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Temagami Stewardship Council

Fishing in Temagami Ontario

Temagami Stewardship Association

Temagami Stewardship Council Projects for 2005

Proposed Projects: As of March 2005

1. Walleye Specific Creel: - The proposal is that the Stewardship hire a creel crew to collect walleye specific data during the summer fishing season of 2005. The crew would follow a scientifically designed schedule spending nights camped out in furthest extremities of Lake Temagami in order to facilitate the interviewing of anglers in prime walleye fishing time (after dark).

2. Septic System Assessment Project: - The Temagami Stewardship Council, the Municipality of Temagami, the Ministry of the Environment and the Temiskaming Health Unit are to meet to discuss the feasibility of conducting a project to assess septic systems on Lake Temagami.

3. Invading Species (Rock Bass) Investigation by OFAH: - The Temagami Stewardship Council is investigating the possibility of facilitating a study by the biologists of OFAH into the effects of the invading species, rock bass, on the fishery of Lake Temagami.

4. Update Fisheries Management Plan for Lake Temagami/Cross Lake: Fisheries biologists for the MNR are in the process of completing the 2005 Status of the Fishery Report based on fisheries data collected over the past 6 years. (1999-2004) With the completion of this plan there will be a need to create a fisheries management plan for the next 5 years on Lake Temagami/ Cross Lake.

5. Special Initiative on Angler’s Journal Project: By providing data collecting pads and booklets to winter season anglers, adding special prizes of a downrigger and a fish finder and hiring a person to travel the lake encouraging anglers to participate the Stewardship is hoping to reach a goal of 1000 Angler’s Journal entries. Making it a viable fisheries assessment tool. 6. Evaluation of Spawning Area for Possible Rehabilitation: A number of the spawning areas identified in the 2004 Spawning Area Project will be evaluated to determine need for rehabilitation work.

On-Going Projects in 2005:

1. Spawning Area Project - During the summer of 2005, the Temagami Stewardship Council in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, The Municipality of Temagami and the Temagami Lakes Association will be conducting further gathering of information on spawning areas. Two students conducting our major project will use down time to identify, map, locate by GPS and evaluate the spawning areas on Lake Temagami / Cross Lake. New information on spawning areas will be investigated to locate the spawning area, store the location by GPS, map and the evaluate the condition of the site. Persons with knowledge of past or presently used spawning areas on Lake Temagami are urged to contact the Stewardship with pertinent information. Funding of this project provided by the Trillium Foundation.

2. Observation of Walleye Spawning Activity - The Stewardship is setting up a network of volunteers to observe the spawning activity of Lake Temagami walleye during the spring spawning season. When the water temperature reaches 6 to 8 degrees, the volunteers will spend several evenings observing walleye spawning areas to evaluate the amount of activity. Obtaining information on the spawning activity is a valuable tool in determining the status of the walleye fishery and is useful in planning sites for hatchery plantings.

3. “Angler’s Journal” - This project is a web-based initiative to gather fishing trip information using the internet and mail-in paper data forms and booklets. Anglers are asked to record their fishing success or lack of success for each of their fishing trips. Prizes can be won as an incentive to encourage anglers to participate and enter their fishing trip information. The MNR provides a floater coat and Maurice Sporting Goods provides four $100.00 packages of fishing equipment towards this project. In 2005 two new prizes of an Electric Walker Downrigger Combo Pack and a Lowrance Fish Finder will be offered to Anglers that enter their data online. Costs of this initiative include advertising, site maintenance, computer and software development. This project can be viewed at the Temagami Stewardship’s website www.temgamistewardship.ca and click on Angler’s Journal.

4. “Water Quality Study” - In a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, the Stewardship has set up a network of volunteer “samplers” on Lake Temagami to gather data every second week during the open water season. The data will be sent to Dorset as part of the “Lake Partner Program.” The samplers will start the season with an educational workshop and dinner at Temagami Shores on Monday, May 30.

5. Trophy Live Release Fish Contest - The Temagami Stewardship Council offers a chance for anglers who release a trophy lake trout over 10 lbs or a walleye over 6 lbs to win a replica mount of their trophy from Advanced Taxidermy in Toronto. The angler needs to measure the length and girth of the fish and take a picture before releasing the trophy. The picture sent to the Stewardship is your entry form. The winners in 2004 were Terri Dickson of Ottawa with an 18.5 lb. lake trout and Wayne Yarrow of Isl.725 Lake Temagami with a 11.5 lb. Walleye.

6. Presentations on Natural Resources and Environmental Topics - The Stewardship will be involved in providing a forum for presentations of interest on natural resources and environmental issues. Past topics have included Septic Tank Management, Birding, Water Quality, Annual Status of the Fishery Reports, the Lake Trout an Icon of Sustainability, etc.

7. Streamlining Ontario’s Fishing Regulations - The Stewardship has written a submission to the Ontario Government responding to the government initiative called “Streamlining Ontario’s Fishing Regulations” which proposes changes to the Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. Using local expertise and local fisheries management data, the Stewardship proposal supports changes that will protect the integrity of the Temagami Area Fishery.

