Biologist Bowen attended a Binational Public Advisory Council (BPAC) Stakeholder Meeting to discuss delisting criteria for the beneficial use impairment of fish and wildlife populations and the beneficial use impairment of fish and wildlife habitat in the St. Marys River Area of Concern (AOC).  The meeting was hosted by Lake Superior State University (LSSU) at the Cisler Center in Sault Ste. Marie on November 13.  A number of stakeholders were present to learn about and discuss the issue.  Stakeholders provided a number of ideas to recommend as remedial projects to help restore fish and wildlife populations and their habitats on the river.

The St. Marys River was designated an AOC by the International Joint Commission due to "issues associated with phosphorous, bacteria, heavy metals, trace organics, contaminated sediments, fish consumption advisories, and impacted biota" (St. Marys River Remedial Action Plan, Stage I).  For more information on the St. Marys River AOC, link to LSSU's St. Marys River BPAC web page at  http://www.lssu.edu/bpac/aoc.html or the US EPA's St. Marys River AOC web page at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/stmarys.html.