Fish Community Index Netting Project on Lake Superior
Supplied photo.
Pic River First Nation, in partnership with the Anishinabek/ Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre (A/OFRC) will be conducting a Fish Community index Netting (FCIN) project on Lake Superior within the traditional fishing areas of Pic River First Nation. This data will aid in the assessment of commercial catch quotas and be used by Pic River First Nation to pursue interest in an aboriginal communal fishing license. The FCIN will begin on August 24, 2015 and is expected to run for one week. The A/OFRC will be setting monofilament gill nets (475m) that range from 38mm (1.5”) to 152mm (6”) mesh size and increase by 12mm (0.5”) increments.
The Fish Community Index Netting project involves sampling all depth strata ranging from; 0-30m, 30-60m, 60-90m and 90+m. Two crews will be on Lake Superior collecting biological data on all sports fish captured and length data on all non sports fish captured.
The A/OFRC is a not-for-profit organization that serves as an independent source of information for communities within the Anishinabek Nation. The Centre provides information and recommendations for sustainable fisheries management, reports of stock status, evaluates stresses on fish populations and habitats, and offers technical support.
