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!