No Winter Fishing/500 Sunfish Limit on Rice Lake

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Long-term viability and sustainability of the fishery on Rice Lake is what matters to me. Two recent changes to the fishing regulations in our zone by the MNR are harmful and detrimental to the lake, and are in complete contradiction of each other and the numerous studies done by the MNR at taxpayers expense. I am extremely concerned about the fishery and want nothing more than to protect the fish and the Lake itself. Fishing our
lake is a privilege that should not be abused. Our resource should not be subjected to the pressures of a 12 month fishery and with it the opportunity of poaching, particularly while fish are at the most crucial and vulnerable point in their lives, preparing for and concentrating all efforts and energy towards reproduction. While in their state of energy conservation the females are developing eggs, while the males are storing up much needed energy for the spawning procedure. Any trauma or disruption in this process will have far reaching negative ramifications for future perpetuation of the species. Incidental catches and or poaching could have a catastrophic impact. The Ministry's own documentation points out that there is no problem with the sunfish population in Rice Lake and voted for a limit of 500. By removing a sunfish, perch or crappie during the pre-spawn or spawn period you are potentially affecting not just that fish but possibly thousands if not millions; a single female can carry over 50,000 eggs.



I strongly and urgently implore the Ministry of Natural Resources to designate Rice Lake as a Specially Designated Waterway, whereby it would have it's own unique regulations within the Fishing Management Zone 17, and; to increase the sunfish catch and possession limit to 500, which MNR staff, OFAH, biologists, tournament anglers and stakeholders voted upon, and; to remove the first ever all year fishery on Rice Lake (for panfish) and keep Rice Lake closed to all winter fishing, as it has been for decades, from November 15 April 30 annually.



360 Signatures

  • Andrew King
  • Diane Fraleigh
  • Jamie Irving
  • Geoff Bergsma
  • max denman Diane denman
  • tom carpenter
  • Janet Holter
  • Vince Cutruzzola
  • Kent Grose
  • Randy Cogar
  • Rick Moore
  • Nancy Bruch
  • Daniel A Conger
  • dave dearing
  • Dave Deters
  • Jerry Greiner
  • Tammy McQuoid
  • Aline Lisabeth
  • Jodi DeJong
  • Andrea Vince
  • Cortney DeWalt
  • ed shalda
  • MARY C. REICHARD
  • Kent L. Conant
  • Jocelyn Roy
  • Norman Dykstra
  • Stan Hilinski
  • William J Vesterfelt
    • Comments
    • Loved coming to Rice Lake under old rules!!
  • Linda A Vesterfelt
    • Comments
    • Very Concerned American Citizan
  • Robert Rozicki
  • Sean H Mccabe
    • Comments
    • As a US citizen I think you have a wonderful fishery that should not be ruined.
  • Earl Pennington
    • Comments
    • I am opposed to the winter fishing. I believe a smaller posession limie of 100 sunfish is more realistic.
  • Albert Botha
  • Carey Campbell
  • Vito tolone
  • 1.2 million anglers
    • Comments
    • Never give in to small interest groups looking to increase their greed by raping the resources.
  • Kaitlin Hilinski
  • Katie Snoek
  • kaye toombs
  • Chad Rufenacht
  • Annette Snoek
  • Paul Carteaux
    • Comments
    • Fishing on Rice Lake and the great people of Alpine Resort keep us coming back. We understand the recent changes to limits for panfish but opening a year round season seems contradictory to the new regulations. Please consider returning the closed season as previosuly enacted.
  • onalee daboll
  • Debbi Rutherford
  • David Keiser
  • Delcey Dayman
  • Garret Dayman
  • Erin Dayman
  • dave rahrig
  • John M Pawlik