A Natural Renewable Resource Fishing in Canada A Natural Renewable Resource

Back to the Settlers Started in the 1500’s Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal Harvest fishing grounds off Newfoundland Fishing stations Permanent Villages Dried, salted shipped Europe, United States & West Indies

Plentiful Fish Fishery Number of Fishers Tonnes of Fish Percentage of Total Catch Value of Catch ($millions) Total Exports East Coast 44 897 861 441 80 1786 3453 West Coast 49 906 194 434 18 330 996 Freshwater 6900 19 981 2 28 148 Canada (Total) 99 703 1 075 856 100 2114 4687

What part? Category Description Examples Groundfish Fish that feed and are caught near the ocean floor Cod, Pollock, Haddock, Halibut, redfish Pelagic fish Fish that feed and are caught near the surface Salmon, Herring, Mackerel, Tuna, Caplin Shellfish Molluscs and crustaceans Shrimp, lobster, oysters, scallops, mussels

Crisis in the East Coast Fishery People in the East Coast Fishery relying on groundfish catching fewer and smaller fish Specifically Cod 1991 25% decline from 1990 1992 Over 50% decline from 1990 Government bans fishing of cod

What Happened? Sustained yield management Overfishing Sustaining renewable resources Number caught each year does not exceed the amount of fish reaching maturity in that year Overfishing More fish caught than fish reaching maturity Miscalculation SYM not working

What Happened? Improved Fishing Technology WWII Larger, more powerful engine-driven trawlers Sonar & satellite navigation systems Uncontrolled Foreign Fishing Countries such as Russia and Japan sending fleets that exceeded the SYM numbers United Nations Extended national fishing limits and controls to protect SYM numbers Forces other countries to follow fishing restrictions

What Happened? Catching unwanted fish Changes in Natural Conditions Already dead Not reported as caught Changes in Natural Conditions Drop in water temperatures Salinity levels changed Possible change in migratory routes Seals Decrease in sealing population therefore increase in seal population Seals eating fish

Collapse of the West Coast Fishery 1994 1 million decrease in salmon From spawning grounds on upper Fraser River in BC Lack of data on numbers of salmon to be fished/year

What Happened? Overfishing 1990’s Canadian & American fishing boats catching over 800 000 tonnes of fish/year between California & Alaska Too few adult salmon reached spawning rivers Was over 100 major fishing plants in BC, now fewer than 10

What Happened? Changes in Environment Lack of Salmon Treaty Increase in ocean temperatures Salmon prefer water below 7˚C Warming water forcing salmon north Preference of cooler water and warming ocean waters could force salmon to northern Alaska Fewer salmon in rivers of BC Lack of Salmon Treaty Dispute between Canada & U.S. Regarding the conservation of salmon on west coast

Fishing Industry TODAY Sport Fishing 4 million people a year Fishing Equipment Boats, accommodation, meals, guides and licenses $6.7 billion

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