8. Measuring Tape Decals - The Stewardship distributes to all fishermen a measuring tape decal, which supports the new slot size fishing regulation for pickerel in Lake Temagami. The decal promotes conservation and better fishing practices and is produced with the generous financial support of Temagami Marine.

9. Temagami Stewardship Council Web Page - The purpose of the web page is to inform the public of the activities and projects of the Temagami Stewardship Council. It also acts as a tool in keeping the public up to date with fisheries, natural resources and environmental issues in the Temagami area. Check out the redesigned webpage at www.temagamistewardship.ca

10. Ice Fishing Pledge - In the winter of 2005 the Temagami Stewardship Council adopted the Ice Fishing Pledge created by the Lake Nipissing Stewardship Council. Posters of the pledge have been printed and delivered to all businesses and every ice fishing hut on Lake Temagami.

11. Temagami Fish Hatchery - The Temagami Stewardship Council supports the Temagami Fish Involvement Program and their yearly efforts to raise pickerel fry and fingerlings for release in Lake Temagami.

12. Education - The Temagami Stewardship Council will encourage and foster an understanding and awareness of the fisheries, natural resources and environment of Temagami through information circulars, pamphlets, posters, media releases and entries on the Temagami Stewardship Council’s web page at www.temagamistewardship.ca

13. Lake Trout Genetics Study - In partnership with Nipissing University of North Bay, the Stewardship was involved in the collection of fish samples from the various basins in Lake Temagami during the Open Water Creel of 2003. Samples of spawning lake trout were also taken during the autumn lake trout spawning season in late October and November of 2003 and 2004. The samples are in the hands of Dr. Greg Pyle and Dr. Tony Parkes of the Dept. of Biology, Nipissing University. The DNA testing is complete. The completed report will establish if the lake trout in the various basins of lake Temagami are the same or of a different strain of lake trout. Project funded by FedNor.

14. October Lake Trout Observation - During the dark nights of October 2 Ministry of Natural Resources crews supplemented by Stewardship volunteers travelled the Southwest and Northeast Arms of Lake Temagami observing and sampling spawning lake trout. The crews used the Temagami Stewardship Council's newly purchased underwater video camera and gill net sets to observe the lake trout. Samples were also taken to be added to the Nipissing University Lake Trout Genetics Study materials. Areas located in the TSC Spawning Area Project conducted in the summer of 2004 were visited as part of the project.

15. Invading Species Watch - In a cooperative effort with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, The Ministry of Natural Resources, York University, the Bait Organization of Ontario and the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association the Temagami Stewardship Council's Spawning Area Crew sampled for invading species. Sample netting in 2004 was conducted in all 8 areas of Lake Temagami and Cross Lake.

Temagami Stewardship Council Projects for 2004

1. Spawning Area Project - During the summer of 2004, the Temagami Stewardship Council in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, The Municipality of Temagami and the Temagami Lakes Association will be conducting a major project on spawning areas. Two students will be conducting the task of identifying, mapping, locating by GPS and evaluating the spawning areas on Lake Temagami / Cross Lake. The students will begin by investigating the MNR archives and conducting interviews of persons with fisheries expertise on Lake Temagami. The next step will be to use the information gathered and locate basin by basin the spawning areas on Lake Temagami. When the spawning areas are located the location will be stored by GPS, mapped and the condition of the site evaluated. Persons with knowledge of past or presently used spawning areas on Lake Temagami are urged to contact the Stewardship with pertinent information.

2. Walleye Mortality Study on Lake Temagami - With the introduction of slot sized fishing regulations, the question of the survival of the walleye that must be released has been a hot topic. Walleye survival research has been conducted on Lake Nipissing but until this March there had been no research conducted on a lake where the walleye could be brought up from extreme depth. Chuck McCrudden, Area Biologist for the MNR, members of the Temagami Stewardship Council and volunteer anglers fished for walleye on the nights of March 26th, 27th, and 28th. The captured fish were carefully and quickly transported to a holding net. Information gathered from the walleye caught included; the depth in which the fish was caught, time of capture, hook placement, swim bladder over inflation, physical condition, weight and total length. The walleye were left in the net for a minimum of 48 hrs. This fishing activity produced 15 fish,( a sample of 100 was the target). Only 8 of the 15 survived. The small sample number makes the formulation of definite conclusions difficult and further study is necessary.

3. Lake Trout Head Collection - Lake trout heads have been collected during the winter fishing season and the Stewardship will continue this collection during the summer season. The length and the area of Lake Temagami the fish was caught in is recorded and the heads are kept frozen in the lodge freezers. The frozen heads are transported to the Provincial MNR lab where the otolith bone is removed and used to age the fish. By using the otolith bone the fish is very accurately aged. Besides giving an accurate age according to size of the fish caught the data also provides a growth rate of lake trout by basin in Lake Temagami and an average growth rate. The growth rate is helpful in determining the health of the fishery by comparing it to provincial averages and otolith aging done on Temagami in the past.

