Port Hope’s Ganaraska River may be one of the most famed salmon fisheries east of the Rockies, but, thanks to a near-viral online petition, the future of the river’s fishing season could be coming into question.

As many locals and visitors have long known, the attitude toward fall salmon fishing in Port Hope has been a bit soured over the past years, primarily due to increased reports of littering and unlawful fishing practices.

Cleaning crews have been quoted as calling the area a “slaughterhouse” and even the mayor, Olena Hankivsky, has stated recently that the river is a “terrible mess” and that “the status quo is not going to be tenable for the future.”

The changing of this status quo is being headed by Port Hope resident Sean Carthew, whose online petition to shut down salmon fishing between the Corbett’s Dam and the CN bridge amassed a staggering 10,000 signatures, including many anglers.

“The amount of fish being taken or discarded for roe has turned into nothing short of a tragedy.” Carthew told Kawartha Now, “We cannot let this continue.”

According to Carthew, the catalyst came just after the October 1st community river clean-up that has now been running for over a decade. This year, around 70 people attended, the most in the gathering’s history.

“I was flabbergasted at the amount of garbage,” said Carthew. According to Kawartha Now, Carthew and his girlfriend alone “picked up upwards of 40 to 50 fishing hooks and collected two bags full of fishing lot.”

“Times that by the 70 people out there and we’re looking at 2,500 to 3,000 hooks in a little area,” said Carthew. “It’s not safe. It’s disgusting.”

To read more on the petition, check out the full story from Kawartha Now

To hear Ang and Pete’s take on the issue, check out the latest episode of Outdoor Journal Radio!