Canadian Geography 1202 Fisheries – Chapter 8

Fisheries (Chapter 8) Renewable resources: Resources that are normally replaced or replenished through natural processes E.g.: fisheries, forestry, wind energy, etc. - ??? Bring in a whole fish to pass around – or find a movie [Paint the picture of what fisheries is like in Canada – ask the students to share their view of fisheries] Cod Rose Blanche, Newfoundland

1. Introduction Fish resources are a rich part of Canadian history, culture and economics Newfoundland Fishing Community Bonavista Harbour after Cod Moratorium

Introduction Since the 1980’s this renewable resource is being threatened by overfishing, pollution, and effects of climate change This endangers the way of life and economy in these small communities Overfishing: this is very evident in Newfoundland, which has resulted in the Collapse of the Cod fishery – Sciencist are hopeful that if we continue with the cod moratorium (not allowing fishers to catch cod) the cod stocks will reach desired numbers Pollution: this is especially harmful in the freshwater environments – in the last unit Mr. Morgan mentioned the pollution taking place in the Great Lakes -

Introduction Canada’s fisheries have led to the development of hundreds of fishing communities present along the shores of the Atlantic and Pacific Atlantic Pacific

2. Marine Food Chain Food Chain: A simple representation of the food relationships between various species within an ecosystem Species are arranged from the simplest organism to the top carnivores Phytoplankton Zooplankton Capelin Herring Whale

Marine Food Chain Food Web: A complex representation of all the food relationships present in an ecosystem Contains a number of interconnecting food chains

Marine Food Web Can you identify a food chain from the food web? An example of a marine food web: Can you identify a food chain from the food web?

Marine Food Chain Here’s mine: Salmon Capelin Zooplankton Phytoplankton

Marine Food Chain Phytoplankton: A microscopic, single-celled plant organism that is the basis of the marine food chain They live in shallow seawater and eat decayed marine life - Now that we’ve covered some definitions regarding the marine ecosystem – Lets look at the marine food chain in more detail.

Phytoplankton Blooms

Phytoplankton Blooms

Marine Food Chain Zooplankton: A microscopic, single-celled animal organism that feeds on phytoplankton They are a food for small fish like capelin

Marine Food Chain Check this out! Sun & Minerals Marine Life Dies & Decays Phytoplankton (Plant) Large Predators (Seals, Killer whales) SHOULD HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS FOOD CHAIN Zooplankton (Animal) Small Fish & Crustaceans (Caplin, Shellfish) Large Fish (Cod, Haddock)

3. Commercial Fish Habitats The environment or place in which an organism lives Provides optimal conditions for the survival of a species All organisms – like fish and other marine life have habitats…which is the environment or place that an organism lives in

Commercial Fish Habitats Continental Shelf: A landmass that is submerged under 200m or less of ocean water See Fig. 8.3 pg. 133

Continental Shelf

Continental Shelf

Continental Shelves

Commercial Fish Habitats Fishing Bank: The water is less than 150m deep Light and heat of the sun penetrate the water, which helps small sea plants phytoplankton and zooplankton to grow Fish are attracted to these areas because food is plentiful and they are great places to spawn

Commercial Fish Habitats Atlantic fishing banks:

Commercial Fish Habitats Trace the Atlantic fishing banks (Fig 8.4) on page 134 Use 3 separate colours for: Fishing banks Continental shelf Land Include in your map: A legend showing what your colours represent A north arrow pointing north A title that describes what is being shown Find the 370 km fishing limit

4. Atlantic Offshore Fishery Boats Travel great distances from the shore (up to 370 km) Remain at sea for 2 - 3 weeks before returning to home port They are equipped with the latest technologies They are long (20 to 50 m) They have larger crews

Atlantic Offshore Fishery Boats Return to large harbours near fish processing plants Many boats have their own fish processing equipment on board They are owned and operated by large companies that catch, process and market the fish

Atlantic Offshore Fishery 15% of fishers work in the offshore fishery Offshore fishing accounts for 90% of the total Atlantic catch Offshore boats are able to withstand the harsh ocean environment, therefore crews can work year-round Crews’ income is steady Major species caught: cod, herring, Atlantic salmon, scallops, lobster and crab

