Post by upland on Apr 28, 2005 14:22:34 GMT -5
I found this and thought I would pass this on
ORONTO — The Ontario government is increasing protection for the province's dwindling American eel populations by banning recreational eel angling, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today.
"Closing the season for recreational eel angling until populations are restored is another important step in the recovery of this species in Ontario waters," said Ramsay. "Sound conservation measures like this will help bring back the numbers of American eel and ensure the species continues to be a part of Ontario's rich biodiversity in the future."
The number of eel in Ontario waters has been declining since the mid-1990s due to environmental changes that have reduced the number of young eel migrating to Lake Ontario, over fishing and mortality in hydro electric generating facilities.
The province is working with other stakeholders, including Ontario Power Generation, to encourage the implementation of measures that will ensure safe passage of eels around hydro dams. Young eels migrate to fresh waters where they take up to 25 years to mature. They then migrate great distances back to the ocean to spawn and die.
In April 2004, Ontario set commercial eel quotas to zero in Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River. Eel and eel fisheries are found in the coastal waters of Quebec, the Maritime provinces and the eastern United States.
"As well as implementing our own conservation measures here in Ontario, we will also continue to work with the federal government, other provinces and states to encourage eel restoration throughout its range," said Ramsay.
ORONTO — The Ontario government is increasing protection for the province's dwindling American eel populations by banning recreational eel angling, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today.
"Closing the season for recreational eel angling until populations are restored is another important step in the recovery of this species in Ontario waters," said Ramsay. "Sound conservation measures like this will help bring back the numbers of American eel and ensure the species continues to be a part of Ontario's rich biodiversity in the future."
The number of eel in Ontario waters has been declining since the mid-1990s due to environmental changes that have reduced the number of young eel migrating to Lake Ontario, over fishing and mortality in hydro electric generating facilities.
The province is working with other stakeholders, including Ontario Power Generation, to encourage the implementation of measures that will ensure safe passage of eels around hydro dams. Young eels migrate to fresh waters where they take up to 25 years to mature. They then migrate great distances back to the ocean to spawn and die.
In April 2004, Ontario set commercial eel quotas to zero in Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River. Eel and eel fisheries are found in the coastal waters of Quebec, the Maritime provinces and the eastern United States.
"As well as implementing our own conservation measures here in Ontario, we will also continue to work with the federal government, other provinces and states to encourage eel restoration throughout its range," said Ramsay.
