Petition for study on Lake Erie marine conservation area going to feds

A petition calling for a feasibility study on whether to designate the western end of Lake Erie a National Marine Conservation Area could be presented in the House of Commons by the end of the month.

NDP MP for Essex Tracey Ramsey is waiting for approval to move that forward. She saidthe conservation area would simply preserve what already exists there.

"For me it's important that it's not going to violate any of the rights of the people who use the lake for tourism,who use it for commercial fishing, all the wonderful things that it's being used for right now," said Ramsey.

Initially, the Conservative MP for Chatham-Kent-Leamington, Dave Van Kesteren, had withheld his support for this study. That's because the commercial fishing industry, Wheatley harbour and the municipality of Pelee Island have been leering of supporting the idea.

However, once he heard the petition is only asking for a study, he agreed to support it.

"That's where we begin and that's the first step. No I wouldn't have any problem with that," said Van Kesteren.

Jacquie Lang is one of three women who have been gathering hundreds of names on thepetition. She said the commercial fishing industry has nothing to worry about.

"If you improve that water, we're going to open those beaches. We're going to have better qualityof tourism, fishing,that type of thing," said Lang.

The petition has the support of several municipalities and the Essex Region Conservation Authority, which is also supportive of creating the conservation area.

"I think it raises the profile certainly and raises the awareness of things that we're doing that may be impacting the lake," said ERCAgeneral manager Richard Wyma.

Ramsey saidonce the petitionis brought forward in the House of Commons, it will then be up to the Ministries of the Environment and Climate Changeand Natural Resources to decide whether to go ahead with the study.

Parks Canada would be the entity to conduct the study. In 1997, it conducted a preliminary study, which recommended the western end of the lakebe considered for a marine conservation area.