Advantages of Working in Offshore Fishers earn a good income There is a steady amount of work Modern boats are spacious and luxurious, containing TV’s, DVD players, Computer, etc. Those onboard are able to choose a specialized task

Disadvantages of Working in Offshore Fishers have less independence because they are employees – They do not own or operate the boats they work on They are away from their homes and families for long periods of time They may not like working with certain crew members 1.Less independence b/c they do not own/operate the boats they work on – they are required to fish when company wants them to 2.Away from home b/c the boats they work on are able to sustain weather conditions and they are large enough to be equipped with living arrangements 3.They are stuck on a boat for extended periods of time – personalities might clash. Also difficult living with large groups of people (as seen on these boats) in confined spaces Eg. Has anyone gone to a camp and had to live in a cabin with ppl they didn’t know, its difficult and sometimes clashes

Atlantic Offshore Fishery Trawlers: They are the main type of fishing technique used in Canada's Atlantic offshore fishing fleet Harvest traditional groundfish species such as cod, haddock, flounder and hake Trawler at Fort Amherst, NL Large Factory Trawler

Atlantic Offshore Fishery Cone-shaped nets are towed along the ocean bottom, allowing only the smaller fish to escape When the net is open along the ocean floor, the mouth of the open net can be as wide as the length of a rugby field

Advantages of Trawlers Catches are often enormous, with up to 2 hours towing the net, and yielding up to 100 tons of fish 1. This of course depends on the size of the ship, the type of fish being caught, and the concentration of the fish in the area being trawled.

Disadvantages of Trawlers Bottom trawling has already extinguished as many as 10,000 species worldwide The heavy metal weights attached to nets crush everything in their path leaving scars for up to 4 km They destroy ancient deep water coral systems, which provide food and shelter for fish Before After http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/MultimediaFiles/Live/Video/6768.mov

Disadvantages of Trawlers Only 16-72 % of the catch contains desired fish; the rest of the captured sea life (bycatch) suffocates and is thrown back overboard Discarded Bycatch

Read Case Study: the Scotia Eagle (pg 138 – 139) 1. List characteristics that show you that Jimmy is working on an offshore boat. 2. List the advantages and disadvantages according to Jimmy. 3. Explain in detail how the otter trawler works. 4. How does the trawler net stay open vertically and horizontally?

1. – size of the boat (47m) Boat can handle harsh environments Boat fishes far offshore (225km) Uses a trawler net Processing equipment on board Fisher work year round Higher and steady income Large crews (18 people) Latest technology – echo sounder and freezer Long time at sea (couple of weeks at a time)

2. Advantages Steady income Higher income Modern boat Disadvantages Long time away from home/families Not being able to work with father or keep up the family business

3. The net is set down with the weighted rollers (Ground bobbins) rolling along the ocean floor Headline floaters hold the net open Fish are scooped up and remain in the cod end as the net is brought up to the boat

4. The net stays open horizontally because of the otterboards. The net stays open vertically because of the weight of the ground bobbins and the light weight of the headline floats allows them to float, therefore holding up the top of the net and keeping the entire net open.

5. Atlantic Inshore Fishery Boats: They are smaller than 20m in length Fish close to shore, returning to the harbour before sunset Crews are small, with only 3-5 people Traditionally they are run by father and sons or brother

Atlantic Inshore Fishery Boats: 80% of Atlantic fishermen were once employed in the inshore fishery Inshore harvests include lobster, shrimp, redfish, and halibut Very little technology used - maybe a depth finder

Advantages of Inshore Fishery Return to families on a regular basis – usually home most nights Fishers have independence because the yare self employed They choose their own crew members – mainly family Variety of tasks makes the work more interesting

Disadvantages of Inshore Fishery Generally fishers earn a low income, which can be irregular Fishers often depend on government subsidies such as Employment Insurance Quota levels are much lower compared to large boats The number of working days is limited by weather

Atlantic Inshore Fishery Lobster Fishing Lobsters are caught by inshore fishers using traps set on the ocean floor, either individually or in groups on a line One or more funnel-shaped openings on the trap allow the lobster to enter the trap but prevent it from escaping Most valuable seafood caught

