Where are the CO's

Paulie · **Posted:** Thu Jan 30, 2003 9:23 am

I've been catching up on some posts and reports after being off-line for a week or so and I'm very disturbed by the reports of slot fish being kept. The idea suggested of a Quinte measuring tape is a great one, but where the heck are the Conservation Officers. They've certainly beeen out up here on Scugog. I mean understandably the Bay is a large body to monitor but has anyone seen the CO's out and about handing out fines? Have people been reporting to the local MNR office they've seen this activity? Never assume someone else will take care of it, make the call yourself. I know I will.

As Dan Elliott (Site Administrator) posted recently the grace period for a warning from the MNR is over. If you're fishing and you spot someone keeping a fish that looks like it's in the slot, kindly offer to measure it (if you can get to it before it's flash frozen), or at least point out the fish needs to be released.

Despite all the publicity around the new regs, you would be amazed at how many people will not be aware of the changes. Ignorance is no excuse, but for many occasional fishers, it will be the reality. Educate every opportunity you get guys (and gals), help protect the fishery. I look forward to many more productive trips to the BOQ, and keep those quality reports coming.

Tight lines to all.

Mike · **Posted:** Thu Jan 30, 2003 2:33 pm

Hi All,

There are only a hand full of COs that can patrol ALL OF ONTARIO (I belive the number is around 300). In order to cover such a large area the COs require public assistant in order to control illegal fishing and hunting activities.

If you see suspicious activity please call Crimestoppers, the local MNR offices or you can even fill out the a form on the COs web site:

http://www.ocoa.ca/index.htm

If there is suspicious activity on the Bay (or anywhere else) the more calls and reports made to the MNR will hopefully bring out the COs regularly.

Please abide by the rules and regs as they are set-up to protect our great fisheries.

Cheers,

Mike

ODG · **Posted:** Thu Jan 30, 2003 3:18 pm

Give Sandra Orsetti (Peterborough, MNR, HQ) a call to address deployment of enforcement staff. She is the Lake Ont. manager and regardless of what might be attempted to be directed towards the enforcement supervisor....she provides the direction.

There are a number of very logical ways to assist in compliance. It begins with leadership.
ODG

Shnoobs · **Joined:** Sat Nov 16, 2002 10:35 am **Posts:** 7

Take a walk along the rivers that flow into the bay in April then start asking where the CO's are. The guys out there spearing the spawners and filling garbage buckets aren't measuring them! Put your enthusiasm where it is needed pal.

Paulie · **Posted:** Sat Feb 01, 2003 9:14 am

Hey Schnoobs,

I've witnessed what you've seen in the spring also, and it's just as disappointing as what's going on right now. But reality is, the MNR's hands are tied with enforcing regs for certain folks during this annual ritual of spearing big female spawners in the spring. It's deplorable none-the-less. That's certainly not the case right now is it? As an avid Quinte fisherman, I'm trying to create some awareness around the subject. Appreciate your endorsement of my enthusiasm, so I'll just keep trying to help out :wink:

.

Cheers,

Shawn · **Posted:** Sat Feb 01, 2003 12:33 pm

Dear Shnoobs, The C.O.'s and the OPP can do nothing! So if you are up to it, why don't you go and put a stop to the spearing that goes on in the spring.

Darren (friend of ODG) · **Posted:** Sat Feb 01, 2003 1:50 pm

Dearest Shawn:
This has actually been handled in the Quinte area regarding waterfowl hunting (location: waterfowl reserve near Varty Lake). It never made the press and no grandstanding was needed to make an effective point. It has been done and can be done.

Darren- on vacation to help ODG (is sick)

Shnoobs · **Joined:** Sat Nov 16, 2002 10:35 am **Posts:** 7

I'd love to do something about it but that would constitute assualt. The courts don't want to touch these guys but rest assured the long arm of the law will reach out and touch me if I intervene. These fish get enough abuse from the zebra mussels, pollution, water temps, NETTING IN THE NARROWS! Then they get speared in their beds. You tell me what to do and I'm there! The odd guy keeping a slot fish for his table? Why do you think that slot size was imposed? Lack of fish, but not because the sport guys are killing them. See ya back at the reserve.

Very Intersted · **Posted:** Mon Feb 03, 2003 10:31 am

What exactly was done in this "waterfowling" incident in Varty Lake reserve?
I for one would be very interested in knowing if the law has any way to stop these problems.

Thanks

Still a problem · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2003 10:50 am

Shnoobs:

What can one do? For starters, vote for different local MPPs in the next provincial election. Write a letter to Jerry Ouellette, Minister of Natural resources requesting immediate release of the 2001 Annual Report by the Lake Ontario Management Unit (this report would have normally been available on their web site in Mar 2002 - so its almost a year late). One can only speculate as to the rationale for the MNR not to release that report. Although Ouellette has been on the job for almost a year, there's been very little announced with regard to resolution of previously published Bay of Quinte walleye population problems.

Last reported data indicate that total Bay of Quinte walleye harvest for 2000 was 121,000 walleye (MNR data). Recreational fishermen harvested 32,000 walleye (26%). Legal commercial fishing netted another 3,500 walleye (3%). Aboriginals harvested 85,000 walleye (70%) either through spear fishing during the spring spawn (8,500) or through gill netting. And what was the governments solution - slot limits for recreational fishermen! You be the judge.

YO · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:37 pm

It looks like they introduced the slot limit so that even more fish would make it to the feeder creeks just to be speared. I think their idea was a good one, hoping to protect the spawners. But all they do now is offer up even more fish to be speared. Hopefully the slot fish that are being released are not ending up on the end of a stick.

Are these fish being speared before spawning? I would be a lot less upset by the whole practice if they at least allowed the fish to complete spawning before netting or spearing them. Hopefully the people spearing the fish realize that if they keep this up, the runs are slowly going to diminish. Hopefully it won't get to the point that the government has to step in, like the lobster fiasco out East last year. Hmm, when there's no fish left, who do you blame, the guys that speared them, the guys who netted them, the government for not doing something sooner? It doesn't matter, when it gets to that point it's too late. We'll just have to go somewhere else.

ODG · **Posted:** Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:48 pm

To Very Interested:
A number of incidents have occurred fom time to time. None are conected but all have been very decisive, with a clear message.... do not abuse fish and wildlife. They have occurred in a number of wild locations.

ODG

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Where are the CO's

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