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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.
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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
Crisis in the East Coast Fishery • 1980’s • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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