Giant hogweed isn't new to Ontario, but the public has recently become much more aware of it. As a result, the phone lines for the toll free Invading Species Hotline have been ringing constantly with questions and concerns from landowners about the invasive plant that is spreading across Ontario. The hotline is a service of the Invading Species Awareness Program, a partnership of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).

This summer is shaping up as one of the best in recent memory for anyone considering fishing for the first time. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) is pleased to announce that not one, but two new initiatives will make it easier than ever to get out and experience fishing in Ontario.

Ontario Power Generation has signed on as a major sponsor for the O.F.A.H. TackleShare program. TackleShare enables children without equipment to borrow a rod and reel and basic tackle in much the same way they would borrow a library book. Over 120 loaner sites have been established across the province, including many Ontario Provincial Parks, public libraries, Conservation Authorities, Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations and other community organizations.

The O.F.A.H. Mario Cortellucci Hunting & Fishing Heritage Centre has been welcoming visitors daily since it opened its doors in mid-April. This week, a unique series of evening events showcasing all there is to do and enjoy in the outdoors gets underway in the centre's Toronto Sportsmen's Show Amphitheatre.

More than thirty college and university summer students, (AKA the Invasive Species Hit Squad), will attend invasive species boot camp this week to learn all they can about alien threats to Ontario's biodiversity. The Invading Species Awareness Program (ISAP) is an education and outreach initiative, jointly run by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The ISAP is hosting the two-day training session beginning June 22 at the O.F.A.H. Mario Cortellucci Hunting & Fishing Heritage Centre in Peterborough.

On May 20th the Honourable Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a major initiative in support of the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program (LOASRP). The program is jointly led by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), with assistance from other levels of government and a number of public and private sector companies and organizations.

For years, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) has warned the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) that the cancellation of the spring bear hunt and its replacement with the provincial Bear Wise Program would negatively impact public safety. Instead of managing Ontario's bears for optimal sustainable populations as it is mandated to do, the province has instead opted to try to manage people, with dismal, and sometimes near fatal results.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has some job openings available. We are looking to fill a position of Assistant Web Developer and Geographic Information Systems Specialist. For more information, including requirements and contact details, please visit our website.

On Monday May 10, 2010, at 7:30 p.m., the Executive Committee of Pickering City Council will be holding a meeting to hear delegations speak on the proposed changes to the firearms (no discharge) bylaw.

The meeting will take place at Pickering City Hall, One The Esplanade, Pickering, Ontario. We are encouraging all local hunters, members of the Pickering Rod & Gun club and others to attend. If the City of Pickering goes ahead with the proposed changes, it will end hunting in the area.

Today, an exciting environmental and educational initiative is happening on the Bronte Creek, thanks to the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Pioneer Petroleums and many other partners. Classroom hatchery-raised Atlantic salmon will be released on Bronte Creek at 11:00 a.m. at Lowville Park, in the Village of Lowville.

"More than a century after Atlantic salmon were declared locally extinct from the waters of Lake Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and our partners are pleased to be here on the banks of Bronte Creek with 180 elementary school students, as we take part in this historic effort to bring back the salmon," said Mike Reader, O.F.A.H. Executive Director.

Despite knowing about the escape of exotic game farmed red deer in the Sudbury/French River area sometime over the last two years, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has failed to recapture or contain the deer, which have the potential to infect wildlife with CWD, a fatal disease of the brain which affects white-tailed deer, elk and moose (cervids).

Initially, MNR North Bay district staff were far too complacent. By failing to act quickly to contain this potential threat, they violated Ministry policy and protocol, which calls for immediate action in the case of high-risk escapes. Current estimates of the number of escaped animals range from 25 to 250 animals, with a core group of 60, and several pockets of smaller numbers. To date, only two of a larger herd has been removed from the wild population.

This week, more than 180 Hamilton area elementary students will make their way to the banks of Bronte Creek to release Atlantic salmon. Their efforts are part of an environmental field trip sponsored by Pioneer Petroleums and a classroom hatchery program hosted by the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program, with the support of McMaster University's Let's Talk Science graduate student volunteers.

Media are invited to cover the stocking of Atlantic salmon on Bronte Creek - a terrific photo opportunity that will feature the release of approximately 400 fish, raised by local students and teachers in their classroom hatcheries. Representatives from Pioneer Petroleums, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Trout Unlimited, Fish For Ever Foundation, and other partners will be on hand. Chest waders are available so that reporters can get close-up shots of this outstanding hands-on conservation work.

The O.F.A.H., as a lead partner in the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Program, is hiring 3 technicians to assess smolt migration in the spring and summer of 2010.

• 1 position - Cobourg Brook Crew (based in Peterborough, Ontario)
• 2 positions - Duffins Creek Crew (based in Stouffville, Ontario)

Every spring, thousands of hunters take to the outdoors to participate in the spring wild turkey hunt. This year, the season opens on April 26 and runs until May 31 in many parts of southern Ontario. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) and the Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) remind hunters heading out this spring to be safe and to obtain permission to hunt on private property.

"Wild turkey season is eagerly anticipated by thousands of trained and licensed men and women, and is growing in popularity, thanks in large part to the generosity of landowners who grant hunters access to their private property," said O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader. "The majority of turkey hunting is done on private property, and responsible hunters seek permission well in advance of the season, and while enjoying their time in the field, hunt safely and respect the regulations."

In 1960, Ontario became the first province to make hunter training mandatory for all first time hunters. Since that time, well over one million people have successfully completed a hunter education course.

The Ontario Hunter Education Program, administered by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) under agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources, has become a model for other jurisdictions across North America to follow, and has demonstrated the value of hunter education in ensuring that hunting is a safe recreational activity. Statistically, hunting is safer than many recreational activities, including cycling, horseback riding, skating and golf.

The second early bird draw in the 36th Annual O.F.A.H. Conservation Lottery took place today at 1:30 pm. The list of the lucky winners is now available online.

O.F.A.H./Mario Cortellucci Hunting & Fishing Heritage Centre opens this month The O.F.A.H./Mario Cortellucci Hunting and Fishing Heritage Centre is set to open this month in Peterborough. This one-of-a-kind venue showcases Canadian fish and wildlife conservation in an exciting environment that educates while it entertains. Built by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), the Centre will open for a sneak preview to the public this weekend, April 10 & 11, from 10 am - 4 pm before opening for business on April 16.

Since his election to Parliament in 1993, Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, Saskatchewan, has worked tirelessly in support of legal, licensed firearms owners. During the 82nd Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) Annual General Meeting and Fish & Wildlife Conference held recently in Mississauga, Ontario, his efforts were recognized before an audience of more than 400 outdoor enthusiasts, when he was presented with the Certificate of Merit.