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Post by peter on Dec 20, 2011 18:23:57 GMT -5
VHS (viral hemorrhagic septicemia) has been confirmed in gobies, perch, and bullheads in Lake Simcoe. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) responded late this past December by creating a new zone around Simcoe up to Gravenhurst where baitfish movements by commercial sellers will not be allowed in or out as of January 1, 2012.
Baitfish harvesters and dealers were given two-week-s notice, just as bait licences were up for renewal.
Although a public notice had yet to be issued as OOD went to press, Dave Brown, manager of Fisheries Policy Section in Peterborough, confirmed the ban would not affect angler bait use at this time.
Shipments of Simcoe emerald shiners had already been sent north to dealers in the Nipissing and Temagami areas prior to the ban, says Jim Leworthy, co-holder of a harvester licence. He adds that many more shiners are in holding facilities.
Brown could not confirm that dealers holding Simcoe minnows outside the new zone would be prohibited from selling or moving them.
"Dealers around Ontario rely heavily on them for ice fishing," said Leworthy. "Without Simcoe shiners, we-re talking massive bankruptcies." He says small bait and tackle stores will have no "drawing card" to bring in anglers, who also buy tackle.
Leworthy is upset because the MNR didn-t give harvesters a heads-up before they began catching baitfish last fall for the winter season. "I proposed a year and a half ago that the MNR form a baitfish advisory committee," he said. "This would have been dealt with before now."
VHS, likely introduced through ballast water of commercial ships, was first discovered here in St. Lawrence River/Lake Ontario muskie and other fish in 2005 and has spread up the Great Lakes, killing fish along the way, although many populations seem to have recovered.
In 2007, Ontario followed U.S. actions by creating VHS Zones along the lower Great Lakes from which baitfish could not be moved elsewhere. These areas were identified as connecting waterways and tributaries to the first impassable fish barrier. This is the first time VHS has been detected outside those zones.
"This type of protection zone for Lake Simcoe is probably overdue, and should have been set up when gobies hit the Great Lakes, to protect Simcoe, and now, sadly, to protect other lakes from Simcoe," said Larry Wickett, co-chair of the Lake Simcoe Fisheries Stakeholder Committee. VHS can be spread to other waterbodies by fish, water, boats, and contaminated fishing equipment.
The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) says anglers can help stop the spread of diseases by not moving baitfish outside of VHS zones, disposing of leftover bait on land (never in the water), and washing boat livewells and equipment.
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Post by Tinman on Dec 20, 2011 18:45:34 GMT -5
Bad news.
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pd
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by pd on Dec 20, 2011 20:15:51 GMT -5
So what will change this upcoming season?
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Post by jeremygreen on Dec 20, 2011 22:39:22 GMT -5
This is Very BAD News.
Dont Be upset about the bait situation, IT really does put a damper on local family owned Bait and tackle shops but this has been a long time coming.
It probably should have been proposed Many years ago, But now it Is a definite because of carelessness of others.
Hopefully this does not effect the Other species of fish that prey upon the effected bait fish.
Please be kind to your fishery and help it in every way you can.
~Jeremy.
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Post by jfyjperk on Dec 20, 2011 23:41:22 GMT -5
Are there going to be contingencies in place for individuals bringing bait fish from other areas. I live in London and the local bait shop here sells shiners and I have in the past brought them on the long trip in an aerator. I do not do this often, but if I call ahead and find out that there is no baitfish to be had in Lefroy I will generally buy from my local tackle shop. I will cease to do this because I love this fishery and drive 3 hrs every Sunday of ice season to set up my portable and fish for a solid 8 hrs as proof of that love. But what about the over 4 million people that live in SW Ontario who have access to 1000's of bait shops. I am aware 4 million people do not fish Simcoe, but if you do the math its stagering to think of the work ahead for the lean MNR workers to handle. So how do we save our fishery from the people who will no doubt bring in their own baitfish?
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Post by jeremygreen on Dec 21, 2011 1:22:35 GMT -5
Are there going to be contingencies in place for individuals bringing bait fish from other areas. I live in London and the local bait shop here sells shiners and I have in the past brought them on the long trip in an aerator. I do not do this often, but if I call ahead and find out that there is no baitfish to be had in Lefroy I will generally buy from my local tackle shop. I will cease to do this because I love this fishery and drive 3 hrs every Sunday of ice season to set up my portable and fish for a solid 8 hrs as proof of that love. But what about the over 4 million people that live in SW Ontario who have access to 1000's of bait shops. I am aware 4 million people do not fish Simcoe, but if you do the math its stagering to think of the work ahead for the lean MNR workers to handle. So how do we save our fishery from the people who will no doubt bring in their own baitfish? THIS IS THE REASON WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUR RIGHT STO BUY BAIT FISH. ONLY BUY BAIT WHERE YOU INTEND TO USE THEM. ~Jeremy |
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Post by luckyluke on Dec 21, 2011 10:29:55 GMT -5
If it's legal, nothing wrong with it...
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jesse
Full Member
Posts: 163
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Post by jesse on Dec 21, 2011 15:44:58 GMT -5
This is more BS in my opinion.Do you think the thousands of migrating waterfowl are not going to carry this disease around.This is unstoppable.
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Post by dorsal on Dec 21, 2011 17:58:59 GMT -5
Terrible news  . Any fish disease is bad, have to see how things play out over the next few years. Ministry should have had some plan of attack, seeing the problem develop in the great lakes, years ago. Seems like they find more pressing issues to deal with rather than the future of our fisheries for other generations. Peter has mentioned over the years problems with bait, and ways to prevent the spread of diseases. Some people dont realize how easy it is to spread by bringing in bait and water from infected regions. In the lake many fish species densely school and spread the disease. |
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Post by lazzlo on Dec 21, 2011 22:10:27 GMT -5
That sux but has to be done.
