LNSA_ Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 The LNSA needs your help. We are petitioning the Ontario government to allow more walleye restocking on Lake Nipissing. Please show your support by signing our petition! Links to the online petition can be found on the LNSA Website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 What is the maximum amount we can stock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 What is the maximum amount we can stock? Why is there a limit? I thought thier numbers were way down, thus the means of keeping limits/ slot size. I say stock as many as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 As many as possible. What a place to fish that would be. Ok I'm in get stocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanky80 Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Signed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Cant/wont stock scugog but stock nip hmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Until the issues which are the root cause of the decline in the fishery are eliminated. It makes no sense to stock the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Stock scugog too. Where is the petition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindevil Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 It will only mean more nets will be on the lake and like the above post says until the issues are fixed it's just a day late & a dollar short !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted May 30, 2015 Report Share Posted May 30, 2015 Until the issues which are the root cause of the decline in the fishery are eliminated. It makes no sense to stock the lake. ^ This! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Until the issues which are the root cause of the decline in the fishery are eliminated. It makes no sense to stock the lake.inue to net makes no sense to stock nip either, why so natives can continue to net, and lodge operators can generate revenue off my tax dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I suppose it's easy to make the comment from where you sit that your tax dollars are being eaten and that netting is pointless for the reasons you've stated. Keep in mind that I pay the same tax dollars as you but my answer will be quite different. Please consider that a large number of us are lodge owners, guides, local anglers, and affiliated retailers who depend on Nipissing's walleye fishery for more than just a nice weekend out on the water. Simply letting the lake die is an option that won't go down without a fight. Believe me when I say we've thought a whole lot about this subject! What would YOU do if you lived here and were one of those stakeholders I listed? Here's what I did...I joined the LNSA and volunteered many hours...for a start. We, the LNSA (Lake Nipissing Stakeholders Association) have been stocking a minimum allowed 2 million fry into Nipissing every spring for decades, trying to increase that number to 20 million by applying each year to the MNR to allow us to set up more hatcheries around the lake. Sure, the netting will continue. Sure we'll still have to pay for useless fishing licenses whose revenue gives us absolutely nothing in return. I like to think that the 2 million fry we successfully put into the lake each year have maybe kept our fishery alive even a little bit while we continue to tirelessly lobby the Ontario Government, the MNR, the NFN, and anyone else who needs to step up and help. The MNR gives us absolutely no credit for our efforts. I write articles in our local paper encouraging people to photograph ghost nets and fish dumps, and any other evidence of resource misuse. And by the way, these atrocities don't just belong to Native and Metis groups either. We all have blood on our hands! Exposing these occurrences WORKS! So who is the LNSA? We are Nipissing's hard working lodge owners, guides, local anglers, families who have lived on the lake for generations, visiting anglers from all over Canada and the U.S. We've even had letters from past perennial guests from Ohio and Pennsylvania, writing letters to our North Bay Mayor and elected MP, asking for clarity as to why Nipissing has been allowed to reach such a sorry state and to please do something. Some people actually give a damn. Each year a group of us volunteers come together to rear our allotted number of walleye eggs that we trap at Wasi Falls in Callander Bay, Nobody gets paid and all monies donated to the LNSA go to the supplies we need to carry out our chosen duties or to buying air time or ad space to spread the word. The core of our group attend stocking seminars by other organizations who have successfully carried out large walleye restocking initiatives themselves. We do our homework. We research, we lobby, we care! If the answer you just gave previously is the best you can do for a once world class lake like Nipissing, and if that answer is truly reflective of our collective attitude toward the fishery resources that we enjoy in this province, not just on Nipissing, then we all deserve what we're currently getting. But all one has to do is simply sign the petition and that small action, if nothing else, shows the Provincial Government that you do still care, even if you don't have the ultimate answer to the problem, and that you demand change and fair treatment in this matter. We are telling the Ontario Government that their little MNR office in North Bay is NOT doing THEIR home work and research in the matter. We're asking for a fair trial on the topic of restocking, not to be shut out and diminished as simply some 'self interest group' to be swatted away like a mosquito. We've actually made a difference and we're now starting to be heard.....but we need your help! Our local MP is on our side. All the govt. wants to see at this time...is if everyone, anyone, actually gives a crap, because.... ...if we don't, why should they? Danny Colomby/LNSA member/ musky guide on Nipissing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanky80 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Well said LNSA. While I can certainly understand (and agree with) the points made above questioning stocking Nipissing to benefit the continued raping of the resource by so-called "natives", if it were my home waters I wouldn't give in without a fight, if I am going down I'm going down swinging. The only way this will ever change is if we don't allow it. Never ever allow the "native" mess to become acceptable, NEVER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 BTW, I thought I should add my hopes for the efforts we put forth: 1) I'm hoping that the Provincial Govt. will be made aware of the gross mismanagement of Lake Nipissing's fishery over the past few decades and will at least come to the table through open moderated dialogue to talk about the impact to our community. 