Annual Summary of Fish and Marine Mammal Harvest Data for the Northwest Territories Volume 9 1996-1997 Fisheries and Oceans Pêches et Océans Canada Canada Annual Summary of Fish and Marine Mammal Harvest Data for the Northwest Territories Volume 9 1996-1997 Freshwater Institute Central and Arctic Region Department of Fisheries and Oceans Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6 Principal Contributors: Ipeelee Itorcheak (Iqaluit) Kim Seto (Iqaluit) George Low (Hay River) Neil Robinson (Inuvik) Colette Craig (Winnipeg) Raymond Ratynski (Winnipeg) Telephone: (204) 984-5436 Mailing Address: Policy and Economics Department of Fisheries and Oceans 501 University Crescent Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6 ©Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 1999 Cat. No. Fs1-53/1997E ISSN 1183-9546 ISBN 0-662-25887-8 Correct citation for this publication: Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 1999. Annual Summary of Fish and Marine Mammal Harvest Data for the Northwest Territories, Volume 9, 1996-1997:xii + 72 p. Aussi disponible en français. ii INTRODUCTION This report provides fish and marine lodges. The report has changed to reflect the mammal harvest data collected by the reorganization in DFO administrative areas. Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Previous reports divided the Northwest Territories for the Northwest Territories for the period into three administrative areas: Western Arctic 01 April 1996 to 31 March 1997. Harvest Area, South/Central Arctic Area and Eastern Arctic statistics are presented for the entire Area. These have been replaced by two areas, N.W.T. and for two DFO administrative Nunavut Area (formerly Eastern Arctic Area and areas. portions of the former South/Central Arctic Area), The report details harvest statistics for each and NWT West Area (formerly Western Arctic Area of the commercial and experimental and portions of the former South/Central Arctic fisheries, marine mammal harvesting and Area). The Nunavut Area encompasses the entire recreational fisheries. Some data on Nunavut Land Claim Settlement Area, and the NWT domestic fishing is available, however, the West Area includes the areas outside Nunavut, harvest of seals is not currently available. including the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. These data will be reported at such time as DFO's harvest statistics programs are ex- While in the past harvest studies for the N.W.T. panded to monitor these fisheries. fishery have largely addressed specific fisheries, three recent projects provide a comprehensive In addition to harvest data, related informa- review of the N.W.T. fishery. Yaremchuk et al. tion is presented on the landed value of (1989) summarized commercial harvest statistics commercial harvests, the number of collected by DFO and other agencies from the commercial and sport fishing licences inception of commercial fishing in 1945 through to issued, and the number of sports fishing 1987. McGowan et al. (1993) summarized the lodges. Commercial and experimental results of test fisheries conducted in the N.W.T. fisheries for which effort data (number of during 1989 to 1992. Strong (1989) summarized days, number and size of nets) and the narwhal, beluga and walrus harvest for the biological samples (weight and length period 1948 to 1987 using information collected by measurements, aging structures, DFO starting in the latter part of the 1970's, and maturation information) have been collected earlier information collected by other agencies and are identified. individual researchers. The report consolidates harvest statistics This report is the ninth in a series that is prepared and related information collected by DFO annually to ensure that DFO harvest information is staff in area offices in Inuvik, Hay River and readily accessible to DFO staff and clients. Iqaluit and regional headquarters in Winnipeg. Some of the information presented was provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development compiles vendor sales reports which were the source of the sport fishing licence information. The Northwest Territories Explorers' Guide, published by the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Government of the Northwest Territories, was the source of information on the number and bed capacity of sports fishing iii DATA SOURCES AND DATA COLLECTION DFO maintains an area headquarters in Inuvik Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation (Northwest Territories West), with other offices in (FFMC), which is the sole buyer and seller of Yellowknife and Hay River; and another area N.W.T. freshwater fish production destined for headquarters in Iqaluit (Nunavut Area), with an inter-provincial and export trade. The quotas office in Rankin Inlet (Fig. 1). The Areas on Great Slave Lake, and other inland implement fishery and habitat management fisheries delivering to the FFMC, are plans and programs through allocation, licensing, monitored by maintaining a running total of the monitoring and compliance activities. While the FFMC's daily catch records. Harvest