Recreational fishing is a…

Recreational fishing is a valued Canadian Heritage activity, with over 80% of

anglers in Ontario using live bait. The success rate of fishing with live bait

is much higher verses any other type of bait. Yes, fish can be caught without

live bait but lets keep people catching fish!

The bait industry is a 20 million dollar industry, however recreational fishing

reels in 2.2 billion dollars into the economy. There are approximately 1.2

million people that fish in Ontario.

The proposed regulations will affect not only business owners like myself that

have made the live bait industry their job and livelihood, but also the six

people we provide employment to including students with summer jobs, the

community events we sponsor, and our customers.

The proposed regulations does not make sense; this is the gateway to a complete

ban of live bait. The proactive approach to prevent the spread of invasive

species should continue with more educaion: No one wants to destroy habitat for

fish, some people do not know better, we need to educate more!

Don't dump your bucket programs and stickers are good but this could be a

requirement on every bait bucket or bag of live bait sold. In addition, boat

washing stations could be a good preventive measure to prevent the spread of

invasive species. More regulations and enforcement measures are needed to

ensure boaters wash their boats before entering a new body of water. In

addition, online courses could be offered as well for individual anglers who

wish to catch their own live bait as another preventive measure to prevent the

spread of invasive species. Lastly, further education for bait harvesters and

dealers is welcomed.

I believe involving bait harvesters and dealers in more of the changes in the

industry, would be beneficial for both parties. The Ministry of Natural

Resources & Forestry (MNRF) could gain valuable knowledge from bait harvesters

as we are the ones trapping bait across the province. I realize that six

commercial bait fish harvesters/ tourist dealers were part of the stakeholders

committee, however, at the information meeting held in Kingston on May 29,

2017, Scott Gibson stated that the MNR makes the final decisions on the

proposal and that this was just an information session.

The Wildlife Canadian Society (WCS) states their objective is to ban all live

bait in Ontario, which raises concerns that the proposed changes will lead to a

complete ban of live bait in Ontario, as WCS was a stakeholder consulted in the

proposal of the regulations. Similarly, the Ontario Federation of Hunter and

Anglers (OFAH) was also a stakeholder, however, Tom Brooke from the OFAH stated

in a recent article in the Ontario Out of Doors that the proposed regulations

on live bait are too restrictive.

The proposed changes will create frustration by anglers to use live bait, to

find live bait available in the Fish management Zone (FMZ) that they are

fishing in or transportation is permitted. Anglers travelling through the

Hastings County area that fish in FMZ 15 and further North at times will

require travelling past their destinations to purchase live bait. Presently

Bancroft is the closest live bait available to Steenburg Lake. Currently many

of the anglers travelling Highway 7 purchase bait and other products from my

retail store. The changes will reduce my customer base by approximatley 30%;

reducing my live bait sales and other spin off sales opportunities.

The quality, quantity and affordability of live bait will also be affected by

the proposed changes. The supply and demand will also be affected. We currently

harvest many of our own bait fish and leeches, I know If I will not be able to

purchase bait from our current dealers in FMZ 15 and North we will not have the

continued quality and quantity of live bait and leeches required. This will put

strain on our business even with the predicted loss of customers.

At different times throughout the year we are faced with the elements mother

nature gives us. In years past the ice conditions vary and we have more live

bait than we can sell in our area in the winter, which is when we wholesale.

The established business contacts we have are to the North of the proposed FMZ

transport area. Without the possibility of this market, we could not

economically survive when there is no market locally.

The requirement of anglers carrying a receipt for 2 weeks for the live bait in

their possession then disposing of the unused live bait is wasteful and would

probably cause dishonesty. This will be a paper work burden for retail outlets,

require more enforcement and place a huge responsibility on anglers . Most

people are honest but what’s to say a 2 week expiry on a receipt can not be

used for other bait self harvested or purchased elsewhere after the initial

bait is used. How is this going to be enforced? Who will the Conservation

Officer believe? These are valid concerns with the possibility of a dermit

infraction system being proposed to the live bait industry, a situation like

this could affect the business.

If live bait is self harvested by the angler requiring a special license, log

and transport restrictions this will limit their rights and success in catching

their own bait. Most bait fish are not commonly caught in lakes or river where

predator fish are found. They are caught in streams , creeks and ponds that

would require transportation that the regulations do not permit in the local

areas.

I have not seen any information for further funding for enforcement to regulate

the proposed regulations. How does this all work without anyone to enforce?

The reduction of 17 species of minnows will possibly reduce the quantity of

live bait available to harvest, creating supply and demand problems. What about

the VHS virus zones that are in place now south of the 401, how does this

change to now not be a concern?

There are many businesses including mine that have been harvesting and/or

selling live bait for many years, we have had our harvesting license for almost

30 years. The proposed changes will negatively impact my business, the impact

of the regulations will directly cost loss of income resulting in reducing

staff and possibly being forced to close. Customer service alone will not bring

in the customers in that we see now with live bait.

We care about the environment, we love the outdoors, we fish and hunt, we love

our business.

[Original Comment ID: 209937]