Fitch Bay resident concerned about motorboats and Airbnb
Last Saturday, the town of Stanstead and Memphrémagog Conservation Inc. held a conference to discuss the protection of Fitch Bay and other nearby water sources. The bay, which provides drinking water for over 170 000 people in the area, has been under scrutiny by the MCI and other conservation groups for several years now, and this year’s conference continued the MCIS tradition of raising awareness about water safety and protection.
Stanstead local James Murray, whose family has been living on the shores of Fitch Bay since the 1940s, gave a rundown on what went on at the conference, and voiced his own concerns regarding the conservation of the area.
“Over the last several years, they have held at least one conference a year to meet citizens of the area who live nearby or use the lake,” said Murray. “The aim is to advise people on some of the things going on with the lake, what to do, what the rules are.”
The conferences touch on many subjects, according to Murray. These include boat regulations while on the lake, information about invasive species, awareness regarding wildlife protection, septic tank management and much more.
“Just last month we had a lecture organized by the MCI. They brought up the issue of respecting the five metre band along the lake shoreline,” he said, referring to a buffer area where owners of lakeside property are not allowed to mow their lawns. “You’re supposed to allow natural growth of plants there, to prevent erosion from rain and waves from wakeboarding and such.”
“The area is quite environmentally fragile, but they keep an eye on things,” continued Murray. “A few times a year they have volunteers come out to help clean up invasive species. Last year I was a part of it; we were collecting European reeds (an invasive species of marsh grass). And they always ask us to report blue algae, if we see it. We also keep an eye out for frogs, toads, and turtles. We report them so that they have an idea where their habitats and population numbers are at.”
Though Murray personally believes that the MCI’S work to educate the population should be commended, he recognized that, unfortunately, sometimes the information they give out falls on deaf ears- or no ears at all.
“They certainly have our MCI working hard, along with other conservation groups.they do a lot of research, awareness, they patrol the water,” he said. “So many people rely on the lake, either for drinking or use. Sherbrooke just won an award for its drinking water, and we’re really happy about that. These organizations are working hard to keep it that way.”
Despite the MCI’S best efforts though, a few problems persist. In particular, Murray mentioned a problem with short-term rental lodgings, like Airbnbs.
“The problem with those is that they tend to overuse the septic systems on weekends,” he said. Murray explained that short term lodgings tend to be rented out for parties, so the house in question is often at overcapacity, causing problems with sewage management. “If there are too many guests, the overuse and misuse of the septic tank can contaminate and cause problems in the lake. I don’t think it’s intentional; a lot of those who use those rentals are city folk, and they don’t necessarily know the ins and outs of country waste management. Plus, when they leave, it’s no longer their problem, they don’t care.”
In fact, a dispute is currently underway in the municipality regarding the formalities of zoning permits. Murray says details should be coming in during the week as to what will be decided.
“We don’t know really how or why, but five houses were given permission to be rented out on the short term, so less than 31 days, I think,” he clarified. “The problem is, these are in fragile areas of the lake. When the zoning changed, and they were given notices of infractions. We’re in the middle of seeing what will happen, whether they’ll pay the fines or not, or if they’ll contest it.”
As a resident of Fitch Bay, however, Murray is affected by one problem above the others: boats. The main concern to him is not only conserving the lake but protecting residents like himself who want to go out and enjoy the water.
“I live in an area called the Narrows, and there are special restrictions. They can’t go too fast, nothing over 10 kilometers an hour both for safety and erosion.”
“We see it much too often. It’s especially a safety concern if you want to go swimming. You see people zooming through in their personalized motor vehicles, like Ski-doos, and they’re coming at you full-throttle and you’ve got to find a way to swim away and fast,” added Murray.
“That was another concern brought up at the conference: boats and fishing competitions. When the competition happened last weekend, there were about 30 motorized boats zooming by at 70 kilometers an hour. They’re all looking for the best spots. They come very close to the shoreline sometimes, some were only about 100 meters from my own docks. It’s a hazard for people in the water. You can get a fishhook in the eye or something like that.”
“It’s too bad because it’s not everyone. Not all motorized boats are a problem, some are very respectful, but those who aren’t ruin it for everyone else,” said Murray. “People do know the rules. When the patrols come, they slow down, but as soon as they leave, they speed up again. I think they need to know the rules, but also the reason why they are in place and a reason to follow them.”
“The municipality has ideas. They test waters frequently, organize shoreline cleanups. They’re doing an excellent job, they get a top grade” he continued with a laugh. “Besides the conferences, the MCI has their lake patrol. They take calls from citizens and come check the area out, or answer questions. They’re always out there giving information. They’ve made more of aneffort to stay in our area. We’ve had to call them twice this year already, but they can’t be everywhere at once.”
To brush up on boating regulations on Lake Memphrémagog, consult www.mrcmemphremagog.com/programmes-et-services/securite-nautique/