ANGLERS MAY GET HOOKED INTO TOURNAMENT FEES

'WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS TO USE THE WATERS': ANGLER

A fee for the use of municipal facilities for fishing tournaments is being entertained in Rideau Lakes Township.

A review of the events and festivals bylaw created in 2007 is underway, which may include a look at licence fees for marine events, noted Malcolm Norwood, facilities and parks manager, during a regular municipal services committee meeting on Monday, March 13.

When using a facility in the township, like a boat launch, users may need to obtain a licence from the municipality. The main issue of revisiting this bylaw is to identify a traffic management plan, Norwood noted.

Coun. Sue Dunfield had received comments from a Renegade Bass Tournament angler regarding the proposed change. Although the angler liked the thoughts of a traffic management plan, charging a fee was not something they agreed with.

Last June, a cottage owner pleaded with council to ban fishing tournaments in the township after he was met with "intense hostility and vulgarity," during a tournament on Newboro Lake.

The Renegade Bass Tournament, after 27 years, has stopped running, according to its website: renegadebass.com. it's "no longer viable," a notice states. They closed the tournament due to increased costs and workload on the volunteers while thanking those who have participated.

Renegade had five tournaments, including two in Rideau Lakes: Newboro Lake and the Big Rideau.

Norwood said there was a $500 donation per event to the community enhancement committee from organizers of the Shootout Fishing League.

The SFL has 12 events this year, including on the Big Rideau (June 25), Newboro Lake (July 9), Dog/ Cranberry lakes (July 16), and Big Rideau Lake (Aug. 19 and 20).

Coun. Jeff Banks said that he wanted to ensure all stakeholders were notified of potential changes. "I don't want to scare all these tournaments away," he said. "They do add some economic value to the township."

Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said this issue will be coming back for further discussion as no decision on the user fees was made during the meeting. He encourages those with points of view on the issue to contact the township office.

Norwood's recommendation to council included

a legal review of the bylaw and that staff canvas stakeholders for their input on the proposed fishing tournament licence regime in preparation for a larger public consultation to occur after council has reviewed a legal review of the updated bylaw. The recommendation allows for indemnification of the township and demonstration of appropriate insurance policy (the latter part is a duplication of the Parks Canada license. It also allows for a deposit of fees (currently $1,000) to cover damages if incurred and a licence fee of $220 per event to cover the cost of administration. This recommendation was passed unanimously.

Cory Banford is the CEO and tour director for the SFL and was reached by this newspaper about the issue.

"I find it unfortunate that the township is going to these lengths to try and deter events from coming because of the complaints of a few," he told the Record News. "Many locals enjoy

us attending and enjoying the waterways, not to mention the economic impact some of our events bring to these communities. The attempt to flood us with fees, policies, rules and regulations to make it hard for us to come is very sad."

Banford said people who want the anglers gone from the lakes are not those who live here fulltime. "The complaints aren't coming from true locals," he said, "like restaurants, motels, gas stations, convenience stores, tackle shops and so on."

Tournament anglers are no different than a Tuesday night golf league, he said. "They are full of local, hardworking residents who enjoy the sport of tournament angling over kayaking, sailing, seadooing or just boating, and should have the same rights to use the waters as they all do."