Draft Sustainability Strategy for Fish & Wildlife Special Purpose Account
Now on EBR for Public Comment
April 17, 2014
At the Tourism Northern Ontario (RTO13) Board meeting in November, MNR made a presentation regarding the development of a strategy to ensure that the Fish & Wildlife Special Purpose Account remains sustainable. The funds for this account are gathered through the sale of licences.
It has been indicated to us that the purpose of the strategy is to address the challenge of declining licence revenues due to Ontario’s demographic changes, aging population and decreases in fishing licence sales. The Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account provides approximately 67% of the funding for fish and wildlife resource monitoring, policy and program development, resource allocation, licensing, research, fish culture and stocking and enforcement.
The Strategy introduces new tactics and proposals in a discussion paper format emphasizing marketing, promotion, diversification of revenue sources, partnerships, and cost recovery. It reflects jurisdictional research, input from the Fish and Wildlife Heritage Commission, stakeholder consultation, MNR staff, and the results of the 2013 Fish and Wildlife Consumer Research Survey.
On Wednesday, April 16th, the draft 2014-2019 Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account Sustainability Strategy (EBR Registry #012-0623) was posted to the Environmental Registry for a 47 day public comment period http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/. Enter 012-0623 to find the document.
NOTO will be submitting comment on behalf of the industry be the deadline and we encourage industry stakeholders to review the document and share their comments with us as well as post them on the Environmental Registry as well.
Laurie Marcil
NOTO Executive Director
Ph. 705-472-5552 x24
laurie@noto.net
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