Our Tight Lines newsletters are now sent out in digital form with an email blast. All recent Tight Lines are available to read in digital format in the Members Only Content area of the web site. An example of the newsletter is below. Click on the cover of the February 2017 TIGHT LINES newsletter below to read the digital version:

                  February 2017

The newest TightLines Digital newsletter, the Summer 2017 Issue is now available in the Member-Only Content area along with 28 other older newsletters!

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper does a presentation at the April 12th PSA monthly meeting !

The Great Lakes sanctuary

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper outlined proposed plans for a federally designated marine sanctuary in Lake Erie during the Wednesday, April 12^th monthly meeting of the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association at the Millcreek American Legion. Ms. Dahlkemper explained the plan, known as the Lake Erie Quadrangle, which proposes a 759 square mile sanctuary that would include the 76 miles of Pennsylvania shoreline to the Canadian border line. She stated that it was the first time in 20 years the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is accepting nominations by communities to consider marine and Great Lakes waters as national marine sanctuaries. She stated that the County of Erie has taken the lead role to inform the public of this opportunity and gauge whether or not our community would like to move forward with a nomination. NOAA will only move forward if the community is behind the designation.

Ms. Dahlkemper tried to explain what she thought the benefits of the designation would be based on a visit to Alpena, Mich., where the Thunder Bay National Sanctuary is. She stated that she saw the huge economic benefit to the community, based on the tourism generated. The designation and the visitor center draw almost 100,000 visitors there.

Ms. Dahlkemper said the sanctuary is an area of protected water that preserves the scenic beauty, biodiversity, historical connections or economic productivity of our oceans and Great Lakes waters. The area is home to some 130 to 196 reported shipwrecks. Ms. Dahlkemper said the proposed Lake Erie sanctuary would not adversely restrict boating, diving and fishing activities. The few restrictions included no use of grappling hooks and no anchoring devices on any underwater cultural resource site that is marked with a mooring buoy. (She stated a small percentage of the shipwrecks are actually marked).

More than 100 individuals and organizations have expressed support for a Lake Erie marine sanctuary, Ms. Dahlkemper said. She was most excited about the educational opportunities for students, as it would present a natural classroom for maritime history and provides increased funding and ability for research.

The process of becoming a National Marine Sanctuary does not happen overnight and could take a long time. Their needs to be proof of community support.

The Lake Erie Proposal can be read here: https://www.slideshare.net/HoneyStempka/lakeerieproposal-58714146

You can read more about NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries in the NOAA Backgrounder fact sheet here: http://monitor.noaa.gov/publications/general/nmsp_factsheet.pdf

The Pennsylvania Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup

Last years cleanup was Saturday September 17th, 2016!

The PSA was again the site manager for the Walnut Creek Access area, Sam Zacour again the site coordinator. 

This year a group of 10 dedicated volunteers showed up and collected 7 bags of garbage totalling 96.5 lbs. The group pictured below shows some of the cleanup crew! Thanks to all those who took the time to help clean up our environment!

The PA Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup is an annual trash cleanup event, held the 3^rd Saturday in September along the Lake Erie shoreline and Erie County waterways.  Volunteers gather at one of the sixteen different cleanup locations in Erie County between 9am and 12pm to pick up trash and collect information on each trash item.  Information gathered from collected trash and recyclables is used to develop and prioritize management strategies to lessen the amount of trash entering our waterways and provide outreach and education information for local schools and organizations throughout the county.

The event is part of a larger global effort that is held the same day each year titled the “International Coastal Cleanup” which is the oldest and largest volunteer driven cleanup effort of its kind across the world.  Beginning in 1986 with 12 sites on the Texas coastline, the International Coastal Cleanup has grown to over 6000 sites in 92 countries with more than 500,000 participating volunteers. 

This years ICC cleanup is scheduled for Saturday September 16th, 2017!

Meetings are typically held at 7:30 pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. American Legion Post #773,  4109 West 12th Street, Erie, PA.

Enjoy your summer, the next meeting of the PSA is August 9th, 2017! 

 

PA Steelhead Associaton Facebook page link below:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pa-Steelhead-Association/136804763021961