The Monday, March 31st meeting of the Temagami Stewardship Council was held in the
Auditorium of the Temagami Municipal Building.

In Correspondence, a letter of support from Anthony Rota sent to the Federal Minister of Natural
Resources was read. It was reported that the club insurance through OFAH has been updated and the
winners of the 2007 Trophy Live release Contest have been contacted. The printing of posters for the
Temagami Kid’s Fishing Contest was approved. It was explained that with the new walleye regulations
for 2008, now all the old measuring tape decals are obsolete. A price for replacement decals has been
obtained but no sponsor has come forward to cover the cost. The Chair read a letter replying to the TSC’s
January meeting in Toronto with the representatives of the Minister of the MNR, the Honourable Donna
Cansfield. The Minister recognized the work of the Temagami Stewardship Council but declined support
for the TSC and reiterated the MNR message that “participation in the Ontario Stewardship program
envisions a much broader, multi-disciplinary and inclusive community volunteer-based organization with
diverse interests.” The Chair commented that everyone knew that the TSC was a small community
organization when we entered the OSP and we do accomplish the other criteria, as our long history of
accomplishments will attest, however, no one seems interested in listening.

In his financial statement, Secretary Treasurer, Mark Johnson, reiterated his concern that the TSC
is in drastic need of funds in order to continue operation in 2008. It was pointed out that anyone donating
to the TSC to support the work we are doing receives a charitable receipt.

In his presentation Doug Metson, the Land Control Officer for the Temiskaming Health Unit,
reported that legislation is proposed to come into effect on January 1st, 2009 that will require all private
home/cottage septic systems to be re-inspected. The re-inspections are to be carried out in designated
areas by the inspectors from the local health unit at the home/cottage owner’s expense. The property
owner will be expected to expose the tank to facilitate the inspection. The owners of steel tank systems
will be required to replace the old tank with a tank constructed from a material that will not deteriorate
and leak septic into the surrounding ground.

A permit will be also required for a cottage/home using a leaching pit. If the owner does not have
a permit for the leaching pit it will require an inspection and the purchase of a permit. Cottage/home
owners using holding tank systems will be inspected for leaks and a pump out agreement.

A discussion followed on the feasibility of conducting the Septic System Assessment Project that
the Temagami Stewardship Council had endeavoured to carry out in 2006. If this project, with the help of
partners, could be put in place for the summer of 2009, it would save the cottage owner the cost of the
assessment. It was also revealed that property owners from North Bay south have been designated under
the Source Water Protection Plan and as such will be entitled to a grant of half the cost of replacing their
septic systems to a maximum of $10,000.00. It was noted that the availability of such a grant to the
owners of steel tank systems on Lake Temagami or anywhere in the Municipality would be a significant
incentive to have systems upgraded.

In his presentation on the Fishing Regulations for 2008, Biologist Chuck McCrudden from MNR,
North Bay, outlined the public consultation meetings leading up to the proposed fishing regulations and
then the hold ups at both the federal and provincial level that did not allow for a review of the final
document. The TSC Directors voiced concerns over: the 1 over 12 inch speckled trout regulation, the
spring walleye sanctuaries and the change in the top end of walleye slot to 60 cm. The Spec regulation is
seen as overly restrictive. The sanctuaries have been tried before and failed and it was interesting that the
one sanctuary that the local public wanted, for Inlet Bay, was ignored. The rounding off of the walleye
slot to 60 cm looks nice but the change creates a top end of the slot 1/2 inch shorter than our previous 24
inch regulation and renders $4,000.00 worth of measuring tape decals obsolete. Chuck noted that the
regulations will be in place for 2 years and new Fisheries Zone Councils will be responsible for assessing
any need for change. It was also noted by the Chair that as a Stewardship we had failed to give equal
value to all the species in the resource and therefore had not provided enough initial input regarding the
speckled trout and pike fishery.

Temagami Area Supervisor Bob Aubin provided insight into the MNR policy that restricts the
development of crown land adjacent to lake trout lakes. The information on scientific studies showing a
need to protect lake trout lakes from development began to appear in 2005. References to the policy
development and the scientific material supporting the policy can be found on the TSC webpage at
www.temagamistewardship.ca.

In the last order of business plans were put in place for the MNR to provide access to the Red
Squirrel Road Gate key in order for a number or Directors to assess walleye spawning activities on the
rehabilitated spawning area on Aston Creek.

The next meeting of the Temagami Stewardship Council will be held on Monday, May 26th, 2008