I have been off line for about a month so pardon me if this has been
covered.    Jane and I routinely cruise from lake MI to AL in the fall and
back in the spring but did not do so last year.  We are planning to do so
again around mid October.  We have crossed the aforementioned carp barrier
many times in our 48' twin diesel boat without incident.  Now I have heard
that there is an issue.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Greg Bowers  |  President
Advanced Cabinet Systems| *: 1001 E. 38th St. Marion, Indiana 46953 | *
Office: 765-677-8000| ( Cell: 765-603-0201| 7 Fax: 765-677-5089

http://www.advancedcabinetsystems.com/ www.advancedcabinetsystems.com
P Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. And if you
REALLY need to, please make sure you duplex the printing to utilize both
sides of the paper. Thank you!

Without forethought or planning the Corpse of Engineers has upped the
voltage on the fish barrier and has envisioned all sorts of disasters to
non-metallic hulled boats with particular emphasis on gasoline pleasure
boats but have included diesels as well to CYA. The USCG has joined them in
turning this carp barrier into a pleasure boat barrier and the only way to
get through AT THE MOMENT is with a $600 tow!!! I choose to view this as an
illegal federal tax on the use of a waterway - even though the tug is a
commercial vessel.

This may be the best example of the deterioration in the quality of our
federal civil servants. This is like a microscopic Katrina in planning. The
poor full colonel in-charge has just returned from Iraq and has inherited
this fiasco. A test was to have been conducted this past Tuesday to see what
real damage could occur. Then there will be the lawyers. Boat US should be
raising holy hell. There is evidence that the Asian Carp have already
penetrated to the Great Lakes, but perhaps, not in large numbers. So-called
"red flag" barge cargoes are being trucked around the barrier! Alternate
methods for pleasure boats are cost prohibitive. PPP

Ron Rogers

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Bowers

I have been off line for about a month so pardon me if this has been
covered.    Jane and I routinely cruise from lake MI to AL in the fall and
back in the spring but did not do so last year.  We are planning to do so
again around mid October.  We have crossed the aforementioned carp barrier
many times in our 48' twin diesel boat without incident.  Now I have heard
that there is an issue.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Greg

OK Silly question time.    How is this $600.00 tow boat any better equipped
than my boat to get through this barrier??  Do they have armed guards
posted??  Have they put up a gate??  What is the danger in my fully bonded
boat??

Greg Bowers  |  President
Advanced Cabinet Systems| *: 1001 E. 38th St. Marion, Indiana 46953 | *
Office: 765-677-8000| ( Cell: 765-603-0201| 7 : 765-677-5089

www.advancedcabinetsystems.com
P Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. And if you
REALLY need to, please make sure you duplex the printing to utilize both
sides of the paper. Thank you!

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Rogers [mailto:rcrogers6@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:52 AM
To: 'Greg Bowers'; 'T&T List'
Subject: RE: Illinois Carp Barrier

Without forethought or planning the Corpse of Engineers has upped the
voltage on the fish barrier and has envisioned all sorts of disasters to
non-metallic hulled boats with particular emphasis on gasoline pleasure
boats but have included diesels as well to CYA. The USCG has joined them in
turning this carp barrier into a pleasure boat barrier and the only way to
get through AT THE MOMENT is with a $600 tow!!! I choose to view this as an
illegal federal tax on the use of a waterway - even though the tug is a
commercial vessel.

This may be the best example of the deterioration in the quality of our
federal civil servants. This is like a microscopic Katrina in planning. The
poor full colonel in-charge has just returned from Iraq and has inherited
this fiasco. A test was to have been conducted this past Tuesday to see what
real damage could occur. Then there will be the lawyers. Boat US should be
raising holy hell. There is evidence that the Asian Carp have already
penetrated to the Great Lakes, but perhaps, not in large numbers. So-called
"red flag" barge cargoes are being trucked around the barrier! Alternate
methods for pleasure boats are cost prohibitive. PPP

Ron Rogers

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Bowers

I have been off line for about a month so pardon me if this has been
covered.    Jane and I routinely cruise from lake MI to AL in the fall and
back in the spring but did not do so last year.  We are planning to do so
again around mid October.  We have crossed the aforementioned carp barrier
many times in our 48' twin diesel boat without incident.  Now I have heard
that there is an issue.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Greg

Who knows? They think that the higher voltage will knock out your
electronics and blow up gasoline boats. They do not really know based upon
their superb staffing of this program. The towboat is steel and they regard
that as safe. Steel towboats and barges are going through now. Oh, BTW, you
can only go through as singles. Yes they have armed guards - USCG high speed
patrol boats who will challenge you. That from a skipper who paid the
charge. You have to disconnect your battery cables and turn all switches
off.  Then you have to get off your boat. A mass mutiny/attack might be
interesting, but what if the electricity does damage boats? This should not
be guess work.

