Kashabowie Outposts…

Kashabowie Outposts

Box 2310

Atikokan, ON

P0T 1C0

Kashabowie Outposts

Box 2310

Atikokan, ON

P0T 1C0

May 30, 2017

Scott Gibson

Senior Fisheries Biologist

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

Policy Divison

Species Conservation Policy Branch

300 Water Street

Peterborough, ON

K9J 8M5

Subject: Draft Review of the Strategic Policy for Bait Management in Ontario ER

012-9791

Dear Mr. Gibson,

Thank you for the opportunity to make comments on the draft policy that proposes changes to baitfish use and management in Ontario.

The tourism industry in Sunset Country is significant, generating $288 million worth annually. Much of this is based and reliant on natural resources. Angling and hunting is a significant part of this industry in Northwestern Ontario.

I have been an owner/operator of Kashabowie Outposts (http://kashabowieoutposts.com), a resource based tourism business in Northwestern Ontario for 24 years. Our business is dependent on remote tourism and we run an air service to fly guests into outpost camps where they experience isolated fishing and the wilderness experience. This is the main part of our operation and is essential to our business. I am very concerned that if the proposed policy is approved as is, there will be serious impact to our business and operation. This will not only have consequences to me, but also the staff who we employ (pilots, maintenance crews, and clerical staff).

My comments are specific to Section 3 of the policy, Movement of Bait.

The proposal identifies BMZ B to include FMZ 4 and 5. And BMZ C to include FMZ 6. Our air base is located in FMZ 5 (BMZ B), but 9 of the 12 lakes which have outpost camps that we fly guests to, are within FMZ 6 (BMZ C). Essentially our business is located on the border of these two BMZs.

Anglers who buy our services request live bait upon arrival at our base. This proposed change will no longer allow us to provide baitfish to our guests when they fly from our base of operations to 9 of our fly-in camps. I cannot stress the importance this will have on our business. The fly-in camps are located on very remote, isolated lakes. It will be impossible to provide anglers bait while they are at the outposts, the only way we can provide the bait is at the base before they board the plane. It is extremely important to these anglers that they have live bait to fish with, they will not go fishing without bait. As a business, this puts us at a disadvantage with our competitors as we will no longer be on a level playing field with them. I know we will lose a significant portion of our clientele that we have built up over the years, and will not be able to attract new ones under the current proposal. It cannot be underestimated how much this will matter to our business.

Not only will these proposed changes be detrimental to our business, they don’t make sense from an ecological perspective. Two examples are provided below:

1)The southern portion of the boundary that divides BMZ B from BMZ C is not based on water flow, but rather follows the MNRF administrative boundary.

2)The waters of Lac des Mille Lacs which is a heavily used lake near Thunder Bay is located in FMZ 6 (BMZ C). The lake flows west through the Seine River which then flows directly into FMZ 5 (BMZ B). It works its way to the Lake of the Woods and into Manitoba. These waters all flow north allowing aquatic life to move naturally between the two BMZs.

I do understand the importance of preventing the transfer of invasive species, but I fail to understand how these proposed changes will be effective in containing invasive species if they are not based on the watershed.

I request that the BMZ boundaries be amended to follow the actual watershed divide. This would address our concern of impact to our business as our main base of operations and all of our remote outpost camps are within the same watershed, and a watershed approach would make much more sense ecologically.

This issue is so important to me, that I wish to request a meeting with you and the district staff to identify my concern in person. I look forward to hearing from you.

Fern Duquette

Owner Operator

Phone (807) 929-2140

Email info@kashabowieoutposts.com

cc Greg Chapman - MNRF District Manager, Fort Frances

cc Laurie Marcil – Executive Director NOTO

cc Gerry Cariou – Sunset Country Tourism Association

[Original Comment ID: 209620]