BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON — Legislator David Forsythe is calling out the Department of Environmental Conservation over their decision to end a successful 40-year walleye stocking program that has proven crucial to increasing and stabilizing the population throughout the county. 

The program operated for roughly 40 years thanks to the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman’s Club and the DEC who worked together to stock walleye in the Oswegatchie River.

In December, the DEC reported in a recent press release that because of that program, the walleye population has remained stable at higher levels for years now, in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Forsythe called into question the DEC’s decision during the Feb. 10 Operations Committee meeting, noting he felt it was a short sighted decision. 

“It really wasn’t what I wanted to hear. What I garnished from the conversation was that it was not convenient for them. It’s not a very good allocation of their resources, it’s the only one they do in the state. There is no monetary contribution on their part…I just think it’s unacceptable,” Forsythe said. 

Forsythe said he would like to see the program continue. 

“We have put a tremendous amount of time and resources into our fisheries and promoting fishing on the St. Lawrence River,” he said. 

Forsythe said he was tired of seeing the county “receive crumbs” from the state and DEC. 

“We want some meat behind this,” he said. 

Forsythe said he has sought assistance from state senators and assembly members, all of whom were supportive of continuing the program. 

He said the volunteers who have operated the program for the last 40 years are also onboard and have a “renewed energy” about the program. 

“They’ve seen a resurgence in their efforts,” he said. 

Forsythe commented that the number of volunteers has increased in recent years, giving him hope that northern pike and smallmouth bass may also be an option in the coming years. 

Interest increased to the point that a former hatchery in Lisbon, dormant for many years, has been restarted. Funding will be the only hangup but Forsythe said the volunteers are “ready to roll.”

“It always comes down to funding and resources,” Forsythe said. 

He was also critical of DEC efforts to repopulate sturgeon in the St. Lawrence, a fish that he said cannot be fished by sportsmen and women. 

Legislator Rita Curran noted that the sturgeon population was also stable and did not require intervention as walleye have for the last 40 years. 

Forsythe took a moment to call into question DEC plans to potentially do away with a pheasant stocking program as well, something that has proven successful and popular among hunters throughout the county. 

“I think we just have to say enough is enough, we’re tired of the crumbs,” he said. 

In reference to the DEC presentation on Feb. 3, Legislator Harry Smithers questioned what a stable population looked like. 

“Did they ever give us an answer on that? What is the definition of a stable population?” he said. 

Forsythe agreed with Smithers’ assessment that DEC officials gave “shaky information” at best, commenting that the number is “science based now” but no set formula or calculation was given on Feb. 3. 

“Stable is all science based,” he said. 

Forsythe was critical of the choice to not involve Region 6 representatives, sportsmen and women, clubs or members of the restocking program to weigh in on the choice to end the program. 

Legislator Nicole Terminelli also pointed to a lack of information from many DEC studies in recent years, commenting that the numbers presented are not necessarily true to the population of certain fisheries. 

In the end, the resolution opposing the discontinuation of the stocking program passed unanimously. 

Copies will also be sent to the DEC, as well as Senators Dan Stec and Mark Walczyk, along with Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush and Scott Gray.