Quinte Fishing

I think kids......up to 18 and seniors shouldn't have to pay for a fishing licence. Hunting is another deal. Although when last fall late fall duck hunting with my buddy and our 2 sons, we were checked by the MNR who had no quips in saying we were a dying breed. He said our 2 sons were the only 2 young lads he had seen in weeks let alone very few over the course of the fall. Less licences being bought equals a shortfall in revenue. Although Not in my household. Between my son and I, I think we could buy a cow and pig for the freezer and still be ahead money with what is wrapped up in licence fees. It is getting ridiculous the amount the tags are costing. A small bundle wrapped up before you even hit the woods or water!! There will be a breaking point in the future where it becomes to expensive to enjoy our outdoors. I make a decent living and can afford these licences at this point in my life but what about the lesser income folks that want to get away to do a little fishing or hunting?? Or what about those seniors on a fixed income?? Lord knows I have paid and will continue to pay until I reach my golden years but when/if I get there I would like to think I can go for a fish with my grandchildren without having to worry about a damn licence. I think I will have well earned that right with what it will cost me throughout my life.

Someone has to pay for it.

Losing the baby boomers' license revenue cannot be replaced by Gen x/y due to the proportional imbalance in demographics.

The other option would be to raise income taxes - good luck finding anyone to agree with that, especially those who don't hunt or fish.

Or they could cut stocking and rehabilitation programs - anyone willing to vote for that?

In then end, the license is a very small part of the cost to hunt or fish.

Seniors should pay. You use the resource, you should pay for it, simple. You older guys complaining about a $25 yearly fee? C'mon give me a break. If anything this will improve the fishery across Ontario.

Do you really believe when the seniors start to pay the 80 percent for their licenses it's gonna improve the fisheries,what ever you are smoking I would like some.

Seniors should pay. You use the resource, you should pay for it, simple. You older guys complaining about a $25 yearly fee? C'mon give me a break. If anything this will improve the fishery across Ontario

The xyz generation or "me" generation seem to have all the answers..............you can tell they have not had to pay for much!!

Very well put Mr. Jubes Walleye, thank you. Donn

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Choppy waters and grey skies,
BluePickerel

The younger generation is paying every day for the mistakes you guys have made, and the debt that you have left us with. Thanks for helping us have a sustainable future. You can call us the "me" generation all you want, but your generation are the ones who choose not to recycle, use green bins, use resources at an unprecedented rate or cut back on what you are "entitled to," just so you can have a great time in your golden years...Basically you are saying the "me" generation should pay for all of the debt, environmental cleanup and new disasters left behind by your generation of waste and over indulgence. Suck it up and pay, and we will try to find a way to clean up this planet so it remains habitable for our kids long after your are gone.

That's a pretty broad generalization about our seniors! You seem to have forgotten the effort of those who put on a uniform and decided 'your' future compared to what it might have been. Was that called over indulgence? Sustainable future.....hell , you might not have had one! You've just slammed what perhaps will be the greatest generation.
Were they perfect...absolutely not.
No one said the 'me' generation should pay for everything but time for you to measure up to the bar and pay your dues also.
Give them the credit they are due , free fishing licenses are just a small token!

I'm not sure, but I think you may have your generations mixed up. The "Greatest Generation" were the folks who were old enough to fight and die in WWII. Not that many of them left now and, having grown up during the Great Depression they were generally a group devoted self reliance and austerity in life and government. The current group of seniors represents the "Baby Boomer" generation, or the children of the "greatest" group. The baby boomers are generally regarded as the group that are the cause of the current government debt issues because, a) they grew up in an era of unprecedented growth and because of that "rich era" they b) continued to prop up a "socialist political agenda" of "tax and spend" "deficit financing" and wealth redistribution policies. The economic growth of that time resulted in the boomers also being responsible for a large portion of the environmental degradation that is now, slowly undergoing remediation. They also will be the largest burden of the state due to the programs above (which they elected to keep) and the sheer demographic number of them. So, while younger generations may have entitlement issues, based upon the political record of the past they must have learned it from the boomers. The Greatest Generation would most likely look at the current political situation in Canada (and certainly Ontario) of which the loss of and failure to enforce the laws of protection of natural resources are one of the results of, and say to the Boomers, "We warned you."

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"A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very very dangerous man who has his capacity for mayhem under voluntary control."

