Blue Fish Canada/Poisson Bleu Canada2022 Activity Summary
As the founder and on-going president of Blue Fish Canada I’m pleased to report that 2022 witnessed our return to offering direct in-person programming. On-line program delivery will continue due to its effectiveness and cost efficiency, but in many cases actual outdoor experiences are irreplaceable for building real and lasting connections with nature. You can call what we do a hybrid delivery model, but in reality, it’s a strategy Blue Fish Canada embraced ten years ago when we were first registered as a Canadian charity. All this to say, Blue Fish Canada is growing forward!
Invasive Species: In partnership with the Invasive Species Centre, Blue Fish Canada produced a series of invasive Grass Carp and Goldfish public service advisories including videos, audio inserts, and alternative format (braille / large print) hand-outs. A social media campaign to disseminate these important messages and best-practices continues.
Podcasts: Another 28 episodes of “The Blue Fish Radio Show” and 26 episodes of “Outdoors with Lawrence Gunther” were produced. Both podcasts are now ranked top-ten in their respective categories in Canada and abroad.
Youth Fishing: Continued partnerships with Earth Rangers, CNIB, the St. Lawrence River Institute, the International Game Fish Association, Ottawa Youth Fishing School, Scouts, Girl Guides and more, extends Blue Fish Canada’s reach to a diversity of youth. Specially curated training materials ensures young anglers have the tools and inspiration to become stewards of nature and citizen scientists. Over 137 youth were directly engaged by Blue Fish Canada, and a further 300,000 families benefited from accessing Blue Fish Canada content.
Newsletter: Over 6,000 subscribers receive the biweekly Blue Fish News. A further 127,892 unique visitors accessed the News through the Blue Fish Canada website. Each issue includes a timely editorial with supporting podcast interviews, links and summaries to media reports, and a guest feature article.
Fish Health: President Lawrence Gunther continues to chair the Great Lakes Fish Health Network. Book submissions, academic articles and research papers are being produced with support from Network members and partner organizations such as the St. Lawrence River Institute for Environmental Sciences, Queen’s University, the Canadian Environmental Law Association, the Great Lakes Network and others.
TV: Over 6,000 subscribers receive the biweekly Blue Fish News. A further 127,892 unique visitors accessed the News through the Blue Fish Canada website. Each issue includes a timely editorial with supporting podcast interviews, links and summaries to media reports, and a guest feature article.
Stakeholder Engagement: Nature Canada tasked Blue Fish Canada with facilitating dialog on the topic of fish and fishing concerning a proposed National Marine Conservation Area including the eastern basin of Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. To date, conversations have been held with seven stakeholders representing fishery researchers, commercial fishers and processors, indigenous fishers, recreational anglers and guides, and government officials. Their views and knowledge are being shared in summative reports and podcasts.
Facebook Live: Canada Fishing Network’s Monday Night Live Facebook stream includes President Lawrence Gunther’s 30-minute weekly segment featuring insightful commentary on fish and fishing in the news with the show’s host Scotty Martin.
Field Research: Working in collaboration with governments, the private sector, research organizations, shoreline property associations, indigenous communities and expert anglers, Blue Fish Canada is establishing a series of longitudinal research projects to assess measures to strengthen fish habitat and resilience throughout west Quebec and eastern Ontario. Research sites provide youth with training and opportunities to work alongside researchers.
Accessibility and Diversity: Growth in fishing participation is being driven by women, BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities and youth living primarily in urban centers. Blue Fish content and programs are inclusive, bias-free, and accessible. Guest experts reflect Canada’s diversity and include collaborations with indigenous communities.
Documentaries: Three new Lake2Plate 30-minute documentaries featuring fishing in Quebec’s Pontiac were released in 2022. A documentary short featuring President Lawrence Gunther and the work of Blue Fish Canada aired at the Ecological Society of America’s AGM and has been uploaded to the Water Ranger website. BFC provided CBC with archival content for their documentary “The last Guide”. Our documentary What Lies Below released on the BFC YouTube channel in 2021 has now been viewed over 30,000 times.
