The Blue Fish Radio Show

As anticipated, 2017 is proving to be a difficult year for BC’s wild salmon. Pacific Ocean temperatures in 2015 were much warmer than average, attracting competitors and predators from southern waters, and reducing the quantity and quality of prey for salmon. Making matters worse, BC’s wild salmon are being forced to share their diminished food supply with a record number of salmon being released...

It’s no secret that recreational fishing and boating are facing an incredible challenge. Current participation trends show younger, more diverse audiences are reluctant to take up fishing and boating, all while older white males are aging out of these activities. To address these challenges head-on, the U.S. Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation has embarked on a grand effort to grow participa...

Danielle Dion is the Senior Naturalist for Quoddy Link Marine going on 16 years and knows a thing or two about Right Whales. At the time this interview was recorded, 11 dead Right Whales had been discovered off the north-east coast of North America. With only 520 North Atlantic Right Whales in existence, this 2% decline in their numbers over the past five weeks is a wake-up call for everyone who h...

The U.S. “Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act” seeks to apply modern management approaches, science and technology to guide decision-making over saltwater recreational fishing. Lawrence Gunther speaks with Mike Leonard, Conservation Director for the American Sportfishing Association, and learns more about plans to increase access to saltwater recreational fishing opportunities along...

NOAA scientists record sound in the deepest part of the world’s ocean and discover a cacophony of sounds both natural and human generated. For three weeks, a titanium-encased hydrophone recorded ambient noise from the ocean floor at a depth of more than 36,000 feet, or 7 miles, in the Challenger Deep trough in the Mariana Trench near Micronesia. [more for the website follows] The pressure at that...

In this episode of Blue Fish Radio, Craig Oliver, host of Challenges and Change on AMI TV, gets Lawrence Gunther in the visitor’s chair where he opens up and shares personal thoughts and stories about turning his complete loss of sight into a tool that made him one of Canada’s leading voices on sustainable fishing. We learn how he visualizes underwater ecosystems that make up 70% of the earth’s su...

In part two of this Blue Fish Radio episode, Matthew Owl, the First Nations Manager of Ritchie Falls Resort, speaks to Lawrence Gunther about growing up on reserve with an Ojibwa father and a mother who comes from New York City. Mathew touches on his 15 years of experience with delivering and promoting indigenous tourism, and how he and his family found themselves leading on the purchase and event...

Matthew Owl and his wife Kyla are the new managers and promoters of Ritchie Falls, a 100-year old fishing and hunting resort. After being purchased in 2012 by a local First Nations business consortium, Ritchie Falls has been going through significant structural and mandate changes. Revitalizing aging fish and hunt businesses, many of whom have experienced steady declines in their return customers...

In episode 145 of Blue fish Radio Lawrence Gunther sits down with Ritchie Falls Resort’s co-manager and guide Kyla Lee Owl to discuss her passion for hunting and fishing. A dedicated bow huntress and angler, Kyla walks Lawrence through the process of sustainably managing the 1,000 square kilometer bear hunt area deeded to the Resort by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Hear why Kyla...

Each year Blue Fish Canada volunteers attend and exhibit at outdoor and adventure shows throughout North America. There exhibits are known for the amazing free tools and advice handed out to visitors. From guides on how to be a steward of your favorite fishing hole, to shoreline clean-up kits and more, visitors walk away with the knowledge and the tools to become stronger stewards of their fisheri...

Bren Smith shifted from a career in commercial fishing to become a farmer of the ocean. After 15 years of trialing ideas on how to grow sea vegetables and other food on his 20-acre patch of Atlantic Ocean, he took his hard-earned lessons and started GreenWave.org, a program that is spawning an entirely new breed of pioneer restorative 3D ocean farmers. It’s truly the new frontier that will ultimat...

Shorelines are places where two worlds come together with amazing results. Since the beginning of time Shorelines have engaged and educated children about nature and life. Joanne Saunders teaches early childhood education and owns and operates two day-cares, but what distinguishes her from the rest is her personal philosophy that you can’t introduce kids to nature soon enough. Working with childre...

Frank Kuiack has been a fishing guide in Ontario’s Algonquin Park for over seven decades and has seen more than his fair-share of change and hardship. He’s a big fan of the Splake hybrid fish that now dominates the stocking process. Listen as Frank shares his observations that he believes offers proof positive that climate change is real. Frank also reveals the name of his favorite lake.

The U.S. and Canadian governments adopted a new Great Lakes water level management plan in December 2016 designed to create and sustain wetlands. After record rains this spring, the IJC is scrambling to explain what if any their new plan had to do with the flooding experienced on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. This week on Blue fish Radio, Lawrence Gunther speaks with the IJC’s Engineer Adviso...

Lake Ontario" Waterkeeper Mark Mattson is concerned over the increasing plastics found in the lake and what it means for fish health. In addition to fighting this growing blight, Mattson is busy promoting The water mark project responsible for gathering local knowledge in the form of people’s personal water stories, and the "Swim drink fish" initiative that includes the swim guide, an app for mobi...

The Osgoode Township Fish, Game and Conservation Club is a charter organization of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, an operates within the city limits of Canada’s capital Ottawa. Blue Fish Radio interviews the club’s President, Barry Lancaster, to learn how a number of small outdoor clubs band together to fight for their right to fish and hunt traditional lands that suddenly were ama...

Robert Lennox is a PhD candidate at Carleton University and recently co-authored the report, “What Makes a Fish Catchable by Hook and Line”. Roberts this week’s guest on Blue Fish Radio because, who doesn’t want to know why fish aren’t biting. Lawrence and Robert discuss the origins of hooks and lines, and their various applications to recreational, commercial and subsistence fishing. The predator...

. Mike reveals how his commitment to conservation started early, and what led him to pursue a career in the outdoors, from a tournament pro, to co-hosting "Fishing Canada TV", and now host of his own show, "Angler and Hunter Television". Mike reflects on the link between people and nature, and why we need to stay connected to the circle of life by respecting and participating in nature’s cycles. T...

Gord Ellis is an angler, hunter, guide and outdoor columnist who hangs his hat in Thunder Bay Ontario. With over 1,000 published articles to his name and over 20 awards for his writing, he’s more than well-known along the north-west shore of Superior. More than that though, he’s respected for his conservation ethic and willingness to share his passion and hard-earned local knowledge to both young...

This week on Blue Fish Radio Lawrence speaks with Sarah McMichael from the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association about their many initiatives to ensure the tradition of fishing is passed on from Canada’s 8-million anglers to the next generation along with a sense of responsibility for ensuring the resource is sound. Keep Canada Fishing, is just one of the initiatives designed to inform angler...

Alaya Boisvert, manager of government relations for the Blue Dot Initiative at the David Suzuki Foundation, joins Lawrence Gunther this week on Blue fish Radio to discuss how countries around the world – 110 in total to date – have adopted an environmental bill of rights. Blue Dot is a grass-roots initiative sweeping across Canada that has now led to over 150 Canadian municipalities doing the same...

Michael Sklad and his family and friends have found a way to bring fishing to kids and families who might not otherwise have the opportunity or inclination to pursue fishing. Not only is it a collection of fun activities, but it’s informative and designed to pass on knowledge that will help ensure the future of fish and fishing.

I met Terry Bachmeier at a screening of What Lies Below along with his son and grandson. The next day I received an email from Terry, a man in his early 70’s, telling me about growing up in Uranium City in northern Saskatchewan. I visited the community after it was abandoned, but Terry brings the town back to life as he relates his childhood experiences of helping to feed his 11 brothers and siste...

Having fished the B1 Bass tournament series on many occasions, I was curious to learn more about Ben Woo’s expansion plans. One of the largest Bass tournaments in Canada is growing exponentially with events now planned for three locations across Quebec and Ontario. Live from the 2017 Toronto Sportsman Show, Ben Woo and his Conservation Director, Jason Barnucz, discuss what it takes to ensure the h...

Proposed 97% White-house budget cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and 25% cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency have 125 mayors of cities along the shores of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence up in arms. Mr. David A. Ullrich, Executive Director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative speaks about the important work undertaken to date to restore one of the world’s la...