After reviewing your…

After reviewing your proposed changes and new regulations for bait fish harvesting and transporting in Ontario, I would like you to consider what I am putting forward below, and include these ideas in the implementation of the new regulations on bait fish harvesting.

I live in the southern part of the District of Nipissing in the Township of South Algonquin, where most of the employment is seasonal, such as; logging, tourism, roads and bldg. construction. Many of these jobs are minimum wage, and the average income is far below that of the populated areas of the Province. The Province of Ontario considers the District of Nipissing as Northern Ontario when it is providing funding, and therefore, I recommend the proposed regulations for harvesting and transporting of bait fish for all of Northern Ontario be the same. If it means minor changes to the maps, it should not be a major issue, as there are numerous changes in the fishing regulations regarding various lakes within zones etc.

If the present proposal is implemented, it would have an enormous impact on the population in this area. If people have to travel to purchase bait fish, this will negatively impact family incomes and would very likely prevent them from having family outings as they are currently accustomed to. There is only one bait fish operator within our township at the present time, and it has just opened. This business is located 20+ kms from the most populated area. The other closest bait fish operators are located outside the township and are approximately 50kms away. Because of this, the majority of the people in this area have always trapped their own bait fish to save money and ensure they have the quality of fish bait necessary when they are able to enjoy recreating with their family and friends. It is also common knowledge that in this area the bait fish operators located outside the township,( 1 1/2 hrs for local anglers required) most times, do not have the product people require (bait size / quantities), so if the new regulations prohibits people from live trapping their own bait fish, other than on the lake they are fishing, please understand that it will be impossible for the commercial dealers to supply the demand should the new regulations be implemented as proposed (which very likely will also increase the costs of bait fish)

We live in an area where the land base is 80% Crown Land and provides many opportunities to trap bait fish close to home, basically no cost, a day or two in advance, so that you can ensure the day out with family can be planned and take part. Also, it is absolutely ridiculous to think everyone will be able to go to a lake prior to fishing , set a trap and ensure they have the required fish bait for the day, which could require launching a boat to do so, also if everyone set a trap at the boat launch in one evening all the traps would be stolen. It would be beneficial for the proposed regulation changes to consider allowing anglers to harvest bait from within the same watershed that they will be fishing in. With this, anglers would be catching bait fish from within the same water system where the water bodies are connected, meaning no additional risk of introducing invasive species.

Please consider the economical hardship you are imposing in this particular area of Northern Ontario on the residents, as you will also be contradicting the present Province's idea of Family Fishing as the parents will not be financially able to travel to purchase fish bait nor absorb the cost of, or have the time necessary, to travel a or two ahead of time to set a trap on the lake they plan to fish. With the proposal as it is written there is an obvious bias to the commercial bait fish industry, which unfortunately comes at the cost of the local angler. The cost for bait will be driven up by these proposed regulations and it will become truly unaffordable for families to fish using live bait. Please consider the standard and rules for bait fish movement should be equal for commercial bait operators, as well as anglers who choose to harvest their own bait

The Province has given the management of the renewable forest industry to the Sustainable Forest Licence Companies, which is the private sector, and it is sad to think the Province is now in a the process of basically doing the same with the bait fish industry in most or approximately half of the Province and prohibiting an Ontario Resident from setting just one minnow trap. The present proposal of allowing bait fish operators to trap, transport and resell in a particular zone regarding invasive species is the same as Residents of Ontario doing the same in the same zone.

Please consider two parents working at seasonal jobs, making minimum wage or slightly above, with lakes and rivers surrounding them and planning to take their children fishing for a day and having to pay $5.00-$10.00 per dozen for minnows, which could result in $50.00 -$100.00, plus travel costs to obtain them. Does any reasonable person think they will be able to continue to enjoy the family outings, and also consider the same parents trying to explain at the family dinner table to the children why they no longer are able to enjoy the outdoors as they have become accustomed to and so readily available? Should your proposed Bait Fish Policy in zones basically south of North Bay become regulation, it will have a devastating impact on family recreation in much of the District of Nipissing as well as many, many locations in rural Ontario.

In closing, I beg you to please continue to allow anglers to harvest bait fish on Crow Land or private property and transport them within either the township or the zone they live in, so they can continue to afford to recreate with the family or friends as in the past.

The new proposal is sad considering we are Celebrating Canada 150th and basically at the Provincial level we are, in a sense, attempting to destroy a family tradition, at a time in our Province or Country's history when we should be promoting, encouraging and assisting in some manner to enhance family unity and values for the future. of all

I trust you consider and include the suggestions above and include in the revised Bait Fish Policy Thank You

[Original Comment ID: 209890]