Geography of Canada Fishing

Geography of Canadawww.CraigMarlatt.com/school

Fishing

Fishing

1. Types and Locations of Fish in Canada

2. Methods of Fishing in Canada

3. The Collapse of Canada’s Fisheries

Renewable Resources

• Resources that replaces itself unless poorly managed

• Commercial fishing – east coast, west coast, Inland

• Three types of fish:– Groundfish (bottom feeders – cod, sole)– Pelagic fish (open-water feeders –salmon, tuna)– Shellfish (oysters, shrimp)

The East Coast Fishery Crisis

• Used to be one of the world’s great fishing grounds.

• Wide continental shelf and shallow banks and plankton

• 1980’s – fish populations went down rapidly mostly from over-fishing

• Number of fish being harvested outnumbered those reaching maturity in a year (sustained yield management)

Collapse Factors

• Overfishing

• Improved Fishing Technology – help locate school of fish faster, new netting to catch more fish

• Uncontrolled Foreign Fishing

• Destructive Fishing Practices – trawling = attempt to catch one kind of fish while other types were thrown away

• Changes in Natural Conditions – water temp has dropped and salinity has fluctuated, more predators (seals)

The Partial Collapse of the West Coast Fishery

• Salmon (coho, chum, pink, spring, sockeye), herring, halibut, cod, crab, tuna, shrimp, oysters.

• Warned by the outcome of the East Coast fishery experience– Overfishing– Changes in the Environment – climate change/warmer

water– Lack of Salmon Fishing Treaty – Canada vs USA

Challenges to the West Coast Fishery

• First nations – demand for salmon growing (food and ceremonial purposes)

• Sport Fishing – bigger economic benefit – “a salmon caught by a recreational angler yields a much greater economic benefit than a salmon caught by a commercial fishing boat.”

• Commercial Fishing – stocks are declining

One Solution – Aquaculture!

Freshwater Fishery

• Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Great Slave Lake…

• Whitefish, perch, pickerel, trout

• Sport fishing more important than commercial fishing

Types and Locations of Fish

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

ShellfishMollusks and

crustaceans.

Shrimp, lobster, oyster, scallop, mussels

COD

HALIBUT

SCALLOP

SALMON

Canada’s East Coast Fishery

&PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

U.S.A.

Warm Alaska Current

Cold California Current

Canada’s West Coast Fishery

U.S.A.

U.S.A.

Methods of Fishing in Canada

In Shore Off Shore

small boats with limited gear, self-employed

85% of fishers but just 10% of fish

day trips only, no trips during bad weather

low income lobster, shrimp, clam, cod, and

haddock

large ships with variety of gear, company owned

15% of fishers but 90% of fish out for two weeks or more at a

time, in any weather reasonable income harvest cod, sole, halibut, redfish,

flounder

INSHORE

OFFSHORE

Methods of Fishing in Canada

Type of Net Description Diagram

Purse Seining circling a school of fish with a net

Gill Netting passing fish get caught in net

Otter Trawling bag-shaped net dragged along the ocean floor

Commercial Offshore Fishing

Collapse of Canada’s Fisheries

The End