35 replies to this topic

[pmorris]

Many of you are aware that the Dexter government plans to increase Nova Scotia's legally protected landmass to at least 12% by 2015. Cynics will quickly add that they don't give a rat's ass about the remaining 88%. The proposed plan for parks and protected areas is available for review and comment at http://www.novascoti...oposed-Plan.pdf

I haven't read the whole thing yet, but a quick browse took me to page 34:

Hunting

Hunting and trapping are permitted, with the exception of bear baiting, in wilderness

areas, consistent with any applicable rules or regulations. Hunting and trapping are

not permitted within nature reserves or provincial parks because of the sensitivity and

purposes of these areas.

Areas are being proposed as new nature reserve or provincial park land. If you

are concerned about loss of hunting opportunities in specific areas, please tell us

which areas and why. Your input will be considered in making final land protection

decisions.

Sport Fishing

Sport fishing is permitted in provincial parks and wilderness areas (but not in nature

reserves). As well, vehicle access to many popular fishing lakes is being maintained

through the design of proposed wilderness area boundaries.

If you are concerned about loss of sport fishing in specific areas, please tell us which

areas and why.

I suspect that many of us will be impacted by the proposed boundary changes in both positive and negative ways. Now's the time to study the plan carefully as the deadline for input is May 1, 2013.

Paul

[Transplant]

Paul, something to make note of, sportfishing will be permitted in parks and wilderness areas but not in nature reserves. Page 1 outlines the plan to add 120 NEW nature reserves totaling 33000 ha of land. This is in addition to expanding the existing reserves. The chart on page 61 clearly states that with the new designations we will lose access to sportfishing opportunities, it's that simple. Page 40 might hold our best hope, one of the goals for this program is to develop updated legislation for nature preserves to allow for certain low-impact recreational uses. If anyone is going to respond to this that might be something you want to consider including in your response, you can't get mush more low-impact than fishing.

[Shimanoman]

Why would banning angling in a nature preserve even be considered?? I can understand hunting being banned,(safety issues) I can understand bag limits in a preserve being severely restricted,or even C&R only. (biomass preservation) I can understand certain areas being hydro carbon outboard engine free.(ecological/pollution issues) To consider banning an historical, recreational pursuit in an area in which these pursuits have previously existed, beggars the imagination. Perhaps PETA has infiltrated the bureaucratic ranks of our NDP Government. Perhaps those same folks ought to do something progressive and call a halt to the proliferation of open pen salmon farming in our saltwater estuaries. And, BTW, it wouldn't hurt if all estuarine waters and those within 3 nautical miles of them, were declared marine preserves with no aquaculture activity allowed and a gradual phasing out of those operations which exist within those descriptions. That might give the PETA folks something sensible to work towards.

Regards....

[rpen]

WOW you have got to be kidding me! So if I am reading this document correctly we(anybody but first nations) will not be allow to fish in Nature Reserves but First Nations can do what they want on this land??? Maybe I missed it but I don't see a map of the proposed area's for non fishable waters included in the document???

[pmorris]

WOW you have got to be kidding me! So if I am reading this document correctly we(anybody but first nations) will not be allow to fish in Nature Reserves but First Nations can do what they want on this land??? Maybe I missed it but I don't see a map of the proposed area's for non fishable waters included in the document???

There's quite an extensive website in addition to the document that I linked: http://www.novascoti...protectedareas/

I haven't had a chance to explore it yet, but I suspect that it maps out the tens of thousands of hectares that will be closed to angling if the plan proceeds as proposed.

Sounds like an interesting Maritime Outdoorsman podcast idea, Dave.

Paul

[Shimanoman]

Dave, I would second Paul's motion.

Regards.....

