Big win on Capital Hill for Waterfowl

Roanoke

Eight Pointer
State Policy Chairs
I hope you’re all well. I wanted you to see the attached press release about congress passage of the ACE Act today. You’ve all answered the call and done what was necessary and more to make sure this passed. It’s time to celebrate so I encourage y’all to watch DU social media, repost, notify others, and most importantly thank your member of Congress (house and senate) for living this along!

This is a big deal! Thank you!



House passage of the ACE Act is great achievement for conservation
Package containing NAWCA reauthorization heads to President’s desk
Read release online »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oct. 1, 2020 – The United States House of Representatives
unanimously passed the bi-partisan America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act today,
which affects many important wetland habitat and wildlife conservation programs. The
legislation, previously passed by the Senate, will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed
into law.
The package includes several important conservation measures including reauthorization of the
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the Chesapeake Watershed Investments
for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act, reauthorization of the Chesapeake Bay
Program and reauthorization of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, among other
provisions.
“The passage of the ACE Act today is fantastic news for the conservation community,” said DU
CEO Adam Putnam. “In a package filled with vitally important conservation provisions, perhaps
none are more crucial to waterfowl habitat than the reauthorization of NAWCA. Thank you to all
the members of Congress who have identified the importance of conservation and worked with

DU and others to achieve one of our highest legislative priorities. We’re elated to see such game-
changing legislation pass both chambers of Congress, and we stand ready to help implement this

important piece of America’s conservation legacy once the President signs it into law.”
NAWCA is a voluntary matching grant program that leverages non-federal and federal funds for
wetland restoration. Since enactment in 1989, NAWCA has conserved more than 30 million
acres and created an average of 7,500 new jobs annually. Every dollar spent by the federal
government, on average, receives a $3 match from program partners like Ducks Unlimited.
NAWCA is the nation’s most successful wetlands conservation program. The ACE Act
reauthorizes NAWCA at $60 million a year until 2025.
The ACE Act could not have been passed by both chambers of Congress without steadfast
support from members of the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle. DU owes a special
thanks to members of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for their year-round
commitment to supporting policy priorities that conserve waterfowl habitat. Those members

include Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM), Sen. John Boozman (AR), Rep. Mike Thompson (CA), and
Rep. Rob Wittman (VA).
DU also thanks Rep. Joe Cunningham (SC) as well as Sen. John Barrasso (WY), Sen. Tom
Carper (DE), Rep. Rob Bishop (UT) and Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ) for their work to guide this
important conservation legislation through the Senate Committee on Environment and Public
Works and the House Natural Resources Committee.
In addition to NAWCA reauthorization, the ACE Act also creates or reauthorizes other
conservation programs that support waterfowl habitat in important wildlife ecosystems across the
country.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and, historically, one of the most
productive bodies of water in the world. The Chesapeake Bay program is a unique regional
partnership, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whose mission is to
reverse the degradation of the bay and restore its watershed and wildlife. The ACE Act
reauthorizes appropriations for the Chesapeake Bay Program at $90 million through 2025.
The Chesapeake WILD Act will create a grant program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to support habitat restoration in the Chesapeake Bay region. In addition, the Secretary of
Interior must work with federal, state and local agencies and organizations to identify, prioritize
and implement restoration activities within the watershed.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is also reauthorized under the ACE Act.
NFWF leverages public funds to raise private dollars that help sustain and restore important
wildlife habitat across the nation, including more than 18,600 projects since its creation in 1984.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to Follow DU’s Twitter feed –
@DUNews1937 – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
Why not do something to impact the Pamlico at the same time??? Are our Senators asleep at the wheel?
Regardless, thaks for your work Roanoke.
 

la angler

Six Pointer
When will they buyout all the houses built on our sounds and waterways in the last 40 years that's part of our problem no where for ducks to go
 

bigdrumnc

Ten Pointer
Hyde has the refuge been full staffed? I know others up until last month or so we’re on a light staff load due to the rona.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
Just heard back ...

In summary, most of the ponds look pretty good overall. They had a hard time with stop board drawdowns because the lake level was higher than the ponds so they resorted to pumping them down. Several of the big MI’s on the east side have large stands of millet growing and good recruitment of moist soil plants. All east side ponds should have water. The west side ponds were left flooded.

