Help Fight Sea Lamprey in Lake Champlain

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Vtdiver2

Contributor
Messages
787
Reaction score
2
Location
Colchester, VT
# of dives
500 - 999
We could use your help fighting Sea Lamprey.
While New York has been successfully treating it's rivers, creeks and tributaries that feed into Lake Champlain, Vermont has had much more trouble with special interest groups who have had success fighting and preventing the same treatments on the Vermont side. As a result, the Lamprey problem on the Lake has gotten worse, and is affecting the fish population as well as the diving.
We are trying to use the same treatment methods that have proven effective in the Great Lakes, and I can personally attest to being attacked at depth by Lamprey wanting to latch onto me. Only bringing my fins up in front of me and licking at the Lamprey caused it to leave me alone. I can also attest to 2 other divers who have had to remove Lamprey from their drysuits.
Please take a look at this petition, sign it and help us fight this blight.


Balanced Lake Champlain Ecosystem Petition
 
Is there any financial upside to using Lamprey as a food item? I know in France they are a delicacy? Why not ship the blood suckers to France by trapping em' vs. using chemical lampricides?

Years before sea urchins (in California) were deemed a problem until we learned the Japanese gobble em' down like nobody's business. Then everyone and their uncle was trying to harvest.

My two cents. I wish I had the time to visit Vermont and see a few of the nasty critters in action.

X
 
You just got my vote.
Thanks for bringing it to the attention of others.
 
Is there any financial upside to using Lamprey as a food item? I know in France they are a delicacy? Why not ship the blood suckers to France by trapping em' vs. using chemical lampricides?

Years before sea urchins (in California) were deemed a problem until we learned the Japanese gobble em' down like nobody's business. Then everyone and their uncle was trying to harvest.

My two cents. I wish I had the time to visit Vermont and see a few of the nasty critters in action.

X
I've brought this up at meetings before, and the standard response was it wasn't financially viable. I guess there are much greater numbers in Northern Europe and it's proximity to Asia where they are wanted makes it cheaper to sell.
Thanks for your support.
 
I've brought this up at meetings before, and the standard response was it wasn't financially viable. I guess there are much greater numbers in Northern Europe and it's proximity to Asia where they are wanted makes it cheaper to sell.
Thanks for your support.


I've been mulling this for a while. Has someone in Vermont, or elsewhere tried some lamprey? English royalty died eating it - so it can't be all that bad? Then again, the olde' English weren't quite the gourmands that the French were. There's got to be some extended use? Eel leather?

Also, there is an active hagfish fishery out of the NE (Gloucester). Anyone tried those slippery guys?

Cheers,

X
 
I've been mulling this for a while. Has someone in Vermont, or elsewhere tried some lamprey? English royalty died eating it - so it can't be all that bad? Then again, the olde' English weren't quite the gourmands that the French were. There's got to be some extended use? Eel leather?

Also, there is an active hagfish fishery out of the NE (Gloucester). Anyone tried those slippery guys?

Cheers,

X
Personally, I'd just grind them up for fertilizer.

If you want to come up and dive VT, let me know, I'm sure I can round up a few to throw on the grill for ya.:D
 
There's a big hagfish place in Gouldsboro, Maine. Slippery looking buggers. What kind of chemicals are being used in the elsewhere to control the lampreys?
Also, I'd love to see a video of a lamprey attack. Not that I'm not taking this seriously but I keep thinking about an old SNL skit where people were "slapped by beaver tails."
 
I'm sure I can round up a few to throw on the grill for ya.:D

Thanks Vtdiver. I appreciate it. As appetizing as it seems... "lamprey barbeque" just doesn't have the ring of 'come and get em.' :D

Cheers,

X


p.s. hagfish doesn't have that appeal too! Ick.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom