Two things that can’t be knocked off the calendar by COVID-19 in Ontario are fish and hunting seasons.
In fact, you don’t need a licence to fish this Mother’s Day weekend.
Natural resources minister John Yakabuski says, however, that physical distancing has to be maintained.
“Our experience so far is that there has been good behaviour,” he reports. “Our conservation officers have been monitoring it and we’re quite satisfied that that will continue as the seasons open in different areas.”
What really worries the minister is the close quarters associated with the smelt run, for example.
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Yakabuski also notes that the spring bear hunt began last week as scheduled.
“We know the season is a different one this year because we won’t have our visitors from outside of Canada because of the travel restrictions. So our stakeholders are certainly being affected in a very negative way and we recognize that.”
The minister says a decision on financial help for outfitters should be announced soon.