Pickerel stocking on Nipissing axed

[woodenboater]

Was up around Sundridge today and grabbed a copy of the Almaguin News and saw this story on Nipissing pickerel. Unfortunate decision...

 

http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/news/article/1598418--pickerel-stocking-plans-in-nipissing-dashed

[Fisherman]

Why should our dollars increase stocking when most of it will end up in nets anyway.

[Nipfisher]

Why should our dollars increase stocking when most of it will end up in nets anyway.

 

I wish you would read the article before making uneducated comments like this. The stocking program proposed is privately funded. The MNR is saying no to something that will not cost them anything. There is no harm to be done by the stocking and more fish in the lake is good for anglers and netters.

[moxie]

 

Why should our dollars increase stocking when most of it will end up in nets anyway.

Sounds about right. No matter what the article says there will eventually be cost associations lest anyone believe only in the story the ink tells. Shell games are just that.

Edited March 31, 2013 by moxie

[moxie]

Gotta love the double post.

Edited March 31, 2013 by moxie

[Sharkbait22]

There is no harm to be done by the stocking .

There is potentially is a lot of harm that can be done. Too long of a story for here. I would also question how raising fish in a hatchery will even come close to what is possible from natural reproduction in terms of numbers and quality of fish.

[glen]

The problem with natural reproduction is the spawning sites have been ruined by people.

Most of the quality fishing is from stocking. Stocking works very well and we need more.

 

 

In the wild, out of the million eggs, you might have 1,200 fall fingerlings survive, he said. If we take 100,000 eggs and are able to raise 5,000 of them to fall fingerlings."

The Ministry again turned down their proposal citing that the risk was too high, although Nelson questions how that could be when the report states zero pollution.

Edited March 31, 2013 by glen

[dhickey]

Any one watching 5th estate???

Salmon stocking and the effects of trying to lure them in.

 

Sometimes its best to leave Mother Nature to her own meens???

 

"its not about greed"

 

Personaly I think that Nippising is far to exploited and its about time to let it bounce back.

The MNR has made public all studies.

 

Personaly I believe in the cycle system that pretty much all lakes go through it then becomes the responsability of anglers to do the right thing no matter how much it hurts.

Weather it be Nippising or any ather lake big or small...

 

It may be time for those that make their living off the fishery of Nippising to adjust in order to protect a natural resource..

 

My piont is that if im only alowd to keep a fish no bigger than a perch on Simcoe then why spend the monney to make the trip?????

 

As for the MNR we can all find fault.

But if they didnt exist nor would the fishery we call OURS!!!

 

Its time to work together Anglers/Aborigonals/Pollititions/Scientist and Entreprenures science holds the ansure.

 

My 2 cencts.

Don.

Edited April 1, 2013 by saltydawg

[glen]

"Sometimes its best to leave Mother Nature to her own meens???"

 

That would be perfect except people have distroyed nature. Now people have to help fix it.

When the shore is all docks and breakwall there is nowhere for the fish to spawn.

[mcdougy]

I can not understand how some anglers find private stocking programs such a waste of time and money.

Is declining populations in certain fisheries not a problem? Is improving any fishery a waste of effort? Are these people holding out on the golden "answer" and just want to tell everyone what a waste of time and effort they are partaking in, all while they know exactly what should be done? please tell, to avoid the shell game.

 

If people choose to raise money and donate time in the effort of an improvement of a fishery, what is the problem people have with that? Is there many people that they know of that are pocketing money from these programs, becoming rich from these situations or something i am unaware of ?

I don't know of any of these hatcherys that are claiming to be the all out answer, and if you don't help or support, your a bad person. Its simply concerned and interested people trying to help or improve.

What is the problem with that? Please tell. Then tell what should be going on instead. Im thinking these same people must have to think that any experimental procedure is out right foolish?

Why is putting native fish back into their native enviroment such a no-no? There has to be an ultimate answer in their minds. PLEASE TELL!!

[timmeh]

Problem is that no matter where the funding comes from stocking is not a cure for declining fisheries. It's a bandaid that attempts to cover up the symptons but does nothing to address the underlying cause.

 

And that cause is plain and simple overharvest. Anglers, as a group, have an absolutely terrible history with responsible management of our resources. It's a take your limit cause I can attitude and then complain when the fishery isn't what it was or could be. And then "fix" it by stocking more fish so we don't have to change our attitude.

[dhickey]

All to often they are not native fry.

That brings on a whole new sort of circumstances into the mix and blows hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of resurch out the window.

Intoduce a different genetic pool is a last resort.

Bottle neckiking is prety much a foregone conclusion.

Protecting the native stock is the key.

 

IMO

Increasing the slot size will probably be the next step??

Reserch backs it up..

[Old Ironmaker]

One of the most successful stocking programs for Walleye is in the state of Minnesota according to the article below. Over 3 million dollars annually is earmarked for the program by the state.

 

Follow this link for what one would consider a successful program. They stock hundreds of lakes that won't support natural reproduction solely for the purpose of sport fishing.

 

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/mayjun11/walleye.html

 

If we are going to have a debate lets do it with some facts not rhetoric. Now I'll look for a site that says walleye stocking doesn't work.

