Update on Fishery Officers’ Summer Operations
As the year comes to a close, boating season has ended, and it is time to review our operations. This summer, our fishery officers have been very active on waterways and in marinas across Quebec. Have you come across them?
If so, you know that in addition to enforcing laws, fishery officers do important prevention work. Over the past several months, they have met and spoken with pleasure boaters, from kayakers and sailors to power boaters and paddle boarders. Their goal is to raise awareness of aquatic invasive species, aquatic species at risk and best practices to follow in the presence of marine mammals.
Aquatic invasive species
Between the end of May and end of July, more than a dozen days were devoted to educating boaters on ways to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species. To accomplish this, officers conducted water patrols, made the rounds of marinas and boat launches, handed out promotional items and information leaflets, and held boat washes. In total, more than 950 people were encountered in Lac Saint-Jean, Lake Memphremagog, Île d’Orléans, Lévis and the Richelieu River.
Judging from these efforts, many boaters are now more aware of how important it is to clean, drain and dry their boats!
Species at risk
Fishery officers also met with boaters to inform them of the rules to be followed in the presence of species at risk. In August, they visited marinas in Lower St. Lawrence and met with 175 people to speak about the approach distances to be respected in the presence of marine mammals. Officers also conducted joint patrols with Parks Canada teams in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Through these initiatives, close to 200 people were made aware of the importance of not disturbing belugas or other whales.
In addition, officers conducted outreach on the Richelieu River in Montérégie. The Richelieu River is home to a wealth of wildlife, including 78 of the 108 species of freshwater fish in Quebec, and species at risk such as the copper redhorse, Eastern sand darter and Hickorynut. During the three-day operation, officers met with 124 boaters and raised their awareness of best boating practices to follow in species at risk habitats.
A shared success
For several of these operations, our fishery officers were able to rely on the cooperation of our partners. Now is the time to say thank you and well done to our colleagues from the organizations, municipalities and departments that joined us!
See you next summer!
Dean Flynn
Fisheries Management - Conservation and Protection Division