"(B)e wary of discarding the ancient system where we all have the right to make our own decisions for one in which we all have the right to make each others, in the hope of finding true human fulfillment through “positive” rights to other people’s money and applause?"

Charging seniors for a fishing license has nothing to do with the old politicians or uppity businessmen in Toronto who ran the businesses and allowed them to ravage our environment. I highly doubt they are the ones going fishing with their grandkids.
It's about charging our Fathers and our Mothers, and charging our Grandparents who took us fishing when we were kids. It's about the senior that hasn't been able to keep with modern times and doesn't have a computer or a reliable means of transportation and forcing them to go get a license just so they can go fishing.
I've been paying for 27 years now and will pay for another 20 more. I will continue to do my part to help our resources and environment the best I can and pass that along to my boys.
Surely to hell after that, in 20 years I can go fishing with my grandchild and not have to worry if I will be fined because I forgot to buy my license.
Surely to hell seniors today deserve the same.

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HUNT, FISH and RIDE

Not sure who you think "you " guys are?? I am 47, far from my "Golden Years" < but you seem to want to generalize age groups. I have been paying for years and will continue to pay for your generation. This generation has to be the biggest group of whining sucks ever in the history of mankind. You expect everything handed to you on a silver platter and when that doesn happen you blame the "my" generation. Maybe someday when you get older you will begin to understand a little bit. I am still 18 yrs away from a "free" fishing licence as you so call it but I assure you I will have paid for it many times over!! But typical of this "me" generation..............Blame everyone else because you have not been spoon fed correctly

So by the numbers above the generation u r complaining about would be the ones who dealt with the fallout from WW II, the ones who helped our country rebuild and heal. The same group that restocked turkey's, set aside wetlands, organized clubs, programs to manage streams, rivers and lakes so the fishing would remain for the future generations. U know guys like u who say u carry the burden but do not write what part of the burden u are carrying. If u r in a group or organization that promotes fishing and hunting conservation check out who where the grass roots members were. I have stood on frozen lakes and watched Tylercurt give minnows to children, instructing them on basic techniques so they catch their first fish. He did this because the present generation dad dropped of 3 kids with 1/2 of a 6 ft rod and a whole 6 foot rod and trolling lures, then headed back to the warm cabin. My dad always had an extra rod and a seat in the boat for my friends. He spent a life time encourage us to get out and hunt and fish, to always leave a place better of then when u arrived. U r not cleaning up any mess that that my dad left behind. He paid his dues and fees, and not collecting a small amount of money from a few seniors will not break the bank, nor will it cause any programs to be cancelled.

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Fishing is all fun & games until someone loses a walleye

Hello all ,this is making me laugh ,all you guys bitching about a license to fish,now its about young and old.Iam 49 this year,i fished all my life ,My Dad was the one that started me fishing,if he was still alive he would be pissed off to see younger people bad mouthing the old people,they are the reason we are here and like to fish.Guys are saying the old guys screwed every think up ,that your opinion keep it to your self,we all screw up ,I bet you all you guys drive a big truck,gas pig,and the list go on for ever.I wish every one could just be happy and get along life is to short.i have see many changes in my day,but when you loose respect for the older people this is not good.they made us who we are today.The world would be a better place will a little respect for you follow man.I know i would be the First to stand and fight and for the older guy this is what my dad taught me to have respect

Charlie

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Charlie

the "me" generation of today has the hardest road ahead of them.

period.

living costs are upwards of five times greater than they were in the 60s and 70s (and even into the 80s). Houses now cost four and five time an annual household income. In the 80's houses were going for twice to three times a "household income" (which back then was a single income).

education costs are higher than ever. to get a decent paying job today, in most cases you need post secondary school education. That means accruing debt. No more graduate high school (or in many folks cases, grade 10), head out in the work force, get a starting job, within a couple years be making enough to get married, buy a house (which at that time was only two to three times an annual income), and tada, your family is started.

today someone will be in school longer than that process took. then come out heavily in debt. Then get further in debt because of ridiculous housing costs. can't forget gas costs. commuting costs are higher than ever, as more than ever, folks are having to work outside the city they live in.

all of this is because of my parents generation (I'm 35). My father is the first to admit it. They took the easy route, drove up wages beyond what they were worth, then because of it, much of the high paying (uneducated) jobs left the county. However, by that point, housing costs had risen almost 400% and 500% (because of the ridiculous wages being offered to uneducated jobs).

