Minutes
January 17, 2006 Meeting
NC Wildlife Building
Raleigh, North Carolina

Present
Christen Waters - NC Wildlife
Kirk Rundle - NC Wildlife
John Madsen - Mississippi State University
Glen Bishop - Dominion
Michael Grodowitz - US Army Corps of Engineers
Skip Wiegersma - Aquatic Nuisance Plant Control
Rob Emens - NC Dept of Natural and Economic Resources
John Sutherland - NC Dept of Natural and Economic Resources
Harrel Johnson - Roanoke River Basin Association
Randy Lee - NC Bass Federation
Boyd Strain - LG Water Safety Committee, Meeting Convenor

Observers (Non voting)
Pete Deschenes - President, Lake Gaston Stakeholders Board
Bob Lohr - Lake Gaston Resident
Gary Lohr - Son of Bob Lohr

Meeting Convened at 0900.

The Convenor thanked Bob Curry and Kirk Rundle of the NC Wildlife Department for inviting TAG to hold the meeting in the new Wildlife Building at NC State University.

Meeting Purpose

The purpose of this meeting was to review the Madsen and Wiegersma reports of Aquatic Nuisance Plants in Lake Gaston at the end of the 2005 growing season and to use them as input to make recommendations on management decisions for the 2006 year. In addition, TAG was asked to review and comment on the proposed 2006 budget. Finally individuals who would participate in public information meetings and possible Public Hearings were identified. In addition, the need for immediately increasing survey and monitoring work was discussed and action recommended.

Meeting Agenda

2006 Activities

" Review the Lake Gaston 2005 Vegetation Survey and the 2005 Gaston Assessment documents.
" Determine the number of acres infested by nuisance plants currently in the Lake.
" Recommend chemical treatments to be used at public and private lake-use and access areas and determine total acres to be treated. Estimate cost.
" Comment on continuation of Fluridone treatments. Recommend areas to be treated in 2006 and treatment protocols to be used.
" Estimate the number of grass carp currently in the Lake.
" Recommend the equilibrium number of grass carp / infested acre to be maintained and calculate the number of grass carp to be inserted in 2006.
" Comment on the budget proposed for 2006.
" Consider TAG input into Public Information effort. Establish membership on the communication committee.
" Establish a schedule for participation in public meetings to be held in February and March.
" Solicit volunteers to participate in official Public Hearings to be held by the five counties in 2006.

Long-Term Activities

" Discuss continuation of TAG participation in the SH effort. Consider membership on TAG, select a new leader, and discuss future operational procedures.
" Discuss revegetation and estimate financial requirements in future years.
" Discuss biological control research and comment on future funding requirements.

Conclusions and Recommendations

1. The 2005 survey work indicates a total vegetated area of 3863 acres. Wiegersma corrected the report saying that Hydrilla acreage was 3100 of the total. 3100 acres should be used to calculate grass carp number per acre.
2. A motion to insert grass carp in 2006 passed 5 Yes, 2 No, 4 abstaining.
3. An average of NC Wildlife and NC DENR estimations of grass carp remaining in Lake Gaston currently is 17,000. To obtain 10 carp per acre would require the addition of 14,000 carp. Arguments presented by several individuals questioned the potential error in the estimations and cautioned against overstocking. It was proposed that the insertion number be reduced 50%.
4. A motion to recommend 7000 grass carp in 2006 passed unanimously.
5. Additional recommendations on grass carp stocking include:
a. Use 12 inch stock.
b. Scatter stock at 3 - 4 locations.
c. Radio tag 20 to 100 fish.
d. Utilize a reputable Amur stocking model and collect the required data to run it properly.
e. Insert all fish in the Spring of 2006.
6. The projected budget for 2006/2007 was modified as shown below:

LGSB
Weed Treatment Proposed Priorities
With Projected Cost 2006/07
Partial Lake Treatment

Estimated Public funds $650,000 $788,000

Expenses Projected Cost --------------------------- TAG Recomendation

1--Herbicide treatment for public areas $100,000 --------- $ 30,000
2--Fall total Lake survey and assessment $ 30,000 -------- $ 30,000
3--Biological control (2007) $ 30,000 --------------------- $ 30,000*
4--Trial Floating mat removal $ 20,000 -------------------- $ 20,000
5--Office operations $ 5,000 ------------------------------- $ 5,000
6--Specialized expertise $ 12,000 ------------------------- $ 20,000
7--Prevention programs $ 25,000 ------------------------- $ 25,000
8--Reserve fund $ 13,000 --------------------------------- $ 13,000
9--Revegetation $ 0 --------------------------------------- $100,000
10-Research $ 0 -------------------------------------------$100,000
11-Herbicide treatment for Designated Areas $415,000 --- $415,000

TOTAL $650,000 ---------------------------------------- $788,000

Explanation for recommended changes:
1. Public areas are very limited on Lake Gaston. Projected cost is excessive.
2. Fall Lake Survey can be done for less than $20,000. Add assessment work.
3. *Adjust following TAG recommendations of 2006 carp and weed assessments.
4. Floating mats. Agree
5. Office operations. No comment
6. Add funds for specialized expertise to include more university expertise.
7. Prevention programs. Agree
8. Reserve fund. No comment.
9. Revegetation. Utilize USDA/COE funds to initiate revegetation studies.
10. Research. Utilize USDA/COE funds to intensify annual sampling and assessment effort.
11. Herbicides. Agree

7. TAG members will participate in all Public Information Meetings and in any Public Hearings scheduled during 2006/07. Candidates to be contacted include Vic Dicenzo, Kirk Rundle, Chris Waters, and Rob Emens. Dr. John Madsen, COE representatives, and Dr. Rob Richardson of N.C State will be solicited as necessary to provide scientific expertise at each meeting.
8. Harrel Johnson was elected to assume leadership of TAG.
9. TAG recommends additional scientific expertise be solicited from university and government laboratories to provide annual overview of the Lake Gaston Management effort. Phil Kirk, COE; Mike Maceima, Auburn Univ., Steve DeKozlowski, South Carolina DENR; William Haller, Univ Florida, Rob Richardson, NC State; and John Madsen, Mississippi State are among those who should be solicited in this regard.
10. TAG recommends that funds be solicited from any possible source to begin detailed studies of occurrence, distribution, density, and reproductive potential of nuisance and native aquatic plant species.
11. TAG recommends that funds be solicited from any possible source to begin detailed studies of annual grass carp numbers, distribution, and feeding efficacy.

Meeting Adjourned at 2:30 PM