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Post by endoguy on Dec 21, 2011 23:10:18 GMT -5
It's my understanding that there had been measures in place to restrict bait movement in the Province the past few yrs. Bait harvested from the Great Lakes could not be sold north of Newmarket (or so) as a means of preventing VHS from getting to northern lakes. That's why outfitters and bait shops in North Bay etc could still buy minnows that were from Simcoe (previously VHS free) to sell up north. It appears people have been taking bait that was meant to be sold for use ONLY in the great lakes up to Simcoe to use.  The MNR seems to have dropped the ball in failing to make the public aware of the risks of importing bait from different zones. There was a moratorium on moving bait by Harvesters and Dealers but not for the general public. I learned about the situation last year when I was speaking to the guy at the HWY 400 bait and tackle shop and asked him where his minnows come from. I now realize the importance of asking your local bait dealer where he gets his bait. Or better yet stick to artificial. |
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Post by peter on Dec 22, 2011 4:47:39 GMT -5
Well guys I have an extensive understanding of VHS , I was at the meeting were thy were trying to ban live holding cribs , that’s until I had to educate them on how environmentally keeping minnows in a crib in local waters is the best form of holding device there is.
I in fact did that for a number of years with the blessing of the mnr , that is until It got to good .
Any of you remember the bait conservation program we had going? It was so emotionally pleasing to see you guys being part of it , I remember all the questions you guys were asking on what to do with left over bait, and how we all set up a program were you guys brought your unused minnows back and we’d dump water and all back into the crib, even gave you guys a buck off the next time you came up just for caring about our fisheries . Sadly that’s all gone now .
Now when your finished fishing you have to dump your remaining bait and water on shore , the reason for that is the water in your bait bucket could contain traces of vhs as its transmitted thou minnows urine .
Ask yourself what’s the first thing you do after launching your boat ? You change the water your minnows are in as its been a long drive and everyone likes fresh water for there bait, natural thing to do but the rules say you cant do that .
Careful when you bring bait to lake simcoe if its kept on shore in a holding device because as is my understanding , on shore holding devices are the worst form of holding devices there are as they contribute the most in terms of stress on a minnow .
There’s five contributing factors , water quality , over crowding , lack of food , mating , oxygen levels , if not controlled could stress out the minnows and release the vhs into the water that you’ll be bringing here , the water the mrn wants you to dump on shore.
Now if you keep that same minnow in a crib in local water summer and winter , dispense them from an approved inspected minnow despising station I guess we can call them, strategically placed around Ontario .
Now when your done fishing you toss your bait and water over board as there local to the waters you got them from, so is the water. Everyone’s happy , remaining minnows can survive anther day…
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Post by iced t on Dec 22, 2011 7:23:30 GMT -5
so peter what is the bottom line???? minnows or no minnows?
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Post by jfyjperk on Dec 22, 2011 10:32:07 GMT -5
so peter what is the bottom line???? minnows or no minnows? I'm wondering the same thing. Minnows or NO Minnows? And when does thousands of people using artificial baits become an issue. Has anyone seen the reports in OOD of fish being affected by plastics. And what effect could pheremones have from baits like trigger x. If we are supposed to be a voice then why not try and re-hatch the minnow holding nets like Peter was mentioning. |
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Post by jfyjperk on Dec 22, 2011 10:35:14 GMT -5
Are there going to be contingencies in place for individuals bringing bait fish from other areas. I live in London and the local bait shop here sells shiners and I have in the past brought them on the long trip in an aerator. I do not do this often, but if I call ahead and find out that there is no baitfish to be had in Lefroy I will generally buy from my local tackle shop. I will cease to do this because I love this fishery and drive 3 hrs every Sunday of ice season to set up my portable and fish for a solid 8 hrs as proof of that love. But what about the over 4 million people that live in SW Ontario who have access to 1000's of bait shops. I am aware 4 million people do not fish Simcoe, but if you do the math its stagering to think of the work ahead for the lean MNR workers to handle. So how do we save our fishery from the people who will no doubt bring in their own baitfish? THIS IS THE REASON WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUR RIGHT STO BUY BAIT FISH. ONLY BUY BAIT WHERE YOU INTEND TO USE THEM. ~Jeremy I appreciate what you are saying but its one thing to say and another to enforce. I'm on here reading and understanding, I am also on OOD's forum, I read MNR reports, but there are literally thousands who do not participate and will likely do all the wrong things. Where is the enforcement is my question. |
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Post by mac on Dec 22, 2011 11:25:16 GMT -5
You won't stop it!
We have been dealing with this down here in the States for a few years now.
They instituted bans all over the place down here in NY.
Didn't do squat!
Except made it impossible for bait dealers to get emerald shiners.
And when they could get them (certified bait) the cost was stuuuupid!!
End result, they couldn’t stop the VHS.
And now they have seen signs of the resident fish populations showing that they have developed resistance to VHS. Mother Nature doing her thing.
The MNR will probably use the new laws/rules to generate revenue in the form of tickets/citations and fines levied from the issuance of them. That’s what happened down here. Again, stuuuupid! Another GD tax!
Anyway, the NY DEC has relaxed laws from bait dealer and sportsmen pressure. We now have corridors where they can be taken and transported.
So get crackin guys – start writing those letters and get to attending the meeting like Peter does. Or you will only end up with PITA fines and high priced bait for a while.
Good luck!
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Post by usedbrain on Dec 23, 2011 9:11:44 GMT -5
@ peter - its my experience that when government decisions lack logic it's because the "decision" is based on someone's "politics" and the so-called "solution" is never intended to so solve anything. Your superior logic is an insult to "Their" self serving politics. I'm sorry to be so cynical.
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