[-----]

It is not just angling that this proposal will effect. It essentially will effect everything from Hunting to Trapping, Fishing, OHVing, accessing areas even with your Truck or Car, even Motor Boats in some situations. It has a wide sweeping effect. Pushing Outdoor users further and further away.
Some areas will simply be out of bounds, or not possible to get to. These same areas may have been your Fishing or Hunting grounds for a lifetime, now gone.
There are a number of meetings that are planned where folks can voice their concerns, as well you can do it on line (Link attached)
This might be the time for all Outdoor users to stand together and fight this as one group.
I understand the NSFAH will be discussing this at the annual AGM later this month as well.
http://novascotia.ca...volved/tell-us/

[Transplant]

I looked at the map on the link Paul provided. I'm going to give the folks a little bit of credit for their planning (but not a lot). It appears as though a number of areas considered as a reserve surround a lake, but according to this map the lake itself is not part of the reserve, hence, no effect on fishing the water, just protection for the shoreline area. A good example of this is an area of the salmon river east of Truro is labelled as a reserve, but the shaded area does not include the river, only the shoreline. It appears that most if not all of the reserve areas proposed cover land area only, although I'm sure a number of these land areas would include smaller rivers and brooks that would be fishable area. And I'd still be concerned about being allowed to fish water from shore on a reserve, that might be limited as well. Regardless, it appears as though the people designating the reserve areas are putting some effort into considering the use of the water for fishing etc.

[pmorris]

I looked at the map on the link Paul provided. I'm going to give the folks a little bit of credit for their planning (but not a lot). It appears as though a number of areas considered as a reserve surround a lake, but according to this map the lake itself is not part of the reserve, hence, no effect on fishing the water, just protection for the shoreline area. A good example of this is an area of the salmon river east of Truro is labelled as a reserve, but the shaded area does not include the river, only the shoreline. It appears that most if not all of the reserve areas proposed cover land area only, although I'm sure a number of these land areas would include smaller rivers and brooks that would be fishable area. And I'd still be concerned about being allowed to fish water from shore on a reserve, that might be limited as well. Regardless, it appears as though the people designating the reserve areas are putting some effort into considering the use of the water for fishing etc.

There are at least two different maps on that website. The interactive map that I think fishboy is referring to is at http://www.novascoti...nteractive-map/

Be sure to zoom in as more and more of the purple proposed nature reserves (aka banned fishing areas) start to appear as you do.

I don't think that it's safe to assume that the water is not part of the reserve.; otherwise, why would they need to note that sport fishing is not allowed? For example, take a look at the north end of Kinsac and the run toward Grand Lake. It looks to me that the intent is to not allow fishing there. I think that this area is the proposed Rawdon River Nature Reserve (see http://www.novascoti...lands-profiles/). Unfortunately, as of today's date the profile hasn't been completed on the website, so it's impossible to establish the intent.

Paul

[Exstreamfisherman]

This is one of those cases where a voice will make a difference.. let it be heard if you are concerned about this in the slightest.. if nothing is said then the government will assume that they finally got something right and all is well... Same as voting.. if you don't vote you shouldn't complain about the state of our government.. if you don't voice your opinion and concern over this and how it affects your then you will have no right later once it is passed...

i am all for increasing protected land and waters but why limit who can access it... why not just limit what can be taken from it, what can be harvested etc.. with all of these changes, who is going to pay for it? This will require a greater amount of monitoring and policing will it not? Who is going to do this? Is this something that NS residents will be expected to pick up the tab for and in doing so they will not be allowed to access all the lands and waters that they use to for generations possibly... this is sort of like paying for the box of shells that will be used at your own execution...lol.

[bob_marlo]

I think its great there is a movement towards preserving the land/water,nature and would think most here agree with that., but as shimanoman said why do they need to ban fishing? i would support a proposal with certain rules and regulations in these areas...say, zero retention of fish, ban on gas powered engines.

denying us any sort of access to this land/water doesnt seem to fit in with the plan to.....

"offer us a place to escape, be adventurous, and just have fun"
OR
"make a big impact on local economies, providing jobs and attracting visitor dollars in nearby communities."

I hope everybody reading this thread that feels the same can at the very least...

GO TO THIS SITE
http://www.novascoti...volved/tell-us/
AND TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL!!

