New perch spots

[Gavin H]

Scattered throughout Southern Ontario are thousands of old pits and quarries, active pits and quarries and numerous small isolated ponds. Under a new initiative, we are going to be doing an inventory of these sites to determine which could be developed into fishing/tourism locations. The species of choice is yellow perch. Following the strategy in Michigan after the collapse of the perch fishery there, we will be developing a strain of local perch that is faster growing and can attain market weight in 1 year for stocking in these ponds.
If you think you might know a spot that is worth investigating, we would love to hear about it. Feel free to contact me for more info. Thanks, Gavin

[zippyFX]

Cool initiative. Looking forward to seeing more reports on this. Welcome aboard.

Have you considered stocking these pits with local native non-sports fish as well to encourage an appreciation of general fish life?

[Gavin H]

This program is linked with two others which will be made public once things are further along. One is an educational program based around natural history and sustainability. Bus loads of kids will participate in tours around a 3 acre natural Brook trout pond and the hatchery. It is all about sustainability and all not-for-profit. Once sites have been assessed and stocked they will be made public and, depending on the site specifics, have improvements made to facilitate safe angling for all. Some will even be made wheelchair accessible with specialized fishing platforms. It's awesome stuff. Spread the word!
And thanks for the reply and questions.
Check out the Southern Ontario Fisheries Enhancement Initiative on Facebook for regular updates or https://www.youcaring.com/Fishingforever
Cheers, Gavin