The NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) negotiated a subsistence fishery on the south coast of Labrador for Atlantic salmon, trout and char in 2004 and further negotiated access to Upper Lake Melville in 2013. NCC is fully invested in managing this fishery for NunatuKavut Inuit and in doing so requires the responsibility of setting parameters for the fishery to ensure its sustainability. Monitoring and catch reporting are a key component of sustainable management and as a result each designated fisher is required to fill out and return a catch log to report their harvest. A catch log is provided along with tags to each designated fisher.
The catch log return rate has been steadily declining regardless of the numerous activities that NCC has implemented to encourage designates (members) to return their log. Incentives such as prize draws, reminders through direct calling and emailing, and automated call outs have been used. As a result of the low percentage of catch log returns, NCC asked NunatuKavut Inuit during community food fishery meetings “what can the NCC do to encourage members to return their catch log?” Members were fully engaged in all the discussions and provided some constructive feedback and suggestions as follows:
- Install drop boxes in several coastal communities to provide easier access for members to return their catch logs.
- Ensure that NunatuKavut Inuit are aware of the importance of catch log data to NCC through a catch log information campaign.
- Ensure each designated household is responsible for submitting their catch log to the ENR department by establishing consequences.
The ENR department is working towards developing and implementing the suggestions.
1. We have installed drop boxes in several communities.
There are several ways to return the FSC catch log. Logs can be returned to local NCC offices, returned via letter mail, emailed or fax. Members can contact ENR offices in Port Hope Simpson, Cartwright, or Happy Valley-Goose Bay for extra logs/information. ENR’s program support assistants (Irene and Samantha), fishery guardians, and sampling stewards are also available for support to fill out the logs.
2. Launching our catch log information campaign.
The information that we gather on the salmon catch log reports help the NCC Fisheries Committee and the ENR department to manage our fishery resources sustainably. This information is also used during NCC-DFO negotiations to provide support to the requested changes to our Food, Social, and Ceremonial Fishing Licenses. We need as accurate information as possible to be able to make informed decisions and to analyze the data. The analysis of the data will indicate how many of our designates were successful in filling or partially filling their salmon tags which can have implications on our community freezer program. It will help us answer questions such as:
- how many designates did not fish
- how long it took to fill the tags
- how to manage tag distribution
- does the season need to be opened earlier or later
- if the season should be open for longer or shorter period
- over time it can indicate the health of the salmon
- over time it can indicate the changes of behaviour/movements of our salmon
- if we are filling our tags with larger or smaller salmon
- if there are any environmental changes such as new species or high number of seals, etc.
- if the productivity of specific areas in NunatuKavut waters have changed over time
- it will indicate our traditional fishing places
3. Ensure each designated household is responsible for submitting their catch log to the ENR department by establishing consequences.
The ENR department will be visiting our communities during the spring to further discuss the Food, Social, and Ceremonial Fishing Licence and we encourage all members to attend to provide support to our fishery and make suggestions to improve our program.
Did you know quick facts:
- The Inuttitut word for salmon is kavisilik
- Atlantic salmon go to sea to grow – more food and better energy content means fish can grow very big, very quickly.
- Majority of the salmon caught in the NunatuKavut food fishery are Labrador bred!
- Young Atlantic salmon called smolts migrate to sea every year in the spring and are usually 3-5 years old when they start their ocean adventure.
- Atlantic salmon can migrate up to 100km/day in the ocean
- Atlantic salmon can leap up waterfalls 4.5 meters high (15 feet).
- Atlantic salmon lay 1,500-1,800 eggs per kilogram of body weight.
- Atlantic salmon scales can be ‘read’ much like the rings on a tree. The scales are used to determine the fish’s age, growth and how many times it has spawned.
- Fin tissue can be used to determine where Atlantic salmon were born.
- Atlantic salmon, trout, and char are referred to as being anadromous because it migrates from the sea into freshwaters to spawn
Catch Log Prize Draw
- Submission date extended to February 7, 2025
- Prize: Bluetti AC60P Portable Power Station and Solar Kit (PV120D – 600W, 504Wh, 120W), valued at $1,398.00 plus taxes
- Prize will be drawn at the Annual ENR Stewardship Workshop.
