BY MICHAEL JAMES
With all the attention that has been devoted to Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) of late, it would be easy to forget about that other potentially fatal vector-borne virus, the West Nile virus.
Last year, readers may recall, heavy criticism was leveled at Dr. Colin D?Cunha, Ontario?s chief medical officer of health, for not taking the West Nile threat seriously enough in this province.
This year, the Ontario Ministry of Health has already taken out full-page advertisements in some news papers outlining the government?s seven point action plan for dealing with the West Nile virus. The problem is, the action plan is short details.
According to the advertisement, the Ontario government is committed to investing $100 million over the next five years to stop the spread of the West Nile virus, with an estimated $7 million being
allocated to the various district health units around the province.
However, due to the Ministry of Health?s funding formula, the various district health units have to go through a certain amount of red tape before they can access their annual allotment.
According to Ed Gardner, manager of Sudbury and District Health Unit?s Health Protection Division, they receive approximately 50 per cent of their funding from the municipality, while the other 50 per cent comes from the provincial ministry of health.
?But first our budget needs to be passed,? Gardner said.
As spring is just around the corner, he expects the Sudbury and District Health Unit will pass its West Nile budget soon.
Even though the Greater City of Sudbury has yet to encounter a single incident of the the mosquito-borne virus, Gardner says the local health unit will be taking a more proactive approach towards dealing with it this year.
What that means, in real terms, is they will be stepping up their surveillance of dead birds, as well as mosquito populations in the various catch-basins in and around Sudbury this spring and summer, and even into the fall.
?We didn?t do a mosquito surveillance last year in Sudbury because we weren?t at high risk (for the virus),? Gardner said.
This year, he says, the entire season will be dedicated to surveillance to ensure the potentially deadly virus doesn?t make its way to this neck of the woods.
Like a number of other low-risk constituencies around the province, the Sudbury and District Health Unit plans to adopt a wait-and-see approach, while monitoring mosquito populations closely.
The health unit doesn?t plan on using larvicides ? pellets containing chemical agents that specifically target mosquito larvae ? or adulticides, otherwise known as fogging, or spraying of adult mosquito populations, unless it becomes necessary.
?There are plans to larvicide, I believe, in six health units throughout Ontario,? he said, ?but they?re more or less high risk (areas). They?ve had (actual) human cases of West Nile virus.?
Gardner says everyone else is more or less holding pat, doing surveillance and seeing where this thing goes.
?We?ve been lucky so far,? he said. ?We haven?t been exposed to any of the disease yet, so I?m dealing more with the biology of the mosquitoes and how to prevent it (West Nile virus) than anything else right now.?
That being said, the health unit will be stepping up its public education campaign in the coming weeks. Not only do they have an extensive mail-out campaign planned, but they will also be placing public service announcements the Tackle Share program through the Sudbury Game and Fish Association.
?The family of Darcy Smeltzer wanted to establish a Tackle Share program in Northern Ontario in the memory of their son,? said Dick Stewart, past president of the Sudbury Game and Fish Association. ?The family started with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and they in turn contacted Ramakko?s and Brian in turn contacted us for involvement.?
Smeltzer was a young man who shared a passion for fishing with his family and many friends.
Tackle Share is a program sponsored through the OFAH that provides fishing gear to borrow at various locations across the province for people who want to take children fishing.
?It?s like signing out a library book,? said Ramakko. ?For people who don?t have the equipment and they want to try fishing it?s just a great program for that.?
Ramakko estimates the program requires only about $300 to $400 to establish in any community.
?I will run the program out of my store because we are open seven days a week and it provides easy access,? said Ramakko. ?It gives us an opportunity to provide a community service.?
The Smeltzer family is pleased with the support from the local fishing community.
?My wife and I appreciate what people are doing,? said Terry Smeltzer.
Darcy Smeltzer spent a lot of time taking kids from the Alban area fishing.
?He loved fishing and showing kids how to fish,? said Smeltzer. ?My wife and I thought starting this program would be what Darcy wanted us to do.?
Darcy passed away last year. The seminar will feature Big Jim McLaughin, publisher of Just Fishing magazine and a professional fisherman, biologist George Morgan and a host of fishing equipment manufacturers.
Big Jim will obviously attract most of the attention.
?I?m six-foot-three and tip the scale at 335 pounds,? said McLaughlin. ?I am one of only a handful of people (in Canada) who make their living by fishing.?
Big Jim will be on hand to offer tips and tricks of the trade to curious fishermen and women.
?It?s always interesting to listen to a professional and pick up tips,? said Stewart.
Big Jim McLaughlin is long on experience. He is a two-time Canadian Bass Champion and was the host of the Ultimate Fishing Show for three years. McLaughlin says he was more than happy to participate when asked to participate in the Sudbury fishing show.
?It gives people a chance to get a real hands on view of things and that makes a real difference,? said McLaughlin.
He will serve up the hottest techniques for catching fish and the latest equipment for hoisting the ?big one.?
?I will show them how to use the new gear and how it can help them catch more fish-guaranteed.?
George Morgan, an Extension Biologist at the Co-operative Freshwater Ecology Unit with the Department of Biology at Laurentian University, will also be on hand to inform residents about the state of the Sudbury and area walleye population.
?I will talk about the local populations, the biology of walleye, research our group has done and what walleye are generally doing in the area,? said Morgan.
Morgan is looking forward to the seminar.
?It?s always good to talk to the users of the source,? said Morgan. ?It?s a good opportunity to exchange ideas.?
Manufacturers on hand to showcase the latest gear and answer questions about the gear include Lowrance/ Eagle, Shimano, Quantum, Fenwick, St. Croix and Garman.
There will also be a couple of Ministry of Natural Resource conservation officers on hand to field questions about fisheries.
Doors open Tuesday at 6 pm. The price of admission is $10 per person.
