COMMERCIAL FISH UNIT 



The Commercial Fish Unit is responsible for licensing com- 

 mercial fisheries; setting seasons, quotas, size limits, and 

 otherwise regulating fishing; collecting and compiling bio- 

 logical and economic statistics on the harvest; planning and 

 co-ordinating surveys to monitor fish stocks and evaluate 

 the effects of fishing; and implementing programs to assist 

 the industry in its efforts to advance technologically. In 

 addition, the Unit directs provincial activities related to the 

 administration of the Fishermen's Indemnity Plan m Ontario. 



THE COMMERCIAL FISHERY 



The fishing industry landed 55.7 million pounds of fish, 

 worth 6.0 million dollars at the producer level, in 1968. This 

 was an increase of 2.7 million pounds or 5.1 per cent over 

 the production of the previous year. The landings included 

 a record catch of 24.4 million pounds of yellow perch from 

 Lake Erie. 



The industry reported a labour force of 2,044 men in 1968 

 and an investment in vessels, gear, and shore installations 

 amounting to 10.8 million dollars. Among those deriving a 

 living from fishing were several hundred Indians in remote 

 northern areas. 



Sales by the bait fish industry, which are not included in 

 the above statistics, totalled 1.5 million dollars in 1968. 

 More interest was shown in bait fish culture, and some 

 further facilities for this purpose were constructed. How- 

 ever, the majority of the fish sold still were taken under 

 licence from lakes and streams in the Province. 



LICENSING 



Commercial fisheries are established where there is a re- 

 source base adequate to support their economic operation 

 and where their presence will contribute to a net increase 

 in total benefits. Accordingly, 106 new fishing licences were 

 Issued in 1968. The total number of commercial fishing 

 licences issued, however, declined by 16 to 1,731 as a re- 

 sult of some fishing privileges, which had been made re- 

 dundant by changing biological and economic conditions, 

 not being renewed. 



In addition to the fishing licences, 29 experimental per- 

 mits were issued to commercial fishermen. Such permits 

 enable the fishermen to experiment with new or modified 

 forms of gear which are not otherwise provided for in the 

 regulations, and to assess the feasibility of extending their 

 operations Into new areas and times. Studies carried out 

 under the authority of this type of permit led to a longer 

 balt-flsh seine being declared legal in 1968. 



A new policy, with respect to the management and 

 licensing of the commercial fishery on Lake St. Clair, was 



announced in October of 1968. Under the new policy, gill- 

 nets would continue to be excluded from the lake, and no 

 further pound-net or baited-hook licences would be per- 

 mitted. Fishermen, however, would be able to increase 

 their individual holding through transfer procedures and 

 to expand their use of coarse fish. It was felt that sufficient 

 pressure was already being exerted on prime species. The 

 policy ensured that commercial fishing would be conducted 

 in such a manner that the least possible conflict with the 

 growing sport fishery and other recreational activities would 

 occur. At the same time, it provided for the development 

 and economic stability of Individual fishing enterprises. 



REGULATIONS 



Of the various changes made to the Ontario Fishery Regula- 

 tions in 1968, many were for the purpose of separating the 

 regulations pertaining to sport and commercial fishing. 

 Several, however, were important from a management 

 standpoint. A closed season on commercial fishing in the 

 Essex County waters of Lake Erie was established for the 

 period. May 16 to April 14, to allow greater numbers of 

 these fish to spawn. The population had declined substan- 

 tially and was showing signs of instability. For the same 

 period and in the same connection, the use of gill-nets, 

 suitable for yellow pickerel or any gill-nets floated off the 

 bottom, was prohibited. Another amendment opened 

 Whitefish Bay of Lake Superior to commercial lake trout 

 fishing and placed a limit of 15,000 pounds on the trout 

 catch for that area for the year. 



MARKETING AND PRICES 



The prices for the premium freshwater fish species im- 

 proved in 1968 as the frozen stores of fish, which had 

 accumulated the year before, cleared. 



— Continued on Page 34 



The Leola Charles while engaged in experimental fish- 

 ing operations conducted by the Department in Lake 

 Ontario. 



