40 replies to this topic

[keepnatives]

 

North American Native Fish Association Convention - June 9-12, 2016 - Portsmouth, N.H.

 

LOCATION: Portsmouth, New Hampshire is located alongside Great Bay Estuary and the Piscataqua River. The river has a marine environment thanks to the strong tidal forces from the ocean. The Coastal Plain freshwater environments include slow flowing, marshy streams home to Swamp Darter, Redfin Pickerel, and Banded Sunfish. There are also swifter streams with Fallfish, Common Shiner, and Longnose Dace. Also other freshwater species we will likely see are Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Chain Pickerel, Brook Trout, Creek Chubsucker, Rainbow smelt, Fallfish, Blacknose and Longnose Dace. Trips west to find Northern Redbelly Dace are also planned. 

LODGING: Lodging and the convention itself will be at the Best Western Plus Wynnwood Hotel and Suites. 580 US Highway 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, NH.  Reserve your room by May 9, 2016 and mention the NANFA Convention to get the discounted room rate.

ODIORNE POINT STATE PARK: Friday, Odiorne Point State Park will be the location for the morning’s events including tide pooling, as well as shore and tidal creek seining. It has a rich variety of aquatic ecosystems including rocky shoreline with tide pools, salt marsh, tidal creeks, sandy shore, and eelgrass beds. Brackish/marine fish we may encounter include: cunner, lumpfish, grubby sculpins, 3, 4, and 9 spine sticklebacks, mummichugs, northern pipefish, inland and Atlantic silversides and many others. There is also a freshwater pond with pumpkinseed and bullheads.  Visit the Seacoast Science Center on site and many hiking trails and playground for the young ones. 

R/V GULF CHALLENGER: Saturday, the Gulf Challenger, a 50-foot research vessel and crew are reserved for NANFA. It includes an otter trawl, laboratory and specimen flow thru holding tanks. Great for photography and to see some rarely seen species. If the weather is good it will sample offshore at the Isles of Shoals. If the weather is inclement it will sample Great Bay Estuary. These are 5 - 6 hour trips with a speaker enroute. The Vessel can carry 39 passengers so it will be first registered basis. A freshwater sampling trip will be available for those not going on the Gulf Challenger. 

BANQUET & AUCTION: Saturday evening we will have our banquet, with speaker, author, diver, photographer Jerry Shine followed by our fundraiser auction.  We will have a New England Lobster Bake / Muddy River Barbecue Buffet. The New England Lobster Bake will include New England clam chowder, fresh-dug Maine Clams, cultivated Mussels, succulent Maine Lobster with drawn butter, sweet corn on the cob, roasted red potatoes and onions, rolls, butter, and fresh-baked cookies and brownies. -Muddy River BBQ Bonanza includes 15-hour smoked award-winning pulled pork, hickory smoked chicken, smoked St. Louis ribs,   roasted new potatoes, and Muddy River cornbread. In addition to the banquet the Best Western has an attached eatery called the Roundabout Diner. 

SPEAKERS & FELLOWSHIP: Thursday and Friday evenings we will begin with speakers and continue with fellowship in our event room.  Speakers include Bob Mueller on Round Gobies, Fritz Rohde on international collecting, Helen Dalbeck of Amoskeag Fishways “More than bait! The impressive American eel, Anguilla rostrata”, Ben Nugent, Fisheries Biologist NH F & G “What we’ve learned about fish species of greatest conservation need since the development of the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan in 2005”, and Jonathan Davis “The conservation of sicklefin red horse in north Georgia”.

REGISTRATION: The registration costs are as follows:

Adult

$130

(this covers registration, meal ($37) and boat ($24)

Adult

$105

(all the above minus the boat)

Student or Spouse

$60

(covers boat and meal) 

Student or Spouse

$35

(covers meal) 

For additional information, if you would like to volunteer, or you have other questions, please contact:                   

Josh Jarvis firstchaos_2000@yahoo.com, Mike Lucas Psalm119.111@gmail.com and http://nanfa.org/cgi-bin/2016convention.pl to register.

 

NANFA Convention Schedule

Thursday June 9^th

            Noon    – Registration/check-in begins

                          Local trips:

                                    Isinglass River/Nippo Brook

                                    The Submarine U.S.S. Albacore

            6:30 PM – Welcome from Josh Jarvis & Mike Lucas

Speaker – Ben Nugent, Non-game Fisheries Biologist NH Fish & Game - “What we’ve learned about fish species of greatest conservation need since the development of the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan in 2005”.

