ICEGUY
10-13-2008, 08:49 AM
Learn something new everyday, thought I would pass it along.
Response (Lynne Thoma) - 10/10/2008 12:42 PM
Here are the answers to your questions:
1) Can you put a gobie back in the water dead or alive?
Yes...in fact you should not be in "possession" of live gobies. This is defined as having a live gobie(s) in a bucket, zip loc bag, live cage in the water, using a live gobie for bait, etc. If you hold a gobie in this way - longer than it takes to just take it off the hook and release it....it may be interpreted by a conservation officer as "possession of a live gobie" and you could be ticketed. Basically, we are trying to prevent gobies from being moved into inland lakes - so that is why no one should "possess" live gobies.
2) What do you do when you catch a gobie?
You have two choices: 1) you can kill it and then possess it (take it home for garden fertilizer, use it for bait, try filleting and eating it [we have actually had people ask if they can take them home for consumption], etc.)....OR 2) immediately release the gobie back to the lake.
3) Can you use dead or live gobies for bait?
See above.
4) Can you kill them and put in trash can, or feed to seagulls?
Technically, yes - but you may not "litter". This has been a problem in a few areas when anglers catch gobies and just throw them out on land where they die and decompose - causing bad smells and unsanitary conditions. You can kill them and dispose of them properly - bagged and in the garbage. Scattering them on the pier or beach for sea gulls is not advised - it creates an artificial feeding zone for gulls where they congregate in unnaturally high numbers. This is associated with high volumes of bird droppings and unconsumed fish - all making for unsanitary and smelly conditions - all of which could be regarded as offensive by shoreline communities. If you kill them, we suggest you bag them and either dispose of them in the garbage or use them as mentioned above.
5)Basically I thought when you catch a gobie, you cannot put back in the water dead or alive, and dispose of properly.
Steve - we have been made aware that there was at least one sign posted along the shore of Lake St. Clair which directed anglers not to return gobies to the lake. This sign actually had the letters "DNR" on it - but I assure you that this was NOT our sign - and it inferred an incorrect message. Gobies need to be handled as I've described above.
Steve - consider this - there are so many gobies (millions) in the Great Lakes that to kill a few really isn't accomplishing much at all. These fish will now be part of our fish population in the Great Lakes...forever. And, while we don't want either zebra mussels or gobies - there is a small silver lining to this rain cloud. Gobies eat zebra mussels - which is their natural food in their native waters (Black and Caspian Seas), and gobies have become prey for many of our native fish including perch, walleye, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and others. So - the nutrients which zebra mussels consummed - get back in the food chain by gobies eating the mussels.
Response (Lynne Thoma) - 10/10/2008 12:42 PM
Here are the answers to your questions:
1) Can you put a gobie back in the water dead or alive?
Yes...in fact you should not be in "possession" of live gobies. This is defined as having a live gobie(s) in a bucket, zip loc bag, live cage in the water, using a live gobie for bait, etc. If you hold a gobie in this way - longer than it takes to just take it off the hook and release it....it may be interpreted by a conservation officer as "possession of a live gobie" and you could be ticketed. Basically, we are trying to prevent gobies from being moved into inland lakes - so that is why no one should "possess" live gobies.
2) What do you do when you catch a gobie?
You have two choices: 1) you can kill it and then possess it (take it home for garden fertilizer, use it for bait, try filleting and eating it [we have actually had people ask if they can take them home for consumption], etc.)....OR 2) immediately release the gobie back to the lake.
3) Can you use dead or live gobies for bait?
See above.
4) Can you kill them and put in trash can, or feed to seagulls?
Technically, yes - but you may not "litter". This has been a problem in a few areas when anglers catch gobies and just throw them out on land where they die and decompose - causing bad smells and unsanitary conditions. You can kill them and dispose of them properly - bagged and in the garbage. Scattering them on the pier or beach for sea gulls is not advised - it creates an artificial feeding zone for gulls where they congregate in unnaturally high numbers. This is associated with high volumes of bird droppings and unconsumed fish - all making for unsanitary and smelly conditions - all of which could be regarded as offensive by shoreline communities. If you kill them, we suggest you bag them and either dispose of them in the garbage or use them as mentioned above.
5)Basically I thought when you catch a gobie, you cannot put back in the water dead or alive, and dispose of properly.
Steve - we have been made aware that there was at least one sign posted along the shore of Lake St. Clair which directed anglers not to return gobies to the lake. This sign actually had the letters "DNR" on it - but I assure you that this was NOT our sign - and it inferred an incorrect message. Gobies need to be handled as I've described above.
Steve - consider this - there are so many gobies (millions) in the Great Lakes that to kill a few really isn't accomplishing much at all. These fish will now be part of our fish population in the Great Lakes...forever. And, while we don't want either zebra mussels or gobies - there is a small silver lining to this rain cloud. Gobies eat zebra mussels - which is their natural food in their native waters (Black and Caspian Seas), and gobies have become prey for many of our native fish including perch, walleye, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and others. So - the nutrients which zebra mussels consummed - get back in the food chain by gobies eating the mussels.