Annual Summary of Fish Harvesting Activities (2005-2006)

Foreword

The Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (FFMC) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Central and Arctic Region (DFO) have, for more than thirty years, co-operated in the development and maintenance of a commercial fisheries database. The harvest data are developed from the FFMC’s purchase ticket, which records the catch and payment for every sales transaction between individual harvesters and the FFMC. The database provides comprehensive information on the commercial fishery (e.g. fish harvesters, lakes, delivery points, species, weeks, months, seasons of fishing, etc.). This data has been used by the FFMC, DFO, and the fisheries management agencies of the participating provinces and territory in the FFMC’s area of operation. Data is also provided on request to other federal, provincial or territorial agencies, universities, and others interested in fisheries. The participating jurisdictions include Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and select parts of the northwest region of Ontario.

This report focuses on commercial freshwater fish harvesting activity in FFMC participating jurisdictions from May 1, 2005 to April 30, 2006. The period covers two distinct fishing seasons, the open water, summer fishery from May through October and the on ice, winter fishery from November through April. Marketing and historical trend information is included.

Section 1 provides harvesting and marketing data. Section 2 provides comparative analyses of each FFMC participating jurisdiction. Sections 3 through 6 provide similar analyses for each FFMC participating jurisdiction. Northwestern Ontario has been excluded from this section in consideration of the low percentage share of the province in freshwater fisheries. However, Northwestern Ontario has been included in Section 1 providing data by jurisdiction.

Persons interested in obtaining more information on commercial freshwater fisheries in FFMC participating jurisdictions may contact:

Policy and Economics Branch
Central & Arctic Region
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Freshwater Institute
501 University Crescent
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 2N6

Sheri Andres - (204) 984-5518

Highlights

Section 1: Western Canadian Freshwater Fisheries Summary

• 16,735 metric tonnes (t) of fish were harvested. Landings fell by 5.9% from 2004-05.
• The landed and market values of the harvest were $28.1 million and $53.3 million, respectively.
• Of the total landings of 16,735t, pickerel accounts for 35.6%, up from 31.6% in 2004-05, whitefish accounts for 31.9%, down from 33.1% in 2004-05, and mullet accounts for 15.8% up slightly from 14.4% in 2004-05.
• In 2005-06, landings decreased by 5.9% compared to the preceding fiscal year. Landings for most species decreased, except for goldeye, pickerel, and mullet. Although the average landing price was slightly higher in 2005-06 compared to 2004-05, the total landed value fell by 5.7% due to the drop in landings.
• The FFMC purchased catch from 2,395 self-employed harvesters in 2005-06 compared to 2,630 in 2004-05, a fall of 8.9%. The number of self-employed harvesters at the lower end of the landings range distribution accounted for most of the decrease.
• Of the total landings of 16,735t, Lake Winnipeg (6,293t) accounted for the largest volume distantly followed by Lake Winnipegosis (1,258t). Lake Winnipeg landings fell by 1.1% in 2005-06 compared to the previous year while Lake Winnipegosis’ landings increased from 945 t. by 33.1%.

Section 2: Analysis by Jurisdiction

• Manitoba harvesters caught 69.4% of the total harvest and received 80% of the landed value which can be attributed to the high value of pickerel. Saskatchewan harvesters caught 16.5% of the harvest and received 10% of the landed value. Alberta caught 9.4% and received 7%. Northwest Territories caught 4.6% and received 3%. Northwestern Ontario caught and received less than 1%.
• Of the total 2,395 harvesters, Manitoba has 1,707 (71.3%), Saskatchewan has 506 (21.1%), Northwest Territories has 95 (4.0%), and Alberta has 86 (3.6%). Northwestern Ontario has less than 1% of total harvesters.