Atlantic Inshore Fishery Traps are set in waters of varying depths, but usually near a rocky bottom, which lobsters prefer The size and design of these traps differ somewhat in various localaties but they are usually constructed of curved pieces of wood, laths, and cotton or nylon twine, and often weight in excess of 40 kilograms. Every trap has one or more funnel- shaped openings fashioned from twine, which allow the lobster to enter the trap but prevent it from escaping. They are baited with either fresh or salted fish, commonly herring, mackerel or gaspereau. Traps are set in waters of varying depths, but usually near a rocky bottom, which lobsters prefer. In recent years, fishermen have begun to make greater use of electronic equipment to determine water depth and bottom type. Traps are ballasted with flat stones or concrete slabs to sink them and reduce their movement on the ocean floor. Marked buoys allow the gear to be easily located and identified. The traps are hauled up on the boats using winches. Smaller, illegal sized lobsters are returned to the water along with any unwanted species. The harvested lobsters are kept alive in boxes or tanks containing circulating water.

Offshore and Inshore Fisheries Create a chart that compares these two fisheries

6. Collapse of the Cod Fishery In the 1960’s, huge factory freezer trawlers started being used in the cod fishery The number of the trawlers fishing the Atlantic increased as the demand for cod increased worldwide Foreign fleets began fishing in the Atlantic (Russia, Japan, Korea, Poland) http://www.mta.ca/faculty/arts/canadian_studies/english/about/fisheries/

Collapse of the Cod Fishery By 1970 over-fishing was becoming a serious problem – it was estimated that the Atlantic catch had risen to three times it’s traditional level In 1977, Canada extended its fishing limit to 370 km – since it was only 22 km – and now had the right to control quotas, size, tonnage, seasons, and equipment within this limit Over-fishing was also a result of the change in technology – at this point we were able to have huge boats that could drag massive trawling nets – and even trawling net design was showed the increase in technology Plus these boats had the major technological advantages of having massive freezers to store and keep the fish fresh until they reached their home countries Also all foreign countries are aware that Canada is horrible at patrolling and monitoring the fishing taking place in and outside of their waters such as any illegal fishing from foreign or Canadian fleets… The foreign boats had a maximum amount of fish that they could catch outside of our waters – but since Canada is horrible at patrolling and monitoring – these foreign fleets were in fact catching much, much more than they were allowed to catch – which was severely damaging to the Cod fish stocks in the Atlantic Also despite these boundary lines – the fish cannot be contained within them – fish are free to move wherever they want one minute they could be within the Canadian fishing limit and the next they could be outside of it…so foreign fleets could be fishing 1m outside our fishing limit – and catching fish that had just been in Canadian waters ??? Once word was out that Canada would be extending its fishing limit by a large distance – the race was on! Foreign fleets hurried to grab as much cod as they could – causing that massive jump in the amount of fish caught (3 times the traditional levels)

Collapse of the Cod Fishery Despite these efforts, it was clear by the mid 1980’s that the cod stocks were not rebounding to their traditional sizes In 1994 the cod fishery had collapsed and an indefinite moratorium was put in place This ended five centuries of economic activity that had supported thousands of people in Newfoundland – devastating entire communities whose life had been organized around the cod fishery Faced with drastically declining northern cod stocks, the federal government of Canada imposed, in July 1992, a temporary ban on cod fishing, called the Cod Moratorium. The ban has remained in place ever since ending five centuries of an economic activity that had supported thousands of people on the island of Newfoundland. The Cod Moratorium has devastated entire communities whose life, for generations, had been organized around the cod fishery. http://www2.marianopolis.edu/nfldhistory/NewfoundlandSinceMoratorium.htm

7. Other Major Factors Leading to the Collapse Quotas were too high and the size of the breeding stocks were over estimated The use of trawler nets damaged plant and animal life, and therefore disrupted the food chain that supported the cod stocks

7. Other Major Factors Leading to the Collapse Changes in the flow of the Labrador Current may have caused the fish to migrate elsewhere The growing number of seals may have further depleted an already depleted stock

The Cod Moratorium Watch this video clip Fished out: The Rise and Fall of the Cod Fishery Describe the impact of the moratorium on a fisher person and his or her family Describe how you would feel if you were in the same situation

