I agree with tightline that locking this thread would be a shame.
This is not only an interesting and relevant topic, but a very important issue for many people. IMO, you shouldn't shut down a conversation like this. There are ways to moderate a discussion without shutting it down, as seems to always be the case here. No disrespect intended, just an observation.
I mean, Rick pointed out that this is the biggest fishing site in Canada, where over 35,000 people come every day to talk about fishing in Ontario! I think it's great that an unfolding story of local (and ultimately province-wide) public interest is getting this kind of exposure from both sides.
Why bury it?
We're seeing the politics at work that control our fishing resource. And we get to participate because of this forum. A+ for OFC!