Speaker - Fritz Rohde on International Collecting.

Fish & Finship – Fishy fellowship in the event room, bartender available.

Friday June 10^th

            6 -7:30 AM – Breakfast, Roundabout Diner attached to hotel, other restaurants within short drive.

            8 AM          - meet in front of hotel to arrange car pools to Odiorne Point State Park           

            8:20 AM      - depart to Odiorne Point State Park

8:30 AM      - arrive Odiorne Point State Park begin tide pooling, tidal creek sampling, shore seining. Visit  

                    Seacoast Science Center on site.    

            11:00 AM    - Depart Park for lunch on your own meet back at hotel by noon         

            12:15 PM    - Depart hotel lot for freshwater trips:

                               Group 1 – Bellamy Reservoir/Mallego Brook/Oyster River

                                    Group 2 - Oyster & North Rivers

                                    Group 3 - Lamprey & North Rivers

           4:30 PM      - Free time & dinner on your own

           6:30 PM      - Speaker - Helen Dalbeck of Amoskeag Fishways, “More than bait! The impressive American                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Eel, Anguilla rostrata”.

- Speaker - Jonathan Davis, “The conservation of sicklefin redhorse in north Georgia”.

 

                               - Speaker - Bob Mueller on Round Gobies.

 

           7:30 PM       - Fish & Finship – Fishy fellowship in the event room, bartender available.

 

 

 Saturday June 11^th

 

            6 -7:30 AM   – Breakfast, Roundabout Diner attached to hotel, other restaurants within short drive.

            8:00 AM      - Meet in front of hotel to arrange car pools to Gulf Challenger Research Vessel

                               - Meet in front of hotel to arrange car pools for Landlubbers’ Sampling Trip        

            8:20 AM      - Departure

            5:30 PM      - Free time

      6:30 PM      - NANFA BANQUET- Banquet Speaker – Jerry Shine, diver, photographer, and author of

                         “A Shore Diving Guide to New England” and “Nudibranchs of the Northeast”

                 

                             - NANFA Grant Funding AUCTION

 

Sunday June 12^th

 

            7 -8:30 AM – Breakfast, Roundabout Diner attached to hotel, other restaurants within short drive.

            8:20 AM     - Meet in front of hotel for freshwater sampling trips:

                               Mike Lucas – sites heading north

                               Josh Jarvis – sites heading wsw: Souhegan River, Asshuelot River, Cold River

                               Tide pooling, shore seining Great Island Commons Park

              8:30 AM   - Departure

 

 

[keepnatives]

Remember, Monday May 9th is the deadline for the hotel discount, so reserve your rooms soon.   

[keepnatives]

To see some sites when close to another you may have to zoom in closer.

 

Thursday Afternoon Trip Isinglass River, Nippo Brook

https://drive.google...9iQ&usp=sharing

 

Friday Afternoon Freshwater Trips

https://drive.google...5Mg&usp=sharing

 

Saturday Landlubbers' Freshwater Trip

https://drive.google...XG8&usp=sharing

 

Sunday Mike's Northern Trip

https://drive.google...3Cg&usp=sharing

[FishGuyJosh]

I can't emphasize asking for the room discount enough. I booked my hotel well in advanced, adn when I went back and asked them to apply the NANFA rate I saved around 200 bucks!

[keepnatives]

I have also reserved Loon Cove Lodge up in the far northern wilds of NH from Sunday afternoon to Thursday June 16th morning checkout.  It's only 15 miles from Canada and closer yet to Vermont & Maine.  Overlooks 1st Connecticut Lake with Magalloway Mountain views.  Less then a mile south of "Moose Alley" and lots of wildlife in these northern forests. 

 

My wife and I have the master bed room but it has 3 more bedrooms with 2 beds each for 6 more people.   The cost per person for all 5 days,4 nites is $110.00.  Check out the link, looks like a great location, with all the comforts of home. 

https://www.vrbo.com...tm_medium=email

 

I will bring at least 2 kayaks maybe 3.  I plan on doing some Finescale and Northern redbelly dace hunting especially to the ne of the lodge very close to Maine where I think there's a good chance of finding some new sites as well as verifying old sites about 30 minutes around the lodge.  Plus some sight seeing and enjoying the views from the porch.   

