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.
- Meetings and Presentations Continue
- Interview with Local Resident Claude Collette
- Formal Organization of Not-for-Profit – ‘Friends of Hoople Creek’
- Green Water of Hoople Bay
Meetings and Presentations:
Last month we reported we had shared a formal proposal from ‘Biotactic Fisheries and Monitoring’ with the following agencies:
- Township of South Stormont
- Raison River Conservation Authority
- South Nation Conservation
- Saint Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences.
The proposal from Biotactic can be viewed here: https://1drv.ms/b/s!Agjzck0Py7BXgYlb62mQ3Ma-r8TJWA?e=AJ0Z5W
A presentation was made by John Sliter to the South Stormont Township Council on June 23rd. The slide deck used for the presentation can be viewed here: https://1drv.ms/p/s!Agjzck0Py7BXgYlYWMzc-DgVdeyI8Q?e=cagCKL
It is our understanding the Township their budget planning will not commence until sometime this fall and therefore we do not expect a response in the immediate near future.
Meanwhile, Mr. John Mesman of the South Nation Conservation has offered to take the lead on a coordinated and joint meeting of all potential stakeholders to try and formalize the meeting/presentation process. This is great news and he will be reaching out to all parties to try and schedule a group presentation!
Our immediate priority is to try and meet with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne to request their support and consideration of partnering on this project. To that end, we have written to Mr. Abraham Francis of the Mohawk Council requesting a meeting and presentation. Abrham is their Program Manager for the Environment Program.
In the near future, we also will be reaching out to the International Joint Commission (‘IJC’) and Ontario Power Generation (‘OPG’).
Interview with Local Resident – Claude Collette
On 2021-07-04, John Sliter went over and visited with long time Hoople Creek resident Claude Collette and his son Corey. The old adage if you want to talk fish –find the person who is the oldest guy on the river or lived there the longest! Not that Claude is that old, but he and his son had quite a story to tell of their experiences on their property on Hoople Creek as they have lived there for almost 30 years. Their property borders the spot where Hoople Creek first drains into Hoople Bay.
Good News: Claude has volunteered the perfect ‘Pinch Point’ for the installation of Biotactic Underwater cameras / fish counters. It is the spot marked with a yellow arrow in the following satellite photo of the area.
Ice Fishing Derby: Claude Collette was a key organizer of the annual Ice Fishing Derby in Hoople Bay and confirms the demise of the walleye run has resulted in no walleye to speak of being caught for past decade. He tells of when he used to see thousands and thousands of walleye heading up the creek to spawn. “All you could see was eyes and they would be stacked several deep!”. These fish would migrate right by his property but no longer.
Weed Growth: Claude and Corey described the recent infestation of weed growth in the shallow bay in front of their property. It is so thick you can almost walk on it and they agreed most likely caused by fertilizer from farmers fields being washed into the creek.
Water Levels: Claude and Corey also talked at length of the water levels and how their dock used to be just above the water line but now sits several feet above the water. They think this is a primary factor killing off many of the fish, including Perch and Walleye.
Formal Organization of Not-for-Profit – ‘Friends of Hoople Creek’
We are very pleased to welcome two members who have agreed to sit as Interim Directors on our Board until we have a formal election in the future.
- Debbie Seguin – Lives on Colonial Drive, avid past fisher of Hoople Creek at Shaver Road.
- Carey Runions – Lives near Hoople Bay, avid past fisher of Hoople Bay over the old flooded Railway Bed for Walleye.
However, we do remain in need of Fishers or environmental community leaders for potential Board Members on the executive of this non-profit group of concerned citizens. Please consider sending your personal background to hooplecreek@cogeco.ca. We are in the process of preparing an application to Revenue Canada as we seek a non-profit society status.
Green Water Algae in Hoople Bay Area
We were pleased to see the St. Lawrence River Institute working with the Raison River Conservation Authority to assess the environmental issues associated with ‘eutrophication’. Had to look that one up, but definitely relates to the algae growth we are seeing in last few years and the green water in the bay. They referred to the following video to learn more about eutrophication.
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!
Friends of Hoople Creek 
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