Rothesay bans ice-fishing shacks due to littering

Mike Donovan’s Ice Fishing Experience in Rothesay

Mike Donovan does not use a traditional ice-fishing shack in the makeshift village on the Kennebasis River in Rothesay. He prefers to fish from his lawn chair or in a small pop-up tent when it is windy. He finds it more social if he is not in an enclosed structure.

“I did have a shack for a couple years, but I just can’t socialize so I don’t like that,” said Donovan, who has been fishing there for over 40 years. “I usually sit on the lawn chair and … people come up and talk. You meet so many people from all over. It’s amazing.”

Town’s New Regulations on Ice Fishing

Donovan is disappointed that the Town of Rothesay has installed a gate to stop people from taking their trucks and cars onto the river. This prevents them from setting up shacks that have been a fixture in the Renforth Wharf area for decades. Years of abandoned shacks and garbage at the Renforth Wharf have led the town to ban large structures on the ice.

The town has dealt with dilapidated shacks and junk left behind after ice fishing for smelt and hake ends in the spring. “It’s really unfortunate that the town had to come to this, but we’ve been trying for years to work with the ice fishers to keep the property clean, the ice clean,” said Deputy Mayor Matt Alexander.

Community Cleanup Efforts

Donovan noted that the problem has worsened off the wharf, where 50 to 100 shacks might appear on the ice during winter. He and a group of people who care about the area help the town clean up at the end of the season. “There’s a big exodus of people, and they leave a lot of their stuff behind,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Alexander said the town would consider allowing shacks back if the fishing community formed an association to help keep the area clean. Donovan believes the town should collaborate with the fishing community and relevant departments instead of removing the shacks entirely.

Future of Ice Fishing in Rothesay

“Instead of punishing the many for the acts of a few, just have the proper authorities deal with the violators,” Donovan said. Alexander stated the town is open to changing its mind about shacks if the fishing community gets involved. “We definitely would be willing to work with [them] if there was an association that was established,” he said.

Jack Ross, owner of Kennebecasis Ice Adventures, mentioned he has received many requests for tent rentals since the town erected the gate. He hopes for a resolution between the town and the fishing community. “There still should be hard shacks,” Ross said.

Impact on Local Culture

Donovan is concerned that people who have had shacks at Renforth, about 10 kilometers northeast of Saint John, will fish elsewhere instead of renting or buying tents. He believes this could lead to a decline in the yearly winter village. The colorful, customized shacks have been a significant part of Renforth’s ice fishing culture.

Locals and tourists from Africa, Asia, and Europe loved the shacks. “I always let them catch fish with my fishing rod,” Donovan said. “It’s just really nice to see that type of culture and people coming together.” He noted that some people set up on the wharf with easels to paint the shacks.

“It almost reminded me of the streets of Newfoundland, with all the brightly colored houses…it was really unique.”