Rothesay appeals for caution on ice after fishing shack breaks through
Avid ice fisherman says global warming has led to shorter seasons
The Town of Rothesay is urging residents to be cautious about walking out on the frozen Kennebecasis River.
After a fishing shack off the Renforth Wharf went through the ice last week, Deputy Mayor Matt Alexander said he worries people too are at risk if the ice isn't thick enough.
"We have a lot of children that like to play on the ice, you know, hockey and skate and things like that," Alexander said Monday.
"It gives them sort of a false sense of security, that people are out on the ice, and that the ice might be safe when it actually isn't."
Angler Chris Hardt said Dominion Park in west Saint John, where he fishes in winter, is much smaller than the Renforth Wharf area, calling the park a convenience store compared to the Walmart off Rothesay.
And the small size makes it easier to track ice conditions, he said. As of Sunday, there was about six inches of solid ice off Dominion Park — enough for walking or perhaps for a light shelter, Hardt said.
Some people have been fishing at Dominion Park for half a century and have noticed the impact of global warming over the years, he said.
This has led to a slightly shorter season, he said, and the more frequent disruptive weather systems in recent years have also had an impact on ice conditions.
Michael Lewis, the provincial fire marshal, said a safe ice thickness is four inches for ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and other similar activities and five inches or more for snowmobiling.
"With so many different conditions and so many thousands of water bodies across the province … everybody has to make sure that the ice they're getting on is safe for them at that time."
An ice fisherman himself, Lewis said he drills holes as he goes farther out to ensure the thickness is the same every couple of steps.
Lewis said people heading out on the ice should also make make sure that someone knows where they're going, that they have a means of communication, and that they bring a life jacket or flotation device.
Alexander said all the Town of Rothesay can do is continue to inform residents and visitors about ice safety.
"You should always be checking the conditions and be aware that they're constantly changing, especially in that area where it's tidal waters."
At Dominion Park, people in the ice-fishing community try to manage the risk and educate people about safety so they can enjoy fishing, Hardt said.
Ice fishing "is a way for a lot of people to deal with winter blues," he said. "They get out on the ice, they see the open air and so forth, and the views — the sunsets at the park, are actually quite wonderful this time of the year.
"So we wouldn't want to take that away from anybody."
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With files from Information Morning Saint John, Shift
