I am a licensed bait…

I am a licensed bait harvester/dealer. I grew up harvesting bait with my father and also worked at tourist camps as a fishing guide when I was younger.

Research is always good depending on how it is done. Lakes produce differently, there are weather factors, seasons can change quickly.

Test netting for fish counts doesn't make sense if it is done where commercial nets were recently set in the water (as we've heard directly from several commercial fishermen) This obviously affects the number of fish left in the area.

A large portion of our local economy has o do with fishing whether directly or indirectly ie. tourist operators, retail to anglers and tourists etc. Fish is a great food source and fishing is very important to our region. The recreational benefits are important to our area as well. Fishing has been vital here for decades.

Yes it is important to protect our lakes from things like invasive species to chemicals. No one ever, ever comments on all the plastic and metals and the paints that are on them, that are used and lost in the lakes. most of these are still there long after we are gone as these products take years or longer to break down and disintegrate, sending contaminants into the water in the process.

We as bait harvesters and dealers try to remind the public how important it is to keep our lakes clean. We are trained on how to catch bait and how to distinguish various species. we are licensed and we are responsible to be aware of what we have in our possession at all times, to have clean bait with no illegal or invasive species. We have to keep strict log books on what and where we catch our bait. Two important things I need to emphasize is all the bait coming from south is not cleaned Like we do. They catch large amounts at a time so it is harder to check that the bait is clean. where as we catch smaller amounts at a time making it easier to check and manage the bait. All the invasive species come from the south and therefore we should consider eliminating bait coming from the south.

Secondly, "civilian" anglers are allowed to catch their own bait without any regulations being enforced. No training is needed, nor are there licenses needed. The average anglers don't care what is illegal as in perch, sunfish, tadpoles or crayfish. If they catch it, it is "Bait".

I've mentioned three large problems: The invasive species coming from southern Ontario, all the tackle ie; the paints metals and plastics lost and left in the lakes and the anglers catching their own bait and using it regardless of what it is.

Never once were these mentioned in the 198 page long Draft Management plan for FMZ 11. Just no live bait in brook trout lakes.

We are being penalized for mistakes that have been done for decades of the MNR stocking lakes with Bass etc.