Local Muskoka and Ontario fishing businesses are not the only one’s impacted by restrictions put in place to try to stop the spread of VHS. The Palladium Times reports that,
“…The regulations “hit two-thirds of our business,” said Hayden. “Without being able to net or sell our local bait we’ve lost about $21,000 this year.” Overall, the regulations have cost the business somewhere between $46,000 and $48,000 this year…The restrictions on fishing are from the New York State DEC, which enacted emergency regulations that limit the release, possession and taking of several bait and other live fish species in the waters that are infected…” Entire Article Here
In an earlier post on Muskoka Oudoors I shared how local businesses were impacted by similar restrictions the Ontario MNR has put in place. I hope that Governments and their agencies have done their homework into this virus. I mean, do the measures that are being put in place reflect the actual impact of the disease on fish population? Would it be reasonable to say VHS was always present in a percentage of fish populations and now, that the disease is actually on someone’s radar and being checked, it’s presence is being detected? If this is the case, then the measures being put in place may be overkill.
I am not suggesting that the above is the scnenario is the case, but that these restrictions better make a difference in the long term because of the short term problems it is causing within the fishing industries of both countries.
Bill Anderson – Muskoka Outdoors
