Under business arising, councillors here officially endorsed a resolution it hopes will put a snag into local bait fishing operations.
Mayor George Bridge read out the resolution regarding “ongoing trespass complaints by our residents and the continued disrespect by the bait-fish harvesters within the town of Minto.”
The resolution noted the difficulty to enforce a bylaw to prohibit commercial bait fishing within the Town of Minto and other municipalities within Ontario.
But it also notes commercial bait-fishers are licensed through the Ministry of Natural Resources and are regulated, inspected and audited by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Because of the “negative impact on the eco-system and sport fishing in our municipality and other areas in Ontario,” Minto is asking that the Ministry of Natural Resources:
– only issue harvest licenses for aqua-farming;
– stop harvests in VHS zones;
– require written authorization from landowners under the current regulations; or
– stop the program entirely as in other provinces of Canada.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) is a deadly fish virus and an invasive species that is threatening Wisconsin’s fish. VHS was diagnosed for the first time ever in the Great Lakes as the cause of large fish kills in lakes Huron, St. Clair and Erie in Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River in 2005 and 2006. Thousands of muskies, walleye, lake whitefish, freshwater drum, yellow perch, gizzard shad, redhorse and round gobies died. Many Chinook salmon, white bass, emerald shiners, small mouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, burbot and northern pike were diseased but did not die in large numbers.
It’s not a threat to people who handle infected fish or want to eat their catch, but it is threat to the more than 25 fish species it can kill. This is the first time a virus has affected so many different fish species from so many fish families in the Great Lakes.
VHS virus is considered an invasive species (not native to the Great Lakes), but scientists are not sure how the virus arrived. It may have come in with migrating fish from the Atlantic coast, or may have hitch-hiked in ballast water from ships.
Bridge stated that the resolution would be forwarded to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Conservation Authorities, local MPPs, MPs, all municipalities and any other individual or association as deemed appropriate for their support.
County councillor Mark MacKenzie spoke to council in January on the matter, and was once again at council in February.
MacKenzie said VHS is a disease that minnows get. Minnows with the disease from Lake Huron have reached this far upstream and is killing off fish here.
He said baitfishing operations are not supposed to take fished from the infected regions and take them to other areas.
He said Minto is designated as a VHS zone from Teviotdale to Tobermory.
Councillor Ron Elliott asked what happens if there is no teeth to the enforcement.
MacKenzie said fine have been issued, but only in the range of a few hundred dollars.
Councillor endorsed the resolution.
MacKenzie thanked council for its foresight in its supposed.
“At least we’re on record now for future generations to know we tried to do something to save the eco-system.
Bridge agreed that this was the reason for council’s support.
“Hopefully it will have some effect.”
Councillor Rick Hembly agreed that MacKenzie had put a lot of hard work into this issue over the years.
MacKenzie considered counicil’s move “a big step.”
SVCA Budget endorsed
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Mark MacKenzie, Board member also outlined the draft 2011 budget and to answer any questions of council.
MacKenzie noted the original budget started off at a 17% increase which was lowered down to 5%.
He said 3.3% of that is due to the new SVCA administration building in Formosa – a one-time expense.
Other than that, the overall increase is just over 2% “which is traditional in most budgets,” MacKenzie said.
Councillors later approved the proposed SVCA levy of $36,630.
MacKenzie noted the increase to the Minto’s levy this year was roughly $1,400.
He added that 36% of Minto lies within the SVCA watershed.
