This letter was submitted by Kevin and Samantha Simpkin, of Fish Bay Marina & Smitty's Ice Bungalows, Lake Nipissing Road.
-----
Are you a recreational fisherman on Lake Nipissing, do you own a business that is impacted by ice fishing on Lake Nipissing? Think about that very carefully.
The economy of recreational fishing on Lake Nipissing through all seasons is impactful throughout this community.
For the past eighteen years, the Ministry of Natural Resources has imposed significant restrictions on the recreational angling community in the face of concerns about the stressed walleye stocks. Current regulations state that each angler can keep 2 walleye but none less than 46 cm, a fish that makes up less than 3% of the current population. Due to this regulation recreational walleye fishing is currently been reduced to almost a catch and release fishery.
Although Chief McLeod has implemented new restrictions on the First Nation Commercial fishery, he is unable to enforce his laws and their harvest numbers continue to increase. It is not reasonable to ask the anglers to compensate for the First Nations inability to control their own harvest.
Chief McLeod has now requested that the MNRF consider cancelling the recreational walleye fishery for the upcoming ice fishing season. Chief McLeod maintains that non-NFN have no rights over the fishery and the resource and that recreational fishing by non-NFN is only allowed because the NFN are sharing the resource. No group should ask for more than equal rights, certainly not suggest that they have the only right.
Meanwhile, the MNRF, whose mandate is to protect Ontario's biodiversity while promoting economic opportunities in the resource sector and supporting outdoor recreation opportunities, has remained silent.
Data provided by the MNR shows that the walleye fishery is improving. It also identifies the angler’s harvest is very low so closing it would have little if any positive impact on the lake. Winter and open water angling harvests in 2015 and 2016 are insignificant. Unfortunately, data provided does not include any information related to the netting index.
How can the MNR or any group draw comparisons or make decisions without any netting data? Of course, any data provided excludes the illegal netting and the ghost nets which take with no concern for the protection of the resources for future generations.
Chief McLeod states that Nipissing First Nation views closing the recreational winter walleye fishery not only as a sound measure based on science and data but also as a gesture toward reconciliation. The science and data referred to, however, is not shared or published as fact.
Cancelling the winter walleye recreational fishery will have little to no impact on the walleye population. What will have an impact is the banning of commercial netting on Lake Nipissing and prosecuting those netting illegally. This will ensure the resource is protected for future generations of people, NFN and non-NFN included.
You do have a voice. The MNRF Is a branch of the Provincial Government, the Government that was elected by the people of Ontario. Use your voice. Call the MNR, call your MPP, do not let the MNR make a decision that will impact our economy due to pressures being put on them by one group.
Kevin and Samantha Simpkin, Fish Bay Marina & Smitty's Ice Bungalows
