I probably shouldn’t even be giving this any ink but it has stirred at my inner being for most of the night and morning today, so I figure I better get it off my chest so I can move on.
Didymo, didymosphenia geminata or rock snot, is a nasty invasive algae that can cripple a trout stream. As it grows it is often described as looking like toilet paper stuck to the bottom of crystal clear and fast moving waters – ideal for trout. As the “snot” grows, it can destroy the aquatic life that trout feed on and just as importantly is sends the aquatic ecosystem into disarray.
Recently, didymo was confirmed as being in existence in the Upper Connecticut River, some prime trout habitat and a popular fishery as well as being frequented by canoers and kayakers. Shortly after this discovery, didymo was again found on the White River in Vermont and the most recent discovery occurring on the Batten Kill River in Vermont and at the border of New York State.
Not to sound like an alarmist or a defeatist but it may be safe to say the the waters of New England are beginning to take a hit from this invasive species. What overall impact this will have on our trout waters and economies remains to be seen.
When the first announcement came about the discovery of didymo in the Connecticut River, what I saw in my movement around the Internet were fishermen clamoring to get the word out. As a matter of fact some groups and individuals hustled around to get up signs in an effort to alert the people and hand out fliers with instructions on how to help stop the spread of this algae. This effort all done ahead of the efforts by state officials.
What I didn’t see or hear was bickering among sportsmen about whose fault it was, or who was going to be the ones to take credit for getting the word out. It was more of a unified effort. Any discussions about how didymo got to the waters of northern New England and how it is spreading were done with the attitude of education and enlightenment. I for one knew very little about didymo prior to this.
Yesterday, I was alerted to a thread that was posted at the forums of Fly Fishing in Maine. Although I have been a member of the Fly Fishing in Maine forums for quite some time, I almost never post there but like many places I frequent, I do so to read and find out what sportsmen are talking about. I have no ill feelings toward the website, its owners, administrators or members. Had a post like this shown up on my own website, I would have reacted in the same manner.
As I said at the beginning of this article, I shouldn’t be giving this my time but I feel it needs to be pointed out that in my opinion, the vast majority of fishermen, no matter what kind of rod they use or bait they cast, don’t feel as this person does. Here’s the post.
It is often said that fly fishing is the most noble form of our sport. Not only do we take fishing to an art form, but the majority of us show our target species and their ecosystems the utmost respect. Enter Didymo – our community takes up arms to defend against this paralyzing threat.
But what about the average joe tossing his worm on a hook? Is he aware and does he care?
Fishing is a leisure activity and its finest appeal is the relaxation it affords our tired bodies and souls. We work and toil our lives away and fishing gives us a moment of respite from the turmoil of life.
Who wants to interrupt this relaxation with hours of cleaning equipment, exchanging felt soles for rubber, navigating waterways to eliminate fishing infected areas, etc. The fly-fisherman will do this happily, because we know what’s at stake.
What about the rest?
It is troubling that there are actually individuals alive on this planet that believe that because they cast a fly onto the water, they are somehow more “noble” than let’s say someone opting to drown a worm. American Heritage Dictionary defines noble as 1. Of, in, or belonging to the nobility. 2. Having or showing qualities of high moral character…. 3. Superior in nature or character; exalted: a noble ideal.
When a person chooses to take up fly fishing, I would like to think they do it because of the challenges and enjoyment they get from all aspects of the sport not because they are looking to become an elite member of the fly fishing fraternity that thinks others don’t care. There is nothing wrong with wanting to fly fish. There is nothing wrong with spending gobs of money to enjoy the sport. There is nothing wrong with buying a Zebco rod and reel at Wal-Mart of $9.95, digging some worms out back and heading down to the local brook and catching the night’s supper. In my opinion both disciplines are “noble” when compared to many other things our society indulges in.
When we begin assuming attitudes of superiority, nobility and grandeur all because we think we are better than another because of how we choose to fish, it is a sad day for all outdoor sportsmen. We see all too often these days such attitudes more geared for the promotion of our own special interests than for what’s good for all, including the fisheries we all strive to protect.
For this person to suggest that because he is a member of an elite group of “noble” fishermen, he and his fellow anglers are the only ones who care enough to want to do anything about didymo, is absolutely absurd. It makes you wonder what other thoughts this person has toward his fellow man.
The most encouraging part of this post comes from the responses that follow. As of this writing there were 11 responses and not one of them agreed. I don’t for one minute believe that the majority or even a small minority of fishermen at Fly Fishing in Maine honestly feel that spinning rod fishermen don’t care whether didymo grows and spreads in New England waters. We all have differing ideas on how best to manage our fisheries and often times, as has been displayed during the latest legislative session, ideas clash and emotions run high. This debate is far better than sportsmen sitting at home not getting involved at all. It shows more and more of us care and are willing to step up to the microphone and be heard. Let the debating continue but posts like this one do absolutely nothing to further the cause of understanding and preventing the spread of this and other invasive species.
Tom Remington
Early Bird Special Drawing