Aquatic Insects and Neonicotinoids

Last Saturday I fished the South Branch of the Root River in Forestville State Park with TCTU members Mike Hodgens and Yves Charron.  There was a hatch of #20 Blue Wing Olives and fish were feeding heavily in a tongue of current below a long riffle.  It was difficult for me to get a drag-free float so I only caught a couple of fish (although that didn't seem to be a problem for Mike and Yves).
Despite my catching issues, it was terrific to watch trout rising to mayflies for over an hour.  Hatches like this have been growing fewer in number and one of the key causes in recent years has been the widespread use of Neonicotinoid Pesticides (Neonics).  Please join me in taking action to reduce this threat to aquatic insects.

On October 15, 2024 Minnesota Trout Unlimited joined NRDC Action and Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) in filing a petition asking the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to adopt rules to protect Minnesota’s environment and people from neonicotinoids and other dangerous insecticides. The concentrations of two neonics – chemicals designed to kill insects indiscriminately – are routinely found in Minnesota streams at levels harmful and lethal to aquatic insects.  You can find more details on the petition--and the effects of neonics--on the MNTU website.  Here is my request to you:

1. Send an email to Thom Petersen, Agriculture Commissioner. Below is a sample email that you can copy from, but if you can personalize it, even better!
2. (For extra credit!) Look up your State Senator and Representative here, and forward a copy of your email to Thom Peterson, with a request for them to help persuade the Dept. of Agriculture to take action.

Neonics affect the entire food chain and the loss of insects will affect all vertebrate life in Minnesota, but we trout anglers are uniquely positioned to perceive the threat since so much of our sport involves studying and imitating bugs.  

Thanks in advance for your help!
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Sample Email:
From: Your email address
Subject: Protect Trout Streams from Neonic-treated seed runoff
To: [email protected]
I am a member of Trout Unlimited, a coldwater conservation organization with over 3500 members in Minnesota. I am an avid fly angler, and am deeply concerned about the future of aquatic insects which form the base of the food chain for many species of vertebrates--including trout.  No bugs = no trout.  PLUS, it is an epic experience to fish for trout during an insect hatch, or even to observe a hatch!  Over the past 30 years, I have observed a decrease in the frequency and intensity of hatches on Minnesota trout streams.
I am writing in support of the administrative petition filed on October 15 by Minnesota Trout Unlimited, the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, and NRDC Action Fund, calling on your agency to take action to address widespread contamination of Minnesota’s environment with neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”).
Neonics are highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates. MDA's own data show "elevated and concerning" neonic concentrations in Minnesota's surface waters. Levels routinely exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's chronic aquatic life benchmark (ALB) for harm to aquatic invertebrates. MDA concluded that its analysis strongly suggests that clothianidin and imidacloprid concentrations over the EPA's chronic ALB are sustained for periods more than 21 days in rivers and streams across western and southern Minnesota." These elevated neonic concentrations are correlated with corn and soybean planting season, which "strongly suggests that neonicotinoids from seed treatments are the primary source of detections and are rapidly transported to rivers and streams after planting."
Neonics are "systemic," meaning they are water soluble, and long lasting. This allows them to rapidly contaminate surface and groundwater and stick around for up to three years. Recent research in Minnesota showed neonics in 97% of water samples from rivers and streams, and 74% of groundwater samples, including at levels above the tolerance level of aquatic insects. Data collected by MDA confirms that neonic-treated seeds are the leading source of harmful neonic contamination in Minnesota waters. Highest levels are detected in May, June and July and following the agricultural crop planting season.
MDA's current approach to pesticide-treated seeds is failing to protect Minnesota's trout streams and waterways from the harms of neonicotinoid contamination. I urge you to take action.

Sincerely,

Your name
Your home address and/or zip code here