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MassWildlife Monthly March 2022

News from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Table of Contents

Spring trout stocking

MassWildlife will stock nearly 500,000 brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout across Massachusetts this year. Visit mass.gov/trout to get daily stocking updates and find a fishing spot near you. Stocking in southeastern waters will begin in early March with other regions of the state following soon after as weather conditions allow. MassWildlife raises these trout that are both fun to catch and delicious to eat at its five hatcheries in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague.

"Anglers can look forward to another blockbuster trout fishing season. Thanks to our dedicated staff, the quality and size of the fish we are stocking this spring is exceptional," said Dr. Caleb Slater, MassWildlife's Chief of Hatcheries. "MassWildlife stocks these trout in more than 220 cities and towns across the Commonwealth, which helps make great fishing opportunities more accessible to anyone who enjoys the outdoors."

2022 spring trout stocking stats:

  • Most of the trout will be over 12 inches
  • More than 160,000 rainbow trout will be over 14 inches
  • More than 50,000 brook trout will be over 12 inches,  including 550 18”+ retired brood fish
  • More than 52,000 brown trout will be over 12 inches, including nearly 1,000 18”+ retired brood fish
  • More than 3,000 tiger trout will be over 14 inches

Click here for trout fishing tips and tricks. Remember to buy your freshwater fishing license before you hit the water either online at MassFishHunt, or by visiting a license vendor location.

Black bears are active and searching for food: take precautions

MassWildlife officials are reminding the public that March is the month when hungry bears emerge from their winter dens and seek out food. If you live in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, western Massachusetts, or other areas where bears have been spotted, it's time to take down your bird feeders. Natural foods such as acorns and other nuts are usually available on the ground, but last year’s fall hard mast crop was meager. Bears will often ignore seasonally available natural foods including skunk cabbage in favor of an easy meal at a backyard bird feeder. Other species including wild turkeys and coyotes may also frequent bird feeders leading to a variety of nuisance issues. To avoid these problems, MassWildlife asks property owners to be proactive by removing bird feeders and other potential food sources including garbage or open compost. If you enjoy watching birds in your yard, MassWildlife suggests adding a water feature, growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds. Individuals should also secure bee hives, chickens, and livestock. Properly maintained electric fencing is the only way to protect chickens or bee hives from bears. Taking these actions may prevent the unnatural feeding of bears and other kinds of neighborhood wildlife.

There are at least 4,500 black bears in Massachusetts and their range is expanding eastward. Take action by educating yourself and your neighbors about proactive measures to avoid conflicts with bears. For more information about black bears in Massachusetts, visit mass.gov/bears.

2022 Youth Turkey Hunt

The Youth Turkey Hunt Program introduces youth (ages 12-17) to the world of hunting. This safe and fun program is offered by MassWildlife, the Massachusetts State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, and participating Sportsmen's Clubs. After completing program requirements, youth hunters can hunt on a special day with a licensed adult hunter. This year, the mentored hunt will be on April 23, 2022.

All first-time participants must complete a seminar before the day of the hunt. You can choose to complete the seminar in-person or at your own pace through online learning. Learn about all the Youth Turkey Hunt Program requirements and get started.

Meet your Neighbors: A new Boston mural raises awareness of rare species

Did you know endangered animals and plants might be living right in your community? To raise awareness of rare, local species, artist Jovielle Gers recently completed a mural for the City of Boston called “Meet your Neighbors” featuring a red-bellied cooter, piping plover, threespine stickleback, and sandplain gerardia. You can view this mural at 3201 Washington Street in Jamaica Plain on the corner of Washington and Montebello Streets. Red-bellied cooters and sandplain gerardia are listed as endangered under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, while piping plovers and threespine stickleback are listed as threatened. You may be surprised to learn these rare species are all found within an hour drive of Boston.

