Petition: INFO: Fish Ecosystem Study / FMP Individually Tailored Fisheries Management Plan

INFO: Fish Ecosystem Study / FMP Individually Tailored Fisheries Management Plan

*** If you agree with this and would like to join in to help show support in getting these devices please do any and all of the following:

Please sign the (information / petition page) link here:

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/info-fish-ecos...

Please provide your contact at our email: budgetmotions@outlook.com

Let us know via email tel etc if you are able to attend in person any of the meetings listed on top of this page or any way else you can participate.

We would like you to sign this petition assist with our declining fish habitat / ecosystem by supporting this community effort to request appropriate funding for the issue stated below requesting to use money from both the Capital Improvement & Sinking Fund which currently hold appx $844,000.00 which is designated to be used for any and all community repairs, improvements and expansions that the community deems necessary. This is done by presenting the question to the POA board this August so they can vote to allow it to be placed on the October 2021 ballot where the residents can then vote on the merits of the request and use these funds can then be used to resolve the issue without raising this year or any future year's dues total.

Note, requesting this question on the ballot does not do anything but allow the question to go to the public this October. It does not authorize any project to be done at this time. Only If a 2/3rds majority of the community votes yes, then the request passes and we can utilize the funds for the project outlined below. We appreciate your support.

CAPITAL QUESTIONS - WHITE MEADOW LAKE 100 WHITE MEADOW ROAD PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION ROCKAWAY, NEW JERSEY 07866

Motion to obtain POA Board approval for the following ballot question and explanation to be put to the community at the second annual meeting:

Capital Question:

Question: Should the WML POA spend an additional up to $60K over a (5) year period total. IE: ($20k for 2022 only, and then $10k additional annually for only the next (4) four years) First we purchase an Electroshock Fish Study (est $10k) required by lake management company that enables them to intelligently and effectively determine a baseline health analysis of our lake, a total ecosystem evaluation and fish habitat assessment so that they can best recommend provide and stock the best fish species quality etc to improve our ecosystem over the (5) year timeframe. This is all done to improve our proven failing fish ecosystem. Monies to cover this project would come from the Capital Improvement ($30K) and Sinking Fund ($30K).

Explanation:

In the latter part of 2020 Lake Committee and the Lake Fishing Sub Committee consisting of over 50+ residents participated in zoom meetings and Face book platform discussion amongst themselves discussing and agreeing the decline in our lake's fishery. Many reasons were discussed from how (DO) Dissolved Oxygen situations are created when our algae and vegetation's growth explode, we then chemically treat them and then as they decay that natural process actually eats up our lake's oxygen which in turn kills our fish populations, the lake lowering for dam repair, the large bluegill/sunny fish kill in the thousands a few years ago, the bird population predators, human taking of fish and others etc. Meetings were formed on zoom with our lake representatives from (Princeton & Solitude) along with lake residents discussing situation and all possible resolutions which led to a suggestion to the Lake Committee Nov of 2020 which they recommended that we obtain a fish study and embark on a “Fish Management Plan or FMP '' something our budget can afford.

We historically and currently spend a very limited budget of appx $7k annually. Broken down into appx $3k for Fathead minnows, appx $3k Trout the remainder on panfish species Perch & Crappie. The reps stated that they will never build a fishery as it is just not enough. The trout also serve no ecological benefit as they do not really even live as temps rise. A better strategy is needed and they recommended that $50k with fish study “will '' build us a thriving fishery.

History: This Fishing and Fish ecosystem management budget item quite frankly is paramount here in WML even just the sporting recreational value alone is second to no other community recreation. Although fishing is of course a valuable enjoyable sport by many, fish and fish stocking are also paramount to the overall health and water quality of our overall lake ecosystem. Fish can and should be used more as a biological means of maintaining our lake ecosystem. Our lake fishing budget was always minimal which means our lake was not properly managed for many many years now so we must change the tide and rebuild it. Our previous budget allotment always used half for Trout alone while they offered no ecosystem value at all; they are solely for sport as they die off as temperatures rise and our several species of flying wildlife Eagle, Hawks, Herron, Cormorant etc. thrive on them for food.

