Wayne Maracle knows as a Mohawk he has rights to harvest walleye from the Bay of Quinte. But he also believes it is equally his right and duty to ensure the local fish population remains strong and healthy.
That belief has earned the 66-year-old Mohawk honours from Ontario's oldest conservation agency. Maracle is the first native recipient of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters' certificate of merit.
The small plaque, which was presented to Maracle for his ongoing work in maintaining a healthy walleye population in the Bay of Quinte, says little about Maracle's work and the estimated 85 million fish he has released into the waters.
For the past five years, Maracle has been hatching and releasing walleye into the Bay of Quinte to ensure the waters remain populated by the fish.
In 2001, walleye were the focus of a major investigation by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. At that time, the provincial ministry was considering placing a moratorium on the fishing of walleye in the bay in fear that the fishery was close to collapse.
Many public meetings were held that year and an advisory board was created by the MNR.
Maracle was approached a number of times and asked to sit on the board. He relented and joined the board in an effort to set the record straight, from a Mohawk perspective. He said the information being presented by ministry officials regarding the number of fish taken by natives by spear and net seemed far too high to him.
"It wasn't just about the native rights, though," Maracle told The Intelligencer. "I agreed to sit on the board because I wanted to make sure the native community was represented."
During the three-and-a-half years Maracle served on the board, he debated MNR statistics over native harvesting, made a point of gill net fishing to prove the scientists were wrong in their facts and began to hatch and release his own walleye in hopes of boosting the population in the bay.
Over the course of six years, Maracle estimates he has released 85 million walleye fry and fingerlings back into their natural habitat. It's an astounding figure considering he began by hatching walleye eggs in a 45- gallon drum in a small shed along the bay's shore.
"Fishing is there for everyone," he said. "Our rights are known and it's one thing to say, as a native, 'We have a right', but everyone has the right to fish. When you abuse a right it doesn't become a right anymore.
"I wanted to do my part so I started the hatchery. It came out really well for me and now it's nothing for me to hatch 10 million walleye in a year."
Maracle has kept an open line of communication with the MNR and provides information regarding his releases. He said he likes to know his fish are helping sustain the fishery which, only a few years ago, was threatened.
The recognition from the OFAH came as a surprise to Maracle. He was presented the plaque at a dinner meeting at The Waring House with a number of OFAH representatives including general manager Mike Reader.
Terry Quinney, provincial manager of fish and wildlife services for OFAH, said the certificates of merit are only handed out when the OFAH board agrees the individual has made an ongoing, long-term contribution to the environment.
Maracle, he said, is certainly worthy of the award.
"As Ontario's oldest and largest conservation agency, we know our fishing and hunting heritage depends on healthy fish and wildlife," he said. "Everyone can make a contribution to that goal and at the grassroots level there are some very unique individuals who do do their part. Wayne Maracle is one of those with his culturing of young walleye."