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January 31/2006
Press Release by Quinte RAP
The Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan (BQ-RAP) is in the process of assessing the current status of contaminants and habitat to better prepare a new work plan that will take us from AOC (pollution hotspot) to AIR (area in recovery). Several new initiatives are underway.
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) will fund the completion of a Bay of Quinte Sediment and Fish Tissue Contaminants Report. The report will determine whether or not surface sediments in the Bay are improving, and will provide an evaluation of contaminants in fish tissue. Restrictions on fish consumption are already in place for certain species as outlined in the Ontario Guide to Eating Sport Fish. As well, the St. Lawrence Institute of Environmental Sciences has been engaged to review Bay of Quinte data from the Ontario Sport Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program. Data collected over the past 15 years will be analysed to track contaminant trends over time. MOE will also provide support to the BQ-RAP Communications plan.
The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF) has provided BQ-RAP with backing to help develop a Natural Heritage Report with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (MBQ). The report will identify priority sites for protection, and help guide environmental planning. BQ-RAP will be involved in the technical work such as mapping, while Kristin Maracle of MBQ will write the report. As well, GLSF will assist BQ-RAP in producing a Bay of Quinte Fish Migration Barrier Study which will map migration barriers on tributaries to the Bay. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has provided funds for an assessment of habitat in Prince Edward County using Environment Canada's How Much Habitat Is Enough model. The assessment will include woodlands, wetlands, riparian areas, creeks and streams that drain into the Bay of Quinte. And last but not least, MNR will also fund a Coastal Wetlands Documentation Summary for the Bay of Quinte. This summary will be an annotated bibliography identifying all existing reports, studies, projects etc. involving coastal wetlands on the Bay.
Each of these initiatives is designed to provide information that will be crucial to assessing current status of contaminants and habitat. In some instances, data gaps will be identified; in others, new data will be presented for consideration. Each initiative, however, is specifically targeted to assist in moving the status of the Bay of Quinte to Area in Recovery.
_________________ Dan Elliot - A bad day on Quinte is better than a good day at work !!! http://www.quintefishing.com
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