In general, the proposal to…

In general, the proposal to regulate baitfish is sound.

In practice, there a a multitude of problems not contemplated in the proposals.

I trap minnows in a local pond and use them locally in the lake I reside upon. They are also present in the lake, but not in numbers near my home. I transport them less than 2km. Under the proposal, I would not be able to transport them to my my home lake, even though it is in the same watershed and has similar native species.

I also live near the boundary of two of the proposed bait zones in Sudbury. Could I not bring my minnow bucket with my sons across the boundary (looks like hwy 17) for some fishing? This is a matter of just a few km from the source pond.

Regarding the regulation placed on commercial harvesters, of whom I know a few. These are typically men of modest education and means. Adding in a level of bureaucracy to their jobs is likely terminal. They wont do it any more and will join the ranks of those receiving Ontario welfare in short order. These guys work in extreme conditions to deliver bait to retailers. They arent sharp on paperwork, and that is the reason they chose the lifestyle.

Put the onus on inspection and recordkeeping on the retailers who already have administrative staff and enjoy large markups on the bait already.

[Original Comment ID: 208643]