THE PROFESSIONAL BAIT…

THE PROFESSIONAL BAIT HARVESTER DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO ONTARIO'S FISHERIES OR BIODIVERISITY OF OUR AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS OR WARRANT THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC POLICY FOR BAIT MANAGEMENT AS IT STANDS. WE THE BAIT HARVESTERS HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN KEEPING OUR AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS , FISHERIES AND OUR BAIT HARVEST AREA'S CLEAN,STERILE OF DISEASE, KEEPING OUT EXOTICS, INVASIVE AND UNWANTED SPECIES LIKE BASS ,YELLOW PERCH FROM BEING INTRODUCED, WE STAND TO LOSE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THROUGH LOSE OF A LAKE TO HARVEST OR A LAKE FOR OUR CUSTOMER TO FISH, ALONG WITH LOSING VALUE OF THE BAIT HARVEST AREA WHICH WE PURCHASED , NOTING SOME BHA COST UPWARDS TO $30,000.00 EACH. THAT IN ITSELF IS ONE GOOD INSURANCE POLICY IN PROTECTING OUR ECOSYSTEM. WE ALSO HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND CERTIFIED BY THE MNR IN HACCP WITH A PLAN IN PLACE TO IDENTIFY,CONTROL AND ELIMINATE UNWANTED SPECIES OR THREATS ALONG NUMEROUS CONTROL POINTS FROM THE HARVEST TO THE END USER. THE THREATS AND ISSUES IN THE PROPOSED POLICY ARE AIMED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION FOR EXAMPLE THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY CAN NOT SAY NO ONE DUMPS CONTAMINATED BALLAST WATER IN THE GREAT LAKES OR STERILIZE THEM BEFORE TAKING ON FRESH GREAT LAKES WATER AND THEN DUMP THAT WATER CONTAINING WHO KNOWS WHAT AT THE NEXT GREAT LAKES PORT.........2) PRIVATE BOATS AND EQUIPMENT ARE BEING TRANSPORTED LONG DISTANCES ACROSS THE PROVINCIAL AND INTERNATIONAL BORDERS WITH A HIGH RISK OF MOVING DISEASE,EXOTICS AND INVASIVE SPECIES.THERE SHOULD BE CLEANING AND STERILIZATION STATIONS SET UP AT THE BORDERS.....3) PERSONAL BAIT TRAPPING CAN BE RISKY IN SOME AREA'S.THE AVERAGE PERSON IS NOT SKILLED OR EDUCATED IN THE BAIT INDUSTRY TO ENSURE CLEAN/LEGAL BAIT.....4)STOPPING THE HARVEST OF BAIT IN THE PARK FOR NO VALID REASON WILL ONLY RESTRICT AND LIMIT THE SUPPLY OF BAIT. THE VAST AREA PARKS CONSUME ARE A NEEDED CONTRIBUTION TO HELP SATISFY THE DEMAND FOR BAIT. HARVESTERS POSE NO THREAT TO THE PARKS. ...5) THE MNR FIRE PROGRAM HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE TO THE PARKS AND OTHER AREA'S THROUGH THE USE OF CONTAMINATED PUMPS AND HOSE , INCLUDING WATER BOMBING. MOVING SPECIES FROM LAKE TO LAKE IN THEIR WATER OR EQUIPMENT. THIS HAS COST ME PERSONALLY . 6),,,,, ETHICS AND MORALS SAY LET BAIT HARVESTING CONTINUE IN THE PARKS, EVEN THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC POLICY FOR BAIT MANAGEMENT COULD NOT GIVE ONE REASON WHY THE BAIT HARVESTERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY IN THE PARK, WITNESSED BY A ROOM FULL OF STAKE HOLDERS.TAKING THE PARKS AWAY FROM THE BAIT HARVESTERS IS WRONG, MY WIFE AND I FOR EXAMPLE STAND TO LOSE A GOOD PORTION OF OUR LIFE SAVINGS, SIX FIGURES, THE BHA IN THE PARK ARE OUR LIFE ,OUR INCOME AND OUR RETIREMENT FUND. TO SAY WE WILL GIVE YOU 5 YEARS TO CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN IS A CRUEL JOKE! NO COMPENSATION- NOTHING!!!! ITS LIKE BEING RAPED! BY OUR OWN GOVERMENT/MNR PARKS- MY THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS WILL NOT BE HAPPY. HARVESTERS SHOULD STAY IN THE PARKS............7) LEGAL BAIT STICKLE BACKS AND SUCKERS NEED TO BE ON THE LIST

[Original Comment ID: 209915]