Freshwater Fisheries in Canada: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Resources and Their Management

Abstract

Abstract.—Canada’s three northern territories comprise nearly 40% of the country’s land and more than 35% of its freshwater resources. The physical geography and climate of the region are diverse and include nine of Canada’s 18 terrestrial ecozones. Freshwater habitats include thousands of systems, ranging from small ponds and streams to the Mackenzie and Yukon rivers and 39 lakes greater than 500 km2. The freshwater and anadromous fish fauna (56 species) is dominated by Salmonidae (25 species). Regional diversity of fishes tends to decrease with increasing latitude and decreasing longitude; freshwater productivity is generally low. Fisheries management varies considerably across the territories. In the Yukon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) manages the transboundary anadromous fishes with the USA, whereas freshwater fisheries management is territorial, in collaboration with First Nations. Most freshwater fishes harvested in the territory are by recreational anglers. In most of the Northwest Territories, fisheries management is a co-management process involving DFO and four regional co-management boards and relies heavily on community consultation. The commercial fishery is concentrated on Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Great Slave Lake. Sportfishing, regulated by the territorial government, is popular with many residents and tourists. In Nunavut, subsistence fisheries are most prevalent; the limited commercial fisheries are primarily coastal and focused on Arctic Char Salvelinus alpinus. Sport fishing is also limited but viewed as a growth opportunity. Despite differences in management among the three territories, they share several management and conservation challenges. Specific changes in aquatic ecosystems related to climate change are difficult to predict but will be significant. Despite low overall human population densities, overexploitation can be a concern locally. Other management challenges result from the occurrence of mixed stocks, the impracticality of obtaining stock assessment data, and impacts from resource development. Consultation and adaptive co-management with Indigenous governments, including incorporation of traditional knowledge, are critical to successful management.