Passengers waiting to board the Miss Buffalo II during the June cruise. (photo credit: Richard Spencer, Penn Dixie)

Entering the Black Rock Lock along the Black Rock Canal near Buffalo’s inner harbor. (photo credit: Richard Spencer, Penn Dixie)

Fish Biologist Mike Goehle from the Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office (LGLFRO) took part in the annual summer and fall Nature Cruise and Lighthouse Tour aboard the Miss Buffalo II, a tour boat based out of Buffalo, NY.  This annual event held in June and September and sponsored by the Hamburg Natural History Society, highlights local issues addressing geology, fisheries, aquatic biology, and birds.  Experts from the Penn Dixie Paleontological and Outdoor Education Center and a local consulting firm, Ecology and Environment, discussed geology and birding.  Mike highlighted some of the major sport fisheries in Lake Erie and the Niagara River including smallmouth bass and steelhead and also discussed the work being done to protect the state-threatened lake sturgeon.  He also described invasive species concerns including the emerging threat of Asian carp.  On the June cruise, Mike brought along several live fish commonly found in western New York including largemouth bass, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, and bluegill.  The non-native rudd, which is now quite common in local waters, was the most unusual fish in the collection and drew lots of questions from passengers about its origin and status.  In September, Mike brought preserved invasive species including round goby and zebra mussels.  This year's tours filled up quickly with over 400 people attending.