Nanticoke Commercial Fishing Nets & Trawlers

[Hoover]

I know I haven't posted in a long time, been busy, but still picking away at the fish on the great lakes!

Unfortunately I went out to the area I have been catching off the shoal and to my surprise there was 6 trawlers working the area hard. I have not seen that many commercial fishing vessels working such a small area in the 20+ years I have been fishing this lake. I am not sure if they were trawling for as I usually thought they did that for smelt and netted the walleye and perch. There has been nets set for weeks in this area but they are increasing in qty over the past few weeks. On numerous occasions I have been fishing aside and behind these commercial fishing vessels and watched through my binoculars and witnessed the large walleye and steelhead floating by, when observing closely it looks as if they are cutting/slitting the steelhead and large walleye so they sink. The one fellow in the fish market explained that they do not get premium dollar for these fish and when their quotas are cut back the fishermen try to be selective to maximize profits, however their nets are not selective.

Anyways in short I stopped in several locations and it seemed they had already been there, the screen was blank I eventually found some pockets of fish, but I am sure they have found them over the past few days or will get there this week.

It is very disheartening to see this behavior and treatment of our natural resources, I understand they too have mouths to feed but maybe its time to rethink the big picture! As I am sure that our children will not have the opportunity to experience the fishing that all of us have had in our life time unless we act!

It may be time to think strategically on how we can collectively have an impact on this situation, one or two supporters will not make a difference it will take hundreds of voices to be heard.

Experiences? More facts? Thoughts? Next Steps?

 

[Curious]

Those B$$$$$rds!

 

[Wave Runner]

It makes you wonder how many fish sank you didn't see?

My question is why Ontario commercial fisherman are not using trap nets to avoid this waste. Gill nets are illegal to use on the American side for this very reason so why has our stupid government not figured this out? There is absolutely no reason for them not to use trap nets other than greed.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?a=1370

 

[Hoover]

Statistic 1 & 2

1: In 2014 Ontario generated $20.22M in revenue from Resident Fishing Licenses and another $12.19M from Non Resident, plus an additional $1.25M from Canadian Resident (out of province) for a total of $33.66M in revenue from fishing licenses alone! (source: https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.ne...4-fw-spa-annual-report-for-web-accessible.pdf)

2: Commercial Fishermen Sold their catch to generate revenue as follows: Lake Erie $27.54M, Lake Huron $4.68, Lake Ontario $0.51, Lake Superior $0.68M for a total of $33.41M in revenue directly from the commercial fishermen. (source: http://www.ocfa.ca/fisheries-industry/fisheries-statistics)

Makes you wonder: What if there was no commercial fishing how many more people would buy just licenses? how would this impact our travel and tourism? our sport fishing fleet?

Over time I will build an economic model where I will estimate the total value generated by each sector, I will account for all dollars spent by a sport fisherman (boat, fuel, tackle, food at local restaurants, etc.), I will also include some what ifs based on data I will collect from polls (from you guys and gals). This will show the financial impact to the economy if more people were to get into sport fishing and more people were to spend more money or simply fish more. It will show the impact to the travel and tourism sector as well. It will ultimately show the impact to GDP and jobs created in each sector at which salary points.

I will do the same with the commercial fishing value steam, taking into account the dollars and stimulation created by the sale of the fish from the fishermen to the market / wholesaler, to the stores, to the end consumer etc...

The comparative analysis should shed some light on the situation! (This may take some time)

I will continue to research and shed more light on how much of our freshwater fish we are exporting also!

 

[Moose man]

I've heard the horror stories from guys who work on boats it disgusts me get rid of them all there is more money from the sport fishing industry generated than there will ever be by commercial fishing in my opinion

 

[Hoover]

 

[can't miss]

Just thought I'd throw this in, local AM talk show today did a bit on Purdy's restaurant in grand bend closing early this yr for lack of perch. I'm not familiar with this business my self, but was said they are a commercial fishery and restaurant. Think there is a report on London new's tonight.

