Natural Resources -

Fishing
By Jack Morris, Luke Witty, Aidan Germain and Rajan Dosanjh
 How much fishing does Canada have?
 In 1995 the fishing industry was valued at $2.5 billion.
 85% comes from commercial fishing
 15% comes from farm fishing

 British Columbia and the Yukon are responsible for 20% of this
 The Prairies and Ontario are only responsible for 5%
 The Maritimes and Newfoundland are responsible for 75%
 Nova Scotia is the leading province with 30%
 BC and Newfoundland are each responsible for 20% of the total
 Fishing is Important to Canada!

 Canada consistently ranks as one of the top

five fish exporters by value.
 Fishery-related employment came to 45,000
for fish harvesters and crews; 3,700 in
aquaculture operations; and 27,000 for
seafood product preparation and packaging.
 In many Atlantic areas, in parts of British
Columbia, and in the northern prairies,
whole regions depend on the fishing industry
and is providing more than 120,000 jobs to
Canadians.
 It is the economic mainstay of
approximately 1,500 communities in rural
and coastal Canada.
Canada is a Major Exporter of Fish!

 Canada’s fishing exports are valued at $3 billion

 It is comprised of:
 Shellfish -50%
 Finfish – 25%
 Cured and canned fish – 10%
 Other – 15%
Where is the fish exported to?

 United States – 50%

 Japan – 30%
 Europe – 10%
 Other 10%
Major Fishing Areas in Canada
Sectors in the Fishing Industry

 Fish Farming - raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosed pools, usually for
food.
 Fish processing - processing fish by filleting and freezing fish for distribution
to fresh fish retail and catering stores, and the secondary processing that
produces chilled, frozen and canned products for superstores.
 Fish marketing - fish is dedicated to be sold wholesale between fishermen
and fish merchants.
 Commercial fish – fishing out on the ocean or lake with a crew. Fish is
caught in large quantities to be sold around the world
 Jobs in the Fishing Industry
Fishers
Fishers seek out large amount of fish and harvest them for processing and sale. Most
either operate their own boats with a small crew or work on a larger fishing boat.
Fishers must be able to handle boats and effectively find and harvest their catch. On
some boats, the catch is processed immediately, while on others, it is returned to
shore for processing. Fishers are also often responsible for handling traps and lines,
measuring fish to make sure they meet regulatory standards and supervising crew.

Fishing boat captain

Fishing boat captains who work on larger boats must be able to both lead their
crews and navigate waterways or oceans. Their role combines the knowledge of
fishers with the leadership skills of supervisors. Captains must make certain that
their vessels are prepared for whatever hazards might occur, and they should be
proficient in several navigational techniques. Familiarity with the local seascape,
including tides and shoals, is of great importance in this role.

Fishing charter operator

Not all people involved in the fishing industry work in commercial fishing. Some
make a living by transporting others to designated fishing spots around Canada.
 Dangers in the Commercial Fishing
Industry
 Going overboard and getting cold water
shock

 Bad weather which can lead to the ship

being destroyed or going overboard,
losing signal with land and being
stranded in the ocean

 Getting bit by a fish which can cause

harm
 Fishing Methods

 Handling and jiggling – 2 of the oldest forms of fishing. Both are still
common.
 Jigging machines – popular for ground fishing and squids
 Long lining – a long line with lots of hooks that spread along the ocean floor
 Mustard System – uses a normal line hauler, the returning line and hooks
pass through a machine which removes all the remaining bait.
 Random Baiters – common fishing (recreation fishing)
 Gang Baiter – a long line system consisting of a mechanical baiter, hook
racks, modified hooks and storage boxes
 Gill netting – used to catch many of species of fish at the same time
More Fishing Methods

 Canadian Pair – not common as it is a new method. Same as Scottish

seining but utilizes two vessels
 Otter trawling – cone shaped nets towed along the ocean bottom to
catch many species of ground fish
 Atlantic Side trawling – An old method that is declining in use
 Stern trawling – main component of Canada’s Atlantic offshore fishing fleet
 Cod traps – similar to weir fishing and predominantly used in Newfoundland
 Purse seining – a wall of webbing used to encircle fish, encircling rather
than towing which is responsible for its catching power
 Danish/Scottish seining – used to catch species of ground fish (ie. Flounder
and cod)
East Coast Fishing

 Used to be the best fishing grounds

 Largest fishing ground is Grand Banks
 Area is 282,500 square km
 Wide continental shelf that is less than 200m wide
 Banks less than 150 deep
 Sunlight attracts growth of plankton
East Coast Fishing Collapse

 Fishermen realized they were catching fewer and smaller fish, especially in
Newfoundland
 In 1992 government halted fishing in the East Coast
 Improved fishing technology – more engine driven trawlers cause fewer fish
to escape net adding to overfishing
 Uncontrolled foreign fishing – foreign fishing in Canadian waters
 Destructive fishing practices – catching other species when fishing for other
types
 Changes in the environment – Global warming
West Coast Fishing

 Most important fish is salmon

 5 kinds of salmon: Coho, Chum, Pink, Spring and Sockeye
 They also have halibut, herring, cod, crab, tuna and shrimp
 Salmon industry 400 times larger than East Coast
West Coast Fishing Collapse

 Concern was addressed in 1994 when 1 million fewer salmon spawned

 Over fishing – over 200 tonnes of fish were being caught per year. The cod
species may never bounce back
 Lack of salmon fishing treaty – a long standing dispute between the U.S.
and Canada where salmon may be caught and how much
 First Nations – the demand for salmon has increased
 Sport Fishing – desires bigger share of salmon quota
 Commercial Fishing – First Nation and Sport Fishing has taken part of this
quota
 Changes in the environment – Global warming
 Inshore versus Offshore
Feature Inshore Offshore
Location Within 16 to 25km of shore Edges of continental shelf, up to 370 km
from shore

% of labour force 85% 15%

% of total catch 10% 90%
Type of boat/equipment Smaller (20m) with fixed gear (lobster traps) Larger boats (50m) with mobile nets

Ownership Individuals and families Large companies

Type of Employment Self-employment Unionized employees of fishing companies

Crew size 1 to 6 12 to 16
Season Warmer months All year long (all weather)
Procedures Daily each morning Gone for up to 2 weeks at a time

Processing Onshore in small to med. Plants Partially processed on boat before going to
large plant

Lifestyle Small coastal communities, low income and Larger coastal communities, higher income
unstable and more stabel
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