer snapshot of how we're doing and where the region might be going. As Brian Mann reports, the good news is that things aren't a whole lot worse. But researchers worry that continued government layoffs could slow or reverse the North Country's recovery. more

(03/31/11) From catfish to killifish, can some fish actually survive outside of water? Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager discuss the old cliche "like a fish out of water" and the truth behind the saying.

(03/17/11) Lampreys - are they fish or eel? Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager talk about this jawless fish with a mouth full of teeth and a sucking mouth.

(06/09/10) Researchers say the invasive algae didymo, widely called "rock snot," is spreading throughout Vermont and the Lake Champlain basin. Found last week east of Burlington, the algae could make its way into Adirondack waterways, and once it establishes a presence, it's just about impossible to control or eradicate. Scientists say the algae forms large mats along the bottom of waterways and chokes out native plants. Martha Foley has more.

(05/18/10) A generation ago, acid rain caused by coal burning power plants in the Midwest was seen as the biggest threat to Adirondack lakes and waterways.

New environmental regulations have stopped much of that pollution. But a growing number of advocates say the next big danger is coming from a source closer to home. Every winter, state and local trucks dump thousands of tons of salt in an effort to melt the snow and ice on North Country roads.

Critics say the current system is too toxic. But a growing number of state and local officials say spreading all that salt is also too expensive. Brian Mann has our story.

(05/12/10) Artist, writer, naturalist and angler James Prosek made a name for himself at 19 when he published Trout: An Illustrated History, a book of watercolor paintings of trout. Prosek has traveled the world in search of his favorite fish. It's a passion that includes painting, writing and angling.

He'll give a talk based on his book, Fishing in the 41st Parallel, at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake on Saturday. His visit is part of the "Spring Outside!" free community day. He says his current work is concerned with our changing relationship to the environment and the human desire to order nature through naming.

Todd Moe spoke with Prosek from his studio in an old schoolhouse in Easton, Connecticut. He still fishes in the same pond he visited as a child, and was asked about an essay he wrote for The New York Times where he referred to fly-fishing as "nothing more than a predatory ballet."

(02/18/10) A common sight is fresh water shallows, sunfish provide an excellent opportunity to observe fish behavior. Dr. Curt Stager talks with Martha Foley about the two main varieties, the pumpkinseed and the bluegill. It may be hard to tell one from another, unless of course, you're a sunfish.

(01/19/10) A big monster of a fish is at the center of a US Supreme Court case. Asian Carp are making their way up the Mississippi towards the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Michigan's Attorney General - along with New York and several other Great Lakes states - filed a lawsuit asking the Court to close a Chicago canal in order to keep the carp out. The shipping industry says the consequences would be devastating. Jennifer Guerra has a closer look at what's at stake. more

(09/03/09) If male guppies use bright colors to attract mates, why are there still lots of drab guppies? Bright colors may attract the attention of more than just potential mates. Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley discuss the upside and downside of male flash.