article about Nipissing walleye

[crosshairs]

It's always good to see the moratorium is on when the ice is melting.

It makes it difficult or improbable they net at that time anyway.

But it's good PR in the newspaper.

 

Last year the NFN patrols were out in their boat by april 9th, and alot of the smaller tributaries, hay narrows etc are open water and have spawning walleye. That why the date was extend from april 10th back to april 1st, and when may 10th comes around there is very little activity on the spawning beds, the usual couple males waiting for a stragler. As for the ice, nets are still set under the ice and along spawning shoals. PR is not what they want, if thats all they wanted they would do a hatchery.

[Headhunter]

Nets under the ice near spawning shoals is really gonna help a lot, isn't it?

HH

[crosshairs]

I don't want to point fingers but just give a little information.

 

NFN places regulations on their members. Create an assessment team, develope an enforcement unit, drops quota 2 years in row, now community would like to see spearing addressed, as well as more enforcement. Daily catch forms collected, monitored and audited for the approx 15 commercial fishing boats. All done VOLUNTARILY. The first nation doesn't have to regulate it's members.

 

OMNR puts in place slot size, extend fishing further into march, cancel winter creel, have a budget 1/3 the size of the first nations for lake nipissing, and when asked to help during moratorium no where to be seen, minimal assessment work.(not their fault, not given the proper resources to properly manage the lake).

 

The picture doesn't look to good. The First Nation looks like it's the one with the properly regulated and use actual numbers, enforced fishery while the "regulated fishery" cancels the creel where they get their estimates and have a budget a third the size of this little first nation with a total population of 2000 and only 1000 live on reserve. I think this First Nation has played their cards right and put themselves in a very good position for some serious negotiations with the "regulated fishery".

 

From what I understand Nipissing First Nation is also doing great work with other First Nations here and in other provinces.

 

Netting of Nipissing has been occuring for centuries, as well as angling. More recently there are actually less people netting and they are restricted so why now all of sudden the decline? Not sure but my personal feelings are something is happening in the lake bigger than the netting and angling, so all sides need to look at this togther and come up with some solutions and creative ideas. And we all know the commercial netting will stop when all commercialization on the lake stops. So lets get creative and work together. Thank you all for your time.

[crosshairs]

Nets under the ice near spawning shoals is really gonna help a lot, isn't it?

HH

I was commenting on Bernie's comments, thats the reason the dates are also when the ice is still on to stop that from occuring???? It does help, because the majority of the time the west end and north shore near the reserve the walleye actual begin spawning under the ice, if nets are there they won't see the shoals.