Lake Ontario anglers welcome coho back

[Spiel]

Lake Ontario anglers welcome coho back

O.F.A.H. and partners work to net anglers more options

 

 

October 29, 2008

 

 

 

Thanks to the efforts of Ontario's largest conservation organization, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), the Metro East Anglers (M.E.A.), and others, Lake Ontario recreational anglers are enjoying the comeback of the coho salmon.

 

This fall, coho salmon will once again be stocked into Lake Ontario through the O.F.A.H./Toronto Sportsmen's Show Ringwood Fish Culture Station, and work on next year's coho salmon cohort will also get underway.

 

As a result of budget cutbacks, the Ministry of Natural Resources was forced to abandon their Lake Ontario coho stocking program after the 2005 stocking. Coho are a popular game fish targeted by boat and stream anglers, who would have lost this great recreational opportunity, had it not been for the efforts of the O.F.A.H., M.E.A. and Ministry of Natural Resources staff.

 

"We are pleased to be able to revive the coho stocking program through our involvement with Ringwood," said Mike Reader, O.F.A.H. Executive Director. "The partnership has been so successful that it has allowed us to over deliver on the expectations set out for us when we took on the hatchery."

 

M.E.A. President Glenn Anderson is enthusiastic about the renewed coho program in Lake Ontario. "Overall, Coho are great salmon for the pier and stream fisherman. They stay silver and active much longer in the stream than Chinooks, and they are more eager to take baits while in the river."

 

The entire provincial quota of Lake Ontario Coho and Chinook salmon are raised at the O.F.A.H./Toronto Sportsmen's Show Ringwood Fish Culture Station in Stouffville. Rainbow and brown trout, as well as Atlantic salmon, are also produced at the hatchery.

 

Fast Facts:

 

- Ringwood Host club, the Metro East Anglers and other O.F.A.H. member clubs deliver thousands of volunteer hours annually

 

- Ringwood is funded through industry support and O.F.A.H. fundraising - no membership dollars are used

 

- Coho salmon fall yearlings are stocked into the Credit River in October, where they over-winter before migrating to the lake

 

- New hatchery volunteers are always welcome - contact Ringwood at 905-640-6204

 

 

With 83,000 members and 655 member clubs, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the leading fishing, hunting and conservation organization in Ontario. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.