Feel the Bite Articles

Man in a blue shirt holding a black dog indoors.

Call to Action #7 – A Leap forward for Tactile Graphic Access!

Like most all of you who live with low or no vision, every so often I get pulled into trialing or promoting a new accessible technology.
Photo of Lawrence on the boat fishing with his guide dog Lewis by his side

Call to Action #6 – Outreach Update and the Blind Outdoor News

It’s coming up quick to the end-of-year and I wanted to get you all an update, and our sixth call to outdoor action!
A person fishing by a river surrounded by autumn trees.

Call to Action #5 – New Summer New Start – Outdoors with Lawrence Gunther

So the pandemic isn’t technically over but life seems to be returning to normal, thank goodness. Enough about that, this note is about celebrating life’s choices.
Theo and Lawrence sledding with Sherman

Call To Action #4

I’ve been thinking about the year that just passed. What changed this year may not seem obvious, given that the pandemic continues to impact our lives, but I truly believe that if we look inwards there are changes underway.
Lawrence and Lewis taking a stroll in the market

Call-to-Action #3

This is the third call-to-action directed to sight impaired and blind people to Connect with nature and become a voice for our largely silent earth.
A person with two dogs in a grassy field near trees.

Outreach Update and the Blind Outdoor News

Hi everyone, since issuing our first call to action for youth and others living with vision loss to connect with nature through outdoor adventure, lots has transpired.
Man holding a large fish with a smile outdoors.

Call to Action #2

Hi everyone, since issuing our first call to action for youth and others living with vision loss to connect with nature through outdoor adventure, lots has transpired.
Photo of Anne, Lilly and Theo each holding a Labrador puppy

Call to Action #1 – Calling all Youth Living with Vision Loss

I’m writing to you today to bring to your attention four non-profit initiatives specific to youth living with vision loss.
Two men preparing a sailboat on the water.

Muskie or Mayhem on the Ottawa River?

The year 2019 will go down as one of the least promising starts…
Man in blue jacket with a dog outdoors in a snowy area.

Why Anglers should Pay Attention to proposed marine Protected Areas

(First Published in Outdoor Canada Magazine March 2018) As…
Man kneeling next to a black and white dog outdoors.

Outdoor Defenders

(First published in Outdoor Canada Magazine March 2017) GLOBALLY,…
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Canada has 2nd Largest Wilderness in the World

A new study from the Wildlife Conservation Society reports Canada is home to the second largest wilderness area on the planet.
Kayaker paddling on a calm lake under clear blue skies.

Algonquin Land Claim: What it All Means

(First published in Fish Hunt Ride magazine in January 2018) After…
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Back to Basics with the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario

It's probably safe to say that most all people recognize the value of Canada's natural environment.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

WWF Living Planet Report

The WWF's latest biannual Living Planet Report raises the alarm about the state of the world's biological diversity.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

UN Report on Climate Change

A report issued in October 2018 by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that governments need to act soon to avoid far-reaching catastrophic effects.
Two people on a motorboat in a river under a cloudy sky.

When is Enough Enough?

(First published in Fish Hunt Ride Magazine –Fall…
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Canada’s Plastic Accord

Did you know that by 2050 plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish?
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Threats to Lake Winnipeg On the Increase

We don't often hear about Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, but it's now in the news far too often, and for the wrong reasons
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

More Behind Canada’s 2018 Forest Fires than Climate Change

2018 is turning out to be one of the worst years for forest fires we have ever experienced in Canada
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

How to Re-imagine the World’s One Ocean

According to the World Ocean Observatory, there are seven essential principals that should govern the way we view the ocean
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

The State of Our Beaches

With summer in full swing, who doesn't want to spend time at the beach?
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

North America’s 1st dogs

The first dogs in America likely came here around 10,000 years ago with people from Siberia, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.
Man sitting on a park bench holding a bird.

Summer Up-Date from the President

Four short descriptions of exciting Blue Fish Canada projects we want to bring to your attention:
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Inuit Circumpolar Council Meets in Alaska

Inuit People are a nation of people who share common language, culture, and a common land along the Arctic coast of Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Eco Labels

How can we as consumers ensure we are eating seafood that is caught or farmed sustainably?
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

The Oil Spill Cleaning Illusion

Do we truly have what it takes to respond to oil spills?
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Hurricanes and Flooding

As Canadians we seem to enjoy speaking with strangers about weather more than just about anything else.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Ticks

We can either choose not to venture outside of our urban spaces, or take precautions and not let our fears restrict how we live our lives.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

NOAA Flood Predictions

A new US government report suggests floods will become more common over the next century.
Group of four people posing on outdoor steps in front of a historic building.

