Section A·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Sealife sites get expansion grants
By Megahn Snyder
writer@kansan.com
Special to the Kansan
The National Oceanographic Partnership Program has awarded researchers at the Natural History Museum $1 million in grants to compile population estimates and other data about sealife around the world.
Fishnet, a KU Web site that links collections of fish specimens worldwide, received $500,000 to expand its database. Fishnet's counterpart — a site that relates coral and anemones to their environments — also received $500,000 to expand its database.
Ed Wiley, Fishnet program leader and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, said he was excited about the possibilities of growth the grant would bring to the program.
"Every major collection of fishes in North America is a partner in the project," Wiley said. He said he hoped to see the project grow beyond the institutions now participating.
So far, Fishnet has established partnerships with 21 museums around the world, including museums in Stockholm, Sweden; Sydney, Australia; and Paris.
Four partners from the United States attended the partnership program's first workshop during Memorial Day weekend. Program members met with participating institutions to teach them how to use Fishnet software.
Dick Robins, Fishnet team member and the museum's curator emeritus of fishes, said compiling information from around the globe was difficult because much of the material was old and not computerized.
Robins said the site's links would be useful for various people. For example, fishery managers could research where to find fish for breeding, and marine biologists could use the site's data for predicting global population patterns.
The Fishnet software — developed by David Vieglais, a KU research scientist — can also be used for collecting data on other animals. It already has been used to plot owl populations.
Daphne Fautin, professor of entomology and ecology and evolutionary biology, directs Fishnet's counterpart, a site that allows experts to study the effects of environmental conditions such as ocean currents — on marine populations.
Program members will use the grant money to expand Fautin's anemone database to include the work of other experts from America, Russia and Wales. Fautin will use the grant money for travel expenses and database formatting and mapping. On the Net:
http://habanero.nhm.ukans.edu/fishnet/
http://biocomplexity.nhm.ukans.edu/anemone
s/images/index.html
- Edited by Mindie Miller
Ned Kehde, a fishing expert and archivist at Spencer Research Library, gives a demonstration of fishing lures Saturday at the Robinson Center pool. The demonstrator was part of a one-day, twelve-hour class called "Fish Kansas." Photo by Scott Lowe/KANSAN
Students take bait as fishing experts cast know-how
By Scott Lowe, Jr.
Students arriving at one KU class last week met with the freeze-dried head of a 70-pound flathead bass. Its gaping mouth could easily have fit over a human's head.
Kansan staff writer
The shiny monostrosis — one of the largest flathead bass caught in Kansas
— was snagged by Ted Decker, a guest speaker at the course called "Fish Kansas."
Decker, a Grantville resident, wowed the class with humorous stories, fishing tips and photos as part of the 12 hour, 1-day fishing class taught by Phillip Huntsinger, associate professor of health, sport and exercise science.
Huntsinger — a former marina owner has taught the class every summer since its introduction 15 years ago.
"Even though this class is directed toward the novice," Huntsinger said, "we make sure everybody gets something out of it."
Enrollment in Huntsinger's 1-hour credit class averages 120 students each year. This summer's class had just more than 80. The class included students who were one credit-hour short of graduating, burly football players and those honestly interested in fishing. Women made up ore than half the class.
For full credit, students were directed to take at least two three-hour fishing trips and keep a journal.
Several guests spoke to the class Saturday. All were experts in fields, such as tournament fishing, bass fishing and fish management. Class members took a written exam at the end of the day.
"Even though this originally started out as a recreation course, it's very scientific and academic now," Huntinger said.
Michelle Lee, Lenexa senior, took the course because she needed the credit.
"I'm not really interested in fishing," she said, "But it's interesting hearing the speakers talk."
Tyler Kopp, Topea senior, took the course for different reasons.
"I loved taking some of Dr. Huntsinger's previous courses," Kopp said. "The fishing tips are always useful."
Tim Bowers, Columbus, Ohio, senior, and starting inside linebacker for the Kansas football team, signed up for the class along with about a dozen teammates.
"I learned about this class from friends, who took Huntingster's sex ed course," Bowers said. "It's been interesting and relaxing."
A few of the students were serious fishermen.
David Williams, Overland Park junior, said he had been fishing twice a month since his father taught him to fish at age ten.
"I love fishing, and I took the class to
mighty paint jobs." William said.
mainly pick up pointers," Williams said. Ned Kelde, archivist at the Spencer Research Library and a serious amateur fisherman assisted in the class.
This marks Kehde's third summer working with the course. He is a frequent contributor to In-Fisherman
magazine, and he also writes a weekly outdoor column for the Lawrence Journal-World.
Kehde said that he fished three times a week and that his favorite local spot was Lone Star lake. He lectured Huntsinger's class about the basics of bass fishing.
Chatt Martin of Lawrence lectured about tournament fishing and how to find "hot spots," or places where fish lurk. His speciality is crappie, a fish common in Kansas and relatively easy to catch.
Martin, who won $1,800 in his last tournament, will compete in a $100,000 national tournament in Mississippi this fall. He takes dozens of poles and three tackle boxes filled with lures and tools for a tournament.
"In a tournament, you don't have time to fix something if it breaks," said Martin. "just use a new pole and keep going."
In addition to sharing many of his winning secrets with the class, Martin also shared this fisherman's axiom: "The only time fishermen don't lie is when they're calling other fishermen liars."
— Edited by Mindie Miller
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