In June 2012, the OFAH provided comments to the Ministry of Natural Resources on its recently commissioned review of the status of the Lake Nipissing walleye fisheries.

Using MNR data, OFAH biologists concluded that Lake Nipissing walleye fisheries are in crisis and is calling on the Government of Ontario to suspend the commercial gill net fishing.

Key OFAH Findings: Lake Nipissing Walleye Harvest

The following three figures from the 2012 OFAH Report clearly show the differences in Lake Nipissing Walleye harvest by commercial gill nets and anglers. Please scroll down to find the complete 2012 OFAH Report on the Lake Nipissing Walleye Fisheries.

Figure 1 - "Reported" Commercial Gill Net Harvest vs Angler Harvest (1999 - 2011)

1. The average annual "reported" commercial gill net harvest has been more than 3-fold greater than the average annual harvest since 2005.

Figure 6 - Proportion of Large Walleye Harvested by Fishery

1. The proportion of Walleye ? 400mm harvested by anglers was reduced considerably in each time period following a regulation change;

2. The size class structure of the commercial gill net Walleye harvest is unknown for three of the five time periods (including 2010 and 2011); and,

3. For the two known time periods, Walleye ? 400mm made up 62.3% and 68.9% of the commercial gill net catch from 2000-2004 and 2005-2009 respectively.

FIGURE 7 - "Reported" Commercial Gill Net Harvest with First Nation Harvest Targets & MNR Recommended Quota

1. In 2004/2005 the MNR recommended a commercial gill net harvest quota limit of 30,000 kg of Walleye in Lake Nipissing. Nipissing First Nation rejected this recommendation and established their own harvest target, which MNR deemed to be not biologically justifiable;

2. The commercial gill net harvest exceeded the Nipissing First Nation target by 24% (2007) and 12% (2009);

3. The commercial gill net harvest exceeded the MNR recommended quota limit by 67.3% in 2007, 54.6% (2008), 75.6% (2009), and 4.6% (2010); and,

4. In 2010 and 2011, commercial gill net harvesters did not harvest their targets.

The Full OFAH Report & Other Relevant Materials

• 2012 OFAH Report on the Lake Nipissing Walleye Fisheries
  
  
• 2012 OFAH Report - FIGURES
  
  
• OFAH Correspondence with North Bay MNR
  
  
• OFAH Media Release: Lake Nipissing Walleye Fisheries in crisis
  
  
• OFAH Q & A: Lake Nipissing Walleye Fisheries
  
  
• 2012 OFAH Report - Appendix A: Lake Nipissing Walleye Management Chronology (1997 - 2011)