8. Pacific Fishery A Day in the Life of a Pacific Fisher!!!

8. Pacific Fishery The Pacific commercial fishery is relatively young compared to that in Atlantic Canada

Pacific Fishery Salmon is the most important catch in the Pacific coast fishery and the most unique Salmon accounts for almost half of the total value of the fish caught on the west coast

Pacific Fishery There are five varieties of salmon caught - chum, pink, chinook, coho and sockeye

Pacific Fishery

Pacific Fishery

Life cycle of the Pacific salmon See Fig 8.14 on pg. 146 and HANDOUT! Use the two sources to create a timeline that shows relationship between development and number of fish. Draw headings on your timeline that show if the stage is in fresh water, salt water or in esturay

Pacific Fishery Gill Nets: A net with a specific mesh size is used to ensnare fish of a specific matching size Fish can swim part-way but not all the way through the net. When it tries to back out, it becomes snagged on its gill covers Used on inshore salmon migration routes near the mouth of salmon-spawning streams Smaller fish pass harmlessly through the mesh, and larger fish are not ensnared.

Gill Net Usually set in gangs 1-5 miles long, perpendicular to shore

Pacific Fishery Purse Seines Nets: A net with floats at the top and lead weights at the bottom The purse line at the bottom of the net is then drawn in, closing it off and trapping the fish The net encircles schools of fish at or near the surface. Used on inshore salmon migration routes near the mouth of salmon-spawning streams A purse seine net is a complex device with floats at the top and lead weights at the bottom. Often, a small motorboat is used to draw out the floating net around the fish. A drawstring cable (the purse line) is threaded through the bottom of the net. When the cable has pulled the netting tight, enclosing the fish in a pouch, the catch is hauled on board. The net is then taken aboard over a large roller, either at the side or the stern. The mesh is usually sized to let small fish escape while retaining large ones. main negative impact of purse seines has been the incidental capture of dolphins, although modifications have been developed which allow dolphins to escape alive.

Purse Seines Nets See Fig. 8.15 on pg. 147

Pacific Fishery Troll Lines: Trollers are small fishing vessels operated by one or two people Fish are caught with a number of lines with baited hooks or artificial lures It is the least efficient commercial fishing method in terms of intercepting fish Troll-caught salmon are high quality In trolling, baited hooks or lures are towed behind a boat and fish are pulled aboard when caught. This method is designed to target fast moving surface swimming fish such as tuna, marlin and kingfish. Trollers must search for fish in the open ocean; net fishermen by contrast, wait in areas where salmon are known to school in the migratory route. Trollers are allowed to fish beyond the inshore limits set for net fishermen, and generally have more days of fishing time fishermen by contrast, wait in areas where salmon are known to school in the migratory route. Trollers are allowed to fish beyond the inshore limits set for net fishermen, and generally have more days of fishing time The volume of troll-caught fish is much smaller than that for net-caught fish No fish is treated with more care from the time it leaves the water until it is delivered to the retailer’s door

Troll Lines

9. Salmon Habitat under Attack Salmon habitat – range from spawning beds in rivers to vast oceans

Salmon Habitat under Attack Logging Has the greatest impact on the salmon habitat because in B.C. 40% of all harvested logs are hauled up the Fraser River Cutting forests on mountain slopes increases soil erosion which causes mud and silt to cover the gravel stream beds – destroying valuable spawning grounds

Salmon Habitat under Attack Draining estuary wetlands Draining and landfilling these marshes reduces the flow of the nutrients and food salmon require for growth Estuary - the river meets the sea in shallow, protected bays

Salmon Habitat under Attack Pollution Herbicides and pesticides used for agriculture in the Fraser Valley enter water system Organic wastes from sewage and meat packing plants, and pulp and saw mills decompose – reducing the amount of oxygen in the water – killing fish

Salmon Habitat under Attack Dams River dams obstruct salmon migration Now – fish ladders used to allow salmon to return to their spawning grounds

Salmon Habitat under Attack River Diversions Water is diverted for industry and irrigation at the same time juvenile salmon migrate downstream This results in low water levels and warmer water temperatures dooming salmon to an early death

1. Describe the habitats required by the Pacific salmon during its life cycle. 2. What effect does logging, draining estuaries, and dams have on the salmon's life cycle?

