Ban on spring perch fishing proposed

Spiel · April 3, 2009

Ban on spring perch fishing proposed

Closed season would run from April 1 to Victoria Day weekend

April 1, 2009

MANITOULIN-If proposed changes to Manitoulin's perch fishery are approved, this date-April 1-will in subsequent years be the start of a closed season for the species that would last until the long weekend in May.

Two regulatory changes for yellow perch have been recommended by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in order to "reduce the effect of exploitation," according to a notice posted at the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) registry.

These include a closed season from April 1 to the third Saturday in May for all of Manitoulin's inland lakes, including Lake Wolsey, and a reduction of the catch limit to 12 per day for those who possess a conservation licence. The latter stipulation is already in place for Lake Wolsey, which is considered part of a separate management zone.

"The proposed closed season will selectively reduce angler exploitation of larger spawning-size perch, hopefully allowing this component of the fishery to rebuild," states the EBR posting. "April and May fishing pressure accounted for a lot of effort historically when populations were higher. Thousands of large spawning-size fish were taken annually, a contributing factor in the decline of the fishery."

The proposed adjustment to the conservation limit, meanwhile, "will better reflect the intent of the conservation licence and will match Zone 14 (North Channel) limits, thereby reducing complexity."

The changes are part of a broader set of fishing amendments, primarily concerning lake trout, which have been proposed for Zone 10, a sprawling management area that includes Manitoulin.

Lake Manitou, the Island's only inland waterbody to host lake trout, will be spared any significant change to its fishery, however, as the MNR has recognized the unique nature of this resource relative to the rest of the management area.

While other lakes in the zone stand to have shortened seasons and slot-size restrictions put in place for the sport fish, "the specially designated waters of Manitoulin Island will be managed by exception and will retain the current lake trout open season of January 1 to September 30," reads the MNR proposal.

The sole change to affect Manitou would be a reduction in the daily limit of three lake trout, of any size, to two.

Jim Sloss, chair of the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM) and a member of the subcommittee that relays Island concerns to the Zone 10 advisory council, said issues concerning both lake trout and perch were raised at a meeting in March of last year.

"We decided on a policy for two things," he said. "One was that Lake Manitou shouldn't have any changes to its lake trout season. And at the same time, we asked for a period of no angling for perch when they're staging to spawn and during the spawning itself."

Both requests are reflected in the regulatory proposals now put forth by the MNR, and Mr. Sloss will be particularly gratified if the closed season for perch is implemented, as it's something his group has been advocating for some time.

"Perch tend to stage before they spawn, and in April the fish are congregated on the spawning beds," he said. "I don't feel a strong argument can be made for not protecting them at this time, when they are so vulnerable."

Should the spring ban on perch fishing become official, Mr. Sloss said it would represent "a precedent for the province," as there is currently no closed season for the species anywhere in Ontario.

While numbers of perch could once withstand an April/May harvest on Manitoulin, the population is no longer so robust, in large part due to cormorant predation, said the UFGCM chair. "It's hard to justify taking them out now, with such a low population level," he said.

At present, anglers are still permitted to fish for perch at this time of year, as the change in season wouldn't take effect until the spring of 2010, but Mr. Sloss hopes people will still voluntarily hold back from baiting their hooks until the spawning period is complete.

"I don't think there's a defensible argument for harvesting perch when they're procreating and concentrated in schools," he said. "They're in a very defined area and will take a minnow because they're trying to drive prey away and protect the spawning."

As for the proposed reduction in the lake trout limit from three fish per day to two, Mr. Sloss personally welcomes this move. "I think it's a good thing, and most guys on the United Fish and Game Clubs are not unhappy with it either," he said. "We have a lot of pressure on our fisheries, and will have to take some reductions in order to keep these fisheries."

To learn more about the changes proposed for Zone 10, and in particular the specially designated waters of Manitoulin, visit the MNR website at www.mnr.gov.on.ca, or go to the EBR site at www.ebr.gov.on.ca and type registry number 010-6066 in the search field.