Our Mandate 

Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) is an organization that promotes recreational fishing in the City of Toronto and GTA. We teach fishing knowledge, skills, etiquette, ethics and conservation. We work to protect urban anglers continued rights to access Toronto’s watersheds and shorelines. As stewards of recreational fishing, we support and actively participate in the conservation of Toronto’s growing fisheries, fisheries biodiversity and the protection of watersheds and fish habitat.

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Our Membership

Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) has a social media page on Facebook with 6100 followers. Approximately, 4000 of those followers fish in Toronto and the GTA and are currently Ontario Outdoors Card and Fishing License holders. From those 4000 followers, a core group of 200 members have formed a volunteer team that actively pursues participation in activities that support our mandate. 

 

 Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) Participation in Recreational Fishing in the GTA:

Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) has been a partner of Family Fishing Events held in Toronto during National Fishing Week in the years 2012 through 2018. We plan the events, apply and pay for park permits, obtain and pay for event insurance, provide the rods, reels, terminal tackle, bait, educational materials and of course the volunteers. We are partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) Aurora Management, OMNRF Aurora Enforcement Unit, OMNRF Learn to Fish Program, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), Canadian Sport Fishing Industry Association (CSIA), Ontario Chinese Anglers Association, Ministry of the Environment Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch and Toronto Parks Forestry and Recreation (TPFR).

Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) has been a partner to the Parks Canada Rouge National Urban Park providing a Learn to Fish Program.

 TUFA has been a partner of the TRCA’s Fall Salmon Festivals on the Humber River and Highland Creek.

TUFA’s conservation-minded members have organized and operated two shoreline clean ups a year, each year from 2012 -2018 as part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up movement promoted by the Vancouver Aquarium. In order to protect birds and wildlife we have built 50 fishing line recycling receptacles and installed them throughout Toronto. TUFA has built and provided an additional 60 fishing line receptacles that were donated and distributed to Credit Valley Conservation, Hamilton Conservation Authority and Ottawa’s Blue Fish Radio.

Members of Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador (TUFA) were consultants to the recreational fisheries plan “Fishing in Your Backyard”: An Urban Recreational Fisheries Strategy for the Lake Ontario Northwest Waterfront.

Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassador is a member of the GTA Recreational Fishing Committee.

TUFA is a stakeholder on Planning Committees for Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) Fisheries Management Zones 16 and 20.

 

Where We Fish

The areas we recreational fish encompasses FMZ 20 Lake Ontario North Shore GTA and FMZ 16 Inland Waters GTA. Lake Ontario provides the bulk of our fishing opportunities and fisheries. There are nine Lake Ontario Tributaries that flow through the GTA that have recreational fishing value. We have several storm water ponds scattered throughout the GTA that provide novice fishing opportunities. A few natural ponds and very small lakes across the top borders of the GTA provide day destination fishing trips.