 

[Dutch]

that's hard to believe that thy are running out of perch already ,,,you would think thy cold get some perch from lake erie to keep the store open ,,,Dutch

 

[Get Hooked]

The practice of discarding the larger Walleye is nothing new. Back in the mid 80's I was in a Barbershop when I overheard a tug fisherman say what they did with the larger Walleye. Most anglers are not aware of this wasteful practice. When they are miles out in the lake an discard them its "Out of sight, Out of mind".

Ontario MNR Regulations says: It is against the law to destroy or allow fish suitable for food to spoil. How do the Commercial Operators get away with this. I don't believe the MNR is not aware of this practice, after all these years.

 

[Tcat]

That's Bullshit what would happen to us if we let fish rot because they weren't choice fish.What gives the commercial guys the right to waste walleye or rainbows.I realize commercial guys have to make a living but gutting fish and sinking them is just plain WRONG. What you net should be part of total catch.If not there shouldn't be commercial fishing on our great lakes.

 

[Bassassin]

What would the cost be to Ontario to buy out all the commercial fish operations on Erie? As did NY State when they added a $5.00 surtax on recreational licenses to buy out the commercial guys in NY state side.

 

[fish guy]

Well just to be clear your wrong in the amount of nets down here there is only one boat with nets the rest are trawling for smelt so there not targeting walleye and catching them all as the do have to have quota for these species or they can't fish I doubt very much I'd there's any steelhead being thrown over as they don't get them in the trawls and your right what you bet is what is brought in in the 80's it was different as they had quota in diff sizes of walleye that is no longer it's just one so that took care of that crap as for more revenue it's not a competition the fishermen fees the people who don't wanna go catch there own but how come nobody talks about how guys bring in there limit more than once a day or load there freezers for winter just to be clear that's not legal but done all the time wonder if there's any study on how many fish all hooked deep and thrown back to die I bet it would astound you to know so maybe guys lookin in the mirror at all the wrongs and not just one side

 

[Leaky]

It is an election year, ask which party would support eliminating the commercial fishing business. I think the current MPP strongly supports it. Maybe it is time for a change.


Leaky

 

[Bassassin]

Well just to be clear your wrong in the amount of nets down here there is only one boat with nets the rest are trawling for smelt so there not targeting walleye and catching them all as the do have to have quota for these species or they can't fish I doubt very much I'd there's any steelhead being thrown over as they don't get them in the trawls and your right what you bet is what is brought in in the 80's it was different as they had quota in diff sizes of walleye that is no longer it's just one so that took care of that crap as for more revenue it's not a competition the fishermen fees the people who don't wanna go catch there own but how come nobody talks about how guys bring in there limit more than once a day or load there freezers for winter just to be clear that's not legal but done all the time wonder if there's any study on how many fish all hooked deep and thrown back to die I bet it would astound you to know so maybe guys lookin in the mirror at all the wrongs and not just one side

I hear what you are saying. Try using a few periods, easier to read @fish guy. I ran out of breath a few times LOL.

 

[G.Mech]

Just a couple of points:

