As a past member of Thunder…

As a past member of Thunder Bay Salmon Association {TBSA} I have been active with the stocking of salmon into Lake Superior. I have been on many egg collection events and volunteered at the hatchery for many years. I am also a retired person, and now spend many hours fishing on Lake Superior. My main fish to catch is the chinook salmon. Over the past years many were caught of all sizes. Approximately 5 to 10 years ago, it was no problem catching salmon, a highly wanted fish, great tasting for anyone's supper needs. Now, past couple years it is much harder to catch even one salmon. Yesterday as an example, spent 7 hours and only caught one salmon. Not sure of the exact reason why, but do feel that since less stocked salmon are added last few years, that the population has declined. At one time, the hatchery would input 100 to 150,000 salmon each year to the Kam river. Lately been less then 10,000. Lake Superior is a huge lake and with only one hatchery stocking the lake, it is indeed difficult to increase the salmon population on an annual basis. I feel the Ministry should be looking at our own public hatcheries to raise salmon like they did lake trout in the past. The volunteer hatcheries should still continue and even on a greater capacity. Years ago you caught clean salmon, but last few years, more and more have lamprey wounds. This also needs to be addressed even more than as now being done. Last few years we been asked to fill out a booklet on all our fish caught, show kind, size and location. I have done this faithfully yet have never heard back from Ministry any results from the many fishermen submitting the books. It was my understanding we would here back some results each year. In conclusion, I would recommend that the Ministry upgrade the number of egg hatcheries can obtain, even greater then the 120,000, and that they support the volunteer hatcheries to a great extent. I do feel that Minister Mauro has been a great asset to the TBSA and all the fisher persons in Ontario especially with his acknowledgement of the need to keep Lake Superior stocked with salmon, the desired fish of the lake.