NS Minister of Fisheries and Department of NS Inland Fisheries,

We have a very serious issue in NS with the spreading of Invasive Species as outlined by the 2022 NS Recreational Fishing Advisory Council Meetings. 

In the past 70 years our province went from having zero bodies of water invaded by Smallmouth Bass and Pickerel to several hundred.

• We now have about 326 bodies of water impacted by Smallmouth Bass
• We now have 166 bodies of water impacted by Chain Pickerel.

Immediate action and strict regulations are now required across the entire province to help address this issue and to try and conserve our native species and the ecosystems that they live in.  Parks Canada also recognizes this is as a very serious issue in NS and has mandated that all Smallmouth Bass and Chain Pickerel be retained if captured within the boundaries of Kejimkujik National Park.

https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik/activ/peche-fishing/gestion-poisson-fish-management

The following are proposals put forward for consideration to address the very serious issue of aquatic invasive species in NS.  The goal of these proposals is to further conserve and protect our native species from increasing threats from aquatic invasive species.

1. Mandatory Retention of Pickerel across the entire province

2. Mandatory retention of all Smallmouth Bass in Nova Scotia Recreational Fishing Areas where they are not currently managed as a Sportfish.

3. Reduction in retention limit of all wild (non stocked) native Brook Trout in Nova Scotia from 5 to 3 or even lower in areas like the Lahave River Watershed that are under extreme pressure from invasives. The exceptions would be special management areas and stocked lakes as outlined by the province.

4. Designate bodies of water in each RFA that are strictly Catch and Release for Brook Trout and has a gear restriction that specifies single hook lure or fly, no natural bait.

5. No live fish to be used for bait in all freshwater bodies in the entire province.

6.  The creation and full implementation of an effective Invasive Species policy within NS.

7.  Non implementation of proposed regulations for Smallmouth Bass that are designed to create a trophy fishery in the Western part of NS.  Science gathered in NS on Smallmouth Bass suggests that this proposed regulation would not achieve the desired results due to limited food sources and habitat challenges.

Thank you for your support in helping conserve and protect our Native Species.