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All Ice Fishers - from the MNR


Lunker Larry

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Does the “fish” you just caught have legs?If so, it may be a mudpuppy - Ontario’s largest salamander.
We want your Mudpuppy sightings! Mudpuppies look like big salamanders with gills that we often catch this time of year.

Report your sightings to the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas by taking a photo and sending it to [email protected].
Even better, download the atlas app at http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/species/app.php to quickly and easily report all your species sightings.

 

Edited by Lunker Larry
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Another one I've been told to report is if you ever get an american Eel, both pretty cool species in my opinion.

The American eel is an important part of the diversity of life in ourwaterways and a valuable indicator of the health
of aquatic ecosystems. Some scientists say the American eel has the broadest diversity of habitats of any fish
species in the world.
• American eels begin their lives as eggs in the North Atlantic’s Sargasso Sea between the West Indies and the Azores
• Eels live out their lives (40 years or so) in fresh water rivers and streams from Brazil to Greenland, before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn
• Eels can absorb oxygen through their skin which allows them to travel over wet rocks and land to get around barriers in streams
• In the Ottawa river, a large part of the diet of eels consists of crayfi sh and insect larvae.
The American eel is a Species At Risk protected under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. Do not fish for eel. If you catch one, it must be released unharmed.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Arnprior & District Fish & Game Club are working together to assess American eels and their
habitat in the Ottawa River and its tributaries.
You Can Help
If you catch an American eel please record:
LENGTH WEIGHT GIRTH BAIT USED LOCATION
APPROX. WATER DEPTH APPROX. DISTANCE FROM SHORE
AND CONTACT:
Ministry of Natural Resources
Ph: 613-732-5565
Arnprior & District Fish & Game Club
Ph: 613-623-5450
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There are lots around in the streams in the GTA from what I've heard, its more that they are the only completely aquatic salamander in Canada as well as the largest. We just don't know a whole ton about them from what I understand. Also salamanders and other amphibians like frogs are the first to show problems within an ecosystem so it is important that we understand these guys and their habitats before we do some more irreversible damage

Edited by c10
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I have always been annoyed with people that just throw theses fish / salamanders on the ice to die. The way I have understood it was that it was illegal, due to the fact that the ministry uses these fish as a gauging tool to study the local ecosystem.

 

Anyone have any information on this??

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C10:

 

Do you have any pics or more specific reports of them in GTA streams? I know a bunch of people in the local Conservation Authorities and MNRF office would be interested.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jon

 

I have no pictures. I have only ever seen others catch them - from complete strangers to my friends and dad one time (a long time ago though) lol... Not sure what they have against me :dunno: I suppose it saves them the pain though. They sure are cool looking I think. I could send in what I have seen, do you have a specific person(s) in mind that I should contact? Feel free to PM me Jon!

As well - Sorry if I mislead you eh, I seem to be doing that on here far too often recently through poorly worded sentences, sorry all!

 

Reelinrolly - It is certainly wrong to just kill something without the intent to use it for food morally in my opinion, but i am not sure if it is illegal to kill these guys (for food or if you could be charged for killing one - I wouldn't eat one though lol)? I know they are not considered "at risk" under the federal species at risk act from 2007 nor by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. I think they are only looking for more information on populations health etc. of the species

 

And you are right Woodsman, I think they are doing an independent study, but that is only speculation. Though I would be surprised if the MNR didn't want information on Mud Puppies, I know they want information on American Eels however, that add is in the regulations book.

Edited by c10
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The title is somewhat misleading as the request is not coming from the MNR but from Ontario Nature which is not a government agency.

Formerly known as Federation of Ontario Naturalists.

 

The title is somewhat misleading as the request is not coming from the MNR but from Ontario Nature which is not a government agency.

Formerly known as Federation of Ontario Naturalists.

MNRF--appreciate the clarity here Woodsman--assume you did a stint as a Conservation Officer ?

 

Enjoy the Winter

 

Paul

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The American eel is an important part of the diversity of life in ourwaterways and a valuable indicator of the health
of aquatic ecosystems. Some scientists say the American eel has the broadest diversity of habitats of any fish
species in the world.
• American eels begin their lives as eggs in the North Atlantic’s Sargasso Sea between the West Indies and the Azores
• Eels live out their lives (40 years or so) in fresh water rivers and streams from Brazil to Greenland, before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn
• Eels can absorb oxygen through their skin which allows them to travel over wet rocks and land to get around barriers in streams
• In the Ottawa river, a large part of the diet of eels consists of crayfi sh and insect larvae.
The American eel is a Species At Risk protected under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. Do not fish for eel. If you catch one, it must be released unharmed.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Arnprior & District Fish & Game Club are working together to assess American eels and their
habitat in the Ottawa River and its tributaries.
You Can Help
If you catch an American eel please record:
LENGTH WEIGHT GIRTH BAIT USED LOCATION
APPROX. WATER DEPTH APPROX. DISTANCE FROM SHORE
AND CONTACT:
Ministry of Natural Resources
Ph: 613-732-5565
Arnprior & District Fish & Game Club
Ph: 613-623-5450

 

 

 

I wish someone told me about this before, otherwise i would have taken measurements before letting the fish go.

 

I've caught American Eel every year out of the BOQ, a few years ago that's all we could catch some nights while bottom fishing, slimey buggers they were, back in they went !

 

But last year we just got a few not many at all, maybe just a seasonal variance ? or something more sinister ?

 

I'll be shooting off an email to Kirby punt and letting em know where we get into them in numbers.

Edited by Afraz
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Had one today at long point bay. Wouldn't leave the area and began to be an annoyance yanking minnows off my hook. Got some sweet videos that I will post later off him

 

aha yea that would be awesome to see! At least your minnow money went to helping a threatened species though I suppose lol

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