THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

November is an exciting time for hundreds of children in our chapter, and thousands more throughout the State, as they anxiously await the arrival of their trout eggs. Trout-in-the-Classroom is the single most effective educational program with the broadest reach we have to influence today’s youth. Thanks to the many wonderful teachers out there who are realizing the benefits of this hands on program, we are making a difference.
Many of the schools across the state now have TIC as a permanent part of their science curriculum. I urge anyone with time to volunteer and would like to work with a school to contact Ed Albrecht about the possibilities in your town. For instance, we are starting a program at Adams Middle School in Guilford this year and are still looking for a volunteer to assist Diane Stevens, 8th grade Science teacher, with her program.

TIC is full of exciting and wonderful classroom activities for students as they raise their little trout from eggs to small fry. Help us fight Nature Deficit Disorder and get our youth excited about the out of doors this year. It’s not about the children or grandchildren of the folks reading this newsletter because I know you folks are doing your part. It is about the countless others that allow a computer or a video game to be a suitable substitute for after school activities and never take the time to introduce their children to the wonders of Nature.

The Farm River Clean-up was a great success thanks to all our volunteers. We collected and removed over a dozen tires, a dump truck (from Regional Water Authority crew) full of old rusty car parts, an old bicycle, a wheel barrow, pallets, a composting bin, sheets of plywood, old boards, a propane tank, a couple old car seats, hundreds of feet of
2” black plastic piping, along with over twenty large garbage bags full of bottles, cans and other discarded rubbish from along the river corridor. Thanks to the eleven HCTU volunteers, the sixteen Rotarian’s and the fifteen folks from the Regional Water authority, we accomplished our goal for the Farm River. Nice job folks!

The fall is a great time to get out and fish in CT. The Hammonasset River has many nice fish throughout the TMA, and below; compliments of the DEP Hatchery and our Hammo TU volunteer stocking crew. I know the Farm River has its share of wild browns, always there ready to challenge you. The Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers have hundreds
of huge Atlantic Salmon (some 20 – 30 lbs!) in them and for those who want to venture north to Lake Ontario, the rivers are full of Browns and Steelhead. I just got back from Oak Orchard Creek in NY last week and it was well worth the seven hour ride.

As always, I hope TU members are out there setting the example by being responsible anglers, respecting private property and taking the extra time to clean up the litter along the stream and in the parking areas.

Thanks for caring enough to join and support Hammonasset TU!

Sincerely,
Ted L. Gardziel, Acting President
Hammonasset Chapter Trout Unlimited

Conservation News:

Delaware River Action for folks living in CT, MA, NH, VT

The Delaware River has been mismanaged since the Supreme Court partitioned the vast Delaware River and its many tributaries to ensure sufficient water supplies for New York City, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Inflexible and antiquated rules designed over a half century ago result in fish kills, a depressed recreational economy, communities in fear of flooding, and a damaged ecosystem. After years of educating the Delaware River Basin Commission about the enormous value of the Delaware River and its headwaters in terms of its ecology and its fishing and boating recreation, conservation groups at last have the opportunity to achieve what once seemed unreachable – a healthy Delaware River protected against inadequate and erratic water releases.
You can visit them at http://www.drarp.org to learn more.

The coalition’s adaptive release policy can initiate a new chapter for one of the premier wild trout river systems in the East, and potentially could serve as a national and international model for river management. Please feel free to get in touch with me with any questions or if you need more information. 
Nat Gillespie
Fisheries Scientist, Trout Unlimited
(703) 284-9431
ngillespie@tu.org

2007/08 Open Positions

The chapter votes in May to fill open spots for next years Executive and Board of Directors. Each position is for a two-year term unless, as is the case this year members are stepping down. The remainder of the current executive committee positions are in place through May 2008. Many of our BOD members enjoy their specific roles and find it easier to manage things over the years. However, one responsibility of any officer is to encourage new members to step forward and become more involved in leadership roles. Any member in good standing with the organization is encouraged to participate by becoming an officer. We started asking around the club in March to see who is looking for a change and who might be interested in stepping in to fill an open position.
Darby Hittle is willing to take over as President as I step into other roles at the State Council level for TU and I see no reason why he won’t be voted in next month as our new HCTU President. That move will then leave the VP position open, where I will assume the position of second VP for the chapter.  The VP position is an extremely important position for the chapter, as this person serves as the back up to all that we have going on and maintains a high profile in the chapter. We also need a Program’s Director where Steve Butcher is stepping down after many wonderful years of organizing our monthly presentations (not to mention Pres and VP for many years also!!!)  to assist more at the council level as Eastern Brook Trout Coordinator for CT and as Membership Director for the council. Handling Program’s for the chapter is a great way to become involved in the chapter, just ask Steve at the next meeting and he can explain the responsibilities to you. We will accept nominations anytime prior to the May 14th BOD meeting where we will vote in our new officers at that time. Our BOD meetings are always open to any TU member.

Stream Access Update

Many of you are aware of the recent controversy surrounding TU's position on stream access.  In an effort to be fully transparent and help our volunteer leaders become informed, we thought it would be worthwhile to provide an update.
Recently, TU's access policy has sparked some discussion and controversy.  A number of constituents, including Trustees and some members, believe that TU involvement in stream access/private property rights disputes does not fit with TU's mission to "conserve, protect, and restore" trout and salmon resources, and that these often complicated and litigious issues undermine our essential ability to work cooperatively with landowners to restore and protect streams.  Since much of trout and salmon habitat is found in streams and rivers on private lands, this matter is of grave concern.
On the other hand, some view stream access defense as an essential motivation for TU members to invest their time and energies into conservation work, and therefore believe that TU should retain at least a limited ability, as our current policy does, to participate in access issues.
Both sides agree that TU should strengthen its involvement in working with state and federal agencies to increase public access to streams and rivers by advocating for increased funding for programs that purchase voluntary easements and access to land from willing seller landowners.  The Trustees recently passed a resolution to increase TU funding and involvement in such access-enhancing efforts.
After much consideration, the Trustees have voted to form a small workgroup of TU grassroots leaders and Trustees to review the entire matter and to develop suggested changes to the existing TU access policy by the next meeting of the Trustees in September.
I hope this clarifies things a bit.  Stream access is a very challenging issue for the organization.  We are working to sort it out in a way that allows us to strengthen TU and reach higher levels of achieving TU's mission.  We plan to keep everyone updated on the issue via Trout magazine and our other communications pieces in the coming months.  And do not hesitate to contact us if you would like further information.
-David Rogers

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