geography of canada fishing
TRANSCRIPT
Geography of Canadawww.CraigMarlatt.com/school
Fishing
Fishing
1. Types and Locations of Fish in Canada
2. Methods of Fishing in Canada
3. The Collapse of Canada’s Fisheries
Renewable Resources
• Resources that replaces itself unless poorly managed
• Commercial fishing – east coast, west coast, Inland
• Three types of fish:– Groundfish (bottom feeders – cod, sole)– Pelagic fish (open-water feeders –salmon, tuna)– Shellfish (oysters, shrimp)
The East Coast Fishery Crisis
• Used to be one of the world’s great fishing grounds.
• Wide continental shelf and shallow banks and plankton
• 1980’s – fish populations went down rapidly mostly from over-fishing
• Number of fish being harvested outnumbered those reaching maturity in a year (sustained yield management)
Collapse Factors
• Overfishing
• Improved Fishing Technology – help locate school of fish faster, new netting to catch more fish
• Uncontrolled Foreign Fishing
• Destructive Fishing Practices – trawling = attempt to catch one kind of fish while other types were thrown away
• Changes in Natural Conditions – water temp has dropped and salinity has fluctuated, more predators (seals)
The Partial Collapse of the West Coast Fishery
• Salmon (coho, chum, pink, spring, sockeye), herring, halibut, cod, crab, tuna, shrimp, oysters.
• Warned by the outcome of the East Coast fishery experience– Overfishing– Changes in the Environment – climate change/warmer
water– Lack of Salmon Fishing Treaty – Canada vs USA
Challenges to the West Coast Fishery
• First nations – demand for salmon growing (food and ceremonial purposes)
• Sport Fishing – bigger economic benefit – “a salmon caught by a recreational angler yields a much greater economic benefit than a salmon caught by a commercial fishing boat.”
• Commercial Fishing – stocks are declining
One Solution – Aquaculture!
Freshwater Fishery
• Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Great Slave Lake…
• Whitefish, perch, pickerel, trout
• Sport fishing more important than commercial fishing
Types and Locations of Fish
Category Description Examples
Groundfish
Fish that feed and are caught near the ocean floor.
Cod, Pollock, haddock, halibut, redfish
Pelagic Fish
Fish that feed and are caught near the surface.
Salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna, caplin
ShellfishMollusks and
crustaceans.
Shrimp, lobster, oyster, scallop, mussels
COD
HALIBUT
SCALLOP
SALMON
Canada’s East Coast Fishery
&PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
U.S.A.
Warm Alaska Current
Cold California Current
Canada’s West Coast Fishery
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
Methods of Fishing in Canada
In Shore Off Shore
small boats with limited gear, self-employed
85% of fishers but just 10% of fish
day trips only, no trips during bad weather
low income lobster, shrimp, clam, cod, and
haddock
large ships with variety of gear, company owned
15% of fishers but 90% of fish out for two weeks or more at a
time, in any weather reasonable income harvest cod, sole, halibut, redfish,
flounder
INSHORE
OFFSHORE
Methods of Fishing in Canada
Type of Net Description Diagram
Purse Seining circling a school of fish with a net
Gill Netting passing fish get caught in net
Otter Trawling bag-shaped net dragged along the ocean floor
Commercial Offshore Fishing
Collapse of Canada’s Fisheries
The End