Blue Fish Certification: As outfitters, lodges, resorts, and other outdoor tourism operations recover from pandemic related impacts to their businesses, our sustainable training resources and certification programs grow in popularity. Be sure to look out for our Blue Fish logo on certified 3rd-party websites and social media, and please reward them with your business.
YouTube: Nine new videos have been uploaded to the BFC YouTube channel featuring live panel discussions produced by BFC on topics such as angler apps and fish research, and safeguarding St-Lawrence River muskie habitat. Another four invasive species PSA videos were produced and uploaded. Blue Fish Radio is also now producing more video content in addition to the audio podcasts.
Presentations / Seminars: A total of 17 in-person and live streaming presentations and seminars were provided by President Lawrence Gunther at outdoor shows like the Toronto Sportsman Show, an OceanWise evening at the Museum of Nature, schools, youth camps, science symposiums, government conferences, and conservation events.
Traditional Indigenous Knowledge: Indigenous Leaders like Chief Scot MacLeod and Chief Donald Maracle continue to share with Blue Fish Canada their traditional knowledge and values, allowing Blue Fish Canada to advance reconciliation by sharing more broadly their historic perspective and unique expertise.
Angler Champions: High profile angler experts, advocates, and influencers such as Canadian country music star and TV host Bret Kissel and Iron Maiden lead guitarist Adrian Smith lend their support to Blue Fish Canada. These champions also play a key role in amplifying the reach of our programs and the stewardship best practices and values they represent.
Science Advisors: Collecting, documenting, and sharing local and traditional knowledge is crucial. Ensuring this information and guidance is accurate rests with Blue Fish Canada’s many science advisors. Whether it be catch-and-release best practices, sustainable harvesting, or precautionary principles, we ensure all Blue Fish Canada guidance documents and program policies are factually accurate and scientifically valid.
Guest Appearances: President Lawrence Gunther featured in 11 live streaming events, expert panels, conferences, symposiums, and podcasts over the past 12 months. Recordings of many of these events are now on YouTube or available as podcasts.
Partnerships, Sponsors and Affiliates
| AMI Audio and TV | Maitland Tower | Ottawa River Keeper | Nature Canada |
| Pontiac Tourism | Ottawa Region Walleye League | Outdoor Canada Magazine | Door #1 |
| Public Fisheries Alliance | Sail Outdoors | Ranger Boats | Oceana Canada |
| B.C. Federation of Flyfishers | Keep Canada Fishing | Saskatchewan Angler Research Group | Shimano |
| Canadian Fishing Network | Masters Production Ltd. | Save the River | Orleans Boat World |
| Canadian Environmental Law Association | St. Lawrence Institute for Environmental Research | Lowrance | Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association |
| Mohawk Council of Akwesasne | Striper Cup | Carp Anglers Group Ontario | Salus Marine |
| Four Wheel Campers Canada | The Blue Fish Radio Show | Destination Northern Ontario | Muskie Canada Inc. |
| Now with Dave Brown TV | Tom Rowland Podcast | Earth Rangers | Scotty Fishing |
| Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario | Watershed Watch Salmon Society | Fish’n Canada | EagleClaw |
| Ontario Bass Nation | World River Day | Great Lakes Fish Health Network | CNIB |
| B.C. Anglers Coalition | HumanWare | Great Lakes Toxic Free Network | Water Rangers |
| Anglers Atlas | FishingWire | Watershed Watch Salmon Society | Muskies Canada |
Social media
Summary: Blue Fish Canada continues to serve an increasingly important role in the future of water quality, fish health and recreational fishing across Canada. Using a combination of online tools, print resources and traditional storytelling is proving highly effective at engaging the next generation of recreational anglers and their mentors. While our on-line strategies continue to generate strong results, our shoreline access sites combined with fishery and habitat research and youth training ensures Blue Fish Canada programs are nature based.
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Yours Sincerely,
Lawrence Gunther Euteneier M.E.S. M.S.M.
director@bluefishcanada.ca
President
Blue Fish Canada
Blue Fish Radio Show Guest Highlights
Lawrence’s “Field research’’
Blue Fish Canada / Poisson Bleu Canada
