From: Lake Champlain International, Inc.
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:05 PM
To: 'rich.langdon@state.vt.us'
Subject: Winooski River Sea Lamprey Control / T&E Permit Application

Dear Mr. Langdon,

On behalf of Lake Champlain International, Inc. (LCI), I would like to express our support for the lampricide treatment of the Winooski River this fall as proposed by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife in its application for the threatened and endangered species permit for the aforementioned river. As you most likely know, the same control strategy was utilized in the 2004 Winooski River treatment. LCI concurred then and we do now that, that action is designed to provide a minimally effective sea lamprey control treatment for the benefit of native lake trout and salmon populations, in addition to the endangered lake sturgeon, walleye and northern pike populations, while providing the largest possible margin of safety for non-target species of concern in the Winooski River.

LCI is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in Colchester, VT. Our mission is the conservation, restoration and revitalization of Lake Champlain and the Lake Champlain watershed. We host the nearly 30-year-old LCI Father's Day Fishing Derby, drawing more than 5,500 people from more than 30 states for the weekend, and other fishing-related fundraising events to help finance our conservation goals. The progenitor of the Champlain Fisheries Recovery Initiative, we also financially support mentoring and education programs through our Fishing For Friends mentoring program and our After-School Fishing Clubs. Both programs encourage the current 21,000-plus LCI anglers to actively engage the next generation in carrying on the angling heritage and the conservation ethic it embodies. A healthy Champlain fishery is vitally important to that heritage, and an improperly controlled lamprey population is a documented threat to the stability of the entire Champlain ecosystem.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

James Ehlers, Executive Director
Lake Champlain International, Inc.
531 Main Street Colchester, VT 05446

james@mychamplain.net
www.lakechamplaininternational.org
802.879.3466 Fax: 802.879.1746