Public session is now searched for a proposal that will change fishing rules in Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 15.
A 171-page Fisheries Management Plan posted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) on Sept. 29 is open for evaluate and remark till 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 28.
The doc outlines technique, potential administration actions, and proposes rules for chilly, cool, and warmwater fish species within the area, with the give attention to defending the zone’s pure lake and brook trout populations.
Protecting pure brookies
The plan proposes conservation sport fishing rules in waters in FMZ 15 that maintain pure populations of brook trout. The proposed zone-wide adjustments embody:
- Changing the season in these waters to the fourth Saturday in April to September 30, which eliminates winter fishing.
- Daily limits of two with a Sport Fishing Licence and one with a Conservation Fishing Licence.
- A prohibition on the use and possession of reside bait in designated prime brook trout waters.
- A prohibition of using reside fish as bait on high-value and high-risk pure trout waters and waters that stream into Algonquin Park.
“The elimination of winter fishing zone-wide will protect populations at the time that they are most vulnerable to exploitation and the lower catch limit will reduce open water harvest,” the draft states. “The intent is that by maximizing the quality of the open water fishery, it may reduce the risk of intentional introductions of other sport fish species that compete with brook trout.”
Year-round brookies
Year-round brook trout fishing alternatives will nonetheless exist in stocked lakes through exceptions within the rules. These lakes could have day by day limits of 5 with a sport licence and two with a conservation licence and also will be stocked with genetically applicable strains of brook trout to divert stress from lakes the place brook trout reproduce naturally.
Protecting pure lakers
The plan additionally proposes administration adjustments for lake trout, calling it the “keystone species” of FMZ 15 — considered one of three areas within the province with a excessive focus of lakes that help native lake trout populations.
Among the zone-wide proposed adjustments:
Small, pure lake trout lakes beneath 500 hectares will probably be designated as small- or large-bodied lakes, relying on the scale of fish inside them.
- They could have minimal measurement limits of 40 and 50 cm, respectively.
- The new season for both class will probably be from the third Saturday in May to Labour Day, which eliminates winter fishing in these lakes.
- Daily catch limits of two for a sport licence and one for a conservation licence.
Large, pure lake trout lakes over 500 hectares will probably be designated as small- and large-bodied lakes, relying on the scale of fish inside them.
- They could have minimal measurement limits of 40 and 50 cm, respectively.
- Their winter seasons will probably be shortened opening on the Saturday earlier than Family Day to the third Sunday in March and third Saturday in May to Labour Day.
- Only one line could also be used via the ice on these lakes.
Year-round lake trout alternatives
Exceptions within the rules will present stocked lake trout lakes that will probably be open year-round. They could have:
- Daily catch limits of two for a sport licence and one for a conservation licence.
- No minimal measurement restrict.
- Two strains permitted for ice fishing.
Other fish
Proposed adjustments on different species embody:
- Reducing day by day limits for whitefish to 4 with a sport licence and two with a conservation licence.
- Closing the dip-netting seasons for herring and whitefish within the 18 waterbodies within the FMZ the place it exists.
- Bass seasons to start per week earlier within the third Saturday of June and prolong to December 15.
- A walleye harvestable slot measurement of 40-50 cm, with some exceptions.
- In the japanese portion of the WMU, a number of water our bodies will preserve a 50 cm minimal walleye measurement restrict.
- Lake Muskoka could have a 40 to 55 cm harvestable slot measurement restrict.
- Put/develop/take walleye stocking will now not happen in FMZ 15.
- Rainbow trout, brown trout, or splake won’t be stocked into lakes managed as pure lake trout or brook trout populations.
- Splake stocking will probably be thought of on a put, develop, take foundation in particular waterbodies to divert effort from pure brook and lake trout lakes.
The ministry developed the draft plan in session with the FMZ 15 Advisory Council, comprised of First Nation and Métis communities, native anglers, the tourism sector, environmental non-government organizations, native enterprise representatives, cottage associations, and most people.
FMZ 15 stretches from Georgian Bay to the Ottawa River and contains Parry Sound, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Minden, Haliburton, Whitney, Bancroft, Deep River, Petawawa, and Pembroke.