In February, the Save the Walleye Committee, represented by Jamie Schmale, met with Trent-Severn Waterway officials to reiterate—again—the need for water management that relied more heavily on stop log dams, especially with spawning season approaching in April.
What was different this time?
Recent support! A team of scientists have volunteered to not only fill out the cost-prohibitive Parks Canada Basic Impact Assessment (BIA) application, but also to take measurements for us should our pilot project get the green light. The Save the Walleye Committee has been searching for scientists for five years to gather data, something the TSW required in order to allow us to test whether moving more top water (by using the stop logs) will not only help support the dwindling walleye population, but will also improve water quality and the overall health of the ecosystem.
For five years the MNRF has not budged on gather data.
But now, Kawartha Conservation, a local conservation authority, has offered to help. A conversation now begins between the TSW and Kawartha Conservation about how (and if!) our study will be permitted to proceed. A great big heartfelt thank you to Kawartha Conservation for seeing potential merit in what we are trying to do.
It takes more than loud citizens to make things possible.
It takes funding, science, and decision-makers. Together with Kawartha Conservation, it is our hope that the Save the Walleye pilot project will finally get off the ground. This is a study that we believe will make a huge impact to the fishery and to the health of the ecosystem with a minor change to water management.
It is up to the Trent-Severn Waterway to allow this study to take place.
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