MNR outta $

[Pikeslayer8]

I heard that the Ontario MNR has been living high on the hog the last few years, but the budget axe fell this year.
Also heard that some of their planes are grounded and or severely curtailed.

According to the budget, the province plans to "conduct resource management with a stronger regional focus and fewer field offices; and redesign its science and delivery activities to shift away from a species-by-species approach to a risk-based ecosystem/ regional approach."

Ontario Parks will have funds cut to "infrastructure such as washroom and shower facilities, administrative buildings, water systems, electrical systems, roads, trails, docks, picnic tables, and waste disposal facilities." "Rehabilitation and repairs" will be prioritized, whatever that means.

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/o...1_ministryONRT

[Curryale]

I am not much for politics. I work in a private industry and am self employed.

But having many close friends who work in the MNR I can tell you for a fact that the cuts at the MNR have been staggering in the last 10 or 15 years.

There have been times when COs I personally know have not been able to go on patrol because their district doesnt have the money to put gas in the trucks or snowmobiles. They are operating on a skeleton staff and have been for years.

The stuff coming out of the press releases of the government is nonsense. What it really means is that you will not get much service from the MNR, rarely if ever see a CO and the lumber companies will be able to write their own forestry plans and cut whatever they want without a view to the future.

[adempsey]

Originally Posted by Curryale

I am not much for politics. I work in a private industry and am self employed.

But having many close friends who work in the MNR I can tell you for a fact that the cuts at the MNR have been staggering in the last 10 or 15 years.

There have been times when COs I personally know have not been able to go on patrol because their district doesnt have the money to put gas in the trucks or snowmobiles. They are operating on a skeleton staff and have been for years.

The stuff coming out of the press releases of the government is nonsense. What it really means is that you will not get much service from the MNR, rarely if ever see a CO and the lumber companies will be able to write their own forestry plans and cut whatever they want without a view to the future.

Yes, we're in a really sad state right now. All government funded agencies have been scraping by for a long time and now huge cuts again. Always taking the easy way out - cut, slash and burn instead of looking at and fixing inefficiencies. It's getting very tired.

So what you are saying is dont worry about beer in the boat anymore?

[Fish_Heads]

Originally Posted by lurker

So what you are saying is dont worry about beer in the boat anymore?

Probably really saying the former $150 fine is now up to $1500..........they gotta make their money someway ! (Just like when they cut back funding to the EPA here, but let them keep the fines they collected.)

[Obabikon]

If I'm not mistaken, only the OPP can write tickets for beer in a boat. Sometimes there's an OPP officer with an MNR officer, but I don't believe the MNR would get to keep the beer tickets. Just the illegal fishing tickets.


Either way, it's safer to not take beer into the boat.

[phishfearme]

Originally Posted by Obabikon

If I'm not mistaken, only the OPP can write tickets for beer in a boat. Sometimes there's an OPP officer with an MNR officer, but I don't believe the MNR would get to keep the beer tickets. Just the illegal fishing tickets.


Either way, it's safer to not take beer into the boat.

according to my one ex-OPP outfitter, that changed a few years ago - the MNR can now ticket for beer in the boat during their inspections - at least in the pickle lake area - maybe different in other areas?

phish

[tooski]

I believe they are permitted to ticket for real beer but Iron City is exempt.

[Pikeslayer8]

Originally Posted by lurker

So what you are saying is dont worry about beer in the boat anymore?

Yes

I'm sure that my view is not anywhere near politically correct, but yea, I feel the MNR should find some real fish criminals to catch. Now with drastically reduced funding, should the MNR fly all over remote NW Ontario and maybe catch a few Americans on some totally remote lake enjoying a cold Labatts Blue in a tin boat with a 10 horse motor catching a few walleye on a very healthy fishery or maybe spend their resources say in SE Ontario where the natives and locals have netted or over-harvested their own fisheries to the point of devastation like Lake Nipissing. Not to mention the invasive species like VHS, Round Goby and the very real threat of Asian Carp. But hey, there could be some drinkin in a boat up on Abamasagi or Wabakimi or perhaps Smoothrock. Who knows?

I'm just saying, that it seems like to me that so many of the lakes in NW Ontario where Americans like to fish are pretty well policed as is. There is a pretty good OPP and MNR ground presence on the biggie lakes like Lac Seul, LOTW, Minaki and Eagle. The resorts themselves police there guests better than the authorities ever could dream of. Picture some guy trying to harvest too many walleye while staying at Vermillion Bay Resort. I would bet that Vbay Gord would probably knock a knot on the perps head and hogtie em before having MNR take him into custody. I would bet that Obabikon and J Man and the rest of our fine resort operators are the same way.


So yes, I say the MNR needs to prioritize their spending and quit trying to drive away the tourists who are (were) the bread and butter of the same resources they are out to protect.

[TIGHTLINER]

Came back from the nakina area early june and then just got back from ramsey lake area and neither time did we see the mnr at the soo. Both trips i went thru at the soo on saturday a big day for american fisherman to be coming out of ontario. Usually you will see a mnr vehicle parked at the duty free or at the customs building but nothing this year.