2) I'm hoping to show our angling community at large that we've put our best foot forward and have actually attempted to do something to save our fishery and in doing so, would demonstrate to everyone that something CAN be done, even if it's not the ultimate solution. The fish we restock are not just for the interests of us lodge owners either. You are welcome to trailer your boat up for a day and take walleye for yourself without supporting the local economy. Consider it a gift from our Nipissing community...to you. 3) I'm sincerely hoping that some day we can all share the lake and all contribute equally to restoring and replenishing her stocks for ALL to enjoy. There are good GOOD people in the native communities who DON'T deserve the flack they're getting on these sites! They are the ones quietly lobbying within their own communities to have the gill netting regulated if not banned altogether. Did you know that? Please hear this! Please don't keep bashing the natives as a group! I believe one day we will all get together on this situation and help each other to get what each of us needs and we'll do it cooperatively, I know it!! The unregulated gill netting and poaching problem belongs largely to an isolated group of stalwarts acting unilaterally, with only themselves in consideration. Chief Marianna Couchie not only continued her netting ban during the spawn but also banned spearing this spring also, in an attempt to help the situation. It's as start. It shows intention. Unfortunately, neither the MNR or the NFN have the means to police these bans. We can thank our Provincial Govt. for pulling funds and creating policies that fostered this sad situation. Please DO NOT let inflammatory remarks from native blog responses set you off! These responses are only coming from a small group of racist individuals that are so deeply mired in their hate that they can't see the forest for the trees. You'll never win an argument with one of them so don't even waste your time. Instead, let's acknowledge those 'native' and Metis individuals who do want to provide for their families in generations to come and who want to take the same road as we are to reach that point. Also know that there is much turmoil within these communities where some are actually afraid for their lives to say how they really feel! Did you know that? Life ain't so simple as one would think. I applaud those particular native bloggers for their courage! Like us, they're trying to actually make a difference and my heart goes out to you! The answer in any case is for someone to take the first step and do the right thing! The netters can HAVE the fish that we restock....with my blessings! Remember, I'm one of the volunteers who is putting in my hours to restock those fish, and I'm saying, (not you sitting on your couch).....I'M saying to them that they can HAVE the fish! There'll be fish for us too and I'm not worried. I hope that in taking this stance that they might come to know in time that we put those fish there...for EVERYONE....and that eventually they might see that we are not so bad and maybe they might soften THEIR stance and actually join the effort themselves some day. We've offered to help the NFN set up their own hatchery but unfortunately the 'native/non-native' divide is still apparently too wide at this point in history for them to even consider a joint venture. They've suffered much in the past at the hands of our government (which is not US....but they don't acknowledge that yet). IF you are one of the non-native faction who finds yourself holding a hate grudge against natives, I urge you to read a bit of history about their treatment.....and weep! And in NO WAY am I using this argument to excuse the ghost nets and the fish dumps. Pointing a finger is NOT the answer, no matter how justified we feel. Trust me on this.It's complicated. Once again...it IS the government we are lobbying here. The government has become something il-representative of our voice and our needs. THAT'S THE PROBLEM! The 'us and them' is really the govt vs. us, NOT the natives vs. us. The GOVERNMENT made the bad policies that led to all this @#$p, not us. I never agreed to it. You never agreed to it. I didn't specifically vote for it. The government policies ARE the problem. When we get THAT straightened out, the rest will fall into line real quickly. Please sign the petition! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Look, Natives only want one thing.... Money...and the easier they can get it, the happier they are. Just look at the Haldimand Samsung Solar project...they were against it until they got their 10%, then they magically were all for it. RAISE MONEY TO BUY OUT THE NETS. That'll be your only solution. Get a number from them. The cost to buy out their nets. Than raise every freaking dollar of it...and buy them out. Once that is done, start rebuilding the lake. Until that can be done, you're patching a sinking titanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 You're doing it again. Do NOT lump all natives into one group! If you truly care about this topic,then please read my last response again carefully and with an open mind. I live here and I have my thumb on the pulse of what's going on. There's no Samsung Solar project here ...it's all about fishing rights for a select group WITHIN the NFN. I understand where you're coming from but we have to resist the urge to make sweeping statements about all natives or we'll NEVER solve this thing. It's NOT about money with the Nipissing gill netters! We've spoken with them. I know some of them personally. They've been offered and they refused defiantly. They've been offered more equitable solutions but have refused because fishing is their way of life and they have treaty rights to do so. And it's not that entire community either...it's a stubborn smaller group WITHIN the community. It's quick responses like yours that will KEEP those native communities digging in their heels. Don't you get what we're trying to do here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanky80 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) You're doing it again. Do NOT lump all natives into one group! If you truly care about this topic,then please read my last response again carefully and with an open mind. I live here and I have my thumb on the pulse of what's going on. There's no Samsung Solar project here ...it's all about fishing rights for a select group WITHIN the NFN. I understand where you're coming from but we have to resist the urge to make sweeping statements about all natives or we'll NEVER solve this thing. It's NOT about money with the Nipissing gill netters! We've spoken with them. I know some of them personally. They've been offered and they refused defiantly. They've been offered more equitable solutions but have refused because fishing is their way of life