April 2004

Manager's Issues:

● Discussion of annual lakes walk-around inspection by Committee. Tentatively scheduled 5/8 10:00 starting at Borough Hall.

● Discussion of lakes leaf removal plans; focus on the Canal.

● Discussion of communication, letters to lakeside residents or entire town. Discussion of flyer contents and process.

Allied Biological:

● Permits for 2004 have arrived.

● Discussion of algae growth to date; relatively large clumps for the current temperatures. Treatment has to wait for 55 degree water temperatures.

● Baseline measurement of fecal colliform done; results due in two weeks.

● Some discussion of non-native species in lakes.

Some of the fish in the lakes of Mountain Lakes:

Yellow Perch – Perca flavescens. Possibly native. See the following site for image and range.

Largemouth Bass – Micropterus salmoides. Non-native, introduced for fishing See the following site for image and range.

Calico Bass, Black Crappie – Pomoxis nigromaculatus. Non-native, introduced for fishing. See the following site for image and range.

Bluegill Sunfish – Lepomis macrochirus. Non-native, introduced for fishing and as forage for other fish. See the following site for image and range.

Pumpkinseed Sunfish – Lepomis gibbosus. Possibly native. See the following site for images and information.

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/info/pumpkinseed.cfm

Longear Sunfish – Lepomis megalotis. Non-native, introduced for fishing and as forage for other fish. See the following site for image.

http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/longear_sunfish.html

Redbreast Sunfish – Lepomis auritis. Possibly native. See the following site for image.

http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/longear_sunfish.html

Lepomis sunfish species are closely related and inter-breed, so it can be hard to be sure what kind you have in hand.

Goldfish – Carassius auratus. Not native to North America. Pets dumped out of fishbowls or bait from buckets. Grow much larger in lakes and are damaging to other species and vegetation. See the following site for image and range.

Eastern Chain Pickerel – Esox niger. Possibly native. See the following site for image and range

Brown Bullhead Catfish – Ameiurus nebulosus. Possibly native. See the following site for image (along with Channel Catfish, which have been introduced in Mountain Lakes in the past).

http://depstate.ct.us/whatshap/press/2003/mf0723.htm

Golden Shiner - Notemigonus crysoleucus. Possibly native. Possibly introduced through “bait bucket biology”, dumping unwanted bait into a lake when finished fishing. See the following site for image. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotes-fishid/gshiner.htm