Fishing made illegal on Toronto's harbor front...no way you say, but indeed it is true.

Alas, our fair city has declared war on fishing. A little background, so that everyone knows the ridiculous situation that fishermen and women are facing here in this once great city.

Once Toronto harbor front was home to many a fishermen, the harbour and it's quays have been fished in this city for 60-70 years if not more...There has been a peaceful coexistence between fishermen, the residents of this neighbourhood and the shop owners and businesses. Something changed, late last year and early this year the Harbor Front Centre (a municipally funded organization in charge of managing a large tracks of land along Toronto’s harbor front, and who's mandate it is to make Toronto's waterways more accessible to Torontonians.) began to send out it's security guard minions upon the law abiding and hard working fishing community, any time someone tossed a line in, the goon squad was on them, telling them they had to leave and citing a bylaw.

Toronto Port Authority by law, #24 witches states “no person shall fish from shoreline unless in an authorized area designated by posted signs.” This bylaw only applies to TPA land and not any private or publically owned lands, and the enforcement of this bylaw by anyone other than a TPA officer is illegal, yet it continued, They even convinced the police to begin to cite this law while they actively pursued fishermen, even from their boats, harassing professionals and armatures alike, a local pro Dave Chong was made to stop fishing from a location that he has fished since he was a child.

And so it continued. Now lets just say the Toronto fishing community was up in arms, but we be law abiding citizens restrained ourselves from any radical behaviour and settled in for some letter writing and continual discussions with the TPA the Toronto Police along with many politicians that represent the areas around the harborfront and the mayors office as well. The media has covered our story to some degree, and we even had a city councillor bring forth a motion in support of our cause, it was moved to the mayor’s executive committee. We did not fish the area's of the city controlled by the Harbor Front Centre, we kept our fishing to the City parks, were as we understood it was open and welcoming to us for fishing...or so we were led to believe. We patiently waited for their democratic government to act...and act they did, but not in a democratic way, no...In a most undemocratic way. The executive committee met today June 6, 2012 to discuss this issue...the signs banning fishing on all City park property along the waterfront went up yesterday June 5, 2012...a day before they discussed the issue in executive committee. 

Hmmm that’s strange we said, strange indeed. We know that it is illegal to fish on private property , We did not fish on private property, so we fished the parks fishing is allowed in city parks so long as there isn’t a sign prohibiting it, the signs citing  section 603-38 of Toronto’s municipal code were installed by the city a day before it was due to be discussed, who made this pre-emptive strike against us in the fishing community, who will own up to the underhanded way in which city council carried itself on this issue, sadly I think no one.

We are pissed, and I think rightly so…

My question is what do we do?

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? And if so was there any resolution to the situation?

There has to be a compromise, why would fishing be made illegal, and it's participants be made criminals?

We are looking into more radical measures, and possibly even legal action...two very good ideas. Radical measure though don’t always give you the results we need…and that’s community support.

I would really like some guidance and direction on this...we are a strong group of determined citizens who love fishing our city, we want the right to do so back.

Thanks for listening and responding if you have an opinion, please do, and pass this on to other fishermen...lets unite! It could happen to you.

theres nothing you can do . i have learned the government will do what ever they want no matter what country you live in. they wasnt makeing money off of people fishing but i bet they made plenty of money writing tickets.

That is a dim look too take, what we can do, and in fact what we have done is contact every politician that represents one of our members on our fishing forums here in the city and inform them of our anger and frustration in regards to the issue, we have sent e-mails to our mayor, his assistants, we have called public relations managers and fishing pro's, we are contacting business interests and everyday Torontonians and informing them of the underhanded, un democratic means in which a few individuals have circumvented the system for the gain of what? who knows, but we aim to find out.

Lists are being compiled, background info is being collected, we are organizing, the way a well structured company would...we will find the rescources, we will find the manpower...these are only politicians, they work for me!

That is what we can do...ohh and the media...they will always be involved...already have...do you have any positive things to add? Please suggestions for help...anyone?

Suggest a rally?

we have some in mind.

These are seroius issues, not meant to be a downer, sorry, but alot of people dont have boats or cottages up north, we only fish our waters, mostly and we love it, have been for years, and we will get it back...we know we wont get it all back, but you tell me there is no room for compromise, are we so narrow minded, are we so uptight?

We have had similer things happen in parts of wellington Harbour here in NZ but just at whafes etc etc so far but i offen say to people one day they will stop us fishing here where new appartments go up and they dont want us around making a mess. Its shocking man !!  And i hear you we have to stick together because you are right it could happen anywhere and its just not on ! I vow to fight all the way if they stop me fishing here , so i hear you loud and clear  A petetion might be a start but really sounds like you have a deeper problem already and more serious action needed like legal action but thats a costly and unfair fight most likely. You need to give some of those council men a fishing rod and say hey chill out and look at what your missing out on , anyway ill keep my mind on it for you and hopefully others will see this and give their thoughts as well, because its things like this that we MUST not givve up on and fight back with everything!!!   Good luck man and this club is behind you all the way..