Ban on felt-soled shoes intended to prevent spread of fish diseases

[Staff]

Ban on felt-soled shoes intended to prevent spread of fish diseases
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Story last updated at 2/18/2010 - 11:04 am
By Kim Marquis

Ban on felt-soled shoes intended to prevent spread of fish diseases - Juneau Empire
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A new ban on felt-soled wading shoes is set to take place next year as Juneau fishermen take to freshwater streams with fly rods in hand.
The ban is meant to keep nasty fish diseases from creeping into waters on the waders of traveling fishermen.

A proposal to expand the ban from the Southeast region statewide will...

[Equilibrium]

This... makes sense. Not expanding the band... doesn't make sense.

[Staff]

Trout Unlimited Urges Alaska Board of Fisheries to Phase Out Felt Sole Wading Products to Curb Invasive Species
Submitted by Ted Williams on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 20:21.

Fly Rod and Reel's Blogs: Conservation - 2010 March - Trout Unlimited Urges Alaska Board of Fisheries to Phase Out Felt Sole Wading Products to Curb Invasive Species - by Ted Williams
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Studies on the sediment transported by anglers conducted in Montana indicate the average angler wearing felt wading products transports some 16 grams of sediment in these products.

“We recognize that sediment transferred on felt products is only one of many vectors for the transmission of invasive species but it is a significant vector, and one that can and should be addressed,” said Dave Kumlien...

[Staff]

Henderson outdoors column: Stream anglers must watch their feet
March 31, 2010, 6:25 pm

Henderson outdoors column: Stream anglers must watch their feet | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin
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I'm hearing about more and more astute stream anglers who have tossed their felt-soled shoes for fear of unwittingly transporting invasive species.

Consider, however, that stream-born invasive species can be transported on shoes, laces, the inner soles and shoe material itself. Don't toss felt soled shoes; just buy a second pair.

Didymo (rock snot) and other invasives cannot be transmitted on totally dry shoes. If you fish multiple streams...

[Staff]

Fisheries Board OKs ban on felt-soled boots
Monday, March 22, 2010
Story last updated at 3/23/2010 - 4:40 pm

By Kim Marquis | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Fisheries Board OKs ban on felt-soled boots - Juneau Empire
excerpt from above:

Alaska's Board of Fisheries decided Friday that a statewide ban on felt-soled wading boots amounts to a "prudent and responsible" approach to the threat of invasive species in the state's freshwater streams.
The board, by a vote of 6-0, supported a ban on felt-soled wading shoes by 2012 at its meeting in Anchorage.

The decision is a proactive step to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species such as whirling disease...

[Staff]

Fly Fishers Serving as Transports for Noxious Little Invaders
By Felicity Barringer
Published: August 15, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/sc...felt.html?_r=2
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For fly fishers who pride themselves on a conservationist ethic, it hurts to discover that they may be trampling on that ethic every time they wade into a trout stream.

Blame their boots — or, more precisely, their felt soles. Growing scientific evidence suggests that felt, which helps anglers stay upright on slick rocks, is also a vehicle for noxious microorganisms that hitchhike to new places and disrupt freshwater ecosystems.

That is why Alaska and Vermont recently...