2018-Apr-18
Boating
Issues Covered
- Rules and Regulations
- Continued Boating Safety
- Emergency Response Protocols
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