Fishing is of course a recreational sport and an asset just like ALL our others which appeals to men, women, children, grandparents all ages young & old alike. Our lake ecosystem and it's recreation is the “Jewel '' of White Meadow Lake and now it needs some attention just like any of our other assets / amenities. You are all familiar with seeing the fisher people on shore boats etc. There is also a community Face book page called “White Meadow Lake Fishing” that has grown to over 350 members recently which holds endless pictorials of residents catching fish and showing the enjoyment from this recreational asset. Recently we have seen a decline with less and less posts of fish so we offer this as additional proof of our declining fishery. The lake is our draw, it needs attention and we should not ignore it any longer.

(Stage #1) Fish Ecosystem Study In the fall of 2020 the WML Lake Committee created a Sub Committee of 50+ residents that discussed the problem with the decline of our lake's ecosystem and fishery. After several group zoom meetings, continuous group chatting along with our paid lake Biologist Princeton Hydro & Solitude The subcommittee agreed to request an electroshock fish survey to assess. We propose to Increase current budget for fish ecosystem budget to repair upgrade & improve lake’s fishing ecosystem by purchasing a fish study (appx $9500) from Princeton Hydro / Solitude as they have already stated they themselves would provide this survey for baseline lake health test so that they then can COMPLETELY recommend the EXACT fish species quantity etc to stock to build our fish ecosystem correctly over a five year period and that process is called FMP Fish Management Plan and estimates to cost $5k-$10k per year for five years.

Budget lines 505.01 & 521.01 increase for 2022 of $20,000.00 then remaining $10K annually for four additional years totaling $60k over a five year period.

(Stage #2) FMP Individually Tailored Fisheries Management Plan Fish Ecosystem Study / FMP Individually Tailored Fisheries Management Plan - repair, upgrade & improve lake’s declining fishing ecosystem. Lake subcommittee was formed with 40+ members who discussed, confirmed & identified a definite decline in fish beds, fish species, fish sizes & weights and quantities. People of all ages just are not catching all the regular species that were once abundantly caught in our lake. Recent fish kills of forage fish negatively impacted larger gamer fish populations and our un-managed lake stocking practices were also to blame for this decline. This has been supported by numerous written letters on this subcommittee discussion, social media discussions and posts, special recorded subcommittee zoom meetings and even with POA board minutes Dec/Jan 2020-21. This recent push to remove Carp is a direct result of this identifiable ecosystem problem and as they declare Carp may be part of the cause for this decline and our lake Budget lines 505.01 & 521.01 increase for 2022 of $20,000.00 then remaining $10K annually for four additional years totaling $60,000.00 over a five-year period.

Our two lake management companies concur and they offer many services as the links below are quite informative and they really say it all.

The money in these two funds has been accumulated over the years specifically for projects such as this. Spending funds on this project will not increase dues. A 2/3 majority is required for this question to be approved. ( we need a second from the board right here)

*** If you agree with this and would like to join in to help show support in getting these resolutions, please do any and all of the following:

1. Please sign the (information / petition page) link here:

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/info-fish-ecos...

1. Please provide your contact at our email: budgetmotions@outlook.com
2. Let us know via email, telephone etc if you are able to attend in person any of the meetings listed on top of this page or any way else you can participate.

We will present this motion(s) first at the August 18th 2021 POA Budget Meeting, then onto the 1st Annual Meeting Sept 9th 2021 & the 2nd Annual Meeting Oct 10th @ 9am where we all come out to vote these ballot question(s)

Info:

August Budget Meeting - August 18 2021

1st ANNUAL MEETING – September 9, 2021

POA Board Meeting -- September 22, 2021

2nd Annual Meeting -- Sunday, October 10, 2021

More info:

Princeton links: This says it all:

https://princetonhydro.com/fishery-management/

Solitude:

https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/fish-stocki...

https://princetonhydro.com/

https://www.southamptontownny.gov/DocumentCenter/V...