What do you think...

[TJQ]

I received this today.. I think its worth a discussion here.... what do you think??

 

Since its inception, the Temagami Stewardship Council has participated in the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Invading Species Program. As part of our partnership with OFAH, volunteers spent the afternoon on Thursday, September 13th, floating around on Lake Temagami conducting the invading species testing in designated parts of the lake. The OFAH provides a complete kit of testing materials and assumes all shipping costs. After the water samples are collected, they are sent back to the OFAH lab for analysis. The yearly results are posted on the OFAH website and also on the TSC website at www.temagamistewardship.ca

 

This yearly testing for invading species is a very worthwhile activity but like most studies it does nothing to stop the spread of invading species, it just tells you when the problem has arrived in your lake. In the last few years the spiny water flea and the zebra mussel veligers have been identified as being present in Lake Temagami. These invaders are brought into Temagami on the surface or in bilge water of one or more of the hundreds of boats that were in Lake Huron or Lake Ontario yesterday and are launched in Lake Temagami today.

 

The government of Ontario has depended on educating anglers about the problem of invading species and counting on the conscientiousness of anglers to wash their boats when transporting from the great lakes and prior to launching into a northern lake. Of the 300 to 400 boat trailers parked at the launch point on the access road of Lake Temagami on a long weekend, one wonders how many have been washed…..one perhaps, if any. The fact is that all the testing and all the public education provided to this point in time has not stopped the spread of these invaders from the great lakes into our northern lakes. We must make a serious attempt to do something more constructive and preventative.

 

I don't believe that enforcement is the answer to this problem. In light of the current severe cutbacks to the MNR, the conservation officers don't have gas to put in their trucks to do the job they are already supposed to be doing. Installing inspection stations at each boat launch to the lakes would be extremely cost prohibitive since Lake Temagami, in itself, would need 6 or 7 stations.

 

I believe an viable solution would be the installation of ONE boat inspection station designed much like the present truck inspection stations. The key location for this station would be on Hwy. 11, below North Bay, where every boat being trailered North would be caught for a thorough inspection, washed and disinfected before being launched into any of the northern lakes. This strategy would not only be more cost effective but would stop the spread of invading species before they take a bigger hold in our Northern fresh water lakes.

 

 

Gaye Smith

Chairman Temagami Stewardship Council

705-237-8709

[tonyb]

Makes sense, but completely unrealistic. Imagine the wait times on any given weekend in the summer, the goal is to attract visitors, not deter them.

 

I think disinfection should be handled when exiting the ramps from infected lakes. The Government should be responsible for the costs of these disinfection stations, after all it is their blatant disregard for the health of the Great Lakes watershed that has got us to this point.

 

Gold Bar$ vs. The Whole planet..... (If you've seen 'An Inconvenient Truth' you'll understand what I mean)

 

Tony

[Roy]

Tony is right. Completely unrealistic. We have those wash stations here for a few lakes. Ten bucks for a light rinse in cold water for the hull only. Just brilliant.

[wallyboss]

Roy $10.00 those are the cheap ones. I've read on QP that at some lakes the launch are 40 to 50 and so is the wash so it cost about 100 to be able to put your boat in the water but locals can take there boats out of the lakes go somewhere for the day and then come back and because they are locals they are exempt from this.

Edited September 18, 2007 by wallyboss

[ccmtcanada]

I dont own a boat, but I see one in my future. I'd probably be hesitant to take it up there if I knew I'd have to wait to have it inspected. I have enough lines I have to get in living in the GTA....that's another one I dont need...especially since it takes me 4 hours just get that far north.

[graftongal]

One inspection station is going to solve the invasive species problems in the north? Brilliant.

 

The letter first states how the Ministry doesn't have enough money to put gas in C/O's trucks, but they want to spend more money to create and man an inspection station. I wish them luck with that.

[TennesseeGuy]

At this rate you'll soon be requiring fishermen from Alabama and Tennessee to take a bath before entering Ontario.

[douG]

Not such a bad idea, really, when you think about it for a minute.

[Roy]

No Connie. Just the Alabananians

[Guest mistyriver1]

They better make sure they use....

 

[Greencoachdog]

No Connie. Just the Alabananians

 

 

May the nocturnal discharge of a million Fire Ants fester upon your bed pillow for a fortnight.

[Tacklebuster]

Totally unrealistic. If business operators that rely on tourism are crying the blues now, I can't imagine what they will be saying if something like this gets implemented. After driving 4 hours hauling my boat, the last thing I want to do is stand in line for another hour to get my boat inspected. With the vast number of places to go fishing, I am sure people will avoid going to places where they will have to pull off the highway to get their boat inspected, I know I would. In the end, its only going to prolong the inevitable spread of some of these invasive species. The spread of some of these species don't even rely on human movement, they can easily be spread by birds. I don't have a better idea, but I sure don't think that one will work.