and they have treaty rights to do so. And it's not that entire community either...it's a stubborn smaller group WITHIN the community. It's quick responses like yours that will KEEP those native communities digging in their heels. Don't you get what we're trying to do here? I think Steve gets it, and is entitled to his opinion, even if its not politically correct. As with any special-interest group, if you follow the money you'll find the cause. Edited May 31, 2015 by Spanky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I do get what you are trying to do. I do. But you are asking for more tax dollars to increase stocking, while very legitimate, knowing the stocked fish are just going to be netted and sold (which you admit your ok with - also fine). Commercial nets have been purchased out in many locations throughout North America. There are cases where this involved natives. It can be done. Once the nets are removed, then you can go back to square one. Improve spawning habitat and stock / rebuild native fish populations. I'll donate the first $100 if this could be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyp Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Following this topic. Good on you LSNA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Hi Steve.. Nobody's asking for tax dollars. We are the LNSA...a group of volunteers, made up of you and I, who have raised more money than we are allowed to spend because the MNR won't allow it! We started this blog to rally people to sign a petition that will be sent to the Ontario Government asking them to essentially call off their guard dogs at the MNR and let us do our job. We don't need their money nor their labor force. We simply need their signature on a license that would allow us to not only resume the restocking we've been doing for many years, but also to up the number of eggs we'd be allowed to harvest and propagate. We have the knowledge and the means to open 10 hatcheries around the lake and manage them all successfully on our own (without the MNR). Nipissing was built on restocking back in the 1920s when both commercial and sport fishing decimated the blue walleye population. The Port Carling yellow walleye strain was brought in and aggressively stocked which resulted in one of the best walleye fisheries in the province by the 1980s. The real battle is with the North Bay MNR office who has driven away their best biologists, gutted their Conservation Office to a skeleton crew, removed Nipissing's fishery assessment sector, and bullied us into having to forfeit restocking this year through false allegations of over harvesting more than our 2 million allowed quota of eggs. The Minister himself Bill Mauro publicly announced this without investigating where the info was coming from and whether or not it was actually true. The truth is we harvested just over 1.8 million last year and it might have been more had it not been for some nightly spearing of our site by out of town metis and native groups who were caught, fined, and had their spears and 70 fish confiscated. A few 'local' natives had invited their out of town guests and those individuals were not charged under treaty rights. Chief Couchie attempted to resolve that sort of issue this spring by banning spearing. Too little too late though as the MNR basically shut us down for reasons we're still trying to figure out...hence the petition. The root of all these problems has stemmed from the Provincial Government's pulling of funds to the North bay MNR, leaving that office with few resources to do their job. Why? Because nobody is speaking up and saying...Hey! We live here! What are you doing?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Oh and one last thing...... Believe it or not, commercial fishing and sportfishing could successfully exist on Nipissing....IF the commercial netting was properly regulated just like the sport fishery is regulated (over regulated in my opinion but that's just the MNR exercising the only authority they have.) We need one regulatory body, not two. I think the MNR is trying to jockey itself into position to be that one authority but in doing so they are making an absolute mess of the political landscape while seemingly doing nothing for the ecosystem. The LNSA was formed by a small group of frustrated stakeholders who stepped up to 'get it done' while the govt. sectors battled out their problems in the back ground. Something had to be done and we did it...and we're still doing it....and it HAS made a difference. Callander Bay always has walleye and thankfully no netting is going on there. Nipissing is a potential walleye factory! It's all about management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 gross mismanagement of Lake Nipissing's fishery over the past few decades. bullied us into having to forfeit restocking this year through false allegations of over harvesting more than our 2 million allowed quota of eggs. The Minister himself Bill Mauro publicly announced this without investigating where the info was coming from and whether or not it was actually true. The truth is we harvested just over 1.8 million last year. So did they put a number on how many eggs they thought were collected? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I sympathise and understand your intent and support it in a happy polyanna world where democracy actually works and is representative of the people wishes. But in reality I live here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 The LNSA is not asking to stock fish into Nipissing they are asking to stock more fish. To say don't stock the lake because the First Nations fishermen will only get to take more fish is absolutely childish. Like the kid who takes his ball home so no one gets to play, he doesn't get to play either. A prime example of cut your nose to spite your face. It isn't going to cost you a penny. If they are asking for your money through donation or increasing tax dollars then I might see a reason to resist but I don't see any reason not to join there cause here. More fish in the future is more fish for everyone. I'm signing. Why shouldn't I, or you. Johnny D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNSA_ Posted May 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 I'm sad to hear you've given up the fight Musky or Specks and to a certain degree I can't blame you. That used to be my M.O. too... until I realized that all it did was give me gas and float a perpetual black cloud over my head all day. It was then that I had an epiphany and chose to make my own change instead of waiting for the rest of the world to go first. And ya know what? It's working! But don't take my word for it. Wait a few years and maybe you'll read about it in a history book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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