6 replies to this topic

[Meanderer]

By Michael Hayakawa
Dec 14, 2011

Ringwood hatchery granted reprieve

Rumours of the Ringwood Fish Hatchery’s demise have been exaggerated greatly — at least for the next year.
Entering the final year of a five-year agreement between the Natural Resources Ministry and Ontario Federation of Anglers, the fish culture station has received a reprieve.
It was scheduled to close Sept. 28.
The reprieve came thanks to some due diligence by the Metro East Anglers Association, which volunteered to operate Ringwood during the five-year agreement.
Bruce Burt, an association spokesperson, noted attempts to save Ringwood from closing began in late February when its conservation group assembled a proposal for the ministry.
About three weeks later, it got the green light to continue.
One of the stipulations was the association had to register as a non-profit organization, Burt said.
With the paperwork finalized near the
Sept. 28 deadline, Burt said there was a two-week period during which members who work
at Ringwood could not enter the facility.
With close to 70,000 coho salmon yearlings being raised in the facility, the ministry sent its personnel in once a day to feed them before the deal became official, he added.
“I thought it would have been a great waste to close Ringwood,” Burt said, adding Ringwood is a great asset for the whole community. It operates without the use of water pumps. There’s natural artesian wells on the site in which the water is tapped to flow through the hatchery and flows in at eight degrees Celsius.
With the deal good for one year, Burt was quick to praise the ministry in supporting the association’s efforts.
“The ministry has been great to get us going and in accommodating us,” Burt said. “My hats off to them to making it possible.”
In the meantime, though, Burt said the association has been active seeking financial assistance through sponsors to keep the facility going for years down the road.
Burt is confident they will get the help it needs.
So far, the association received assistance from the Toronto Sportsmen’s Shows and Normark, a well-known fishing tackle manufacturer.
It also hopes to receive some assistance through the Aviva Community Fund as it has reached the top 30 finalists in its online contest that is offering $1 million in donations to lead, empower and support community initiatives.
The group is about $18,000 to $20,000
shy of running Ringwood for a full year, Burt said.
“I’m confident we can extend it for another five years,” he said.
Ringwood spearheaded the chinook salmon stocking program for Lake Ontario for the past 30 years.
That has been transferred to the Normandale Fish Culture Station near Simcoe.
Under Ringwood’s arrangement, it raises coho salmon.
In addition, it will release 40,000 brown trout in the Rouge River and along the Lake Ontario waterfront area near Pickering as well as 17,000 rainbow trout are to be released into the Rouge River.
The brown trout eggs, which should arrive in the next couple of weeks, are brood stock from another ministry hatchery, Burt said.
The rainbow trout eggs will be collected during late March to early April when these fish begin their spring spawning migration run up the various Lake Ontario feeder streams.

[GBW]

wooohooo!! great news!

[grubman]

Best news I've heard today. That's awesome. I hope they will open the tours again. Garfield and I tried to get a tour but because of the funding, they were not letting anyone into Ringwood.

Thanks for the update.

[GBW]

an update from another board...

Infact the Brown eggs arrive today. We will be working on them starting at 5pm.
Incase you are in the area and want to help out.
The browns are also released out in Lk Ont. by Picton.

As alot of you know, we unfortunately didn't make the grade for support from Aviva.
Thanks go out to all that took the time to vote. This was not a waist of time.....
alot of people became aware of the work at Ringwood. And hopefully that will bring in some financial support.

Safe Fishing First,
Jack

[grubman]

an update from another board...

Thanks for the update. I was really dissapointed they did'nt win but very glad they are staying open for next year. 2012 will be challenging for them, I hope they find or raise the funds to keep operating. Maybe we at OFF could have a fund raising fishing outing or something. Just brain storming.

[NADO]

an update from another board...

Which board is that?

[BlomBomber]

great news i live around the corner from it lol