Age of aquariums

OUR FISHERIES Do public aquariums have anything to do with…
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

76 Salish Sea Killer Whales Left

There are 76 Killer Whales left along Vancouver Island's south coast. This is half the number from ten years ago.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Two Federal Bills Promising Protection

The Federal Government recently tabled a series of new bills focused on Canada's oceans, lakes and rivers.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Garbage

As much as Canadians like to consider themselves to be environmentally conscious people, we willingly choose not to see much of the truth.
Lawrence Gunther and Guide Dog Moby on Ice

Lawrence and Moby’s 2017 Year-End Highlights

While the late and stormy spring may have delayed the start of our open water fishing, it freed up time to do even more to plan, promote and celebrate outdoor traditions.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

People’s Great Lakes Summit

People of diverse backgrounds, occupations, positions, experiences and histories recently gathered for two days in Toronto for The “People’s Great Lakes Summit”
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Letter from 1000 Scientists Raises Red Flags

A letter expressing a dire warning about the dangers to humanity has been written by over 1,500 scientists from around the world.
Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner, Dianne Saxe

Lawrence’s Insights on the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario 2017 Report “Good Choices Bad Choices”

Did you know Ontario has an environmental bill of rights, and an environmental commissioner?
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Environment Commissioner of Ontario 2017 Report Good Choices Bad Choices

The role of the Environmental commissioner of Ontario, Diane Saxe, includes producing reports such as the 2017 report entitled “Good choices, Bad Choices”
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Disentangling Whales Along North America’s Coastline

With an increasing number of whales plying the oceans along the coastlines of North America, incidents of tragic human / whale encounters are growing
Nunatsiavut Government’s Minister of Lands and Natural Development, Darryl Shiwak

Marine-Management Plan for Canada’s Eastern Arctic

The Inuit of Labrador and the federal government have signed a deal that will see the Inuit participate in the development of a marine-management plan covering more than 380,000 square kilometres of coastal waters on the far eastern end of Canada’s Northwest Passage.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Eastern Arctic Ocean Agreement

Inuit people and the federal government have signed a deal that will see the Inuit use their traditional knowledge to develop a marine-management plan
Person working with multiple screens and audio equipment in a dark room.

Rivers as Life-Giving Arteries

Together with Canada’s Department of Fisheries, Oceana Canada’s Dr. Rangeley and government scientists operated a 3,000 kilo remotely operated vehicle at depths of 400 meters, where they explored the bountiful thriving sea life.
Greg Taylor holding a wild Pacific Salmon

What’s Causing BC’s Disappointingly Low Salmon Returns?

Greg Taylor, Senior Fisheries Advisor with Watershed Watch’s Salmon Society, provides a regional breakdown of the 2017 wild salmon returns along Canada’s Pacific coast, and shares his findings and conclusions
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Sounds from the Deep

Seventy per cent of the surface of the earth is covered by water. More significantly, the water is three dimensional
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Indigenous Tourism

First Nations people across Canada are undertaking increasingly more economic activities to generate wealth.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Farming and Harvesting the Ocean

Our dependence for food and life on the ocean that covers 70 per cent of the world's surface is only now being fully understood and appreciated.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Climate Change and the World’s Coral Reefs

It is estimated that 70 per cent of the Earth's surface area is made up of oceans that, in-turn, provide habitat for 75 per cent of all known species on earth.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Extreme Spring 2017 Water Levels

Following one of the wettest months of April on record, the first week of May 2017 also was the wettest recorded since 1900.
A series of locks on a canal with boats navigating through.

Rideau Canal toxins raise questions about our environmental wellbeing

The recent discovery of toxins in the Rideau Canal is a stark reminder of a systemic and pervasive problem facing Canada.
Lawrence and Moby fishing at Victoria Island

Toxins and Fish Health

The following multi-part news coverage includes three components intended to inform the public about the impacts on fish health of toxins in Canada's water
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Canada’s Commercial Ocean Fisheries in Danger

In 1992 the North Atlantic Cod fishery was closed along Canada's east coast, and 25 years later has still not re-opened.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Plastic Fish Plastic Food

Eating fish is promoted as a super healthy food, but a University of McGill researcher, Laura McDonnell, recently went public about her decision to stop eating fish
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Indigenous Knowledge

Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

There’s no shortage of troubling news reports these days about our shared land border with the United States.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

World Whale Populations

The book and movies featuring Moby Dick touch on a significant period in our evolution when we hunted whales around the world commercially.
Man in green jacket overlooking a serene lake and forest landscape.

Microbeads

It seems like plastic is playing an increasingly bigger role in our lives every year.
Aerial view of a long suspension bridge over water and land.

Christopher Pollon on the Proposed Site C Dam

The Peace River that still flows wild in north-east British Columbia…
Person fishing with a rod near calm water.

Sport/recreational angling and native groups should all be at the table when taking fishery management decisions

My input on the department of fisheries and oceans ideas on-line…