The Ontario government has announced new fishing regulations aimed at protecting vulnerable salmon on the Ganaraska River during their peak migration season.
Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky says the new regulations are the product of the community’s input.
Due to the unique geography of the river, where the Corbett Dam fishway creates a bottleneck, salmon become concentrated and vulnerable as they move upstream. To address this, fishing will be prohibited in the stretch of the river between the Jocelyn Street bridge and the CNR bridge from September 1st through October 14th, 2024.
According to Hankivsky, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to fish.
The closure is intended to safeguard the salmon as they navigate this critical part of their migration. The Ganaraska River is renowned for its significant salmon run, with over 30,000 salmon returning in some years. However, the concentration of fish in a small area makes them highly visible and susceptible to harm.
Hankivsky says it’s really about conservation.
Following the closure period, from October 15th to December 31st, new opportunities will be available for anglers to catch a variety of trout and salmon species in the area.
The Municipality of Port Hope, while sharing this update, reminds residents that fishing regulations are governed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The community is urged to cooperate with the new guidelines to ensure the protection of the salmon population and the continued health of the Ganaraska River ecosystem.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)