Alberta:

• 1,574t of fish were harvested. Landings fell by 6.4% from 2004-05.
• Landings for all species fell from the previous year. Whitefish, which accounts for 91.7% of provincial landings, decreased by 5.9%.
• The landed and market values of the harvest are $1.9 million and $3.7 million, respectively. Total landed value decreased by roughly the same percentage as the volume (6.5%).
• Lesser Slave Lake accounted for the largest volume (44.5%) followed by Utikuma Lake (17.9%).
• There were 86 self-employed harvesters in 2005-06 down from 105 (18.1%) in 2004-05. The significant decrease in summer season harvesters may be an effect of the regulatory changes in Alberta removing access to summer quota.
• The number of self-employed winter season harvesters is up by 29.6% in 2005-06 while the number of self-employed summer season harvesters is down by 41.5%. The number of self-employed harvesters is down by 27.0% in both seasons.

Saskatchewan:

• 2,756t of fish were harvested. Landings fell by 12.9% from 2004-05.
• Except for Whitefish, landings for all other species decreased in 2005-06. Whitefish accounts for 35.9% of the total harvests, up by 2.5% in 2005-06, followed by mullet at 20.4%, down by 28.3% in 2005-06.
• The landed and market values of the harvest are $2.8 million and $6.0 million, respectively. The total landed value decreased by 12.1% in 2005-06.
• Reindeer Lake accounted for the largest volume (13.7% of 2,760t) followed by Ile-a-la Crosse lake (12.9% of 2,760t).
• The number of self-employed harvesters decreased from 590 in 2004-05 to 506 in 2005-06 across all categories. The number of self-employed winter, and summer harvesters fell by approximately 12.0% in 2005-06. The number of self-employed harvesters who worked both summer and winter fell by 60.0%.

Manitoba:

• 11,621t of fish were harvested. Landings fell by 3.2% from 2004-05.
• Expect for pickerel and mullet, which account for a significant proportion of harvests, landings fell for all other species compared to 2004-05. Pickerel, which accounts for 46.5% of total harvests, increased by 7.7% in 2005-06, and whitefish, which accounts for 19.7%, fell by 14.3% in 2005-06.
• The landed and market values of the harvest are $22.7 million and $41.7 million, respectively. Total landed value is down by 4.4% from the previous year.
• Lake Winnipeg accounts for most of the catch (54.2% of 11,621t) followed by the Lake Winnipegosis (10.8% of 11,621t).
• The number of self-employed harvesters is 1,707, down by 6.3% from the previous year. The number of self-employed winter season harvesters is up by 2.0% in 2005-06 and is down by 5.8% for summer season and 19.2% for both seasons’ harvesters.

Northwest Territories:

• 905t of fish were harvested. Landings fell by 2.5% from 2004-05.
• Except for whitefish, which account for a significant proportion of harvests, landings of all species fell by 15.5% in 2005-06. Whitefish accounts for 80.8% of the total harvests 905t and is up by 1.2% in 2005-06. In contrast, pike which accounts for 6.4% of 905t, is down by 7.9% in 2005-06.
• The landed and market values of the harvest are $0.8 million and $2.0 million, respectively. The total landed value decreased by 5.4% from the previous year.
• Great Slave Lake accounts for most for the landings (97.7% of 905t) followed by Kakisa Lake (2.7% of 905t).
• The number of self-employed harvesters is down from 111 in 2004-05 to 94 in 2005-06. The number of self-employed winter season harvesters is down by 60.0% while the number of self-employed summer season harvesters is up by 4.8% in 2005-06. The number of self-employed harvesters who worked both summer and winter is down by 31.4% in 2005-06.

Annual Summary of Harvesting Activities: At a Glance

Note: * To protect the identities of harvesters where the number of harvesters is three or less, the “rule of three” <4 (less than four) is used.

Annex: Western Canadian Freshwater Fisheries - List of Species

Common Name

Genus Name

Carp

Cyprinus carpio

Goldeye

Hiodon alosoides

Inconnu

Stenodus leucichthys

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush

Mullet

Catostomus commersonii

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Perch

Perca flavescens

Pickerel

Sander vitreus

Sauger

Sander canadensis

Tullibee

Coregonus artedii

White Bass

Morone chrysops

Whitefish

Coregonus clupeaformis