[vance]

Even if the wash station was implemented and most LAW ABIDING boaters used it there would still be the 10-20% that would use the back roads to go around it to save themselves from having to get it done thus negating any benefit .I travel to the Pickeral river many times thru the year and I have yet to find anywhere something that will kill all the things that I could be bringing with me. If I am using my boat down south all the drains and intakes are plugged when in the water and I NEVER take it out the week before I head north.I don't see how you can completely wash your boat when it's on the trailer even though I try.

 

 

vance

[LeXXington]

Never going to happen, This would also incure, other types of transport not just fishing boats, kayaks, jet skies, speed boats etc.

 

Now lakes with no public access.. I can see some ramp fee's going up with the idea of saving the water

 

Do this and the northern communities will lose more business. I would just stick too the great lakes or waterways already with Gobies ets..

[John]

Seems to me that the spirit may be sound but the execution impractical.

 

What about water ski's, tubes, boat anchors, trolling motors, footwear, drift socks, down riggers, planer boards, fishing line (particularly braid), bilges, water still in outboard cooling systems, landing nets...............and on, and on....

 

Wouldn't most of the above stand a pretty good chance of being contaminated, even more so than the hull of a boat?

[bbog]

The OFAH does some great work but this idea is ludicrous! Are we to believe a) the only lakes worth saving is N of North Bay and b ) all the problems originate in lakes S of North Bay? The answer to both these questions is OF COURSE NOT.

 

Not exactly a fully baked solution to a very comprehensive issue.

Edited September 18, 2007 by Barnie's Band of Gold

[misfish]

Seems to me that the spirit may be sound but the execution impractical.

 

What about water ski's, tubes, boat anchors, trolling motors, footwear, drift socks, down riggers, planer boards, fishing line (particularly braid), bilges, water still in outboard cooling systems, landing nets...............and on, and on....

 

Wouldn't most of the above stand a pretty good chance of being contaminated, even more so than the hull of a boat?

 

What he said.

[Mike the Pike]

Tony is right. Completely unrealistic. We have those wash stations here for a few lakes. Ten bucks for a light rinse in cold water for the hull only. Just brilliant.

 

Roy I know of the Lakes here in Quebec that do so.The price is $20 ,10 for the wash and 10 for parking.After 40 to 50 dollars in gas towing the boat some 300kms there and back $15 for boat fuel for the day the 20 dollars is a rip off yes they use soap but the water is cold .Oh and yes the line ups are a pain in the a s s .Not to mention they open at 6am only.I have waited as long as 45 minutes.why not leave the equipment on shore and just let us fisherman wash the boat.Cash grab if you ask me.

 

MTP

Edited September 18, 2007 by Mike the Pike

[John Bacon]

Not such a bad idea, really, when you think about it for a minute.

 

Making people from southern Ontario wash their boats; or making people from Alabama and Tennessee take a bath?

[HTHM]

I would say that this issue is the same as animal husbandry, chicken farmers do not allow you into their barn if you have been in another chicken barn that day. As well, when I was working in horticulture, any diseased samples were brought into the nursery sealed in plastic bags, to PREVENT the spread of disease. Should we not execute the same husbandry with this resourse?

Just my two cents

[Roy]

Yes.

 

It is worth the cost to ensure our resource remains uncontaminated.

 

Washing our boats would ENSURE that our resource remains uncontaminated?

[Whopper]

Washing our boats would ENSURE that our resource remains uncontaminated?

 

I concur Roy, what's next washing the birds too!

[Marc Thorpe]

May the nocturnal discharge of a million Fire Ants fester upon your bed pillow for a fortnight.

 

 

woooooooooooooooooooooo

Now thast nasty

[Greencoachdog]

I believe it should be the fishermans moral responsibility to wash all of his own equipment after fishing contaminated waters if he is going to fish an uncontaminated water.

 

Get a big sponge and a bucket of soapy water ya lazy S.O.B!

[carll2]

Roy I know of the Lakes here in Quebec that do so.The price is $20 ,10 for the wash and 10 for parking.After 40 to 50 dollars in gas towing the boat some 300kms there and back $15 for boat fuel for the day the 20 dollars is a rip off yes they use soap but the water is cold .Oh and yes the line ups are a pain in the a s s .Not to mention they open at 6am only.I have waited as long as 45 minutes.why not leave the equipment on shore and just let us fisherman wash the boat.Cash grab if you ask me.

 

MTP

 

my fishing partner has seen 35 bucks in the mont tremblant region, its rediculous its all ready enough.. permits,, lures,gas,insurance practically cost an arm and leg