Trout Unlimited

TROUT UNLIMITED (REFERRED TO AS TUN) IS A NATIONAL GRASSROOTS, MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION; HAVING CHAPTERS SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTERS IN EACH STATE ARE SUPERVISED BY A STATE COUNCIL. THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF TROUT UNLIMITED (REFERRED TO AS "THE ORGANIZATIONX OR "NYSCTU") IS A FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT AFFILIATE OF TUN. IN NEW YORK STATE, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 8,500 TUN MEMBERS IN 25 ACTIVE CHAPTERS. NYSCTU IS GOVERNED BY AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF NEW YORK-BASED CHAPTER MEMBER VOLUNTEERS. THE CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMAN, SECRETARY AND, TREASURER ALONG WITH NINE REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS ARE ELECTED TO 2-YEAR TERMS. THERE ARE NO TERM LIMITS SO SOME EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE SERVED FOR MANY YEARS.NYSCTUS MISSION STATEMENTTO UNITE PEOPLE TO CARE FOR, CONSERVE, PROTECT, RESTORE AND SUSTAIN COLD WATER FISHERIES AND THEIR WATERSHEDS IN NEW YORK AND BORDERING STATES.COUNCIL VISIONNYSCTU ENVISIONS A FUTURE IN WHICH THE CHALLENGES OF AN EVER-CHANGING PLA

PROGRAMMATIC SERVICESDURING THE MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR, DESPITE COPING WITH RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY COVID PROTOCOLS; THE FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:THE HOME RIVER INITIATIVE (HRI) IN THE ICONIC BATTENKILL RIVER WATERSHED.THE BATTENKILL RIVER FLOWS FROM THE GREEN MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT THROUGH NEW YORK TO THE UPPER HUDSON RIVER. IN 2021, THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BATTENKILL HOME RIVER INITIATIVE (HRI), 100 VOLUNTEERS FROM COUNCIL AND LOCAL TU CHAPTERS WERE ENGAGED IN THE MISSION OF IMPROVING HABITAT FOR NATIVE AND WILD TROUT BY RESTORING AN ADDITIONAL 0.6 MILES (3,156 FEET) OF THE STREAM, CLEANING UP NEARLY 500 POUNDS OF LITTER FROM PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS, AND PLANTING 470 TREES. THE HOME RIVERS INITIATIVE REMAINS A MULTI-STATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SEVERAL TROUT UNLIMITED LOCAL CHAPTERS, TWO STATE AGENCIES, AND MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PROTECT, RECONNECT RESTORE AND SUSTAIN THE COLD WATERS OF THE BATTENKILL RIVER. FUNDING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY NYSCTU.REMOVAL OF PIKE DAMWESTERN NEW YORK CHAPTER, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NYS DEC REGION 9, US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, THE TOWN OF PIKE AND WYOMING COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, SECURED FUNDING FROM THE SUSTAIN OUR GREAT LAKES PROGRAM AND NYSCTU TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE PIKE DAM WITH AN ENGINEERED ROCK RIFFLE THAT ALLOWS FOR FISH PASSAGE AND MAINTAINS STREAM BED ELEVATIONS AND BANK STABILITY. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED IN AUGUST 2021, GIVING TROUT ACCESS TO OVER 30 MILES OF WISCOY CREEK AND TRIBUTARIES FOR SPAWNING AND THERMAL REFUGIA. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A CENTURY, WILD TROUT AND OTHER FISH CAN NOW MOVE FREELY THROUGH THE ENTIRE WYOMING COUNTY PORTION OF WISCOY CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. THIS PROJECT SHOULD HELP THE TROUT POPULATION TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE IN THE COMING YEARS AS MORE FISH CAN REACH SPAWNING AREAS AND THERMAL REFUGE, AS OUR STREAMS CONTINUE TO WARM, DUE TO CHANGING CLIMATE CONDITIONS.MONGAUP RIVERA LICENSE FROM THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION (FERC)IS NEEDED FOR ANY PRIVATELY-OWNED HYDROPOWER FACILITY ON A NAVIGABLE WATERWAY. THESE LICENSES MAY BE APPROVED FOR PERIODS OF 30 TO 50 YEARS. BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE, THE LICENSE HOLDER MUST APPLY TO RELICENSE THE HYDROPOWER FACILITY. THE RELICENSING PROCESS PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDY ADVERSE CONDITIONS.THE MONGAUP RIVER IS PART OF THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED. A COUNCIL MEMBER AND ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK CHAPTER INTERVENED IN 2017 WHEN SUBSIDIARIES OF EAGLE CREEK APPLIED TO FERC TO RELICENSE (EXPIRY DATE JUNE 2022) ITS THREE HYDROPOWER DAMS AND A FOURTH NON-OPERATIONAL ONE ON BLACK BROOK, A MONGAUP TRIBUTARY. THEY COLLABORATED WITH A GROUP OF STATE AND CITY AGENCIES AND INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS TO REACH A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH EAGLE CREEK IN JUNE 2021. IF APPROVED BY FERC, EAGLE CREEK WILL PAY TO REMOVE THE NON-FUNCTIONAL DAM, OPENING UP ABOUT 15 MILES OF STREAM TO A WILD TROUT FISHERY, AND PAY FOR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.NYSCTU ALSO HAS UNDERTAKEN INITIATIVES TO ATTRACT AND ENGAGE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN FLYFISHING AND CONSERVATION.DIVERSITYWOMEN ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC IN FLY FISHING. BECAUSE MORE WOMEN ARE LOOKING TO BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH FLY FISHING, NYSCTU IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN TO LEARN FLY-FISHING TECHNIQUES AND ENJOY FLY FISHING EXPERIENCES IN A NON-THREATENING ENVIRONMENT. THROUGHOUT 2021, ALL WHILE OBSERVING COVID PROTOCOLS, THREE FEMALE NYSCTU MEMBERS PARTNERED WITH LOCAL CHAPTERS TO TEACH WOMEN THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FLY-FISHINGAND GET THEM ON THE WATER TO FISH.THE SERVICE PARTNERSHIPPEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH CONFIRMS THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION, WITH FLY FISHING TOPPING THE LIST, IS A BENEFICIAL TREATMENT FOR RECOVERING VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS; IN MANY CASES, IT'S EVEN BEING PRESCRIBED. THE TU SERVICE PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES THE MILITARY COMMUNITY (ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN, RESERVISTS, VETERANS) AND FIRST RESPONDERS (FIRE, MEDICAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL) WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME SKILLED ANGLERSAND TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS DESPITE ANY DISABILITIES.THIS PAST OCTOBER, A NYSCTU MEMBER, WHO IS ALSO A MAJOR IN THE NEW YORK GUARD, ORGANIZED A SERVICE PARTNERSHIP EVENT IN THE ADIRONDACKS IN COLLABORATION WITH RIVERS OF RECOVERY AND AN ADIRONDACK HOTEL PROVIDED TO ALL 40 PARTICIPANTS FREE OF CHARGE.

FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT FUND THE FUND ORIGINATED AS PART OF A FERC RELICENSING SETTLEMENT FOR POWER GENERATION FACILITIES LOCATED AT THE STEWARTS BRIDGE AND CONKLINGVILLE DAM SITES ON THE SACANDAGA RIVER. THESE FACILITIES ARE MANAGED BY BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE ENERGY TODAY.THE SETTLEMENT OUTLINED THAT MONEY FROM THE FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT FUND, OR FEF, BE USED FOR THESE DESIGNATED PURPOSES IN NYS:1. STREAM HABITAT IMPROVEMENT.2. FISHING ACCESS TO INCLUDE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.3. HERITAGE STRAIN BROOK TROUT RESTORATION.4. PUBLIC FISHING RIGHTS ACQUISITION.THESE FOUR CATEGORIES PROVIDE A BROAD RANGE OF PROJECT FUNDING POSSIBILITIES. EXAMPLES OF PAST PROJECT FUNDING INCLUDE RIVER RESTORATION AT THE RIVERMEADE SITE ON THE E. BRANCH OF THE AUSABLE RIVER, THE CHITTENANGO CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT IN MADISON COUNTY, THE HORSE BROOK CROSSING PROJECT AT THE CONFLUENCE OF HORSE BROOK AND THE BEAVERKILL AND PHASE I OF THE BLACK CREEK BROOKIE PROJECT. NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL TU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THE FEF ASSETS AND THEREFORE IT MAINTAINS THE FISHERIES ENHANCEMENT FUND AS ONE OF ITS TREASURY FUNCTIONS. ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FEF COME FROM BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE ENERGY AS SPECIFIED BY THE FERC RELICENSING SETTLEMENT. ADJUSTMENTS TO BROOKFIELDS CONTRIBUTIONS ARE MADE ACCORDING TO THE INFLATION RATE INDEX AND HAVE INCREASED OVER THE YEARS.