1. Commercial fishing will never be eliminated in the great lakes in favour of sportfishing. The commercial fisheries supply all the restaurants, fish markets, and grocery stores with fish. The spinoff effect and tourist dollars from the commercial perch and walleye on Lake Erie are far greater than whatever the fishing licenses revenue may be under the proposed schemes, the math above doesn't really account for this. By eliminating the commercial harvest, you would effectively deny the non-angling population of Ontario the right to eat local fish. Ain't gonna happen, the Erie Beach, Knectels, and Callaghan's cannot survive selling hotdogs or talapia.
2. Although many on here feel that the commercial boats are raping the lake this year, the catch rate has not been very good, especially for perch. Local fish markets and restaurants are very short on perch this year and many have none to sell due to the poor catches. The annual Hagersville Hawks fish fry ran out last week and served walleye. The Waterford legion fish fry was cancelled because they could not buy perch last weekend. We seem to filling our coolers with jumbos every week but the smaller fish the commercial guys are looking for just don't seem to be around.
3. Gill nets are used to harvest perch and walleye in Ontario and the mesh size is tightly controlled to allow fish smaller than target size to pass through and prevent larger fish from becoming caught. There is by-catch of course (as there is with any fishing method) but for the most part, gill nets are a very good way to target a certain sizes of fish. Not sure exactly but from what I am told the mesh sizes for perch and walleye are targeting 8" perch and 3 lb walleye. The 7-10 lb fish which are so popular for the rod and reel gang cannot even get a fin into these nets.
4. The trawlers you are seeing working off Nanticoke are fishing for smelt for sale overseas. Unfortunately with these nets there is more by-catch of non target species. That said, they should not be torpedoing the big walleye and trout they get, there has to be a better solution.
5. The total allowable catch is set each year by the Great Lakes Commission which is made up of representatives from each state or province who border the lake. They adjust the harvest levels of each species annually based on the population and reproduction studies and split up the allotment to each jurisdiction. The provincial government then decides how to split the allotment between commercial and sport fishing. This really isn't a federal issue so the upcoming election won't have any effect here (at least on this matter). Your MPP is provincial and your MP who you are voting for now s federal just to be clear.
6. The total actual harvests in Ontario have fallen well short of the allowable for a number of years. Whether the market demand wasn't there or the harvests weren't effective I'm not sure but many quota's went unfilled. The province even doubled our possession limit this year for perch....
7. The Ontario sportfishing regulations do not apply to commercial fishermen.

This has been a weird fishing year for sure and the guys who didn't adjust their methods and fishing areas are struggling a bit no doubt. The commercial guys are struggling too. There is still lots of fish to be had and the commercial guys aren't going away so get used to it.

 

[the drifter56]

fish guy , if I release a fish and it dies I have killed 1 fish. If I catch my limit two days in a row (which happens very rarely) , I do freeze some until I can eat them. Yes it is illegal but I am breaking the law over a few pounds of fish, you are using this logic to justify the waste of tons of fish. Big difference.
Just my opinion. I guess the law is the law but there is a different degree of damage.

Mike

 

[fish guy]

I'll try and use punctuation lol. My pint is your one guy tat does it now and then there are far worse offenders than you but if you take into account the thousands on Erie every week it doesn't take long to pile up the fish. As for the numbers the commercial guys are monitored closely on how much they harvest yet the rod and reel guys are seldom checked it would be interesting Hoover as you seem to be a numbers guy if you could figure out how many hundreds if thousands of pounds a year the angling community harvests a year .... Oh ya you won't find out cause the numbers are record or at least accurately

 

[Bassassin]

Fish guy thanks for the punctuation. In my opinion the fish we catch out here is a drop in the bucket compared to commercial catches. It has been proven the commercial guys can be bought out with money. I would like to see it done. If for the only reason I don't need to worry about the nets running out on the lake. Not enough fish to have a community fish fry? That I seriously doubt. Maybe not in their budget but there are plenty of Perch to run all these restaurants here. from Ft Erie to Windsor. More than enough. Don't believe everything you read online or in the newspaper. Including here.

 

[Bassassin]

G. Mech, thanks for some real facts. Too much time on your hands with these August winds? I don't agree with them all but most. There are plenty of perch for sale, you have to pay the price, supply and demand. Japanese prices but plenty to buy.

 

[G.Mech]

Fish guy thanks for the punctuation. In my opinion the fish we catch out here is a drop in the bucket compared to commercial catches. It has been proven the commercial guys can be bought out with money. I would like to see it done. If for the only reason I don't need to worry about the nets running out on the lake. Not enough fish to have a community fish fry? That I seriously doubt. Maybe not in their budget but there are plenty of Perch to run all these restaurants here. from Ft Erie to Windsor. More than enough. Don't believe everything you read online or in the newspaper. Including here.

Not making it up, I was at the one and involved in the other. They were also out of perch at the restaurant we were at in Port Dover on Friday too...none to be had they said.