1. Cool, nutrient and oxygen rich rivers and streams for egg incubation, salmon growth and clear stream routes for migration. Estuaries that have mixture of salt and freshwater, with enough oxygen and nutrients Clear saltwater with enough food sources

2. Logging: can bring soil (from erosion) into the streams – which harm spawning areas Driving and storing logs can block migration routes to and from spawning grounds Draining Estuaries: Removing water or filling these estuaries, it prevents adult salmon from migrating to spawning beds, and smolts can no longer adapt to salt water in the estuaries. Dams: Block migrations routes up to spawning beds

10. Crisis in the Salmon Fishery New technology has meant that commercial fleets can catch in hours what they used to take days to catch Deep sea drift nets “ghostnets” used to catch tuna and other large fish scoop up everything in their path including salmon

Crisis in the Salmon Fishery Poor management of the resource has added to the problem of overfishing. The collapse of the Pacific Salmon Treaty in 1995 between Canada and the United States resulted in quotas being abused Global warming has contributed to the problem by increasing the ocean temperature – causing an explosion of mackerel populations, which feed on salmon

Crisis in the Salmon Fishery Finally the number of sport fishers has increased – meaning more fish are being caught than ever before

Crisis in the Salmon Fishery Solutions to the Problem: Reduction of the commercial salmon fishing fleet by 50% Certain areas like the Fraser River would be shut down to hopefully replenish themselves

11. Aquaculture The raising of marine life in a controlled environment As known as fish farming Fish and other marine species are bred and raises fish in tanks, ponds and reservoirs

Aquaculture Fish are fed regularly and are safe from their natural enemies – thus maturing rapidly Diseases and parasites outbreaks often occur because of high population densities found in the fish farms Sea lice are small crustaceans that can act as parasites for many types of salmon and related species They can result in huge losses, both as a direct result of parasitism, and because they can make the infested salmon more vulnerable to other diseases Sea lice, like the ones attached to these smolts, are a major problem in the salmon farming industry

Aquaculture Salmon, trout, mussels and oysters are good examples of farmed species Aquaculture is considered a growth industry in Canada

Aquaculture Case Study 1. It can produce large volumes of healthy mature fish in a short period of time. Since overfishing is depleting natural stocks, aquaculture might be the only way to meet the growing demand for fish

2. For more than 10 years Canada has experienced great success in aquaculture, and it is expected that we will continue to be successful in this industry We have the resources to sustain this industry 3. Overfishing

4. Canada is well suited because we have large areas with abundant amounts of freshwater for constructing reservoirs, ponds, tanks, ect. 5. Salmon is a high-priced fish, after they started farming fish it added $100 million/yr, and jobs were created.

6. The sheltered bays and inlets make great breeding sites, the strong tides carry away fish waste and leftover food that would otherwise pollute, and there are ideal water temperatures 7. most of the ideal sites for raising salmon are already taken up by other fish farms, plus establishing a farm is expensive, and diseases and parasites

12. The Freshwater Fishery Canada has a major freshwater fishery with the Great Lakes being the central area Canadian lakes contain over 180 different species – perch, pickerel, trout, and bass, and they employ over 9000 crew members and fish processing workers Sport fishing is also a major economic activity for many communities Be sure to explain the definition of freshwater eg lake or stream without an salt – like the water we drink Have a case study or questions to supplement this topic (???) Have a pic of me with a bass as well as some that show the massive size Give examples of places that thrive in freshwater sport fishing

The Freshwater Fishery Northern Pike Smallmouth Bass Walleye

Devil’s Lake - Ontario

Devil’s Lake - Ontario

Threats to the Freshwater Fishery 1. Habitat Alteration: This includes mining and forestry developments that pollute the river system. Hydro-electric dams and road building that cut off rivers 2. Invasive species: Invasive species are animals that are not native to an area that move in and compete with the natural species Asian Carp, Zebra Mussels.

Threats to the Freshwater Fishery 3. Pollution: Toxic waste from industries like manufacturing and agriculture are causing issues in our waterways. 4. Overfishing: Overfishing has caused the loss or depletion of fish stocks in our freshwater fishery.

"Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten" -  Cree Proverb