FHC Newsletter – Vol. 2 – JUN ’21

Our mission is to work collaboratively with all interested and invested parties to ensure the Hoople Creek/Hoople Bay Fishery remains healthy, well managed and available to all stakeholders for recreational purposes.

1. Update on Purchase of Underwater Fish Camera/Counter
2. Update on Protecting Spawning Grounds – ‘No Trespassing for Purposes of Fishing or Hunting’ Signs
3. Update on Potential Stocking of Hoople Creek
4. Formal Organization of Not-for-Profit – ‘Friends of Hoople Creek’

Update on Purchase of Underwater Fish Camera/Counter

We have solicited a formal proposal from Biotactic Fish and Wildlife Research. Installation of what is called a BRAVO G3 system and setup of a data link will cost approximately $19k the first year followed by $8k in the second year to analyse the data. We have shared the proposal as a request to help fund the project to the following agencies and am awaiting a response:

1. Township of South Stormont,
2. Raison River Conservation Authority,
3. South Nation Conservation,
4. Saint Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences,
5. International Joint Commission,
6. Ontario Power Generation.

If any reader would like a copy of the proposal please email us at hooplecreek@cogeco.ca. We also ask that everyone please put your minds to potential financial donor agencies and provide contact names for which we might forward a copy of our proposal.

Update on Protecting Spawning Grounds by Erecting ‘No Trespassing for Purposes of Fishing or Hunting’ Signs

As reported in the last newsletter, it turns out the land that provides the most direct access to the spawning grounds is Crown land. The original gate and fence have been taken down and a rudimental road has now provided convenient access to First Nations people spearing the spawning fish. We have made contact with one of the persons spearing the fish on an annual basis and they indicated they would like to work with us to identify a how best not to interfere with spawning beds whilst spearing. We have written to the Municipality of South Stormont, the Raison River Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources seeking support for a designation of a ‘No Trespassing’ zone. There has been a tentative invite to attend a Raison River Conservation Authority meeting to present a proposal but this has not yet been confirmed.

One of our readers has reported the land on the south side of the railway tracks belongs to Ontario Power and is already considered a fish sanctuary as designated by the Ministry of Natural Resources. We were aware of this and are focused on protecting the area directly north of the railway bridge and close to the 401 highway.

Update on Potential Stocking of Hoople Creek

It was reported in our last newsletter that the Acting Manager at the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry out of Picton, Ontario are NOT supportive of any attempts to stock Hoople Creek with fingerlings – they have advised the walleye stocks of Lake Saint Lawrence are self-sustainable. They are referring to the following area for Lake Saint Lawrence – “Lake St. Lawrence extends upstream from Moses-Saunders Power Dam southwest approximately 46 km to the village of Iroquois, Ontario. The lake’s width is up to 7 km with a surface area of 259 km.” In turn, we have suggested that very well may be for all of Lake Saint Lawrence however we are interested in the specific area of Hoople Creek/Hoople Bay. There has not been hardly any walleye caught at all in the annual Ice fishing tournament for almost a decade! Whereas there used to be many! To that end, we sent out a short survey of fishers in the area and quickly obtained over 100 responses with 99% of the respondents asserting the Walleye stocks have diminished! That survey can be found at this address: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddhpDdY_EnqV76NDQiOXffYd09V5vrd6DOg7t9CEo5ED0qZA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

We have learned it is the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) who handles the population assessments for the Lake Saint Lawrence and therefore our local conservation authorities have no means of assessing the fish population in our immediate area. We have also solicited support from our friends across the U.S. border – the Saint Lawrence River Walleye Association Board members. They have experienced considerable success in past years in their volunteer group stocking the river with walleye fingerlings. http://stlawrenceriverwalleyeassociation.com/index.html. They have indicated they might be willing to help provide some fish or equipment from their operation. Mike Gagner, President of the Saint Lawrence Walleye Association told of how they raise anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 walleye fry each year in two ponds their volunteer group maintains. They put these fish into the Lake Saint Lawrence after they grow to about 3″ and with full support of their local office of NY Department of Environment Conservation. The fish have to be tested and this cost about $1,500 per year BEFORE they are allowed to be placed into the river. They will help us in any way they can to restore Hoople Creek to its wonder years.

Formal Organization of Not-for-Profit – ‘Friends of Hoople Creek’

Readers of this newsletter are invited to consider getting very actively involved by submitting your name as a potential Board Member on the executive of this non-profit group of concerned citizens. Send your information to hooplecreek@cogeco.ca. We have submitted an application to Revenue Canada as we seek a non-profit society status.

Finally, we will strive to keep you posted on a regular basis as our efforts continue to raise awareness of the plight of the Hoople Creek fishery. Please share this newsletter as you see fit and encourage all of your friends and family with a concern for Hoople Creek to join us!