People passionate about nature

The Lake Winnipeg commercial fishery: is it sustainable?

Presenter: 

Scott Forbes, Professor, University of Winnipeg

Date: 

Monday, February 4, 2019

Start Time: 

7:30 pm

Location: 

Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre, 340 Provencher Blvd on second floor - Salle Antoine-Gaborieau.

Admission: 

$5 for members (non-member rate $10)

The commercial fishery on Lake Winnipeg has a long history with catch records extending back to the 1880’s. These provide a unique insight into the fishery then and now. The current fishery has been criticized as unsustainable, most notably in 2015 by a seafood watchdog group that declared the fisheries on Manitoba’s large lakes, including Lake Winnipeg “the worst-managed in the world.” Is this true? Fishers countered that the fishery has always been sustainable: they have fished since the 1800’s and are still fishing today. Who is right? This presentation will explore the history, regulation and current factors affecting the fishery.