1. NFN Fisheries Management

2. Nipissing First Nation Who Are We?

3. NFN Fisheries Journey Commercial Trade Surveillance Rights Affirmed

4. Court Decisions R.v. Sparrow (SCC – 1990) Priority Allocation Conservation Aboriginal Subsistence Aboriginal Commercial Sports Fishing

5. NFN Formal Management 2004 Moratorium 2005 Nipissing Votes 2006 Additional Staff 2006-2011 NFN invested 1.25 million Annual budget is over $300,000 – self revenues

6. Certified Walleye Government approved facility Sell directly to markets and restaurants Market price for catch Supply & demand

7. Certified Walleye By buying certified fish you are promoting a healthy Lake Nipissing. Some success but some businesses in the area continue to by uncertified fish.

8. Walleye Management On Lake Nipissing Main Objective – protect spawning population Provincial & NFN, laws & regulations reflect this objective Regulations similar

9. Spawning Size Fish Increase

10. Spawning Size Fish Decline

11. Drop in Spawning Size Reflected in NFN catches 2010 Harvest Target reduced by 10% Harvest catch= 29,930 kg = 72% Reflected in NFN catches 2011 Harvest Target reduced by 10% Harvest catch = 19,729 kg = 52%

12. Possible Contributing Factors/Considerations Overharvest by anglers Netting and spearing during moratorium Change – walleye growth rate, diet & movement patterns Ecosystem changes Natural cycles (weak year class)

13. Biologist Best Guess - Overharvesting Commercial Fisheries? Spring Moratorium Netting? Increase in Spearing? Angler Non-compliance? Other Commercial Fisheries?

14. Commercial Fisheries Review of daily harvest catches Limited commercial fishermen Conduct random audits Size of community

15. Spring Moratorium Netting Non compliance issues are estimated 7 Fishermen non compliant in 2010 2 Fishermen non compliant in 2011 Reports & calls dramatically down in 2011

16. Increase in Spearing Reports of increase are estimated Regulations implemented in 2011 No non compliance issues

17. Angler Non Compliance Creel Surveys – only estimate – not accurate harvest Creel Surveys are voluntary and not verified 1999 attempt to collect complete trip data from two creel sectors Both indicated – significantly higher than estimate ( more than double)

18. Other Commercial Fisheries Reports of non-NFN fishermen Our enforcement staff not observed this on the steady basis No reports 2011

19. Young Walleye Increasing

20. What Has NFN Done? 2006 – Review Sustainable Harvest 2007 - Set quota & revised regulations 2008 – Raised quota & revised regulations 2009 – Quota remained & revised regulations 2010 – Quota reduced 10% & revised regulations 2011 – Quota reduced 10% & revised regulations

21. What Has NFN Done? Annual Revisions to Regulations Annual Harvest Quota Decrease harvest quota – biologist Increased resources Avg $300,000 – management of Lake Assessments other species Annual FWIN assessments

22. What has the Province ( MNR) done? 1999 – Reduced limit from 6 to 4 2004 – Set slot size 2004-2011 – No changes to regulations Creel surveys & annual FWIN assessment

23. What has the Province (MNR) done? Continue to provide fishing licenses Allow for an increase in fish huts Decrease funding and staff –no full- time biologist for Lake Nipissing

24. What is Needed? Additional Resources NFN monitor commercial fisheries Province to collect more accurate data on angling harvest Province to make necessary changes to their regulations Province to work more collaboratively with NFN

25. Future of Lake Nipissing In partnership with the many stakeholders of Lake Nipissing we hope that together we can plan for a healthy lake for all to enjoy and benefit from.

26. Miigwech!