Volume 23, Issue 1, 1998 March/April 1998

The International Joint Commission welcomes new members whom it recently appointed to its boards and thanks those who have completed their service for the time and talent they contributed. The following individuals recently accepted new appointments to the Science Advisory Board: David Carpenter, dean, School of Public Health at the State University of New York at Albany in Rensselaer; Keri Hornbuckle, assistant professor of civil engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo; John Carey, executive director of the National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario; Glen Fox, Canadian Wildlife Service; Allan Jones, chemist (retired) from Rh“ne-Poulenc Canada Inc.; and Ross Upshur, Environmental Health Program, McMaster University. Russell A. Moll, director, Michigan Sea Grant, University of Michigan, and Karl Schaefer, Great Lakes and Corporate Affairs Office, Economics Section, Environment Canada's Ontario Region have been appointed to the Council of Great Lakes Research Managers, replacing Dr. James G. Lawless and Mr. Keith Marshall. Charlotte Bastien, head of Information Management Dissemination Section at the St. Lawrence Centre, Environment Canada, in Montreal, Quebec, replaces Lynn Cleary and Gregory Smith, acting regional chief biologist, U.S. Geological Survey's Biological Resources Division, Eastern Region, Kearneysville, West Virginia, replaces Susan Haseltine. Lieutenant Colonel William Breyfogle, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, has been appointed to the United States Section of the International Souris River Board of Control, Souris-Red Rivers Engineering Board, Co-chair of the International Lake of the Woods Board of Control and International Rainy Lake Board of Control replacing Colonel John M. Wonsik. Mary Hegan, coordinator of public participation, Health Canada, has been appointed to the Canadian Section of the Health Professionals Task Force.

La Commission mixte internationale accueille de nouveaux membres qu'elle a récemment nommés à son conseil d'administration et remercie ceux qui ont achevé leur service pour le temps et le talent qu'ils lui ont consacrés. Les personnes suivantes ont récemment accepté de siéger au Conseil consultatif scientifique : David Carpenter, doyen de l'École de santé publique de l'Université d'État de New York à Albany, à Rensselaer; Keri Hornbuckle, professeur adjoint de génie civil à l'Université d'État de New York à Buffalo; John Karey, directeur général de l'Institut national de recherche sur les eaux, à Burlington (Ontario); Glen Fox, du Service canadien de la faune; Allan Jones, chimiste (à la retraite) chez Rhône-Poulenc Canada Inc.; Ross Upshur, du Programme de Santé environnementale de l'Université McMaster. Par ailleurs, Russell A. Moll, directeur du Michigan Sea Grant de l'Université du Michigan, et Karl Schaefer, de la Section de l'économie, Bureau desGrands Lacs et affaires générales, Région de l'Ontario, Environnement Canada, siègent maintenant au Conseil des gestionnaires de la recherche sur les Grands Lacs, en remplacement de James G. Lawless et Keith Marshall. Charlotte Bastien, chef de la section de la gestion et de la diffusion de l'information au Centre St-Laurent, d'Environnement Canada à Montréal (Québec), remplace Lynn Cleary. Gregory Smith, biologiste en chef régional intérimaire, du Service géologique des États-Unis, région de l'Est, à Kearneysville (Virginie-Occidentale) remplace Susan Haseltine. Le lieutenant-colonel William Breyfogle, commandant du U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, district de St. Paul, a été nommé à la section américaine du Conseil international de contrôle de la rivière Souris, au Conseil technique international des rivières Souris et Rouge et, à titre de co-président, au Conseil international de contrôle du lac des Bois et au Conseil international de contrôle du lac à la Pluie, en remplacement du colonel John M. Wonsik. Mary Hegan, coordonnatrice de la participation du public, à Santé Canada, a été nommée à la section canadienne du Groupe de travail des professionnels de la santé.

IJC Canadian Commissioner Pierre Béland received the 1998 SUMMA award from Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The award is given annually by the faculty of science to a Laval science graduate for outstanding achievement is their professional activities.

Le commissaire canadien de la Commission mixte internationale (CMI), M. Pierre Béland, a reçu le prix SUMMA 1998 de l'Université Laval de Québec (Québec), Canada. Le prix est décerné tous les ans par la faculté des sciences à un étudiant diplômé en sciences de l'Université Laval pour rendre hommage à ses réalisations remarquables dans ses activités professionnelles.

Hail to the Chief. Valdas V. Adamkus has been elected president of the Baltic Nation of Lithuania. FOCUS readers will recognize the name as the recently retired head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 5, in Chicago. The International Joint Commission family s also familiar with Val as a long-time member and past co-chair of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board.

Val's long standing work with U.S. EPA and dedication to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement were recognized last fall by fellow members of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Agreement in Niagara Falls, New York. Once again, Good Luck Mr. President!

There is no question that the Great Lakes are clearer today than in past memory. However, debate begins when analyzing its trend and potential direction. The emphasis on phosphorous reduction in the 1970s led to the resurgent health and increased clarity of the system -- Lake Erie in particular. However, the exotic invader of the 1980s, the zebra mussel, may now be credited with filtering additional phosphorus from the water. A theory being investigated at Bowling Green State University is that phosphorus, a nutrient enhancing algae growth, could once again be on the rise and eventually leading to murkier lakes. The theory is based on the finding that the abundant round goby population, another exotic species to the Great Lakes, is thriving on the also abundant zebra mussel and increased excrement containing high phosphorus content is promoting algae growth. Rex Lowe and Jeff Miner will receive $120,000 over the next three years from Ohio Sea Grant to study the goby's eating habits near South Bass Island in western Lake Erie.

The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians and the University of Wisconsin System Aquaculture Institute in Milwaukee have signed an agreement to study the potential for raising yellow perch at an aquaculture facility to be built on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota.

The intent is to help revitalize the tribe's fisheries industry, boost the local economy and offer a fish-farming model for other tribes and entrepreneurs to follow. The tribe has been fishing commercially on both Upper and Lower Red Lakes since 1917, but walleye stocks have shown significant signs of over-exploitation recently, causing the Red Lakes Fisheries Association to voluntarily close down the commercial fishing season in 1997. The Red Lake commercial fishery has a significant economic impact on the area, accounting for more than a million dollars in annual commerce, as well as nearly 700 jobs provided to members of the Red Lake Band.

Fred Binkowski, aquaculture specialist with the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Advisory Services, was initially contacted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs after a noticeable decline in the fishery was observed a few years ago. Success in this new venture will help tribe members return to commercial fish production. For more information, contact Fred at (414) 382-1700; or Stephen Whittman, assistant director for communications at (608) 263-5371.

Revised: 7 April 1998
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle, mcgunaglek@ijc.wincom.net