PETITION Cleveland Heights to open fishing in Lower Shaker Lake

Cleveland OH

Description

http://chng.it/dZ5bzCck As many of you know, Lower Shaker Lake is a treasured gem and is an oasis for our citizens. However, the continual draining of the lake coupled with the lack of native fish species have resulted in a dramatic loss of native turtles, waterfowl, and other wildlife over the last several years. With the lake currently drained and all or most of the invasive carp gone, NOW is the time to introduce native fish species into Lower Shaker Lake to bring back our wildlife. Why? Because native predatory fish (e.g., bass, bluegill, channel catfish) would eliminate any remaining carp and prevent another carp invasion. Since carp root up native plants with their feeding habits, the carp destroy habitat for turtles, amphibians, waterfowl, and other fish, and the water is depleted of oxygen. The bottom line is that if we introduce native predatory fish, the carp will be gone, native plants and other aquatic organisms will return, and we will have our turtles, waterfowl, and maybe even our bald eagles back! So how do we do this? The Ohio Department of Natural Resources WANTS to stock native, beneficial fish species in Lower Shaker Lake (for free), and Shaker Heights wants this as well, BUT Cleveland Heights is the only entity standing in the way. What would Cleveland Heights need to do? Simply agree to allow fishing on the Cleveland Heights side of the lake. That's all! If Cleveland Heights agrees to allow fishing, the ODNR will stock the lake with native fish. Don't like fishing at Shaker Lakes? It's already allowed on the Shaker Heights side, and Cleveland Heights de-facto allows fishing anyway. Even if you disagree with fishing at Lower Lake, realize that the introduction of native fish species will have a bottom-up effect that will improve the ecology of the lake and bring back wildlife. So what can you do to help our wildlife at Lower Shaker Lake? MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD! Sign the petition to tell Cleveland Heights that we want them to open fishing, which will bring our wildlife back through native fish stocking. What really are the benefits of stocking native fish? Carp that have long inhabited the lake are a very destructive invasive species. Making matters worse, a single female carp can lay a staggering one-million eggs per year! These carp stir up the lake bottom, as they root around for invertebrates in the benthic layer. This causes the lake to become silty and makes the water cloudy. The cloudy water prevents native predatory fish from becoming established, essentially because they can't see well enough to find prey. Carps’ feeding habits also destroy any shred of aquatic vegetation. This deprives the water of oxygen, making it less habitable for native fish, reptiles, and amphibians. The lack of aquatic vegetation also deprives native fish and amphibians of nesting and nursery sites for their young. The base of the food chain in a lake is built on tiny creatures called "zooplankton." These zooplankton depend on vegetation for food and shelter but have none because of the carp. As you can see, the carp have a domino effect of driving out native reptiles, amphibians, fish, and waterfowl through their aggressive feeding habits. As the lake draining last summer killed over 95% of the carp, and this current draining has removed the majority of the remaining carp, now is the time to act! Stocked, native predatory fish will feed on the juvenile carp and prevent further carp from gaining a foothold. Once the carp are under control, we will get back our aquatic plants, which will oxygenate the water, creating habitat for zooplankton and an increase in water quality. These aquatic plants will also help filter out pollutants, making the water more hospitable to sensitive animals such as amphibians. An abundance of aquatic plants will also form the base of a food chain for not only fish and amphibians, but also reptiles such as the painted turtle that eat aquatic vegetation. Furthermore, waterfowl such as mallards that eat aquatic vegetation will be drawn to the lake. By stocking native fish, we can begin to reverse the harmful effects of decades of carp. If you care about the aquatic ecology at Lower Lake, this is as close to a "silver bullet" as we will get (and it’s free!). Lastly, fishing provides our citizens the opportunity to enjoy nature in solitude, to connect with nature (the Shaker Lakes Nature Center's stated purpose), and escape from their busy lives. It is a form of exercise and a great way to bond with friends and family, as it provides a vehicle for family cohesion. Fishing has also been linked to increased stress release, mental relaxation, and increased patience among children. Lastly, fishing is a responsible and enjoyable socially distanced activity during this stressful time of COVID-19. Lower Lake is soon to be dead and lifeless--don't let this happen! The ODNR wants to help, but Cleveland Heights has the ODNR's hands tied behind their back. Tell Cleveland Heights to open up fishing! Help bring our wildlife back!