Continued Collaboration between NFN & the MNRF

[Grumpa]

Hi smalleye99.
My comments regarding sampling results are based solely on general observations from both open and hard water fishermen over the past two years (many, experienced anglers from this board)...and similar observations from the president of the Lake Nipissing Stakeholders Association during the spring walleye egg collection at Wasi Falls (per the LNSA's website). So basically the eye test....if it looks like we're making progress, then there's a good chance we are. I'm not basing those comments on any other empirical evidence.
Generally, it would appear, we're moving in the right direction based on the numbers of fish and the size, age classifications that are showing up.
As far as the Lake Advisory council, I'm not part of that group, so I can't speak for them regarding their precise terms of reference or the agreed frequency of their meetings. So, I'm not sure if they're exchanging information in some formal manner other then a group meeting environment. However, the Lake Nipissing Fisheries Management plan stipulated/outlined that meetings and information sharing would be ongoing and regular.
If they haven't formally met face to face since the early stages of implementation of the management plan...maybe they've agreed, jointly, on that time frame to allow for the collection and analysis of sufficient sampling data/results to clearly determine if the initial population changes/trends expected...were actually being achieved.
Ultimately, without direct input from the council, we really can't theorize why they haven't physically met more often.
Perhaps one of the volunteer council members involved with the advisory council can shed more light on the situation and the seemingly apparent lack of face to face meetings.

I get the impatience smalleye, everyone feels the same, it's been a long and grinding haul....but this whole exercise was expected to be more of a marathon then a sprint. Roadblocks and setbacks are anticipated, and expected, along the way. How much progress there is in rebuilding a self sustaining walleye population may not be known for many spawning cycles. We're still relatively early in the process. The OMNRF may not want to jump the gun quite yet and start throwing early preliminary data out to the general public until they're entirely comfortable with what the data is saying and showing.

Complete transparency is always going to be an issue (the OMNRF is a government department)...and I'm not sure there's any real way to correct that, short of the Ministry actively publishing regular information updates or holding regular public meetings. The department budget is tight and getting tighter every year, time and manpower at a premium.
I'm assuming the OMNRF is trying to spend the bulk of those resources where they feel it's needed most...meaning....more public consultation and information sharing sessions may not be high on their agenda.
Basically, we're going to have to trust the process for now and glean what little information we can from those willing to make comments or speak publicly.

[Sterling]

I often ask myself why the information is hidden "behind the curtain".

But the answer seems simple. Think of every time an article about Nipissing is published. No matter how positive, negative, or neutral... public response is always pathetically negative, or even racist.

Otherwise, it could be that there isn't much to share. Or maybe the netting hasn't been curtailed as they hoped and they want to avoid public backlash. Who knows.

From an anecdotal standpoint, the lake seems to be recovering nicely.

In the end I'd like to see commercial netting gone forever, spearing re-introduced, among others.