NFN Fisheries Management
Feb 24, 2016
NFN Fisheries Management
Nipissing First Nation
Who Are We?
NFN Fisheries Journey
Commercial Trade
Surveillance
Rights Affirmed
Court DecisionsR.v. Sparrow (SCC – 1990)
Priority Allocation
Conservation
Aboriginal Subsistence
Aboriginal Commercial
Sports Fishing
NFN Formal Management
• 2004 Moratorium• 2005 Nipissing Votes• 2006 Additional Staff• 2006-2011 NFN invested
1.25 million• Annual budget is over
$300,000 – self revenues
Certified Walleye• Government approved facility• Sell directly to markets and restaurants•Market price for catch• Supply & demand
Certified Walleye• By buying certified
fish you are promoting a healthy Lake Nipissing.• Some success but
some businesses in the area continue to by uncertified fish.
Walleye Management On Lake Nipissing
• Main Objective – protect spawning population• Provincial & NFN, laws &
regulations reflect this objective• Regulations similar
Spawning Size Fish Increase
Spawning Size Fish Decline
Drop in Spawning Size• Reflected in NFN catches 2010• Harvest Target reduced by 10%• Harvest catch= 29,930 kg = 72%
• Reflected in NFN catches 2011• Harvest Target reduced by 10%• Harvest catch = 19,729 kg = 52%
Possible Contributing Factors/Considerations
• Overharvest by anglers• Netting and spearing during
moratorium• Change – walleye growth rate,
diet & movement patterns• Ecosystem changes• Natural cycles (weak year class)
Biologist Best Guess - Overharvesting
• Commercial Fisheries?• Spring Moratorium Netting?• Increase in Spearing?• Angler Non-compliance?• Other Commercial Fisheries?
Commercial Fisheries• Review of daily harvest
catches• Limited commercial
fishermen• Conduct random audits• Size of community
Spring Moratorium Netting
• Non compliance issues are estimated• 7 Fishermen non compliant in 2010• 2 Fishermen non compliant in 2011• Reports & calls dramatically down in
2011
Increase in Spearing• Reports of increase are estimated • Regulations implemented in 2011• No non compliance issues
Angler Non Compliance• Creel Surveys – only estimate
– not accurate harvest• Creel Surveys are voluntary
and not verified• 1999 attempt to collect complete
trip data from two creel sectors• Both indicated – significantly higher
than estimate ( more than double)
Other Commercial Fisheries
• Reports of non-NFN fishermen• Our enforcement staff not
observed this on the steady basis• No reports 2011
Young Walleye Increasing
What Has NFN Done?• 2006 – Review Sustainable Harvest• 2007 - Set quota & revised regulations• 2008 – Raised quota & revised regulations• 2009 – Quota remained & revised regulations• 2010 – Quota reduced 10% & revised
regulations• 2011 – Quota reduced 10% & revised
regulations
What Has NFN Done?• Annual Revisions to Regulations• Annual Harvest Quota• Decrease harvest quota –
biologist• Increased resources• Avg $300,000 – management of
Lake• Assessments other species• Annual FWIN assessments
What has the Province ( MNR) done?
• 1999 – Reduced limit from 6 to 4• 2004 – Set slot size• 2004-2011 – No changes to
regulations• Creel surveys & annual
FWIN assessment
What has the Province (MNR) done?
• Continue to provide fishing licenses
• Allow for an increase in fish huts• Decrease funding and staff –no
full-time biologist for Lake Nipissing
What is Needed?• Additional Resources• NFN monitor commercial
fisheries• Province to collect more
accurate data on angling harvest• Province to make necessary
changes to their regulations• Province to work more
collaboratively with NFN
Future of Lake Nipissing
In partnership with the many stakeholders of Lake Nipissing we hope that together we can plan for a healthy lake for all to enjoy and benefit from.
Miigwech!