 

Within 15 minutes I came across this article from Michigan. A good simple read as well clearly explaining why they have suspended stocking efforts for walleye in neighboring Michigan. The introduction of VHS from lab invitro fertilization. The 2013 Ontario Fishing Regs talk a out VHS diseased fish, basically the fish bleeds to death internally. I'm sure the MNR faces the same risks associated with disease introduction into the wild. I don't want them stocking walleye either if it can effect an entire species of fish across the province. Thank you to Michigan for being cautious as we share large aquatic borders that fish cross with regularity.

 

 

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_46403_63473-234576--,00.html

 

The Nipissing article states, quote

 

Their proposal to the MNR was to harvest 200 million eggs. Nelson says they were told it was too large a take in the event of a catastrophic failure that could have a negative impact on the natural spawn.

 

Catastrophic failure is not defined, I'm sure that definition from the ministry would explain much as to why not, and I'm sure it was described in detail to the proposed stocking group that wasn't passed on to the reporter.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Old Ironmaker

[woodenboater]

My take is that while everyone pretty well has a handle on why a fishery may be in decline, trying to come up with solutions while doing nothing in the meantime, is check mate. While people are discussing, certain fish stocks are declining and we need to do something to staunch that until all parties can come up with a workable answer that makes everyone happy (or relatively at least).

 

I may be wrong but I thought roe were taken from Nipissing stock in this case ?

[dhickey]

Manitoulin.

Was my take on it.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

natural genetics is always key. stocking is a bandaid solution IMO whereby the problem is in overfishing/habitat destruction. if you don't address the problems then the fishery is doomed in the long run. nipissing isn't so far gone that a natural population can't be maintained. what needs to be addressed is the loss of habitat, overfishing (commercial AND recreational), invasive species, and the funding that goes to agencies tasked to protect the resource.

[glen]

Stocking will give me fish to catch. I like stocking.

[Nipfisher]

Great discussion guys.

[Old Ironmaker]

I have to add, it is best to leave the science to the scientists and the fishing to the fisherman.

 

Notwithstanding however much needed input from us is most important, look at the success seen over the years with salmon and trout programs that only became successful after guys like Daryl Chronzie,(sic) and others became involved. But after reading further about the importance of laboratory conditions I don't believe a few well intentioned individuals should be doing any lab work, without at least under the MNR's stringent supervision.

[mcdougy]

All hatcheries are under MNR supervision. You can not just start doing this stuff for the fun of it.

[Pickeral eater]

Now I'm aware that many people depend on nip for their living and many if us enjoy it for recreation. What about a ban on Pickerel altogether? Catch and release for a determined amount of time. I'm not too sure how long it takes for a species to regenerate but after spending a good amount of time on simcoe this winter it sure seems to have worked for the Cisco. It will be a bitter pill to swallow for many of us but it allows a natural strain to regenerate and helps the fishery survive for many years to come. I believe it took almost a decade for Cisco numbers to return. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Bill

[Fisherman]

Now I'm aware that many people depend on nip for their living and many if us enjoy it for recreation. What about a ban on Pickerel altogether? Catch and release for a determined amount of time. I'm not too sure how long it takes for a species to regenerate but after spending a good amount of time on simcoe this winter it sure seems to have worked for the Cisco. It will be a bitter pill to swallow for many of us but it allows a natural strain to regenerate and helps the fishery survive for many years to come. I believe it took almost a decade for Cisco numbers to return. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Bill

[Nipfisher]

Now I'm aware that many people depend on nip for their living and many if us enjoy it for recreation. What about a ban on Pickerel altogether? Catch and release for a determined amount of time. I'm not too sure how long it takes for a species to regenerate but after spending a good amount of time on simcoe this winter it sure seems to have worked for the Cisco. It will be a bitter pill to swallow for many of us but it allows a natural strain to regenerate and helps the fishery survive for many years to come. I believe it took almost a decade for Cisco numbers to return. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Bill

 

I would be fine with them banning cisco on Nipissing. It is a nuisance (garbage) fish for most ice anglers on Nipissing. Walleye is the the "bread and buttter" species for almost ALL anglers on Nip. I never objected to the 2 fish reduction on the walleye limit and it was my best ice season in a couple years.

[ecmilley]

what genetic strain needs protecting? walleye is not natural to nip and is a stock fish to begin with stock away I say, rehabilite some stocking grounds to get natural recruitment numbers up, responsible harvest ,actual enforcment and polluting laws will all help bring nip back to it's former glory

[jedimaster]

Ther eis no one thing that will regenerate a lake. To think its this or that or this is just silly.

Its purely mathematics. You take out more fish than what are reproduced and the levels will go down.

The questions are.

How many fish are born and survive each year.

How many fish are being taken out by recreational anglers.

How many fish are being taken out by aboriginals.

How many are taken out by commercial fishing.

How many are taken out by poachers.

 

Trying to just add osme fish without knowing or having a good idea of the rest of the numbers is just a stopgap that in the end could actually do more harm than good as it could lead to covering up the real problems.