Artist Jovielle Gers said the inspiration behind the piece is to introduce Boston to some of their rare and endangered neighbors using each side of the mural to highlight the winged ones, the swimmers, the crawlers, and the rooted ones who live here too. Gers said she hopes the mural will “raise awareness and inspire awe at the beauty of these incredible creatures and bring them in a safe way right into the middle of the city. I believe the more we can experience awe on this incredible planet and awe at our chance to be alive, the more respect we will have for the mystery and beauty of life.”

Piping plover mural
Massachusetts has the largest breeding population of piping plovers along the Atlantic coast. These tiny shorebirds are listed as threatened on both the Massachusetts and US Endangered Species Lists. Photo by Jovielle Gers.

MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) is responsible for the conservation and protection of over 430 animals and plants that are most vulnerable in Massachusetts. These species play an important role in keeping the Commonwealth’s natural communities thriving. “We are often asked how interested citizens can get more involved in rare species conservation efforts. One of the best things you can do is start by familiarizing yourself with what rare animals and plants have been observed in your town,” said Dr. Eve Schlüter, Assistant Director of MassWildlife’s NHESP. MassWildlife offers a Rare Species Viewer tool that allows citizens to search by town or species name to view rare animal and plant records. “If you’re more aware of your wild neighbors and what habitats they’re likely to be found in, you will be more likely to recognize them. We hope this will lead to more sighting reports that enable us to better protect those animals and plants that are most at risk.” Gathering these observations from the public is critical for the continued success of MassWildlife’s conservation efforts and helps MassWildlife watch for changing trends. If you have information on the location of a rare species or vernal pool and would like to help NHESP keep its database current, you can submit your observations through MassWildlife’s Heritage Hub.

In addition to reporting sightings of rare species, you can also support MassWildlife’s NHESP through donations. All money donated to MassWildlife's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program goes towards conserving the rare animals and plants that call Massachusetts home. Your donation goes toward equipment and services needed to give these species a fighting chance. There are a few ways you can donate:

  • Online with a credit card or electronic check
  • Through your MassFishHunt account
  • By check made payable to "Comm. of MA—NHESP" and mailed to: MassWildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581
  • On your state income tax form. Look for line 33A on your state income tax form to contribute, or simply tell your tax preparer that you want to donate to the Endangered Wildlife Conservation Fund. You can donate even if you are not owed a refund.
Threespine stickleback mural
Threespine sticklebacks can be found in both marine and freshwater environments. One population of threespine stickleback near Boston spends all of its time in freshwater and is considered threatened. Photo by Jovielle Gers.

This mural was commissioned by PaintBox—a program supported by the Boston Transportation Department, Boston Public Works Department, and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

Report winter fish kills

During winter, thick ice and heavy snow cover can result in low dissolved oxygen levels in ponds. With increasing ice and snow packs, there is less light penetration through the water column. This alters chemical and biological processes, often resulting in a winter fish kill. 

The vast majority of fish kills turn out to be caused by a natural event. However, it’s important for biologists to rule out other causes including pollution. Natural fish kills are generally the result of low dissolved oxygen levels (anoxia), spawning stress or fish diseases. Dissolved oxygen depletion is one of the most common causes of natural fish kills. Weedy ponds that are less than 15 feet deep are particularly vulnerable. This can be the case at any time of the year but generally occurs during severe winters or late spring/early summer.

Ice anglers may encounter signs of a low oxygen environment when they drill through the ice and notice the smell of rotten egg or observe sluggish or dying shiners. The odor is hydrogen sulfide gas which is a natural byproduct of low dissolved oxygen environments, and is not likely the result of pollution. Oxygen levels will be return to normal shortly after the ice melts in the spring.

If you observe dead fish, contact the Environmental Police's 24-hour radio room at 1 (800) 632-8075. A MassWildlife biologist will review each situation to determine whether the kill is natural or requires a site investigation.

Funding available for habitat management through Collaborative for Private Forestland

MassWildlife, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Massachusetts Forest Alliance have partnered to provide private landowners in Massachusetts technical and financial assistance offered through the Massachusetts Collaborative for Private Forestland - Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This RCPP is a partner-driven federal program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on private forest land with a specific focus on improving and protecting wildlife habitat in the Commonwealth.

