
Declined Environmental Damages Fund
Save the Walleye applied for the Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) in February. Fund description: Projects aimed at the conservation and protection of fish or fish habitat or the restoration of fish habitat within the municipal boundaries of the City of Kawartha Lakes....
April is a crucial month for the decimated walleye fishery
A small change to water flows could make a big difference to the struggling walleye population. Some anglers may remember when the Kawartha Lakes walleye fishery was healthy in the 1960s and 1970s. Back then, fishing tourism brought anglers from as far away as the...
Kawartha Conservation: A step forward
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...
Minister Yakabuski meets with Jamie in Bobcaygeon
It's been four years and four MNRF Ministers since Jamie pledged his support for the Save the Walleye Campaign. That's four replays of the same song to four different Ministers in power. Things have been bad for so long that we are losing the culture of fishing in the...
Queen’s Park meeting with MPP Yurek’s office: A positive step forward!
Today we met with staff from the Honourable Jeff Yurek's office. The new Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry took his seat just three months ago, and it was evident immediately that his office truly is open for business and ready to go to bat for our natural...
TSW asks for work description
In June the Save the Walleye committee had a very successful phone meeting with Trent-Severn Waterway. We discussed what should be done to improve the Bobcaygeon spawning bed and TSW asked for a work description to be reviewed which, if approved, could mean repairs ...
Queen’s Park Meeting with DesRosiers: Waste of time
MP Jamie Schmale and MPP Laurie Scott met with The Honourable Nathalie Des Rosiers, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Though a short meeting, an accurate description of the state of the walleye fishery was conveyed, and line-items were presented that...
Radio spot: Mark Bonokoski
Trent-Severn Waterway meeting: no significant action.
Today we met with TSW staff. Our meeting was to talk again about how very important it is that, in managing the water levels on the system, more consideration needs to be given to the fishery. The lakes have been drained lower and lower every winter—to unnaturally low levels! We were not given an concrete answer other than that the TSW will “dedicate some staff time to discussing” our proposal and will monitor water conditions closely in April. It has been 2.5 years since we first made these requests to the TSW. Certainly, the staff has changed over there twice in that time. But it is difficult to hear that only now will the TSW talk about managing water differently. And… just for this April. We are looking at a mandated policy change. We want more weight put on aquatic life in the TSW’s calculations, this year and all years to come.
All-levels meeting: TSW, MNRF, OFAH, MPP, MP, and public citizens
The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) called all concerned parties to their boardroom on behalf of MP Jamie Schmale to discuss water level management and spawning bed repair as it applies to walleye survival in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. The meeting was a positive step in the right direction, and a big thank you goes out to the OFAH for…
MP Schmale appointed Deputy Shadow Minister of Natural Resources!
LINDSAY, ON – Local MP Jamie Schmale, today was appointed by the Leader of the Official Opposition Andrew Scheer as Deputy Shadow Minister for Natural Resources. Schmale’s assignment means that he will no longer sit as a member on the Standing Committee of Procedure and House Affairs as his new duties require him on the Natural Resources Committee.
Radio Interview Outdoor Journal–Angelo Viola
Canadian Tire, Lindsay puts up Save The Walleye poster
Thank you to Canadian Tire and the Fox family for putting up our Save The Walleye poster in the fishing section. The more awareness we build, the better!
Press pick up Save The Walleye campaign!
This week the local papers and radio stations picked up on the buzz! Read about our cause in local news: MP Jamie Schmale calls out the Ministry of Natural Resources for not doing enough to save the Walleye (Kawartha411.ca) MP hopes website will draw...
Full support from Canadian Fishing Network’s “Walleye Wednesday” host, Scottie Martin
The Canada/US Walleye Tournament featured a handful of keynote speakers. One of the notable figures on stage was Scottie Martin, host of Canadian Fishing Network’s…
Canada/U.S. Walleye Tournament
This weekend hundreds of anglers from across North America participated in the annual Canada/US Walleye Tournament right here in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. What a well-run tournament! A great deal of concern was expressed from the crowd to the stage about the need to take...
Media release
Media release announces MP Jamie Schmale's Save The Walleye campaign in conjunction with the Canada/US Walleye Tournament in Bobcaygeon, ON. View media release.
Save the walleye website launch
Jamie Schmale launches online campaign as an information page for the public and to put pressure on the MNRF to support local spawning bed rehabilitation projects and changes to water management.
Lindsay Bassmasters supports action plan
Lindsay Bassmasters, who provides spawning data for the MNRF, sends a letter to Minister McGarry supporting my campaign to Save The Walleye.
MNRF declines support
Despite providing a list of positive action items almost exactly one year ago the MNRF decides no action will be taken and declines support stating: The MNRF cannot support the proposed changes to the flow regime at the Bobcaygeon dam as there is no evidence to...
Bobcaygeon Chamber supports action plan
MP Schmale meets with Bobcaygeon Chamber of Commerce and gains support to repair spawning beds in Bobcaygeon.
MPP Laurie Scott supports action plan
Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock sends letter to Minister McGarry asking the MNRF to support our action plan and encourages communication between the provincial and federal levels of government as it concerns the walleye population in the...
MNRF provides action items
MNRF provides a list of 9 action items that could improve the walleye fishery including: 1. consulting with TSW to determine the feasibility of maintaining a minimum water level in critical walleye spawning areas during and after spawning runs to facilitate successful...
MNRF meeting
MP Jamie Schmale meets with MNRF to talk about the current state of the fishery and how the dams and water levels have affected the fishery.
Trent-Severn Waterway meeting
First meeting with TSW to request: 1. Use stop log dams to control water levels in April to protect the spawning beds. 2. Don’t use the hydraulic dams that open from the bottom, scrub the lake bed, and don’t have the back swirl effect that adds oxygen needed by spawn....