Researchers have discovered a new chemical compound that makes it difficult for invasive sea lamprey to find their breeding grounds. Petromyzonol tetrasolfate, or 3sPZS as it is known, is similar to a natural pheromone that male sea lampreys release in rivers and streams before breeding. The natural pheromone attracts females ready to breed to the males’ nests, but when 3sPZS is released into a river system, females can’t find the nests and are unable to breed. Initial tests are promising. 3sPZS naturally break down in the water and due to its similarity to the naturally occurring pheromone, it only influences the invasive sea lamprey. Current strategies for controlling sea lamprey populations in the Great Lakes include barriers and the application of a lampricide known as TFM whic
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year (just) – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 4, 3, 7, 4 & 5 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron & St Clair are lower by 8, 2 & 1 inches, respectively, and Lakes Erie & Ontario are up 1 & 0 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are 5, 5 & 9 inches, respectively, above their long-term November average, and Lakes Superior & Ontario are 0 & 4 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior,
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year (just) – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are down 3, 2, 2, 2 & 6 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are lower by 6 & 2 inches, respectively, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 3, 2 & 2 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are 3, 10 & 10 inches, respectively, above their long-term November average, and Lakes Superior & Ontario are 2 & 3 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, M
Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORRs) allow any level of government to ask Transport Canada (TC) to restrict the use of either pleasure craft or commercial vessels on bodies of water in Canada to promote safety, protect the environment or look out for the public interest. Such restrictions may include: prohibiting boats limiting engine power or type of propulsion imposing speed limits restricting towing on any sporting or recreational equipment including wake surfing prohibiting a sporting, recreational or public event or activity The current application process is slow and the restrictions do not cover all of the issues on local waterways. TC knows the process needs to be simplified and the time it takes to implement restrictions needs to be shorter. The
Wildlife scientists are hoping they can turn invasive carp into traitors to slow their Great Lakes push. Over the last five years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have employed a new strategy that uses turncoat carp to lead them to the fish's hotspot hideouts. Invasive carp are captured, implanted with transmitters and then released. Because carp often school in spring and fall, agency workers use the tagged fish to locate schools, monitor their movement and then drop nets to remove the fish from the ecosystem. From the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities to the Iowa-Missouri border real-time tracking of the tagged fish has helped wildlife managers and anglers as much as double the poundage of invasive carp pulled from that area of river. Four d
At the 2020 Water Levels Symposium hosted jointly by GBA and Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) we asked the International Joint Commission (IJC) to improve the harmonization of published data emanating out of the US and Canada regarding water issues in the Great Lakes. We are pleased to report that the IJC has made significant progress on this and the results are described in the “Transboundary Hydrographic Data Harmonization” section of their watersheds report that has just been publicized. - Read the report here. -
We are all connected to water and have a shared responsibility to take action to restore and protect the Great Lakes. This is the essence of the Biinaagami initiative. Biinaagami, which means pure, clean water in Anishinaabemowin, is a multimedia, change-provoking initiative rooted in Indigenous knowledge that aims to rebuild healthy relationships between wildlife, people and places in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence watershed. This initiative is led by champions of water including a former Grand Chief, Indigenous education advocates, Waterkeepers, Riverkeepers and Anishinaabek and Haundenosaunee Elders and Knowledge Keepers along with Canadian Geographic and Swim Drink Fish. GBA attended the launch event and the Great Lakes Ecoregion Network (GLEN), the organization GBA played a ke
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year (just) – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 3, 1, 6, 4 & 6 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are lower by 6 & 1 inch, respectively, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 3, 3 & 2 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair & Erie are 4, 9 & 10 inches, respectively, above their long-term November average, and Lakes Superior & Ontario are 1 & 2 inches below, respectively. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Mi
The West Carling Association was awarded $4,029 from the Green Shovels Collaborative’s Invasive Phragmites Control Fund to combat the invasive phragmites in their area. Their project, Survey, Control and Monitor of Invasive Phragmites in Carling Township Coastal Areas, is an ongoing, collaborative project to complete surveys of the Carling Township coastline, which is estimated to be 220 kilometres long. This project will establish a baseline of the presence of coastal phragmites and become the basis of ongoing monitoring and management of infested sites in the community. This project joins 20 others from across Ontario supported through the Invasive Phragmites Control Fund, a granting program made possible by an expanded investment of $250,000 from the Ontario Ministry of Natura
