Fish Forward is here to help

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/12/2022 (1052 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It has been an interesting two weeks since my last column with some good and bad news mixed in. On the good news front I was invited last week to attend the launch of a new organization called Fish Forward. The name itself had me intrigued since we already have a non-profit in Manitoba named Fish Futures. I was even on the original board when it formed in 1989.

I had to make a couple of phone calls to see if this was on the up and up. I was assured that it was, so I headed down to the Inn at the Forks to find out more. It turns out Fish Forward is a partnership of provincial, national and international organizations working to ensure the sustainability of Manitoba Fisheries.

To make that happen this group plans to help commercial fishers acquire and maintain Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-certification.

It was interesting to hear what Kurtis Hayne, program director for MSC Canada had to say. Haynes has travelled the globe, encouraging groups to work towards sustainability. He believes Manitoba is at the top of the list when it comes to working towards that goal.

“Partnerships like Fish Forward are instrumental in encouraging and rewarding both sustainable fishing and consumption,” Haynes stated.

Manitoba now has two eco-certified commercial fisheries. Cedar Lake was awarded the classification on Nov. 3.

After the collapse of that fishery in 1996, the commercial fishers approached the provincial government to discuss the need for change. They agreed to voluntarily close the fishery from 1998 to 2003 to let the stocks rebound. They also agreed to reduce the number of commercial licenses. The Cedar Lake group also got involved in a Collaborative Stock Monitoring Program that is critical to determine sustainable harvest levels.

In 2021 with the help of all levels of government Cedar Lake entered the MSC assessment process.

I had a chance to sit down with Floyd George, president of the Cedar Lake Fisheries Inc. He believes that in 10 years you won’t have a market for fish that isn’t eco-certified.

“Achieving MSC certification and working with Fish Forward helps us reach new buyers and makes sure the fishing industry is alive and well for generations to come.”

Waterhen Lake was the first freshwater fishery in Manitoba and Canada and the second in the world to achieve eco-certification in 2014.

Waterhen was recertified in 2020.

The organizations leading Fish Forward are: Indigenous Services Canada, the Province of Manitoba, the MSC and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Dimple Roy is the Director of Water Management for IISD. She said this organization came together to close some of the gaps and challenges that groups were facing to get their certification. This group can supply guidance and help with funding along the way. They are also putting commercial fishers together with buyers who want this sustainable product. You can check out more about this initiative on their new website at fishforward.ca.

On the bad-news front, I read about the demise of the Alaskan snow crab. There has been some overharvest, but scientists are saying climate change is responsible for the loss of close to 8 billion of these valuable creatures. The situation is so catastrophic the season has been closed.

It hits home how critical it is to work towards these sustainable goals. In Manitoba there are over 300 lakes that are commercially fished. During the winter months, Manitoba is the largest supplier of freshwater fish in Canada.

The commercial fishing industry employs 2,300 Manitobans annually and 85 per cent of those are Indigenous. For most it is their main source of revenue.

Most of our fish do not stay in the province with over 80 per cent of the 13 million kilograms harvested per year shipped internationally. There is a real demand growing within this province among restaurants and grocers to sell MSC-certified local fish.

According to MSC, much of the seafood available in this province is shipped from afar. This contributes to greenhouse gas emissions or is produced in a way that collapses ecosystems. More and more Canadians (over 60 per cent) agreed that sustainable harvest is the way to go. As we grow our sustainable commercial fisheries in this province, it helps everyone and the planet.

For those who have trouble seeing the future with our commercial fishing resource, Fish Forward can help.

Anglers Notes:

The last couple of weeks have slowed the formation of ice on many of our lakes and rivers. An influx of cold air this weekend will start to firm things up. Many anglers are wisely waiting for that to happen.

dlamont46@gmail.com