chessy

we had a working group that had agreed on implementing certain things this year .group of town folks but the council and the mayor disregarded our implementation and voted unanimously to ask to have it closed this year instead .. the MPP new nothing about our working group .. and there was not consultation about closing it this year at council

it did I said it was horrific in 2023. there is data avalbie where 0 tolerance worked.. then the town let is go for a crap

My name is Jason Whyte, I would like to take this time to introduce myself. I have been an active volunteer at the fishway in Port Hope for over 40 years. I am very proud to have worked alongside some of the best biologists and wildlife specialists. Through this tenue I have been fortunate enough to be able to facilitate many positive relationships within the MNRF, LOMU, local fishing groups, Port Hope council and staff. I currently manage the Ganaraska Fishway Facebook Page which allows me to maintain an open dialog of information with my 4400 followers from the fishing community. Recently the Town of Port Hope Council and Mayor have reached out to a few different organizations to enforce a regulation change and ultimate closure of the lower section of the Ganaraska which left many fishermen angry and looking for an outlet. This is not done at the fault of the local MNRF or LOMU offices and I do not believe it was their decision. I feel this decision was reached through closed door discussion and political agendas of those in power way above the local offices. In 2016 the Por Hope council and Port Hope Police Services worked with the MNRF to increase enforcement along the banks of the Ganaraska during the fall salmon run. Enforcement blitzes were implemented with the understanding that every infraction would result in a ticket (no warnings). There were stories of tickets issued to fishermen who had their licence in tackle boxes 10 feet away and receiving a ticket for not having these licenseson their person as it’s written in the fishing regulations. 2017 showed the successful results of 2016 and Port Hope Police Services and MNFR again blitzing with the addition of some tolerance being increased and several warnings/teachable moments. Again, infractions were abundant. 2018 the infractions had lowered enough it was decided that a 50/50 (tickets and warning) approach would be enough. Things were improving. Fast forward to 2022, a new council elected with their new views and agendas, new staff was hired. Covid had the river access shut down to all. 2023 post covid saw salmon season starting with the most horrific example of poor fishing practices, snagging, garbage and dead fish laying on the riverbank. It was worse than we had experienced prior to 2016. What had Happened? I went on a search for an answer and found that the Port Hope Police Services were short staffed due to sickness and were unable to complete the dedicated patrols. Although the 2023 budget allowed $10 000 for this project. I found that although the Police and MNRF had worked in tandem in the past few years on this project no communications were sent to the MNRF asking for a little extra enforcement this year due to the staffing situation. I spoke with the new head of Port Hope Parks and Recreation department about the amount of garbage, lack of garbage cans, and overall mess in our parks and downtown regions. Many fish carcasses left that clearly showed evidence of eggs being harvested. I heard a similar story here. I was informed Parks Department was short staffed the daily riverside garbage pickup /clean-up we had seen in the previous 6 years under previous management did not happen. Where in the past parks Department employees would walk the river, each morning returning any beached or left behind carcasses back into the water this wasn’t possible in 2023 and the lack of fall rains did not flush the dead fish out into deeper water leading to a rotten mess that the town did not like. Here we are in 2024 and an online petition asking for fishing on the Ganaraska River in the fall be stopped. I was asked to join The Ganaraska Salmon Fishing Working Group. Our agenda was to look at 2023 and the public outcry, try to determine what had happened and why and then take this information and try to come up with a working plan that would satisfy all the stakeholders for 2024 and the future. When I reported my finding from my conversations with Port Hope Police and Parks and Recreation many were taken back. Especially why these staffing issues were not reported prior to the start of salmon season. To this day not one member of council or staff have admitted their mismanagement and ultimate failure to the citizens of Port Hope. Our committee drafted a proposed plan that all the police new officers and old would have updated training in fish related violations and bylaw officers would work weekends enforcing the current bylaws prohibiting leaving garbage and dead fish along the bank of the Ganaraska. A group of port hope volunteers would walk the river and educate fishermen on garbage disposal and proper fishing techniques. We also demanded that there would be 0 tolerance for any fishing violation and bylaws for littering would be strictly enforced. Before we had a chance to submit our plan of action to council for approval the MNRF released a proposed change to fishing regulations for 2025 onward that would see the current fish sanctuary extended south to the viaduct from September 1 -October 14 and would see the river reopening for fall fishing until December 31st. These proposed changes were the result of closed door meetings between with the town, GRCA, OFAH and MNRF circumventing our lower level strategies. This did seem to satisfy the mayor who opened dialogs with the first nations where the Ganaraska along with possibly Rice Lake would be deemed a personhood. What that exactly involves I do not know. But my subsequent research has shown it is not going to be positive for anyone other than first nations. These talks are a complete disregard of the energies, time, funding and resources of our working group members, OFAH, MNRF, and GRCA. And then somehow some way the public consultation regarding the new regulations closed on August 22 and before the data is completely collected and organized an Injunction is signed on August 29th (Friday of a holiday weekend when offices are all closed for communication) by the Minister of Natural Resources. No consideration was given to those fishermen already either with booked accommodations or those with planned trips, no notice was given allowing them to make different plans. No consideration was given to these businesses that had planned for addition staffing and resources to support the expected arrival of 1000’s of people to Port Hope. I and many other people whom I have spoken with this weekend feel this injunction was an unjust example of government not taking any accountability for their actions. Through this process it left me wondering why is the mayor so enthusiastic about this person ship and increased rights to the first nations? Why was it so important that instead of increasing staff members and utilizing budget money for the salmon run as well as making those who failed to perform their duties accountable the mayor instead seeks an emergency injunction?

