Here is an update on getting a larger, new Bass Spawning Sanctuary Study up and running in the expanded group of bass lakes that make up our Coalition for Innovative Fisheries Conservation (CIFC).
- We have delivered presentations at most/all of the various lake associations associated with the proposed set of additional study lakes – all were very supportive.
- We have had a meeting with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Head Office personnel, and they were quite positive too, although they really wanted to hear what the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) thought before jumping in fully.
- We have had several meetings with the OMNR, including just this past Friday, making a detailed presentation (>1.5 hrs) at the Fisheries-wide annual data meeting with biologists from across the Province…and they were interested in what OFAH thought. Importantly, we had a great open discussion that quelled virtually all of their concerns, with a number of the attending biologists expressing a real desire to become involved with the project, which is great!!! They were even open to discussing potential changes in the opening day schedules and ways to make tournaments better for the angler, the fish, and the cottagers. I feel that having the OMNR biologists fully on board and excited about the project is a fabulous step forward.
That all said, it became very clear that the study as we envision it, cannot get started until spring of 2027. Even if we could have had the public consultations completed, is too late to get the regulations changed: the 2026 version has already gone to the printers. We realize that many of you may be frustrated by that apparent delay, but let me assure you that this delay will result in a better overall study.
- It will give us more time to hone in on the most biologically advantageous sites for Bass Spawning Sanctuaries and to vet them across the lake communities.
- It will also give us two years of Pre-implementation data collection instead of one, which is a much better standard for using a BACI design to assess the impact of the BaSSs through time – and that is a good thing.
So, what are the next steps:
- We will continue to work with the various lake teams to select the best set of proposed sites for the BaSSs in each of the now 18 lake/lakes groups (plus another four lakes that will serve as controls without any BaSSs) – and determine how much of each lake’s shorelines (10-20%) will be protected. That will serve as the basis for the overall proposal to be summitted to the OMNR by late winter that will drive the public comment/consultation processes to be conducted next spring – in time to have changes made in plenty of time to be included in the 2027 regulations.
- We will work up and summarize the baseline data collected in 2025 for each lake, which will let us focus on where we need to bolster data to collect in 2026.
- We will work with the lake teams to collect 2026 baseline data (aggression, growth rates, age at maturation and recruitment success.
- We will produce a bunch of outreach materials to explain the needs for and goals of the project for extensive distribution to the angling and cottager communities in these lakes to help with acceptance and compliance…and that may lead to some in person Q&A sessions.
In preparation for the BaSS implementation (in 2027), we can put up signs in 2026 (would especially be good in areas that will become BaSSs in 2027 and common access points like boat ramps, marinas, locks, etc.) that explain the season as it stands now and how bad it is to catch and release nesting bass.
Our bottom line: We are VERY positive about how things are shaping up, and to be honest, starting a well-organized study in 2027 rather than a rushed one in 2026 will be WAY better in the long run.
Dave — for the rest of our team