CORNWALL, Ontario – The first female president of the South Lancaster Fish and Game Club wants to make sure local natural resources can be protected for future use.
Shawna Rousseau said the club will begin exploring avenues for government grants, including sources like the Trillium Foundation, in an effort to access funds that will be used to protect wildlife areas, including fish spawning grounds.
Rousseau said the logic is simple.
“If we don’t make efforts to conserve what we’re hunting and fishing…the resource will only last so long,” she said. “Conservation is integral to hunting and fishing.”
First on her list of priorities is getting an update on the condition of walleye spawning grounds in Hoople Creek (Ingleside) and an area around the Martintown Mill.
She said the spawning grounds have been in place since the 1980s when her club took an active role in their construction.
“Our long-term goal is to secure grants in 2016,” said Rousseau. “We need an assessment of these spwaning grounds to see if they’re still a viable resource.”
What also comes along with that is partnering more with Raisin Region and South Nation conservation authorities.
Despite its name the South Lancaster club is open to all local residents, and splits its activities pretty evenly between hunting and fishing.
The club is hosting a walleye tournament Aug. 22 on Lake St. Francis. First prize in the tourney will be $1,350.
For more on the club, and information on how to register for the tournament, click here.