[Perry]

If you wanted a protected area and as pristine as possible I would suggest that of all potencial usergroups the anglers of this Province are the most envirionmentally disrespective. Garbage, beer bottles usually broken on rocks, balls of line, firepits that are unsafe and filled with burned bean cans etc. is not outside the norm. To own land on the best trout stream in the Province would not be a blessing but a curse, enless garbage pick-up! Not of course you and me,it's the the morons who outnumber us by a long shot! For me its not about fish!

[pmorris]

If you wanted a protected area and as pristine as possible I would suggest that of all potencial usergroups the anglers of this Province are the most envirionmentally disrespective. Garbage, beer bottles usually broken on rocks, balls of line, firepits that are unsafe and filled with burned bean cans etc. is not outside the norm. To own land on the best trout stream in the Province would not be a blessing but a curse, enless garbage pick-up! Not of course you and me,it's the the morons who outnumber us by a long shot! For me its not about fish!

That could very well be part of the rationale for banning fishing in the proposed nature reserves! The quickest way to lose a privilege is to abuse it.

[Exstreamfisherman]

If you wanted a protected area and as pristine as possible I would suggest that of all potencial usergroups the anglers of this Province Not of course you and me,it's the the morons who outnumber us by a long shot!

Um... Perry my last name is Moran, not Moron... sheeesh... and I pack out what I bring in...lol..Sorry I couldn't help myself.

[Stradicman]

It seem's like every place I do most of my fishing is marked to become a nature reserve!

[bob_marlo]

gotta agree with what Perry and Paul said about the garbage...some people i just dont get....they obviously enjoy nature because they are out in it fishing, camping etc....but then they ruin it by leaving trash everywhere...the "shubie striper circus" is a prime example....ive lived, fished and camped all over this country and have never seen anything like it. kudos to those who bring bags and clean up after the "morons"....i know i will continue to do this and hope more people do too.

[alwaysfishin]

Perry is more than correct. We're outnumbered by "fishermen" without a conscience...

[girlfisher]

I think its great there is a movement towards preserving the land/water,nature and would think most here agree with that., but as shimanoman said why do they need to ban fishing? i would support a proposal with certain rules and regulations in these areas...say, zero retention of fish, ban on gas powered engines.

denying us any sort of access to this land/water doesnt seem to fit in with the plan to.....

"offer us a place to escape, be adventurous, and just have fun"
OR
"make a big impact on local economies, providing jobs and attracting visitor dollars in nearby communities."

I hope everybody reading this thread that feels the same can at the very least...

GO TO THIS SITE
http://www.novascoti...volved/tell-us/
AND TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL!!

x2

[salmon are forever!]

gotta agree with what Perry and Paul said about the garbage...some people i just dont get....they obviously enjoy nature because they are out in it fishing, camping etc....but then they ruin it by leaving trash everywhere...the "shubie striper circus" is a prime example....ive lived, fished and camped all over this country and have never seen anything like it. kudos to those who bring bags and clean up after the "morons"....i know i will continue to do this and hope more people do too.

I agree with ya expecially on the striper fishing around the stewiacke and shubie ive seen tons of garbage everywhere i couldent believe how much.Also ive seen tons of garbage around birch hill in stewiacke while shad fishing theres usually tons of line everywhere and lots of cups and

even ive seen DEAD FISH wasted in the dich beside the shad place and im just thinking like exactly what always fishin said were outnumbered by fishermen without a concience

I dont think by banning us from fishing that it would do much good just like if they closed us to salmon fishing who would watch over these rivers to watch thse morons that abuse are fishery and ruin it for the best of us

[LSF]

Young feller Salmon rivers/pools have been closed due to low returns and stocks that are endangered not to keep fishermen off the river...ITS TO PROTECT THE FISH!!! ...the morons that say they are on the rivers starting the first of April "trout fishing" and are complaining about summer salmon pool closers are there out o self interest and nothing else IMO .... Perry and Paul have hit the nail on the head .

Hope everyone enjoys the NS fishing season