 

If you are interested in joining us contact me asap while there's room left.  This could be as much fun as the Convention itself.  My Sunday Northern  trip will be heading this direction and for those flying in we may be able to work out transportation.  As of today there's room left for 5 people.

[RangerJames]

Flying in from California is pricey!  

If I'm going to be able to make it I need some help with:

 

1. A ride from Portland on Wednesday night (flight gets in super late- 12:15am Thursday)

2. Possibly a roommate to split the cost of a room at the hotel? 

 

Appreciate any help or ideas that y'all can offer!  

 

Thanks!

-James

[Casper]

Somebody help i this Ranger.

 

I can testify to his integrity as he was a fine member of the OK Snorkel Team and quite honorable regarding his merits and as the motivational speaker for "Fishy Friends".  After pledging i am now a card carrying member.

 

Michael bought my ticket last night so i am set to fly.  We will arrive late, late, very late Tuesday night / Wednesday morning and have a full day plus before activities begin.  And not leave til Monday after getting a night's rest from all the NH activities.

 

Being i am flying i cannot load up on NANFA Goodies to disberse.  However if someone wants a past convention shirt i can figure a way to get them there.  Go to...

 

http://www.nanfa.org...t.shtml#OKshirt

 

and check on size and year availability.  Discounted for NH attendees to $10 each and NANFA decals, packs of 5 at $10. too.

[keepnatives]

Time is running out, hotels in NH are not cheap, get the discount by reserving a room by Monday.  If you live in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine or New Hampshire you should be coming, many of you are within a typical day trip distance for me.  Invite a friend, relative or other NANFA member to split costs.  You won't be sorry, make it happen.  Especially if you have not made it to a NANFA convention before.  My first convention I drove solo from Schenectady NY to Columbia SC, found a cheaper hotel 20 minutes from the host hotel and had so much fun I've only missed 2 since then and those regrettably.  So especially for those within a 10 hour drive don't miss this opportunity. 

[FirstChAoS]

A couple comments. One of those North rivers is likely the North Branch River.

 

Ashuelot has one s in it.

 

I would gladly lead the trip to the Lamprey and North River. 

[keepnatives]

To those last minute registrants.  The hotel discount deadline has passed and the hotel is almost sold out.  Our contact had  a few more king size bed rooms open as of yesterday if you call Dana Mills at 603 436 7600  asap you may be able to get a discounted room, don't delay. 

 

Also, NEW - This year will be the opportunity for attendees to have their favorite images or photos printed on art gallery quality aluminum panels.  These prints are done through a process called dye sublimation.  The process will make your photos seem to almost come alive.  These prints are suitable for framing or to be displayed as they are.  

 

EAST COAST PRINTERS will be in attendance at the convention, selling the official convention t-shirts, and also providing the dye sublimation service.  Sizes for the prints will go from 4" x 6" all the way to 12" x 18".  There will be both polished aluminum and gloss white aluminum panels to choose from.

 

Plan on bringing your favorite photos to the convention this June.  East Coast Printers will be able to process and print them for you while you wait.  The service will be available at various times during the convention when activities are centered in the event room.  Acceptable media are SD card, compact disc, USB storage device, or transmittal via email.  There will be some inexpensive frames available.  A full list od selections and prices will be available at the convention.

 

Don't miss out on the opportunity to take home a personalized souvenir from the 2016 NANFA New Hampshire convention.   

[Casper]

Dennis of East Coast Printers sent me the NANFA logo printed on brushed aluminum and framed.  Outstanding!

Bring your favorite file(s) to print.

[FishGuyJosh]

So will there be any snorkeling during this convention, either salt or freshwater?

[keepnatives]

Nothing officially scheduled but there may be some snorkeling going on Casper is coming not sure you can keep him out the water with a mask and snorkel.

[Casper]

I plan to order a NH Gazeer and Michael and i plan on arriving early and will have Wednesday to explore / snorkel?

[FishGuyJosh]

Lauren and I arrive on Wednesday as well. So keep us in the loop if you decided to take a dip! You can even just Facebook message me once you guys get settled. I'll definitely plan to bring my stuff.

[FirstChAoS]

I have the week of the convention and the week after off.  I will be heading to the hotel on wednesday. If anyone needs help finding fish I before then can lend a hand. I'd gladly join you snorkeling too. 