The deadline for this round of applications is March 31, 2022. Interested parties should contact MassWildlife's Private Lands Habitat Biologist, Patrick Conlin, by email at Patrick.Conlin@mass.gov 

This collaboration furthers the goals and statutory responsibility of MassWildlife to conserve Massachusetts’ fish and wildlife and the habitats that sustains them. The RCPP will provide up to $1.5 million in NRCS funding through August 2023 to plan and enable practices that benefit rare and declining habitats on private lands that can help vulnerable species (like New England cottontail and eastern box turtle) and expand on existing habitat projects on public lands. 

Eligible landowners must possess forestland in Massachusetts that is at least 10 acres in size. Applications will be ranked in accordance with the species to benefit, extent of habitat, and location as it relates to mapped habitat features as well as Environmental Justice communities. More information about this and other RCPPs, along with more detailed eligibility requirements can be found from the NRCS RCPP website. 
 
The Collaborative RCPP complements other state and federal habitat management funding sources currently available in Massachusetts including: 

  • MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program: This grant provides state funds to private and municipal landowners to support habitat management that benefits both game and non-game species while promoting public access for outdoor recreation. 

  • NRCS Programs: Funding provided by the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and the Wetland Reserve Easement Program supports habitat management and protection throughout MA. These programs also include funding dedicated to the New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative and the Northeast Turtle Project for private landowners within identified focal areas.

Over the past seven years these programs have provided a combined $5M to support habitat enhancement on more than 200 sites across the Commonwealth. Conducting targeted management on private and municipal lands is an important element of habitat and wildlife conservation. Over 75% percent of all forestland in Massachusetts is privately owned; another 8% is held by municipalities. These lands are important for providing homes for rare and common wildlife as well as for providing outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, hiking, and birding. 

Save rare wildlife on your taxes

Tax season is here, meaning it’s a great time to help keep Massachusetts wild! One easy way to help endangered animals and plants in the state is by donating on your state tax return. Simply fill in the amount you would like to donate on Line 33A for Endangered Wildlife Conservation. Your meaningful donation will go to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund, a fund dedicated specifically to the conservation of rare species. This Fund supports MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, responsible for the hundreds of species that are listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern in Massachusetts.

The fastest birds on Earth, peregrine falcons have been classified as endangered in Massachusetts until very recently. Their historical nesting sites—known as eyries— were located on 14 rocky cliff areas of the state. As of 1955, all 14 sites had become completely inactive. Thanks in part to a nationwide ban on the pesticide DDT, as well as decades-long restoration efforts, the first nest returned to the Commonwealth in 1987. Since then, more than 800 wild peregrine falcon chicks have fledged in Massachusetts, and they have returned to 5 of their historical eyries: Mount Tom, Mount Sugarloaf, Farley Cliffs, Monument Mountain, and Pettibone Falls. Peregrine falcons now also nest on the cliffs of quarries in Holyoke, West Roxbury, Saugus, Peabody, and Swampscott. Most often, they now also nest on tall, man-made structures such as buildings and bridges. Buildings that have consistent peregrine falcon nests can be found in Boston, Chelsea, Cambridge, Watertown, Lawrence, Lowell, Worcester, Amherst, and New Bedford. They also nest on bridges in Charlestown, Fall River, West Springfield, and Northampton. MassWildlife has been banding and monitoring peregrine falcons for decades, tracking their health and progress as part of a broad observer network. 

While Massachusetts has made considerable progress, 432 plants and animals are still recognized as rare in the state. MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program is the first line of defense for Massachusetts’ most vulnerable plants and animals. Donating to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund ensures continuing conservation for these rare species.

Already filed your taxes, but still want to donate? There are a few other ways you can donate:

  • Online with a credit card or electronic check
  • Through your MassFishHunt account
  • By check made payable to "Comm. of MA—NHESP" and mailed to: MassWildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581

Thank you for your support!

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