data for same basic fish and marine mammal harvest N.W.T. commercial fisheries are typically data are used for management purposes, the reported for the fiscal year period 01 April to Areas tailor the data collection methods to reflect 31 March of the following year. Great Slave differences in the nature and organization of the and Kakisa Lakes however, are opened on fisheries. November 1st and remain open until the quota is reached or October 31st of the following year. This is done on the request of the NWT WEST AREA fishermen to ensure that there will be quota available for a winter fishery. Section 3 Commercial Fisheries presents both the production data used by the area office in Hay River for quota Commercial fishermen in the Inuvialuit and management (Tables 2A.5 and 2A.7) and the Gwich’in fish primarily for their own use, but may data reported by the FFMC (Tables 2A.6 and sell some of their harvest locally. Markets are 2A.8). The differences between the data not organized formally, so it is not feasible to reported in these two tables are mainly due to collect data at the point of sale using methods the exclusion of culls and local sales from the common to commercial fisheries elsewhere in FFMC data reports. the N.W.T. Fishermen making deliveries directly to the DFO conducts a mail-out survey of licence FFMC are paid an initial price on delivery and holders requesting information for the entire year a final payment after the end of the fiscal year on the number of days fished, the gear used, and which is dependant on the FFMC's profits. As the harvest, sales and sales value of each this report is published in advance of final species for each waterbody fished. Data payments, such payments are excluded from collected in this manner are likely affected by this report. Appendix 1 shows the amount of recall error because fishermen are asked to final payments, by species, for the past 5 report on their fishing activities for an entire year. years. Another source of inaccuracy in the data comes from recording errors made by fishermen in filling Marine Mammal Harvests out the survey forms. Where data on the weight of fish caught or the value of fish sold are The Inuvialuit Harvest Study, initiated under missing, they are estimated based on area the land claim settlement enables monitoring averages. In 1996/97, 10 of 18 commercial of domestic fish and some marine mammal licence holders participated in the survey. harvests of the six communities in the Inuvialuit Settlement Area (Fig. 2). Data are The South Slave region has the largest and most collected on a monthly basis by personal organized commercial fishery in the N.W.T. The interviews with hunters and fishermen in each Great Slave Lake fishery alone accounts for community and then collated and analyzed by about 85% of the total commercial fishery the Harvest Study Coordinator. The Fisheries production in the N.W.T. Joint Management Committee (FJMC), also established under the same land claim Almost all of the commercial production in the settlement, advises the Minister of Fisheries Great Slave Lake fishery is marketed through the and Oceans on matters relating to the iv Inuvialuit Settlement Region fisheries. The also been inshore marine experimental fishing FJMC, made up of equal representatives of off the coast of Baffin Island, the species of Government and the Inuvialuit Game Council, interest being turbot, cod, scallops and shrimp. runs a separate harvest monitoring program for The most active of these developmental beluga and walrus. This study is designed to fisheries has been the Pangnirtung turbot provide more precise information than the fishery. Baffin Island Inuit also participate in Harvest Study to ensure that sound management the offshore fishery for northern shrimp, but advice can be provided for these two species. the monitoring of this large-scale fishery is DFO, under the terms of reference for both done by DFO’s Atlantic Fisheries Service studies, and with the co-operation of the under the Northern Shrimp Management Plan. Inuvialuit, has access to the data they generate. Most of the Keewatin (West Hudson Bay) and There are no marine mammal harvests reported Cambridge Bay charr fisheries deliver to fish for other settlement areas in the NWT West plants in Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet, Area. Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay. These plants are operated by the Northwest Recreational Fisheries Territories Development Corporation. The plants buy fish from fishermen, wash, freeze There is a significant recreational fishery on and pack, and then ship their production to waterbodies close to the major population export markets. Reliable harvest information centres of Yellowknife and Hay River. The can be obtained from sales slips. lodge-access recreational fishery is also important, with 36 lodges offering access to The price the fishermen receive is set by the remote waterbodies. 87 percent of all resident plant and is based on a fair return to sports fishing licences and 85% of all non- fishermen, less anticipated plant expenses.