Pond and Small Water Body Conservation

[Giuga10]

You may have seen my previous post of this in the Off Topic Discussion. Well I am redoing it to try to re light the flame and improve on past ideas.

This post is about many of our ponds and small water bodies being fished out by other anglers. I understand it is not illegal to keep these fish but what they are doing is using illegal methods to catch them such as; Using more than one fishing rod at the same time, using more than the maximum amount of hooks on a single line, targeting closed season fish, and snagging. Some even fish without owning fishing licenses. I also dont think that the water quality and quality of the fish would be too safe, considering that Swan Lake has closed fish consumption because the water quality is unhealthy. I'd like to dedicate this thread to working together to preserve these ponds and small water bodies. I have tried speaking to these fisherman but they are usually of a different background and dont speak or understand english. I would like to aim for contacting the MNR and other towns mayors and trying to negotiate ways to better our waters and fishes. I think it would also be cool to form our own group aimed at conservation, something like "OSF Conservation Team" or something along those lines.

We could help by organizing more cleanups for our local ponds (there's always lot's of garbage at these ponds). Promote more catch and release fishing (spread the word to people and get the town or the MNR involved). Inform others about season closures, rules and regulations. And much more....

I have contacted the town of Markham's mayor, Frank Scarpitti regarding this issue and am still waiting for a reply.

There are a few other forums and websites where we can attempt to spread the word and gain an audience because I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Here is a list of some forums and websites we can contact:

http://chineseanglersclub.ca/home/site/
http://www.ontariofishingforums.com/forum/
http://www.ontariofishingcommunity.com/forums/
http://www.ontariosportfishing.com/
http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/cag/

Let me know if there are any other websites or forums I can add to this list.
Any ideas on how to help are always greatly appreciated!

Lets make a change!

Thanks,
Giuga10

[Giuga10]

This is the email I sent to the Town of Markham's Mayor, Frank Scarpitti.

Dear Mr. Scarpitti,

My name is Nicholas Giuga. I am 15 years old and am an avid fisher and, go fishing at my local ponds every day. I always see other fisherman there, but they fish for keeps. I am always a catch and release fisher and when I see the fish being dragged out of the water by those other fishermen it concerns me.
I know it is not a crime that they are committing by keeping these fish, but they are committing other types of crimes such as fishing without licenses, having multiple rods in the water at the same time, using over the limit amount of hooks on the line, and targeting fish with closed seasons and keeping them. I visited Swan Lake recently and have noticed that the no fishing signs have been replaced with no fish consumption signs which is exactly why I am sending you this email. I wish that similar signs be placed in all local ponds. I have noticed a drastic change in the quality of the fishing over the past years as more and more people are fishing there and taking the fish home and I don't think the waters are all that safe to eat from anyway. I have many friends that have noticed the same problems. These fishermen are taking sometimes over 20 fish of any size which leaves no time for the fish to grow and reproduce. I have seen them taking fish smaller than the palm of my hand to eat, and at that rate there will be no fish left in these ponds to reproduce and grow. I used to be able to consistently catch 1 LB Largemouth Bass from one of the ponds I fish and now am lucky to catch a fish, and if I do it is no bigger than 7 inches.
I am asking you if the town would put up those same signs at all Markham ponds and have these signs read in the 3 most common languages in our area. The ponds are a very important part of the community as it can be accessed by children, elders, and the disabled for easy recreational fun, and without the fish it can't happen. I also understand that asking you for such a big task is a lot but it is such a wonderful pastime being taken away and without some drastic measures to conserve our waters we will no longer be able to enjoy this.


Thank you,
Nicholas Giuga

What do you guys think?

Giuga10

[MikeH]

They don't have the resources to police the small ponds so their only option will be to put up no fishing signs. Be careful what you wish for.

[Giuga10]

(11-06-2012 08:28 AM)MikeH Wrote:  They don't have the resources to police the small ponds so their only option will be to put up no fishing signs. Be careful what you wish for.

Well not exactly... If they would have the resources to put up no fishing signs, then they have the resources to put up no fish consumption signs instead. I wasn't asking for policing I was just asking for a sign...

Giuga10

[Jeremy Ray Green]

Catch And Release signs would be easier to understand....


~Jeremy.

[Giuga10]

(11-06-2012 03:55 PM)Jeremy Ray Green Wrote:  Catch And Release signs would be easier to understand....


~Jeremy.

Anything along the lines of "you can't keep the fish" is good. Whether it's "No Fish Consumption" or "Catch and Release" I just want a sign that will let people know they can't keep the fish.

But I agree, Catch and Release would be better.

Giuga10

[Jeremy Ray Green]

ok so this is where it comes back to community involvement,

The Mayor cannot do EVERYTHING for the community.

So now is your chance to create your own community group that supports proper sportsmanship in the areas you are suggesting.

I made a trip to edmonton a few years back.

