History of Commercial Fishing

The first successful commercial fishery in Manitoba began in 1882 when Reid and Clarke operated one sailboat on Lake Winnipeg and brought their catches to Winnipeg. By 1887, a total of 65 sailboats and seven tugs and barges were operating on Lake Winnipeg. That year 2.5 million pounds of fish were harvested, worth $114,000.



During the 1920s and 1930s sailboats were replaced by gas powered boats giving fishermen increased mobility.



In addition, roads and railways (which replaced horse-drawn sleighs) were also expanded into northern communities. This helped reduce transportation costs and allowed fishermen to sell their catch to distant markets not previously attainable.





With increasing numbers of fishers and fish prices being controlled by large American fish companies, a need was seen to develop a better fish marketing system. Therefore, in 1969 the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC) was established. FFMC was given the task of establishing new markets and increasing returns to fishers.





What Kind of Fish are Harvested?

Of the 13 species harvested, pickerel (walleye), sauger, lake whitefish, northern pike, yellow perch and lake trout are the most highly valued species. Others are white sucker, tullibee, carp, maria, lake sturgeon, goldeye and white bass.


How are These Fisheries Regulated?

Commercial Harvest Schedule


There are over 300 lakes and 70 creeks commercially fished in Manitoba. These lakes and creeks are listed in a document called the "Commercial Harvest Schedule." This schedule lists the different seasons, limits and conditions for each of these waterbodies.



Quota


Commercially fished lakes are managed using a tool called "quota". Most northern lakes are managed using a "lake quota." What this means is that a set number of licensed fishers can fish the lake until the quota is used up. In comparison, Lakes Winnipeg and Winnipegosis are managed by "individual quotas." These types of quotas can be bought and sold by fishers, who must meet certain eligibility requirements (i.e. residency, fishing experience, etc.). Most lake and individual quotas have been set for many years and were originally based on traditional or average harvests, maximum sustainable yield estimates and/or the average number of people who fished the lake prior to implementation.





Fishing Seasons


Generally, fishing seasons are called as either open water or winter. On Lake Winnipeg, the open water season is further divided up into the summer and fall season. Opening dates for open water seasons and closing dates for winter fisheries are normally set to coincide with spawning periods. During the spawning period, fish tend to congregate, making them vulnerable to being caught in large numbers. Opening dates for winter fisheries and closing dates for open water seasons coincide with ice freeze-up. This is done for safety reasons.