Know Your Nets

Boaters and anglers may discover something different in portions of the Great Lakes this year: commercial fishing nets.

Some parts of Lakes Michigan, Huron and Superior are now open to commercial fishing as a result of an agreement signed in
Check http://www.miseagrant.org/nets/ to learn more about the agreement, how the nets work, what they look like and how they must be marked in the water (beginning in 2002). The site also provides safety tips and advice on how to avoid commercial fishing nets.

Contacts: Michigan Sea Grant Extension agents Chuck Pistis, (616) 846-8250 or [email protected], or Ron Kinnunen, (906) 228-4830 or [email protected]

Don’t “Let ‘er Rip” Your Swimming

Rip currents can pose hazards for unsuspecting swimmers in some Great Lakes waters. They are so powerful that they can pull even experienced swimmers away from shore. To stay out of harm’s way, swimmers should be aware of locations where the currents can develop and take appropriate precautions.

One such beach is on northern Lake Michigan. The accessible expanse of coastline along US-2 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is inviting, but the waters are dangerous under certain conditions, according to Michigan Sea Grant Extension agent Ron Kinnunen, a member of the Mackinac County Water Safety Review Team.

According to Sea Grant’s Rip Currents brochure, some signs of rip currents (which are often easier to see with polarized sunglasses) include a difference in water color—either murkier from sediments or darker from greater depth. Waves might also be larger and choppier, and foam or other debris might be moving steadily lakeward. Swimmers who suddenly find themselves caught in a rip current should not panic or swim against the current. They should swim parallel to shore until they’re out of the current. If swimmers cannot break out of the current, they should float calmly until it dissipates then swim diagonally to shore. The Rip Currents brochure is available from Michigan Sea Grant by e-mailing [email protected] or visiting the Michigan Sea Grant Web site at www.miseagrant.org

Rough Water Doesn’t Have to Mean a Rough Time”Mal de mer” is that queasy feeling some people get when they take to the water in boats ranging from canoes to ocean liners. Find out how to weather a storm on the Great Lakes or the ocean by reading Sea Grant’s “Get a Grip on Ocean Motion.” The brochure provides helpful hints for maximizing the enjoyment of boating by minimizing seasickness. It’s available from Michigan Sea Grant by e-mailing [email protected] or visiting the Michigan Sea Grant Web site at www.miseagrant.org

Lightning and Boats: Deadly Combination?A Michigan Sea Grant guide, “Lightning and Boats” helps sailors avoid being struck by lightning during summer storms by showing them how to install an onboard lightning protection system to lessen the chances of harm. It’s available from Michigan Sea Grant by e-mailing [email protected] or visiting the Michigan Sea Grant Web site at www.miseagrant.org

Low Water, High Alert—Be Water Wise

This summer’s low Great Lakes water levels will affect recreational boaters. “They will have to be very cautious this year in areas where they know the lakes are shallow,” advised Michigan Sea Grant Extension Agent John McKinney. Rocks, shoals and other structures usually far underwater are now closer to the surface, he noted, and pose potential hazards.

Whether you’re new to boating or consider yourself an old hand, you can still learn valuable lessons from “Water Wise,” Sea Grant’s safety guide, available from Michigan Sea Grant by e-mailing [email protected] or visiting the Michigan Sea Grant Web site at www.miseagrant.org

Michigan Sea Grant, a cooperative program of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, supports understanding and stewardship of Great Lakes and ocean resources. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the State of Michigan fund Michigan Sea Grant.

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EDITORS: Review copies of all the Sea Grant publications are available to reporters by calling Minti Henderson at (734) 764-1118)

http://www.miseagrant.org/nets/[email protected]Rip CurrentsGet a Grip on Ocean MotionLightning and BoatsJohn McKinneyWater Wise