The Nosbonsing Anglers and Hunters in Astorville are increasing awareness about new Clean, Drain and Dry legislation by erecting signs at area boat launches and resorts.
The Ontario law requires recreational water users to ensure their boats, including pleasure craft, are free of any aquatic life so that species are not transported from one body of water to another.
Member Barry Schruder says the club holds many pike and bass tournaments in Parry Sound District and Nipissing District throughout the summer and attracts a lot of boaters from across Ontario.
“I started thinking we have boats coming in from all over and who knows where they have been beforehand,” Schruder said. “And aquatic invasive species are becoming more of an issue.”
Schruder got the go-ahead from the local executive about placing signs at public and private boat launches, lakes, cabins and lodges, stating the Clean, Drain and Dry legislation is law and that people need to ensure their recreational water vessels don’t have any aquatic life clinging to them.
The Nosbonsing Anglers and Hunters club is affiliated with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and it gave Schruder 40 signs after he told the organization what he wanted to do.
For the last couple of weeks, Schruder and other members of the local club have been travelling across both districts posting the signs.
So far, nine signs dot parts of Lake Nosbonsing and one sign is up at Wasi Lake.
Trout Lake, Lake Nipissing, the south shore of Lake Nipissing, the Sturgeon River, La Vase River, plus lodges and cabins, are next, including putting a sign up in Callander.
“We’re trying to cover as much territory as possible to make more people aware of the threat invasive species have,” Schruder said.
And Schruder says the invasive species are here.
In July a large snail was found at the Birch Hill Camp in East Ferris that was identified as the Chinese Mystery Snail, he said.
The snail can easily grow to more than two inches and is known to transmit diseases and parasites to local fish and wildlife.
Additionally, the Chinese Mystery Snail competes with native snails for food. The snail is native to eastern Russia and Southeast Asia.
Schruder hopes the signs help increase awareness to stem the tide of invasive species appearing in area water bodies.
In addition to the permanent plexiglass signs the local group is erecting, it also puts up temporary flags promoting the legislation at lakes and rivers where a pike or bass fishing tournament is taking place.
Schruder may have signs left over and if a lodge owner would like one, they are invited to email the club and he’ll see about getting a sign to the site.
If you see an invasive species:
- Try to identify them
- Take pictures, note the location (GPS coordinates), number of individuals (if possible) and observation date
- Report any aquatic invasive species sightings to Fisheries and Oceans Canada 1-877-722-4828.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.