4. Observation of Walleye Spawning Activity - The Stewardship is setting up a network of volunteers to observe the spawning activity of Lake Temagami walleye during the spring spawning season. When the water temperature reaches 6 to 8 degrees, the volunteers will spend several evenings observing walleye spawning areas to evaluate the amount of activity. Obtaining information on the spawning activity is a valuable tool in determining the status of the walleye fishery and is useful in planning sites for hatchery plantings.

5. Open Water Creel of Lake Temagami (2003) - As of May, 2004, the data collected in the 2003 summer and winter creels is in the hands of the MNR. A draft of the extrapolated material is undergoing peer review with a final copy expected shortly. The conclusions drawn from the creels will be used to complete the Five Year Fisheries Assessment Strategy which was begun in 1999.

6. “Angler’s Journal” - This project is a web-based initiative to gather creel information using the internet and mail-in paper data forms. Prizes can be won as an incentive to encourage anglers to participate and enter their fishing trip information. The MNR provides a floater coat and Maurice Sporting Goods provides four $100.00 packages of fishing equipment towards this project. Costs of this initiative include advertising, site maintenance, computer and software development costs. This website can be viewed at www.temgamistewardship.ca and click on Angler’s Journal.

7. “Water Quality Study” - In a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, the Stewardship has set up a networkof volunteer “samplers” on Lake Temagami to gather data every second week during the open water season. The data will be sent to Dorset as part of the “Lake Partner Program.” The samplers will start the season with an educational workshop and dinner at Temagami Shores on Monday, May 31st.

8. Lake Trout Genetics Study - In partnership with Nipissing University of North Bay, the Stewardship was involved in the collection of fish samples from the various basins in Lake Temagami during the Open Water Creel of 2003. Samples of spawning lake trout were also taken during the autumn lake trout spawning season in late October and November of 2003. The samples are in the hands of Dr. Greg Pyle and Dr. Tony Parkes of the Dept. of Biology, Nipissing University. The DNA testing is to be conducted in May / June of 2004 with a report ready for late summer of 2004.

9. Presentations on Natural Resources and Environmental Topics - The Stewardship will be involved in providing a forum for presentations of interest on natural resources and environmental issues. Initial topics include septic tank management, birding and the lake trout fishery.

10 Streamlining Ontario’s Fishing Regulations - The Stewardship has written a submission to the Ontario Government responding to the government initiative called “Streamlining Ontario’s Fishing Regulations” which proposes changes to the Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. Using local expertise and local fisheries management data, the Stewardship proposal supports changes that will protect the integrity of the Temagami Area Fishery.

11. Measuring Tape Decals - The Stewardship distributes to all fishermen a measuring tape decal which supports the new slot size fishing regulation for pickerel in Lake Temagami. The decal promotes conservation and better fishing practices and is produced with the generous financial support of Temagami Marine.

12. Temagami Stewardship Council Web Page - The purpose of the web page is to inform the public of the activities and projects of the Temagami Stewardship Council. It also acts as a tool in keeping the public up to date with fisheries, natural resources and environmental issues in the Temagami area. Check out the redesigned page at www.temagamistewardship.ca

13. Temagami Fish Hatchery - The Temagami Stewardship Council supports the Temagami Fish Involvement Program and their yearly efforts to raise pickerel fry and fingerlings for release in Lake Temagami.

14. Education - The Temagami Stewardship Council will encourage and foster an understanding and awareness of the fisheries, natural resources and environment of Temagami through information circulars, pamphlets, posters and media releases

15. Trophy Live Release Fish Contest. The Temagami Stewardship Council offers a chance for anglers who release a trophy lake trout over 10 lbs or a walleye over 6 lbs to win a replica mount of their trophy from Advanced Taxidermy in Toronto. The angler needs to measure the length and girth of the fish and take a picture before releasing the trophy. The picture sent to the Stewardship is your entry form.

16. October Lake Trout Observation. During the dark nights of October 2 Ministry of Natural Resources crews supplemented by a Stewardship volunteer travelled the Southwest and Northeast Arms of Lake Temagami observing and sampling spawning lake trout. The crews used the Temagami Stewardship Council's newly purchased underwater video camera and gill net sets to observe the lake trout. Samples were also taken to be added to the Nipissing University Lake Trout Genetics Study materials. Areas located in the TSC Spawning Area Project conducted in the summer of 2004 were visited as part of the project.

17. Invading Species Watch 2004. In a cooperative effort with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, The Ministry of Natural Resources, York University, the Bait Organization of Ontario and the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association the Temagami Stewardship Council's Spawning Area Crew sampled for invading species. Sample netting was conducted in all 8 areas of Lake Temagami and Cross lake.

Temagami Stewardship Index

Gaye Smith Chairman Temagami Stewardship council.

The purpose of the web page is to inform the public of the activities and projects of the Temagami Stewardship Council. It also acts as a tool in keeping the public up to date with fisheries, natural resources and environmental issues in the Temagami area. Check out the redesigned page at www.temagamistewardship.ca

Temagami Stewardship Council
P.O. Box 299, Temagami
Ontario P0H 2H0

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