My father made more in 1985 than he does in 2014. And I'm not taking inflation into consideration!!

The "me" generation, because of the above, are forced to have children later in life. It is no secret that the average age of parents having their first child is 8-9 years older than the previous generation. What does that mean? Well, by the time our children will be having children, we will be, on average, well into our 60's. We will also be paying mortgages well into our late 50's, 10 full years then the average person paid off their mortgage in the generation before me. That of course is because folks are forced to purchase houses in their early 30's instead of early 20's. And gawd forbid you bought into a 30 or 35 year mortgage...paying into your 60's. Again, my parents paid off their mortgage when they were in their late 40's.

No longer will children know their "great" grand parents, like my generation sure did. AFter all, when people are now having children at an average age of 30, and their parents are in their 50's, how will it be possible that my children have children, when my parents are still alive....won't be. Children knowing their "great" grand parents will be a thing of the past.

The "me" generation will have it harder than any generation of the past. Maybe they won't be physically fighting in wars, but they will be fighting paycheck to paycheck like no generation previous.

I don't want to think what my children's children will be dealing with. Forget natural resources. How will they financially survive in the pace our society is going.

The numbers are there. They are clear. There is no argument. It will only get tougher.

I don't know what I"ll be calling my kids generation, but I have zero doubt, they will be having it tougher than I am.

And like my dad has no problem admitting, my generation has it much tougher than his did.

There seems to be a whole host of reactions after reading through a number of the posts here about the new Environmental Bill of Rights which proposes seniors having to pay for their privelege to fish the world class fisheries we have here in the province of Ontario. I'm so glad that a few out of province and anglers from the US have shared their views, as it appears we have a few fishermen here in the province who've gotten a little too used to our very low fees for fishing or fishing for free. In my administrative roles with Metro East Anglers Inc. and Port Whitby Sport Fishing Association, we enjoy an excellent partnership with the MNR and our local municipalities as we work to enhance the trout and salmon fisheries in Lake O and its tributaries. We also enjoy a great relationship with all those involved with CLOSA out your way and appreciate their willingness to work cooperatively with us and the MNR, supporting our hatchery operations, coordinating chinook pen projects and doing fundraising. I put in my share of volunteer hours in a given year to give back to help make our fisheries better in this province, whether it's helping run our fish hatchery operation in Ringwood, write newsletters, seek sponsors, drive down the harbour a couple times a week to feed penned chinooks in the spring, make stocking runs for cohos and browns or get out to assist the MNR with chinook egg collection. Should I be asking the government to fish for free because I put in my share of volunteer time. I've never even considered that. It's what we all should be doing in varying degrees, depending on the opportunities that avail themselves. Our fisheries are under threat and so are our rights to utilize the resources we have here, but it serves no purpose to just throw in the towel or comment that we're getting screwed again. Get out there, raise your voice and make a difference by getting involved. I fully support the fact that I'll continue to pay my annual license fees when I become a senior, and I'll just keep volunteering as well. The government is absolutely correct in their assertion that the aging demographic is having a negative affect on funds being allocated to the special purpose account that contributes directly to the maintenance and enhancement of our hunting and fishing resources. I don't disagree that we must continue to hold our governments accountable, but it is much easier to work with them than against them. Being a senior shouldn't necessarily give us the right to hunt and fish for free. Sure, some discount priveleges are nice when we go to Walmart of Shoppers...who doesn't like to save a buck or two when we can. I just don't buy the argument that we as seniors should have special rights or priveleges because we've paid our dues to fish for all those years leading up to 'retirement'. The amount we pay in licensing to fish for an entire year is a pittance in context of what the average person spends on fishing annually, when you factor in all the costs. I dunno, but if you're like me, I spend a ridiculous amount of money on tackle and fuel and launching to enjoy my fishing. My harvested fish probably cost me $24 a pound!! When you really break down the numbers, paying an additional $30 a year for privelege to fish any body of water you so choose is an absolute bargain. The senior's pay clause is just one part of the new Environmental Bill of Rights, and is a fairly comprehensive document and definitely worth the read to get informed. We're all entitled to our opinions on this matter, but I think some different perspectives are always a good thing.