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is observed every year on the first Saturday in May. Communities are encouraged to host events and work on projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and develop strategies to increase resilience to it. Groups can apply for a $500 award to fund your Wildfire Community Preparedness event or project that can take place any time between May and October 2024. FireSmart Canada in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), and The Co-operators are supporting this annual event by offering the $500 award. In 2023, 230 community groups in 10 provinces and two territories received an award Neighbourhoods, community associations, fire departments, Indigenous communities, as we
Lake Michigan-Huron continues to be below the level it was at this time last year (just) – see first graph below. - From a month ago the water levels on Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario, are down 5, 2, 1, 2 & 7 inches, respectively. Lakes Superior & Michigan-Huron are lower by 6 & 2 inches, respectively, and Lakes St Clair, Erie & Ontario are up 2, 4 & 6 inches, respectively, than they were at this time last year. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St Clair, Erie & Ontario are 5, 12, 13 & 0 inches, respectively, above their long-term November average, and Lake Superior is 1 inch below. All the lakes remain well below their November record highs. - In a month’s time Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Cl
Daylight Saving Time ended on Sunday and there were probably still a few clocks to manually change but did you remember to put fresh batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors? It’s the law for all Ontario homes, cottages, cabins and seasonal homes to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. You must also have a working carbon monoxide alarm adjacent to each sleeping area if you have a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. Follow this simple schedule to keep your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in peak shape: Every month (or every time you go to the cottage): Do a quick test of the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors using the test button to ensure they are working properly Every six
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GBA will continue to work with government and non-government agencies in the US and Canada to determine if and how a better job can be done to improve coordination between the different control structures that affect our water levels. The aim is to do the best we can to mitigate and address the impacts of extreme high and low water levels which are expected to worsen if climate change impacts unfold as expected. We will also be surfacing any issues on the accuracy and completeness of water levels data and exploring how water levels data can be enhanced to improve ease of interpretation and better inform decision making including adaption strategies.
Learn more about this priority >>What are sea lampreys and why are they problematic? Sea lampreys are an ancient form of a jawless fish with a toothed, funnel like mouth, that suck blood out of fish. They entered the Great Lakes through the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the 50’s, Lake Huron’s commercial fishing industry was verging on collapse. In particular, one of the most valued species, Lake Trout, a favorite sea lamprey meal, was nearing extinction. The good news is Lake Huron’s sea lamprey population (once the largest in the Great Lakes with over 700,000 in the 1940’s and 1950’s) has been declining. For example, in 2015 the population fell to 70,000, well below the target of 90,000 set by the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission (GLFC), established in 1954 to oversee a Great Lakes sea lamprey control
The message from traditional Indigenous teachings is that catch and release is disrespectful to the fish (it can also harm their ability to eat properly after they are released) and one should only fish respectfully, which includes eating the fish we catch. Now it seems there is another reason to question this practice. Some bass are smarter than we might think, learn to avoid lures and can pass that knowledge down through the generations! Who knew! - Read more here. -
What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Sheila Williams and I (Celesta Bjornson) are the co-presidents of the Bay of Islands Association (BICA) and have been enjoying our summers in the Bay of Islands since we were toddlers. My family is from Pittsburgh and we originally found the Bay of Islands in the 1950s by vacationing at a fishing lodge called Moredolpton Lodge. Sheila's family is one of the founding families of the Bay of Islands. Her grandfather discovered the Bay of Islands in early 1900s while working on the lakers, travelling from southern Georgian Bay to the North Channel, transporting lumber back south. He fell in love with the area and purchased an island around 1924 and began building a cottage. Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to yo
Luc Voorn is a cottager in the South Channel and a passionate advocate for Georgian Bay. He currently serves as the Membership Chairperson for the South Channel Association (SCA), Editor of the SCA “On the Waterfront” newsletter, and as Director, Friends of the Massasauga Park. This past summer (2019), he was nominated as a Guardian of Georgian Bay for his ongoing enthusiasm and efforts to protect and preserve the Bay. Note from Jamie Drayton, GBA Chair of Guardians of Georgian Bay Committee My Dad used to take us camping. His lure to get us to bathe was to promise us ice cream if we ran into the water first thing in the morning for a swim. I recall the water being absolutely freezing at 7 o’clock in the morning… I don’t recall ever getting any ice cream. A few years l
