NEWSFLASH ARCHIVES

FOGR entry in Grand Actions Registry

The Grand Actions Registry is compiled each year by the Grand River Conservation Authority on behalf of its partners in The Grand Strategy to:

• find out who is actively involved in improving the health and heritage of Grand River watershed.
• give groups, individuals and agencies credit and commendation for their efforts.
• lend credibility and profile for community and individuals actions.
• encourage groups to work together and to network by providing contacts and information about voluntary and agency initiatives which are being undertaken in the Grand River watershed.
• create opportunities for developing additional partnerships and advancing collaborative watershed management.
• guide community activities to local "hot spots" within the watershed where the resolution of resource issues is critical./li>

See the Friends of the Grand River entry [pdf]

Grand River dams are disappearing

GRIN - Grand River Information Network

The Grand River Conservation Authority is putting powerful map-making tools and much of its huge store of watershed data into the hands of visitors to its website. More information...

Major Review of Ontario's Fishing Regulations

Spring 2006

A major review of Ontario's fishing regulations is under way, and we have until April 10 to get comments in.

Ontario is being carved up into 20 fishery management zones, down from 37 distinct divisions. This measure is supposedly based on ecological principles.

We live in Zone 16, which covers from Georgian Bay to the east side of Lake Simcoe down to Toronto to Windsor via the shore of Lakes Erie and Ontario, and thence up to Georgian Bay.

It does not look like the Grand River is being affected – it is a “specially designated water.” However, your other favourite fishing spots may be.

Find the Southern Ontario regulation changes on MNR's web site http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/fishing/fmz/newzones.html. This site is large, so persevere for a few minutes to find the right page.

Have a look at the map first to get your bearings. You need the zone numbers to navigate through the regs.

Regulation changes – seasons, limits, etc. -- have been condensed onto a single sheet so it's easy to print off their .pdf files.

Instructions for responses are on the web site. So feel free to get mad and get your word in. Some of the stuff is OK; some is strange, and most of it is a waste of effort. It will save them a few pages in the annual regulations summary booklet, but that's about it.

If you fish Lake Erie, there will be meetings held at these locations. These meetings replace their annual angler outreach events, All meetings run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and then 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

March 8, St. Patrick's Church Hall, King Street, Port Colbourne

March 9, Windsor Sportsmen's Club, 2401 Dougall, Windsor

March 13, Wheel's Inn, 615 Richmond St., Chatham

John Dadds

SAGE Conservation Fundraising Raffle 2005

Summer 2005

$1200 SAGE package won by John S. Allen of Toronto, Ontario and his winning ticket 024 was purchased at the Izaak Walton Forum. Also congratulation to David Muller for winning this year's Simms Wading Package.

Tailwater Angler Diary Program

Summer 2005

The Tailwater Angler Diary Program offers you as an angler the chance to contribute to management of our special fishery. By documenting your fishing activity you will provide managers with valuable information that may affect future stocking rates and rehabilitation efforts. The attached PDF files, angler data sheet and diary instructions, provide information regarding how to fill out forms and a PDF copy of the forms to use for each time you hit the water in the tailwater area. As an added incentive all people submitting forms will be entered in a draw for a Cedar Landing Net and a Cedar wooden fly box filled with Proven Grand River patterns. If you have any further questions about this program don’t hesitate to contact Stephen May (519)621-2763 x300 or e-mail smay@grandriver.ca.

It's Stocking Time Again

April 19, 2005

There are still a couple of weeks till the trout fishing season but we are starting to get busy with organizing this year's projects. These are the tentative dates for this years stocking, however they may change with ever little notice.

MNR, in cooperation with the Friends of the Grand River (FOGR) and the GRCA are planning to stock Brown Trout in the Grand River Tailwater (Belwood to West Montrose) on May 3rd and 4th, 2005. In discussion with the staff at the Chattsworth hatchery, they anticipate arriving at the Zehr’s Plaza(Tower Street) in Fergus between 10:30am and 11:00am.

If you have any questions about this event or want further information please contact Larry McGratton of the FOGR at (519) 843-3102.

Sweeping Regulation Changes Threaten the Grand River Fishery

March 24, 2005.

FOGR Members and friends,

Sweeping changes to the way fisheries management is administered currently are being proposed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, in an effort to simplify regulations, seasons, gear restrictions, and catch limits. Although some background information provided by OMNR suggests that the changes will have a scientific justification, it seems more likely that it is simply a money saving measure to reduce the need for enforcement of fisheries regulations, by eliminating all Special Regulations Areas, such as those on the Grand River, the Credit River, and other high quality fisheries. Certainly the information associated with the EBR posting makes no guarantee that any Special Regulations will be retained under the new proposal, and lacks sufficient detail to judge any merits the changes may have.

The proposed changes are posted on the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) website, and this is the ONLY forum for public comment. Lack of public comment is deemed to indicate public support. A response by FOGR and many people interested in the resource was made in early April.

FOGR Secretary John Dadds and the FOGR Board of Directors approved a letter to be sent by this organization, representing its membership. Please consider sending your own individual comments -- the more letters, the more impact. If you wish, you may use the FOGR letter as a basis for composing your own response.

Your letters of response, quoting the EBR posting number:

EBR Registry Number: RB05E6005

should be sent, for receipt no later than 05 April 2005 to:

Chris Brousseau, Senior Fisheries Biologist

MNR Fish and Wildlife Branch

5th Floor, North Tower, 300 Water Street

Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 8M5

The FOGR letter to the MNR...

The complete regulation proposal at the MNR website...

Beatty Dam Site to be Remediated

March 23, 2005

From the MNR website

"Now that the Beatty Dam is gone, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Friends of the Grand River (FOGR) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) are assisting the Township of Centre Wellington’s efforts to change the Grand River’s appearance to a more natural state.

read the whole story here...

Ontario works with local partners to support brown trout fishery - February 16, 2005

GUELPH — A five-year fisheries management plan for an upper reach of the Grand River will help ensure the area’s internationally recognized brown trout fishery continues to thrive, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today. More...

New stairs - December 2004

New stairs have been installed by FOGR at 2nd Line and Blondies. More information...

Grand River Tailwater Fisheries Management Plan - Public Input - August 2004

Future management of the tailwater trout fishery on the Grand River below Belwood Lake will be directed by the Grand River Tailwater Fisheries Management Plan.  The plan is supposed to take into account public input from meetings held over the past few years, as well as input from stakeholder groups (anglers, landowners, local governments, guides, conservation groups and fishing clubs, etc.).   FOGR members and directors have been involved at both public meetings and at the committee level. More...

Beatty Dam clean-up - September 11 2004

On September 11, 2004 9 FOGR members and two new friends met at the former site of Beatty dam. In four hours of work, they removed 20 cubic meters of refuse from the former millpond. More...

Beatty Dam

After sustained flows of over 110 m3/s during the last 24 hours, the 55-year-old Beatty Dam in Fergus has been partially breached.  Photos show a gap in the wooden decking and edge, between two of the supporting A-frames.  It is expected that the dam will not impound any significant amount of water once flows return to normal, and that a natural river bed will be restored in the former impoundment.

GRCA News Release - June 9, 2004

Thomas Pick elected president of conservation foundation

FOGR News Release - May 7, 2004

MEDIA ADVISORY: Public meeting to present the Grand River Tailwater Fisheries Management Plan, May 25 in Elora

GRCA News Release - Friday, Feb. 27

Community Conservation Grants given to six groups