Live bait regs might be changing

[AprilSC]

The MNRF is reviewing live bait use across the province. This story has all the details. Commenting on the EBR is open until Dec.19 for those who are interested.

http://www.oodmag.com/news/regulatio...-may-changing/

[terrym]

Let me put some popcorn on, this should get interesting.........

[Gilroy]

The MNRF is reviewing live bait use across the province. This story has all the details. Commenting on the EBR is open until Dec.19 for those who are interested.

http://www.oodmag.com/news/regulatio...-may-changing/

Another crazy idea that might cause more problems than it solves.I catch live bait a mile downstream of the Lake I fish on in a outlet from the same Lake.Why would I be causing any problems.

I bet you most of the MNR people right now cannot identify the 150 or so individual bait fish found in the Province.

[Garfisher]

It's the people that take baitfish from their local waters/bait shops and dump them elsewhere that cause problems. For instance there's spotfin shiners in Georgian Bay but they were never originally found in Georgian Bay. Smelt are another great example of an introduction to other waterbodies from their home range. And I'd be willing to bet at least 90% of anglers can't ID all 150 or so species of fish found in Ontario. I'm not even too confident I can ID most of the fish species and I feel I'm fairly good at ID'ing over half of them

[sawbill]

If you ask most of the guys around here what bait they've got in their bucket they'd say mudminnows.
A quick check and there'd not be one of these.

[Tactical870]

Regardless of changes, I will not stop fishing with live bait as I always have. I've been beyond diligent in doing my part to prevent invasive species, and refuse to be treated like a child....

[fisherboy]

I can tell you with confidence that there are few people in the province that can identify all species of baitfish in the province. MNRF staff do a decent job on there local species but many species require the use of an identification key to sort out. Species like round nose and tube nose gobbies have not been included in provincial keys in the past so would be miss identified. Typically identification keys include native species and confirmed exotic species if they are up to date, but the use of keys requires some experience/training. Back in the 90"s the then OMNR sent collections of baitfish to Mr Erling Holm assistant currator at the ROM for identification/verification and he spent a great deal of time on a biopsy microscope carrying out these id"s as many require optical aids to look at features such as lateral line scale counts.

I would not expect the average fisherman to be able to identify all baitfish but they could catch bait in the water body they are fishing or buy from a local dealer who can confirm by way of their supplier the species. Reality is we don't all know all of the working parts in our cars but we are still able to be licensed and drive, so with a few provisions under the regulations we should be able have the choice to use live bait or not.

I think people that want to ban the use of live bait as a means of stopping the spread of invasive species need to realize that a great deal of our water ways are connected (trent-severn, great lakes) and it is a sad truth that it may only a be matter of time for some species to reach uninfected waters. There may be many as of yet unidentified watersheds that have invasive species, only time and positive id will confirm this.

Please do not confuse my position as one of not caring, or that certain things are inevitable, I just think that some common sense practices can still see the wise use of live bait continue and the sport and industry still benefit.

Just my two cents...FB