OFAH Welcomes Added Financial Investment for Experimental Lakes Area

PETERBOROUGH, ON--(Marketwired - August 18, 2016) - The The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has long called for continued Federal government investments in freshwater fisheries science.

With that in mind, the OFAH was encouraged to see the recent commitment of $1.7-million over two years by the federal government for scientific research within the Experimental Lakes Area -- which is a section of Crown land east of Kenora made up of hundreds of lakes where scientists conduct environmental experiments that can't be done within a laboratory.

"The OFAH has called for government investment that focuses on freshwater fisheries and this is a good example of just that," says OFAH Manager of Fish and Wildlife Services Matt DeMille.

The scientific facility, now operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, was once set for closure due to funding cuts by the previous federal government. The OFAH did not support the decision at that time to stop funding the ELA and implored the government to continue operating it due to its valuable contributions to fisheries aquatic sciences.

This new funding will see $850,000 per year put into the ELA, which backs fulfills a 2015 federal election campaign promise from the government that stated they would make fresh investments in the Experimental Lakes Area.

The investment marks the third significant government commitment to fisheries science and management this year. In May, as part of the 2016 federal budget, a $197 million investment was announced to help Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) make more informed decisions about our fisheries while also creating job opportunities in science. A month later the government committed $8-million to the Sea Lamprey Control Program as part of an ongoing commitment to protect the Great Lakes and its $7-billion fisheries industry.

"Science and research is critical for making informed fisheries management decisions," says DeMille. "The recent investments by the Government of Canada in science and research is encouraging for the future of fisheries management."

Moving forward, the OFAH will continue to work with the government on fisheries issues and will continue to push for further investments in freshwater fisheries science and management.

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 735 member clubs, the OFAH is the province's largest nonprofit, fish and wildlife conservation-based organization and the VOICE of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit us online at www.ofah.org, follow us on Twitter @ofah and find us on Facebook.