Ken Bradley: The heat is on -- and that threatens fishing

As anglers head out onto the water two weeks from today for the fishing opener, they should reflect on what they stand to lose unless the government takes meaningful action on global warming.

Scientific consensus is clear and decisive. Global warming is real and is caused by heat-trapping gases produced by humans. Among its effects, it is damaging our lakes, rivers and streams.

Scientific organizations around the world expect the planet to warm 4 to 10 degrees by the end of the century. A 10-degree change is what ended the Ice Age, and that took 10,000 years. We are on pace to reach such temperature changes 100 times faster.

Scientists expect higher average temperatures to increase temperatures in our waterways and result in serious problems for walleyes, salmon, bass, aquatic plant life and animal habitat. Minnesota angling is already seeing the direct impacts of warmer water on fish species that need cool lakes and rivers to thrive.

Two of our state's most important lakes offer examples of these changes for the worse. According to the state Department of Natural Resources, increased water temperatures are believed to be affecting walleye reproduction in lakes Pepin and Mille Lacs.

In 2002, warmer temperatures killed off the tullibee population, which is a feeder fish for walleyes and northern pike in Lake Mille Lacs. By the fall of 2007, DNR surveys on Lake Mille Lacs netted the fewest walleyes since surveys began in 1983. Fisheries managers caught only 12.8 pounds of walleyes per net, much lower than the 28.9-pound average.

Are the walleyes in these watersheds the new canaries in the coal mine? If these results are an indicator of things to come, our fishing economy is in trouble.

Minnesota's great outdoors plays a critical role in our economy. The American Sports Fishing Association has ranked Minnesota fourth in the nation in direct overall economic impact from freshwater fishing in America. The association reported that freshwater fishing in Minnesota generates $1.9 billion in anglers' expenditures, $3.7 billion in total economic impact, $948 million in wages and salaries and 47,293 jobs in Minnesota. The DNR sells more than 1.3 million fishing licenses each year. Our anglers and fishing economy have a lot to lose if we keep delaying global-warming solutions.

We have reached a turning point for our state, our nation and humankind. Global warming presents our greatest challenge and opportunity. I urge all anglers to insist that candidates for Congress support solutions that help us reverse this problem:

•Invest in American jobs and efficiency: Support policies that will conserve 20 percent of our energy by 2015 and can create 5 million well-paying jobs.

•Secure our future: Freeze climate pollution now and reduce it at least 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

•Transform our energy priorities: Ban new coal plants that emit global-warming pollution. Invest in renewable energy that will produce jobs and clean power.

We need to unite behind clear, simple solutions grounded in good science that will produce economic opportunity, energy independence and security for our families. It is time for our leaders to invest in our nation and to protect our water, our health, our economy and our future.

Ken Bradley is state director for Clean Water Action.