The mayor of port hope has asked the First Nations to come speak about turning rice lake and the ganaraska into a personhood sept 3 at council https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_personhood#:~:text=Environmental personhood or juridic personhood,liability of a legal personality.

if they don't have the man power to enforce the fishing regulations how can they have the man power to enforce the new sanctuary....... I am all for this but this was a dirty deed done by the town of port hope. they failed at ever turn last year that was set up in 2016 and this new council and new staff dropped the ball and last year made it the worst I ever seen I think they did it on purpose

the mayor got it done and got it closed a year earlier .. like the title says it closes sept 1

low numbers. nope .. 30000 over the dam last year and that's over the dam... not what stayed below

I still have the site on my favorite bar as I used it looking for dealers.. and I went down the list of dealers...

https://www.mercurymarine.com/ca/en/find-a-dealer?q=K0k1r0

https://www.ontario.ca/page/proposed-new-fishing-rules-lower-ganaraska-river?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2giMLVk7u1JXmtW4dbma3DsQl1R06cNdGzTAYXwV88H6AkNXq5juDIC3c_aem_c8mKkK3qOF7OcSYAikScqA

I can only comment on what I was told. by many dealers in my area.. deer haven and bay marine. and 2 on rice lake area.. this was in 2021 I would make sure and call merc directly and get it in writing them them .. tell them your from canada

Yes me to but I called mercury in USA after my carb failed I had bought my boat in Sudbury I live in or near port hope bay marine said no deer haven said if it does not come on the back of one of our prince craft boats we don’t work on it 2 others dealers said maybe we will fix it but you go to back of line and if we work on it and one of ours comes in yours gets put aside your looking at 8 months So I drove to Orangeville to a dealer Up back 12 times to have fixed I had 4 brand new carbarators put on my 9.9 kicker all failed with in 3 days of using pouring tons of gas’s in lake finally they found they had a facing issue with carbs I was in contact with merc and told them if I could cross boarder I would throw the thing through there window ( covid period ) And was told by them lots of time they don’t have to work on motors they don’t sell as warranty work is less then non warranty work and they off set it with price of boat and motor I see what is written Do yourself a favour and call them You will be surprised

I have a 2021 Lund boat and I can assure you that mercury will not force their dealers to authorize fixing any motor they did not sell. as a mater of fact the dealer 5 min from house who does not sell Lund but does mercury laughed at me on the phone ...

just a fyi .. If you buy from a dealer far away .. the dealers locally are not obligated to do warranty work on your engine .. they Will force you back to the dealer you bought it from

I think they could get transporting of a illegal fish .. the boat owner at least..