From your GBA Rep. – Claudette Chabot (claudettechabot@gmail.com )

 

! Þ  Happy summer to fellow Bay lovers! 

 

It was great to meet again face-to-face on the Channel with your SCA Executive over the Long weekend – and to be nominated to join the Executive as more than the GBA Rep. Those meetings are long and detailed but so necessary and sure worth the while!

 

I don’t want to go long on this but just want to give you an idea on where your $40 Georgian Bay Association portion of your membership is getting you these days.

I can assure you first, that your volunteers do not get paid.

But seriously….In my ten years + as Director for GBA I have seen the stewardship arms stretch out over and beyond. Here’s a sampling of how…

 

GBA has been asked to join in steering committees and Board of other NGO’s and some of our resource members/Directors have offered even more of their time and talent to sit with:

• The International Upper and Middle Great Lakes Study Advisory Group (a candidate has been put forward)
• The International Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement review committee – Our Executive Director, Bob Duncanson has offered to serve with Environment Canada’s steering committee and he attends the meetings and Webinars (Please check Environment Canada’s website today – binational.net – if you would like to have an opportunity to comment on some of the discussion documents that have been published about the state of your great Lakes and what needs to be done to keep them great! Webinars are currently in progress)
• Great Lakes United – a wonderful Binational ENGO that is engaged in a huge many transborder issues for health of the Great Lakes System has asked for a representative GBA for to sit on their Board of Directors. GBA’s John Wilson (Chair of the Fisheries Committee) has volunteered his time to serve double duty.
• And we are indebted to Dr. Karl Schiefer (GBA resource and esteemed member of our Aquaculture Committee) for attending the Steering Committee meetings with DFO’s chosen to direct the National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan Initiative  for freshwater aquaculture development (that we are trying to steer into contained systems)
• GBA also proposes to engage in the public process recently announced for the proposed Hydro One expansion down the east side of Georgian Bay that will facilitate the transmission of “Green Energy” projects.

 

And the arms continue to extend every year on your behalf!

In fact, the Board of Directors has decided we must meet every four weeks in Toronto rather than the traditional 6 weeks in between – to juggle all the areas needing attention by the various committees/people of the Board.

 

 

Here’s just a snippet of the business that the GBA’s  Aquaculture Committee commits to (to which I have the real pleasure of being Chair).

 

Just yesterday- I and 3 others from GBA was thrilled to be meeting with Gord Miller, who has been reinstated (busier than ever) as the Environmental Commissioner for Ontario. Your comments have been received, his report to the legislature is complete and it will be released by September.

I thank you, sincerely for the letters I saw coming from SCA and other Association members to the MNR contact responsible for receiving comments about the recent open netcage fish farm applications for renewal of their aquaculture Licenses . It will make a difference!

In the last year the GBA Aquaculture Committee has been either traveling to workshops or attending meetings with:

• The Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association and we have clearly objected to their industry growth plan – urging them to grow into contained systems of rearing fish.
• DFO’s National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan Initiative Workshop – where we clearly objected to the growth of the netcage industry – urging them to grow the industry using contained systems
• The office of the Minister of Natural Resources – same message as those above
• A conference call with Ministry of Environment staff about the Sediment monitoring under the cages – with the same message as those above
• Discussions  with the Word Wildlife Fund (WWF) organized Seafood Certification Committee member for freshwater fish,  about sustainable seafood Certification - with the same message as those above
• And later in June we will attend a workshop with MNR, industry and others,  proposed to develop Policy in regards to the sediment (sludge) produced by the fish farms - and we will deliver the same message as those above

Busy times and still always more to do.

 

Boating and Safety Committee news: You may have noticed a bit of an OPP blitz on the water this season. Have your Boat Operators License, Boat registration, and all safety equipment on board your vessel! You may even get awarded one of the T-shirts OPP will be giving out (and GBA donated to) that is an “I was caught wearing my life jacket” award.

 

Lands and Forest Committee: Did you hang your “Be Bear Wise” fact sheet in a prominent place? Do be on the alert. Most bears are friendly and scared but all bears can cause great damage when lured by food, startled or feeling threatened.  Also posted to the web will be information on Blastomycosis .

 

Best wishes for a fun and safe summer in clear, clean and calm waters!