I was able to visit "MUIR LAKE"

http://www.edmontontrout.ca/?page_id=44

This group of interested anglers created a world class trout fishery in a "POND" called Muir Lake, just to the north west of edmonton.

They have general rules that pertain to catch and release...

and if you so happen to catch a trout over a specified size, i believe its 24 inches.

Then you may choose to bring your trophy catch home to meet the diner plate....


A Proper community group can help some area ponds to be more like that experience, But like was suggested already, Giuga10,

Be Careful what you wish for.


~Jeremy.

[Giuga10]

(11-06-2012 09:23 PM)Jeremy Ray Green Wrote:  ok so this is where it comes back to community involvement,

The Mayor cannot do EVERYTHING for the community.

So now is your chance to create your own community group that supports proper sportsmanship in the areas you are suggesting.

I made a trip to edmonton a few years back.

I was able to visit "MUIR LAKE"

http://www.edmontontrout.ca/?page_id=44

This group of interested anglers created a world class trout fishery in a "POND" called Muir Lake, just to the north west of edmonton.

They have general rules that pertain to catch and release...

and if you so happen to catch a trout over a specified size, i believe its 24 inches.

Then you may choose to bring your trophy catch home to meet the diner plate....


A Proper community group can help some area ponds to be more like that experience, But like was suggested already, Giuga10,

Be Careful what you wish for.


~Jeremy.

Very interesting... That's something I would like to aim for in the future. Take Toogood pond for example; Carp, Catfish, Bass, Panfish, and even native Brown and Rainbow Trout. We have such a wonderful body of water sitting there waiting to be helped out. If we take a closer look you can see all the pollution, and all the "disorder" that occurs there. Some people can't even follow the don't feed the ducks signs. We need to work very hard to achieve these goals.

What you put in, is what you get out. If we work hard to make this and any other pond better, we will be rewarded with the opportunity, to fish such a great place.

Giuga10

[Giuga10]

I finally received an email back from Mr. Soran Sito stating that the town can't deal with stuff like that so I would have to contact the MNR. Here's the email I sent to them. (Similar to the previous but not the same)

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Nicholas Giuga. I am 15 years old and am an avid fisher and, go fishing at my local ponds every day. I always see other fisherman there, but they fish for keeps. I am always a catch and release fisher and when I see the fish being dragged out of the water by those other fishermen it concerns me. I know it is not a crime that they are committing by keeping these fish, but they are committing other types of crimes such as fishing without licenses, having multiple rods in the water at the same time, using over the limit amount of hooks on the line, snagging, littering and targeting fish with closed seasons and keeping them. I have made attempts to inform them about what they are doing, but they don't speak English and just ignore me.

I visited Swan Lake recently and have noticed that the no fishing signs have been replaced with no fish consumption signs which is exactly why I am sending you this email. I wish that similar signs be placed in all or at the most commonly visited Markham ponds. I have noticed a drastic change in the quality of the fishing over the past years as more and more people are fishing there and taking the fish home and I don't think the waters are all that safe to eat from anyway. I have many friends that have noticed the same problems.

These fishermen are taking sometimes over 20 fish of any size which leaves no time for the fish to grow and reproduce. I have seen them taking fish smaller than the palm of my hand to eat, and at that rate there will be no fish left in these ponds to reproduce and grow. I used to be able to consistently catch 1 LB Largemouth Bass from one of the ponds I fish and now am lucky to catch a fish, and if I do it is no bigger than 7 inches.

I am asking you if the MNR would put up those same signs at all or at the most commonly visited Markham ponds and have these signs read "Catch & Release" or "No Fish Consumption" in the 3 most common languages in our area. The ponds are a very important part of the community as it can be accessed by children, elders, and the disabled for easy recreational fun, and without the fish it can't happen. I also understand that asking you for such a big task is a lot but it is such a wonderful pastime being taken away and without some drastic measures to conserve our waters we will no longer be able to enjoy this wonderful activity.


Thank you,
Nicholas Giuga

Hopefully they will consider it.

Giuga10

[Jeremy Ray Green]

MNR will not do anything about it unless there is a study done...

They encourage at almost all time for catch for retain, when possible.

anyway...

Just keep getting out to your local area regularly, if you see someone doing something wrong, dont argue with them...

Take a picture if possible and report it to them MNR tips line...

or crimestoppers tips line..

once the report has been made on the tips line, I can help you to get in contact personally with a CO, if its needed...

There are allot of already started progams out there..

The MNR cannot ask someone to only practise catch and release unless a proper study has been made and they spend allot of money on changing legislation.

The problem with the rouge system is not the amount of fishermen, or what their practises are...
The problem is habitat and water current.

But It would take a advocacy group to create educational signage about how delicate our ecosystem is.

As you are stating youd like to see a change in the education of the public around you...

Just keep what your doing continue to frequent your local areas of concern, watch out for people that might not be doing what is right.
Get your friends out with you...

your on the right step....

~Jeremy.