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Stop the slaughter holds protest

Photos courtesy Sandra Putney. A group of people held a protest march at North Bay’s waterfront Saturday. Some held signs which read “Stop the slaughter of Lake Nipissing” and “restock the lake.

Photos courtesy Sandra Putney.

A group of people held a protest march at North Bay’s waterfront Saturday. Some held signs which read “Stop the slaughter of Lake Nipissing” and “restock the lake.”

Reg Dupuis organized Saturday’s demonstration to bring awareness to the mismanagement of Lake Nipissing.  

Dupuis grew up in North Bay and calls himself an avid fisherman and hunter. He wants changes to the way fish are harvested.  

“We have to stop the gross amount of waste of non Pickerel species of fish. Gill nets are the main detriment to the fishery as well as illegal harvesting through gill net methods.”

Dupuis wants Lake Nipissing restocked without all of the restrictions. He is calling on the Ministry of Natural Resources to take a bigger role to stop the mismanagement of the fisheries.  

Dupuis insists the group does not want to challenge treaty rights to the right to fish. “We have been reaching out to the new Nipissing First Nation council and have been responded to promptly."

The group wants a change to how Nipissing First Nation harvests for commercial fishing. Dupuis says Nipissing First Nation could help restock the lake. “We propose fish farms that are managed by Nipissing First Nation.”

Dupuis will continue to plan more demonstrations to inform both communities on how outfitters and the tourism industry surrounding the lake have suffered. “It's time for a more environmentally sustainable approach to managing the fishery of this lake.”