The Stories that Matter and the Fuel to your Bar Banter – Canadian Hunting and Fishing News from the Week of October 29th, 2021
Although news has never been so abundant, finding relevant and reliable stories has never been more difficult. Thankfully, Fish’n Canada has you covered. From senko sales to wolf cull controversy, here is everything you missed this week in the world of Canadian hunting and fishing!
1- Thousands of Brown Trout die after watermain breaks in Kincardine hatchery
Starting in Ontario, last week got off to a rough start when a construction accident near a Kincardine hatchery led to the loss of over 10,000 Brown Trout.
According to Owen Sound’s Sun Times, the incident occurred on the morning of October 15th when a construction crew working along the nearby Huron Terrace struck an unmarked watermain. In the time it took to repair the damage, the water supply was cut to the neighbouring hatchery at the Lake Huron Fishing Club and 10,000 Brown Trout fry were lost.
Fortunately, this accident seemed to come in one of the best places possible as the Brown Trout fishery in this area is thriving due to an extensive stocking program. Though the loss of 10,000 fish will surely be felt this spring, 20,000 fish are still expected to be stocked and this incident is only expected to be a “hiccup” in the club’s efforts.
2 – Senko specialists Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits sold to GSM Outdoors
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits may not be a Canadian company, but these baits have had as much impact on the Canadian fishing scene as they have anywhere else in the world.
The company made headlines this week as they officially announced they had been acquired by the hunting and shooting giant GSM Outdoors. This places the innovative fishing company under the same banner as brands like Avian Decoys, Flextone Game Calls, and Big Game Tree Stands.
So what does this mean for anglers?
Probably not a whole lot. But anglers can now be sure that one of the most popular soft-plastic companies has significant financial backing and the sky is the limit for what we could see from them in the near future.
3 – BC’s wolf cull methods called into question by animal rights activists
Few things draw more controversy than killing wolves, but the province of BC will now be forced to face the criticism in the Supreme Court.
According to the Vancouver Sun, the BC environmental group, Pacific Wild, made their case to the Supreme Court this Wednesday, arguing that the method used to kill wolves violates provincial and federal laws. The method they are referring to in this case is the use of helicopters, a program that has killed over 1,400 wolves since 2015. The group will be arguing that the use of firearms aboard these aircraft is forbidden under aviation laws and that the BC government should stop the use of this culling method immediately.
Though it may sound like something out of an action movie, culling animals from helicopters is not new and is often deemed essential in the mountainous environments that these wolves are now occupying. In an effort to save the rapidly depleting Woodland Caribou herds, the BC government currently uses helicopters to access these areas and pick off wolves as they make their way towards the Caribou’s alpine winter ranges. This method of culling has proved remarkably successful, with the 13 remaining Woodland Caribou herds increasing their numbers by upwards of 81% since the program’s inception.
Despite the success of the program, the BC government will be forced to defend their methods, once again, as they seek a five-year extension of the program in the face of significant public backlash. Public opinions are currently being taken over at the Ministry of Forests’ website and will be open until November 15th.
4 – Tensions escalate in French and British fishing dispute
Most people reading this article have likely had disputes over fishing spots, but a situation in the UK is now reaching extreme levels.
The conflict has largely stemmed from Britains leaving of the EU (Brexit) which has caused significant tensions between France and England who stare at each other from across the English Channel. Lately, the main point of contention has surrounded a large island in the channel known as the Channel Island of Jersey – a place geographically closer to France but governed independently by the United Kingdom.
Last month, this island began refusing dozens of French fishing boats licenses, effectively blocking the French from fishing in their own waters.
Tensions continued to build this week when, according to CTV News, the French have begun detaining and fining British fishing boats as the two sides fight over licenses in the previously shared area.
Although the conflict continues to remain political, international fishing conflicts in the past have escalated to near dangerous levels – including here in Canada when we almost went to war with Spain in the 1990s in what is now called the Turbot War.
5 – Bull Moose casually crashes a house party in Northern Ontario
Ending the week back in Canada, a get-together in Northern Ontario welcomed an uninvited guest when a bull Moose casually strolled into their shed.
As seen in the video above, the moose was a calm and welcomed visitor, responding to greetings of “Hey Bud” and allowing the host, Jacob Rintala, to pet him on the nose.
While this incident may have led to one of the most Canadian house parties in history, the cause of the moose’s strangely calm behaviour is slightly darker. According to the MNRF via Global News, the moose displayed all the signs of being infected with a brain worm caused by eating slugs and snails. Similar to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Deer, this parasite causes the animals to lose their fear of humans, lose weight, and, eventually, lose the ability to stand.
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