Magnetawan leading the way with lands and resources information sessions

By Joey Krackle

MAGNETAWAN — The lands and resources team in Magnetawan First Nation together with the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council, will be hosting a similar workshop to this year similar to the Walleye Information Session and Workshop held last February.

Anthony Laforge, Magnetawan First Nation Lands and Resource Director says last year’s workshop that saw over 30 participants, featured presentations from the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council, Upper Great Lakes Management Unit and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

“The Eastern Georgian Bay fishery is facing a situation of seriously depleted stocks,” says Laforge.  “By partnering with the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council we are taking pro-active steps to revitalize our critical natural resource- our fishery. I look forward to our 2016 workshop.”

MFN in partnership with the Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Research Council (AOFRC) conducted a Walleye Spawning Survey and End of Spring Trap Netting survey in the Magnetawan River in 2014.

“Information gathered will help MFN get the ball rolling on efforts to rehabilitate the dwindled walleye population — fish stocking, habitat enhancement work, moratoriums, etc.,” says Laforge.

These surveys took place at different parts of the river between the mouth of this river and Two-Foot Rapids. The objective of these projects was to evaluate the population status of the Spawning Walleye and to identify rehabilitation options that could be implemented to enhance the number of Walleye species in the Magnetawan River. Laforge pointed out that this project was intended to build off a 2010 walleye tagging/assessment performed by AOFRC on this river.

The spawning survey used two types of gill nets. One net was 50 metres with a 4.5 inch mesh size and the second net was a 61 metre net with mesh ranging from 25 mm to 152mm. Nets were set for 1.5 – 2 hour intervals to reduce fish kill. A total of 25 walleye were captured, tagged, and live released from these gill nets. Three Walleye were captured during the End of Spring Trap Netting survey.

Furthermore, two Magnetawan crew members were trained in and acquainted with fisheries monitoring techniques and rehabilitation options. AOFRC concluded that Magnetawan could use the information from this project and the experience of these crew members to assess the feasibility of various rehabilitation options that will enhance Walleye stewardship in this river system. AOFRC has also produced a technical report to assist Magnetawan in this venture.