Ron Rogers

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Bowers
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 2:47 PM
To: T&T List
Subject: Re: T&T: Illinois Carp Barrier

OK Silly question time.    How is this $600.00 tow boat any better equipped
than my boat to get through this barrier??  Do they have armed guards
posted??  Have they put up a gate??  What is the danger in my fully bonded
boat??

" Can anyone enlighten me?"

I think Joe Pica on the Carolyn Ann will chime in soon - he is stuck waiting
to get through.  Evidently, you can completely disconnect everything
electrical on your boat and pay $600 and get towed through.  Pay the troll
under the bridge!  Our government at work.

Rip Tyler

m/v Severn Exposure
Pearson True North 38
Weems Creek, Annapolis, MD

I love to see capitalism at work, even if it's the government working it. At
what price would you NOT go through the Carp Barrier? Why not just turn
around and do the loop by approaching the barrier from the other side? You
will have seen the entire loop while doing it in this fashion.

Or, Carpe diem as they say. Simply do the per diem of $600 and pass through
quietly.

-- Jim Ague

THE CONCERN BY THE CORPSE AND OTHER BUREAUCRACIES SEEMS MISPLACED. MAYBE
THEY SHOULD ASK THE EXPERIENCED MANUFACTURER (BELOW) - OR WOULD THAT BE TOO
LOGICAL? The poor Corps of Engineers colonel just got back from Iraq and
inherited this. He would probably prefer to go back and get shot at.

Smith-Root, Inc. Updates Electroanesthesia Unit for Fish Culturists
Product Web Page and Video:
EA-1000A Electroanesthesia System
For More Information Contact:

* Jeff Smith, President
* Carl Burger, Senior Scientist

Vancouver, Washington - December 12, 2006 - Smith-Root, Incorporated (SRI)
has developed an electroanesthesia system for use in a wide array of fish
culture applications. "This system is a new application of our previous
electrofisher technologies. It is now available to the fish culture
community as a safe, effective way of handling and anesthetizing large
numbers of fish without the need for regulated chemicals," according to Jeff
Smith, the company's CEO. "In light of recent concerns with CO2 in Europe,
we think our electroanesthesia unit could be of great value to commercial
fish farms," he noted.

The Model EA-1000A Electroanesthesia Unit is available directly from the
company. It is a high-voltage, direct current (DC) pulsator that emits a
complex waveform capable of anesthetizing large numbers of fish or other
aquatic organisms for handling, marking and tagging operations. "The varying
electric field first excites the fish, then puts them into an anesthetized
state," said Smith. He added, "The electrical output of the EA Unit is
engineered to induce the mildest possible physiological reaction by the
fish." The output controls can be adjusted to anesthetize quickly and
deeply, with minimum power.

Smith noted that his company's system has been used very successfully in the
U.S. at Columbia River fish hatcheries (e.g. Bonneville State Fish Hatchery
in Oregon and Carson National Fish Hatchery in Washington). These and other
facilities where the Smith-Root EA Unit is now in use spawn thousands of
salmon on an annual basis. "SRI's Electroanesthesia Unit eliminates the need
for chemical anesthetics, so that spawned-out salmon can be sold or rendered
immediately, without any required waiting period," added Carl Burger, the
company's senior scientist. The electrical waveform is applied in successive
stages, each having selectable voltages, waveforms and durations. "This
gives the hatchery manager or fish culturist many options in selecting the
best combination of settings for the targeted species," stated Burger. "The
system is designed for precise control in a variety of fish culture
environments and is a safe alternative in reducing costly handling labor at
farms and hatcheries," he added. The Chinook salmon anesthetized and spawned
at some of the hatcheries in the Northwest U.S. are sold to commercial
vendors after spawning, for further processing and marketing.