Boating from October through June offers a very different experience steeped in solitude and excellent fishing. It is a beautiful time to be on the water. But boating during this season also requires extra attention to detail and the ability to be self-sufficient given that there are fewer boaters around should you require assistance. Here are some helpful tips from the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters to make off-season boating safer for you. Check the weather forecast. The weather can change quickly and storms can be more violent. Fog is also more common. Ensure that your boat and engine are in good working order. Ethanol-based fuel can allow water contamination in the tank. The use of a fuel additive prevents water in the f
As nominated by Heather Sargeant My Phragbuster Hero About 5 or 6 years ago, at an event jointly put on by the Georgian Bay Association, Georgian Bay Forever, and featuring Dr. Gilbert, an ecologist with Phragmites expertise , I first learned about invasive Phragmites and the harm it can have on wetlands. I decided to investigate if Phragmites was a threat in Woods Bay (my favourite area of Georgian Bay), and that’s when my journey tackling this plant began. I wasn’t sure if a plant across from the family cottage was indeed the invasive type, and so I was nervous and queasy about leading people to help me cut it. What if it was the native plant, and I’d taken all these people out to cut down something benign? One of my neighbors told me there was a hero on Georgian
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is asking motorists to look out for vulnerable turtles on our roadways. Road surfaces provide an attractive source of warmth for these cold-blooded reptiles, particularly in the spring and early summer. During this time, turtles are mating and nesting; in late summer and early fall, newly hatched turtles are travelling from their nests to nearby wetlands. The Nature Conservatory of Canada has an informative video and tips for safely moving turtles. Watch the video and read the tips here.
Here are some things to think about around Fire Safety at the cottage: Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are present and working. Have a list of local emergency numbers posted for all to see. Include all pertinent cottage location information. Have the right fire extinguishers in the right places. Have an individual fire plan for evacuation. Make sure your plan has two escape routes. Respect local fire ratings. Have a fire pump and use it regularly to ensure it is in good working order. At the very least have a list of neighbours to call for assistance. Follow your association’s emergency plan if it exists. Make sure you have insurance. Make sure you understand what it covers and that it is adequate to rebuild and covers contents AND fire de
The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario has just released a useful guide on how to how we can all reduce our environmental footprints. Being a Guardian of the Bay also means doing what we can to reduce our individual consumption of carbon based fuels. - Here is a very good fact sheet and here is a full presentation on this topic. -
What’s your name and what’s your connection to Georgian Bay? Cory Kozmik, Anthony Laforge, Samantha Noganosh, Chevaun Toulouse. We are the Lands and Resource Department for Magnetawan First Nation, in Britt, Ontario. - Source: Magnetawan First Nation Our connection to the Bay is the dense biodiversity that it hosts and the role its ecology plays in our lives, including the environment. It is also where ancestors of the Anishinabek Nation walked and practiced each day what it means to live with the land in reciprocity. The connection to the land and water is sacred to the Anishinaabe culture, and held very close to the communities that inhabit the area. - Why is being a Guardian of the Bay important to you? We take great pride in being “Guardians” because it is our
Large wakes continue to be a bone of contention. They cause damage to docks and shorelines and can be very disruptive to cottagers enjoyment of their docks. What can be done? The occasional disruption and damage caused by excessive wakes are an ongoing source of irritation between boaters and cottagers. Boaters are responsible for their wakes and any damage caused by them. But the OPP tells us that damage caused by wakes is a civil issue. And so what you need to do is be able to identify the vessel and the operator and pursue the matter in small claims court if a reasonable result can’t be agreed upon between the parties on their own. However, if a boater is observed to be operating their vessel in a dangerous or careless way then the OPP should be called. They ideally would like t
This past summer there seemed to be a search & rescue operation happening and it left many cottagers confused about what was going on. The questions were about what to do in a situation like that - where to get information, and potentially how to help. When involved in a current investigation the OPP generally will not disseminate info through the media. They most often feel they have the resources to adequately conduct a search. Note that, if the OPP does ask the public for assistance, they are civilly liable if a member of the public gets injured while searching, and so tend not to involve the public. If the OPP is not successful then they will ask the public for assistance through media channels. If people have questions they can call the OPP non emergency ( 1 800-310-1122 ) num
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