Re: NANFA-- Fish-Watching - LONG

Arndtg_at_aol.com
Wed, 27 Dec 2000 21:36:27 EST

I love this idea. the scientific measurement of the water quality on a
yearly basis is the kind of evidence that would be so good to influence
legislation in the future. this seems hard to argue with. the idea of
counting fish can be argued much easier. the politicians can argue about the
real meaning of our fish count but what can they say to the accurate
measurement of the quality of the water. nanfa could look for an appropriate
sponsor. the people in the field can collect the water samples and the
sponsor could measure the water or pay to have it measured. we would need to
offer a large amount of national good publicity for the sponsor. I think
nanfa can do it. I believe there are many companies would would be willing
to sponsor this.

we could begin by talking to environmentally conscious companies. also
working closely with mutual funds that purchase only these kinds of
companies, the mutual funds could give us a list of potential sponsors. I
do not know the cost of measuring each sample, but I think today we have
developed many sophisticated measuring systems. we could get some plastic
bottles for the samples. we need to investigate the best way to take the
samples. etc.

I think this is excellent. we would still count fish but this is the
foundation data for cleaning up our streams and rivers and lakes. we would
also be able to do comparisons of water across the entire usa. wow. great
idea.

George Arndt
Harvard, MA

In a message dated 12/27/00 9:07:33 PM Eastern Standard Time,
hjknaub_at_netrax.net writes:

<< Subj: Re: NANFA-- Fish-Watching - LONG
Date: 12/27/00 9:07:33 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: hjknaub_at_netrax.net (Jane Knaub)
Sender: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Reply-to: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net

I'm gonna try this again, when I tried before somehow I crashed our email.
Some years ago, I helped collect and identify invertabrates as a volunteer
for
Maryland Save Our Streams. This data was used to determine water quality of
Maryland streams.We started with maps that showed the specific riffles where
we
were to collect our specimens. We were trained to use certain protocols in
collecting and we recorded data on the collecting site and the stream in
general.
All of this information was used to monitor the health of the stream over
time.
I think it's important to collect our data in a consistant manner to lend
legitimacy to any numbers that we compile.

I think that this could be a good way to draw more people,particularly
educators,
into Nanfa.

As for a date, I think mid May or mid June. In some parts of the country high
water could be a problem if it was any earlier. If we did a trial run in May
or
June, we could work on fine tuning at the Convention in Ohio.

Steven "Harry" Knaub
York, PA >>

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