Smith-Root, Inc. can design a system that meets exacting needs and
specifications, including custom-built holding tanks and elevator arrays for
moving large numbers of fish into treatment tanks. The company also designs
fish counting systems, backpack electrofishers, electrofishing boats, and
electric barriers to control predators or limit the movements of fish
populations, including desirable cultured fish or non-desirable invasive
species. The company currently operates an electric barrier in the Chicago
Shipping Canal (heavily used by boat traffic) to prevent Asian carp
populations from entering the Great Lakes. SRI also manufactures electric
barriers to successfully control sea lamprey and carp in many other locales.
"Our Electroanesthesia Unit represents a great tool for use in fish culture,
and can save managers lots of time and money over the long haul," Burger
said.

SRI plans to pursue the development and testing of new "high-tech" tools for
the fish culturist. Smith-Root is a Vancouver, Washington-based company with
over 40 years of experience in the design of innovative conservation tools
and electronics for fishery scientists, managers, biologists and fish
culturists. Contact the company directly for additional information.

-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of Rip
Tyler
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 8:19 PM
To: 'Greg Bowers'; 'T&T List'
Subject: Re: T&T: Illinois Carp Barrier

" Can anyone enlighten me?"

I think Joe Pica on the Carolyn Ann will chime in soon - he is stuck waiting
to get through.  Evidently, you can completely disconnect everything
electrical on your boat and pay $600 and get towed through.  Pay the troll
under the bridge!  Our government at work.

Rip Tyler

m/v Severn Exposure
Pearson True North 38
Weems Creek, Annapolis, MD

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Colonel Vincent V. Quarles
Commander, Chicago District
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
111 North Canal Street, Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60606
Dear Colonel Quarles:
I have reviewed your Summary of Safety Studies Completed at Chicago
Sanitary and Ship Canal
Dispersal Barrier IIA and the Test Plan for Long Tow Assessment During the
Operation of Barrier
IIA at Peak Field Strength, both dated 1 December 2008. I appreciate the
effort and time dedicated
by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to complete these
reports. My response
addresses two areas: a.) USACE desire to operate Dispersal Barrier IIA at a
maximum in-water field
strength of one (1) Volt/inch (V/in) and; b.) the desire to test Dispersal
Barrier IIA at higher
maximum in-water field strengths up to 4 V/in.
a. I continue to have significant concerns with the potential physiological
effects that a person
may suffer if immersed in the water in the vicinity of both the initial
Demonstration Dispersal
Barrier and the new Barrier IIA on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
between mile 296.1 and
296.7; as well as the potential for sparking between vessels. However, I am
satisfied the many
safety measures that have been put into place or improved upon over the last
year will minimize
many of my concerns. These safety measures have provided awareness
throughout the
commercial and recreational community of the current safety risks and
provided guidance of how
to reduce the risks when transiting this area of waterway. It is imperative
that these safety
measures continue to be implemented and reviewed on a routine basis to
ensure their
effectiveness.
With current safety precautions in place, the United States Coast Guard
(USCG) does not object
to activation of Dispersal Barrier IIA at a maximum in-water field strength
of one (1) Volt /inch.
I am asking Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District to amend the Regulated
Navigation Area
(RNA) in 33 CFR ' 165.923 to include Barrier IIAs additional operating area
and the
requirement for all up-bound and down-bound barge tows, that contain one or
more red flag
barges transiting the RNA, to be assisted by a bow boat until the entire tow
is clear of the RNA
boundaries. I estimate that it will take 30-45 days to publish a temporary
Final Rule and an
additional 120 days for the requisite notice and comment period to effect a
permanent amendment
to the RNA.
There are several additional safety measures identified by the Safety
Workgroup that still need
implementation including quick emergency shut down capability, first
responder on-site training,
and the installation of egress mechanisms for a person in the water. These
safety measures would
further mitigate the risks faced by mariners who transit the area.
Commander
Ninth Coast Guard District
1240 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44199-2060
Staff Symbol: dp
Phone: 216-902-6045
Fax: 216-902-6055
16600
December 15, 2008
16600
December 15, 2008
2
b. The USCG does not object to your plan to test Barrier IIA at peak field
strength. To insure
the safety of mariners and vessels and the protection of the navigable
waters from harm, I request
that you submit a written request to me, via Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit
Chicago, for the
establishment of a safety zone once the anticipated dates of testing are
determined. I would
expect that the safety zone will prohibit the movement of all vessels and
persons through the
testing area. Your submission should reach me at least 90 days before
testing to ensure adequate
time for publication in the Federal Register and dissemination to users of
the waterway.
Please note that Coast Guard approval is not required nor is the Coast Guard
authorized to grant
approval prior to USACEs activation of Dispersal Barrier IIA. The Coast
Guards principal concern
is navigation and vessel safety. Thus, the Coast Guard intends to use its
discretionary authority to
protect mariners and vessels through implementation of a RNA when the
Dispersal Barrier IIA is
activated and through a safety zone when the peak field strength testing is
taking place.
Please advise me immediately if you desire to activate Dispersal Barrier IIA
prior to the publication
of the temporary Final Rule amending the RNA. For further information
regarding this response to
activate Barrier IIA and test plan, please contact Commander Paul Mehler at
MSU Chicago at
Paul.M.Mehler@uscg.mil or call 630-986-23126.
Sincerely,
BRUCE. C. JONES
Captain,, U.S. Coast Guard
Commander, Sector Lake Michigan
Copy: Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District (dp)
Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago

The complex issue of the vessel restrictions thru the carp barrier is
complicated by the distinct separate areas of authority and responsibility
of the three major players.
The USCG, USACoE, and National Fish and Wildlife Service.  These are all
Federal Agencies with distinct legislatively defined authorities and
responsibilities. Coast Guard safety and Navigation, USACoE Public works,
Fish and Wildlife endangered species and Migratory wildlife (envasive specie
link).

Scenario roughly as I perceived it after discussions with multiple sources
involved with the Barrier Restriction:

-Fish and Wildlife tasked with Federal effort to prevent migration of
invasive carp which will negatively impact other protected species within
the Great Lakes.  This is their singular focus and they could care less if
it has a negative effect on navigation...not their problem so they dictate
to the Army Corps of Engineers who are "tasked" with building and operating
the barrier to stop the Carp to greatly increase voltage beyond the prior
tested approved for transit voltage of 1 volt because the NFWS discovered
Carp DNA (from minute traces of Asian carp slime in the water) near the
Barrier (read panic mode).  The NFWS is adamantly opposed to any reduction
of voltage (even temporarily to allow vessel transit) back to the prior
proven safe level of 1 volt in spite of Barrier Advisory Board invasive
specie scientist member's suggestion.
The USCG has no evidence from the Corps that the new level is safe because
the results are not yet in so imposes the restriction since their
responsibility is safety and navigation at the barrier.
There are two primary show stoppers:

-NFWS directing the Corps that the voltage needs to at the current higher
safety untested level and opposing any reduction.

-USCG imposing the safety zone restrictions until safety testing result
(supposedly due soon and performed by the Corps) are finished and result
submitted to the USCG to redefine the Safety Zone restrictions.

Astonishingly, none of the Agencies involved ever contacted the very
experienced designer/builder of Barrier "Smith-Root" who were "shocked"
yesterday to find out about all the safety concerns.  "Smith-Root" have been
building barriers for 30+ years.

So there it is, a complex intertwine of US Government Agencies and no single
overriding authority except the President?

Snip:"...
With current safety precautions in place, the United States Coast Guard
(USCG) does not object
to activation of Dispersal Barrier IIA at a maximum in-water field strength
of one (1) Volt /inch...."

"...December 15, 2008
2
b. The USCG does not object to your plan to test Barrier IIA at peak field
strength. To insure
the safety of mariners and vessels and the protection of the navigable
waters from harm, I request
that you submit a written request to me, via Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit
Chicago, for the
establishment of a safety zone once the anticipated dates of testing are
determined. I would
expect that the safety zone will prohibit the movement of all vessels and
persons through the
testing area. Your submission should reach me at least 90 days before
testing to ensure adequate
time for publication in the Federal Register and dissemination to users of
the waterway....."

Oh, the suggestion of pooling monies to sue is not very viable unless the
participant(s) are prepared to wait the length of time it will take(hello
winter) a legal team to prepare and present and have reviewed a brief to the
US District Level court encompassing all the divergent authorities and
supportive legislative basis.

Respectfully submitted, frustrated and awaiting the much discussed safety
testing results,

Joe

"Carolyn Ann" GH N37
Moving to Burnham's Harbor Chicago today then through? the barrier on Thurs.