They didn’t get to disk as much as they wanted (pretty wet year) but did spray a lot of phragmites. Getting rid of them in certain places will allow good moist soil plants to take their place.

It sounds like they’re doing as much as they can. You have to remember it’s a 43,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge being managed by few employees and on a shoe string budget. It’s impossible to manage it in the manner a private entity would.
 

coachcornbread

Ten Pointer
Just heard back ...

In summary, most of the ponds look pretty good overall. They had a hard time with stop board drawdowns because the lake level was higher than the ponds so they resorted to pumping them down. Several of the big MI’s on the east side have large stands of millet growing and good recruitment of moist soil plants. All east side ponds should have water. The west side ponds were left flooded.

They didn’t get to disk as much as they wanted (pretty wet year) but did spray a lot of phragmites. Getting rid of them in certain places will allow good moist soil plants to take their place.

It sounds like they’re doing as much as they can. You have to remember it’s a 43,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge being managed by few employees and on a shoe string budget. It’s impossible to manage it in the manner a private entity would.
Thanks for the update James. At least they are trying to make a difference.
 

coachcornbread

Ten Pointer
I am all in. I read the article and was wondering how they plan on removing them. I have not shot a tournament in a long time but that could be a good time.

From what I gathered in the article they are going to run nets and return everything but the carp. If there is enough interest I seriously might look into putting on a bowfishing tourny. Do something like a 50/50 split on the pot, 50% to the winners and 50% donated back to the refuge. I'll try and talk to the manager while I'm down there this winter to see if that would be feasable.

I do agree with the property owner they interviewed too, there needs to be work done to the canals so the water can flow better.
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
Cool. I know it would be drop in the bucket as far as removing carp, but I also know it would be a fun way of helping the lake out. Please keep me posted.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
So, how does one kill a million carp? Poison the whole lake and start over like a private pond?
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
Mike, I know the new manager very well (Kendall Smith). Happened to be my project manager awhile back. 👌
Shurshot - when I looked at the article it appeared they are going to spend a huge chunk of change on another d#@% study. Time for action. I think I proposed 4 years ago they simply pay some of the local flounder netters to start netting the fish as well as stop letting federal workers there work from home and teach them to use a gill net. 2 months they would be essentially gone.
On another note, Are carp coming from the sound or is this just another bone headed idea to put carp nets on the flood gates? I do not know.
 

Clark

Ten Pointer
I think I proposed 4 years ago they simply pay some of the local flounder netters to start netting the fish... 2 months they would be essentially gone.
Flounder netters might be glad to have something to net nowadays?
 
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Gus

Six Pointer
I feel certain the conservation minded impoundment owners bordering the lake will change from corn to moist soil so they don't continue dumping excess nutrients into such an important and historical refuge for waterfowl.
 

Hydemarsh

Six Pointer
I feel certain the conservation minded impoundment owners bordering the lake will change from corn to moist soil so they don't continue dumping excess nutrients into such an important and historical refuge for waterfowl.
If you are familiar with farming there I think you would conclude that the cotton farms very near the lake and the field so loaded with chicken manure probably put more nutrients in the lake than anyone. Most of the locals attribute the severe decline in bass fishing to an increase in cotton production. How could a field planted in corn for ducks be any different than a duck impoundment?
 

Gus

Six Pointer
If you are familiar with farming there I think you would conclude that the cotton farms very near the lake and the field so loaded with chicken manure probably put more nutrients in the lake than anyone. Most of the locals attribute the severe decline in bass fishing to an increase in cotton production. How could a field planted in corn for ducks be any different than a duck impoundment?

In the article linked both Mr Smith, the refuge manager, and Mr Cahoon who farms 2000 acres near the lake and is on the stakeholder committee explain (I'm paraphrasing since you can click on the article if you want exact quotes) that when a farmer removes his crop he also removes most of the residual chemicals from the land. Since impoundment owners don't remove their crop all that residual fertilizer and chemical sits there in their impoundment water until spring (worst time to dump nutrients in lake) when they drain their impoundment water into the lake, which then helps produce algae blooms.
 
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