[keepnatives]

I communicated with the captain of the Gulf Challenger today.  Captain's Randy And Tim are lined up to be aboard on Saturday.  Professor Howell as well.  We are to have everyone assembled at the parking lot next to their pier in Newcastle NH at 9 AM. (Note, there are shore side toilet facilities near by)  Crew will have us come aboard shortly after.  There will be a brief safety talk aboard before departure.   

 

What to bring & details

 

To ensure your comfort on the cruise, plan to dress for variable weather and to be exposed to the elements much of the time, although there is some space below for use as needed.  We cruise rain or shine!  Bring a brown-bag lunch to eat on board.  There are toilet facilities at the UNH Pier facility and on the Gulf Challenger.  Bring your cameras and some photo tanks, they have dark colored fish boxes and a saltwater flow hose so we can set up some photo tank stations and rotate through them to efficiently photograph the various creatures we manage to bring up.

 

Judd Gregg Marine Research Complex      This is the address of the pier we will depart from.

39 Wentworth Road

New Castle NH

 

http://marine.unh.edu/photo-gallery-0     for photos of our vessel

 

 

Some walking is required, mostly embarking and disembarking and can include steep ramps and floating docks.  Comfortable, sturdy shoes are recommended.

 

Seating is very limited, except on deck surfaces.  The cruises are best experienced with an attitude for adventure and learning, sure to ignite your curiosity and provide an unforgettable experience!

 

http://www.wildlife....rawl-survey.pdf     for some of the possible creatures we may find, see page 9 and 10 for spring results

[Casper]

Almost time!

Packing in earnest soon.

 

Regarding the Wednesday snorkeling i cannot commit to leading a wandering caravan in search of hopefully clear water on Wednesday.  Being no direction is being provided by our hosts, it is up to me studying a yet to arrive NH Gazeer to find potential sites.  Michael and i are looking forward to a simple wandering adventure, no stress... hoping to find clear water...  but not leading a wandering caravan in potential frustration and confusion and logistics.

 

We will report back our findings Wednesday late afternoon night and Thursday there may be an option for returns or caravans or such.  And you know what... ?  That water may be just to dang cold!

 

Thus if your arriving early make your own plans for Wednesday.  We can share all our experiences that evening over dinner.  My cell number is 423-645-7699.

[FirstChAoS]

 

Regarding the Wednesday snorkeling i cannot commit to leading a wandering caravan in search of hopefully clear water on Wednesday.  Being no direction is being provided by our hosts, it is up to me studying a yet to arrive NH Gazeer to find potential sites.  Michael and i are looking forward to a simple wandering adventure, no stress... hoping to find clear water...  but not leading a wandering caravan in potential frustration and confusion and logistics.

 

We will report back our findings Wednesday late afternoon night and Thursday there may be an option for returns or caravans or such.  And you know what... ?  That water may be just to dang cold!

 

Thus if your arriving early make your own plans for Wednesday.  We can share all our experiences that evening over dinner.  My cell number is 423-645-7699.

 

I asked what species you wanted to find  in order to give direction. This area is not my stomping ground but I have four possible suggestions,

 

Lamprey River in Epping: The closest to a "normal" (from my hill dweller perspective) stream we found. The only thing is I forgot which bridge crossing we searched at.

 

Great Island Commons: Rocky shore, sandy shore, and just offshore grass beds. Marine snorkeling from within a river.

 

North Branch River Raymond: We searched two spots their, Mike said it had high scpecies diversity.

 

Merrimack River by Amoskeag Fishways: Amoskeag is recording a massive herring run this week. If the migration holds up it may be a good choice.

 

As for too cold, it has been a cold spring and the connecticut river felt too cold for me last weekend, but this week has had warm weather so hopefully it will change.

 

Fish wise, a few weeks ago minnows, suckers, and trout started arriving at summer locations, last week fish and game reported large mouth bass spawning and the weekend before last I caught a smallmouth in a river where they go to spawn. So the fish are getting ready regardless.

[Casper]

That is good info Josh.  I will attempt to correlate it with the NH Gazeer when it is delivered and in my hand.  You might consider marking Google maps with these 4 sites and providing it here so others can access it clearly and make plans accordingly.

 

Thanks Josh.

 

I am curious on temps.  I have been experiencing 55 and 60 lately and it is bone numbing even in bright sunlight.  And i am headed to the far north lands!

Edited by Casper, 26 May 2016 - 11:36 AM.