Dorothy Pethick was informally interviewed by Ken Hook in 2022 while seeking information on filming the movie Surfacing. Dot describes how COFA (Conservationists of Frontenac-Addington) became a volunteer-run fish hatchery in Ontario. From 1993 to 2015, COFA’s volunteer efforts stocked millions of pickerel and thousands of speckled trout in local lakes.

She tells about the original four members, Ron Pethick, Ted Snider, Dave Wellman, and Ron Roberts, who met in 1993 to start the organization. Eventually, membership grew to 132 volunteers.  Many activities were planned during the season, including the Deer Contest at Bishop Lake and the ever-popular roast beef barbeques at the Northbrook Lions Hall.  The main focus, however, was the fish hatchery at Bishop Lake and swim-up fry ponds at Ron Brown’s, which enabled the successful fish stocking program.

Dot also gives her opinion on why the MNR revoked their fish hatchery license, preventing COFA from receiving fish eggs.

View the video on the CDHS YouTube Channel here.

The Frontenac News posted an article by Julie Druker in 2015 on COFA seeking new leadership: https://www.frontenacnews.ca/addington-news/item/9630-cofa-looks-for-new-leadership-and-direction