The bass population is declining rapidly and the President of Big Rideau Lake Association and the Rideau Lakes Environmental Foundation Hansen Downer wants to see a resurgence for everybody’s benefit.
They’re working with the Fisheries Conservation Foundation to lobby the province for a program that has seen success before.
The province has previously implemented bass protection laws, but conservation officers have a hard time enforcing penalties for those bass fishing during the preseason.
Downer says often the case when confronted, the individual claims they’re not fishing for bass but for another species, and without proof of the contrary there’s nothing that can be done.
Downer, a hobby fisherman himself, has received support from local anglers after a key point was cleared up. They are working with tournament organizers to obtain their buy in.
Downer said even the catch-and-release fishing method is harmful, because even those few minutes a bass is out of the water causes catastrophic results.
The association has received a letter of support from Rideau Lakes council, and are hoping their call to the province to implement three sanctuaries on Big, Upper, and Lower Rideau Lakes is answered.
You can learn more about the work they’re doing on their website, as well as listen to myFM’s full interview with Downer below.
Story by Grant Deme