Georgian Bay watershed still troubled

[Spiel]

Georgian Bay watershed still troubled

'Valuable resource' needs to be protected, conference-goers told

 

 

November 21, 2008

SHAWN GIILCK / ENTERPRISE-BULLETIN

 

 

A recent two-day conference on the Lake Huron - Georgian Bay watershed showed local waters are still troubled.

 

According to Georgian Baykeeper Mary Muter, "a wide range of stakeholders met at Blue Mountain to discuss action needed to protect the valuable resources" of the lakes in an invitation-only meeting held at Blue Mountain Resort.

 

The meeting was not publicized, she added, "because the government agencies don't want to be quoted," particularly on subjects such as ballast water management.

 

Muter said the participants included Mayor Ellen Anderson of the Town of Blue Mountain; Mayor Deb Shewfelt of Goderich; Saugeen First Nation representatives; staff from Environment Canada, Parks Canada, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs; and a number of Conservation Agencies, and staff and volunteers from environmental non-government organizations such as the GBA Foundation; Lake Huron Coastal Centre; Georgian Bay Land Trust, and Rebecca Pollock, Greg Mason and Glenda Clayton of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve and Eric McIntyre of the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council.

 

Among the recommendations coming our of the conference was that mandatory ballast water treatment regulations are urgently needed, Muter said, to combat new influxes of invasive species such as zebra mussels, quagga mussels, round gobi and the VHS virus.

 

The latest threat is a "tiny shrimp that will wipe out native species and has recently been found in harbours on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay," Muter said.

 

"It appears we are on the verge of almost total collapse of the deep water fishery. How bad does it have to get?" he asked.

 

"Everyone present at these meetings and at umpteen similar meetings agrees that action is needed now - not another day should go by. Our federal government needs to announce immediately that they will impose ballast water treatment regulations effective January 2010 so shipping companies can begin now to get the available technology installed."

 

Participants at the conference also heard that McMaster University wetlands biologists have begun to assess the wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay, which is a first.

 

"The final part will be to get the wetland assessments into local municipal planning documents for protection,"Muter said.

 

"Participants at these meetings discussed the need to be able to attach economic value to wetlands, beaches, and fish habitat so that funding for prevention of degradation can be put in place rather than the much larger funding needed for restoration. There seemed to be lots of energy for prevention, but funding was seen as the biggest barrier," he said.

 

Roy Schatz from the GBA Foundation commended the "excellent work of so many different organizations and volunteers" while noting that "we can only hope for vernment support to fund this important work."