Fisheries Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
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Freshwater fisheries are among Ontario's most valued natural resources. Protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems not only means healthy fish but healthier environments. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide fishing opportunities and a nutritious food supply, and create employment.
On behalf of the people of Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is responsible for protecting and managing fish in a sustainable manner for both present and future generations. To help guide both the day to day and long term management of Ontario’s fish, policies, procedures and guidelines have been established by the Ministry to guide the management and use of fish, fisheries and their supporting ecosystems.
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Policy, Procedure and Guideline Listing
Aquaculture Policies
Commercial Fisheries Policies
Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Guidelines for Lakes
Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Guidelines for Rivers
Lake Trout Lake Policies
Strategic Policies
In-water Work
Aquaculture Policy Statement (FisPo.9.1.1)
This policy sets out MNR's general approach to aquaculture and provides a framework for aquaculture policies and procedures. Aquaculture operations are regulated by MNR under the authority of the Public Lands Act, the FWCA and the Fisheries Act (Canada).
Download this policy (PDF, 56 kb)
Issuance of Aquaculture Licence, Renewals, Transfers, Amendments, Refusals and Cancellations (FisPp.9.2.1)
Section 47 of the FWCA prohibits persons from culturing fish except under authority of a licence, and in accordance with the regulations. Part II of O. Reg. 664/98 (Fish Licensing) made under the Act establishes aquaculture licences, fish stocking licences, licences to collect fish from Ontario waters, regulations respecting the transportation of fish, and certain conditions and exemptions in relation to these licences. This policy/procedure describes licence issuance, renewals, transfers, amendments and cancellations.
Download this policy (PDF, 75 kb))
Aquaculture on Private Land - Conditions of Licence (FisPp.9.2.3)
This policy proposes the rationale and program direction for private land aquaculture.
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Licensing of Fee for Fishing Operations (FisPo.9.2.4)
MNR has removed the former definition of "fishing preserve" (s. 34 of the Game and Fish Act) and as such has not implemented the requirement for a licence to own or operate a fishing preserve. MNR views the activities of fee-for-fishing operations as a component of aquaculture and as such these operations will now require an Aquaculture Licence which will be issued in accordance with the policies and procedures set out for issuance of aquaculture licences on private land (FisPp.9.2.1 - Issuance of Aquaculture Licence, Renewals, Transfer, Amendments, Refusals and Cancellations and FisPp.9.2.3 - Aquaculture on Private Land) in order to operate. This streamlines the process for many operations which have in the past held a culture and sell licence and a fishing preserve licence for the same waters.
Download this policy (PDF, 37 kb)
Risk Analysis and Facility Security (FisPp.9.2.5)
MNR requires proponents to submit a risk analysis as a condition of approval of licences for aquaculture facilities. Specifically the policy requires that a Short Form Risk Analysis be completed as part of the licence application. If the proponent is seeking to raise a species in a facility that is less secure than that recommended in this analysis, then it will be necessary for the proponent to perform a Detailed Ecological Risk Analysis.
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Issuance of a Licence to Stock Fish in Ontario Waters (FisPp.9.3.1)
Subsection 4(1)(c) of the Ontario Fishery Regulations (OFRs) made under the Fisheries Act prohibits persons, in Ontario waters, from depositing or attempting to deposit live fish taken from one body of water into another body of water, subject to the exceptions set out in the regulations. These exceptions are set out in this in FisPo.9.4.1, FisPp.9.2.1 and FisPo.9.2.4. This policy/procedure identifies the proposed steps for issuing a licence to stock fish.
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Artificial Waters (ponds) and Application of Ontario Fishery Regulations (FisPo9.4.1)
As part of amendments to the OFRs in 1999, artificial waters were defined in Clause 3(2)(b) of the regulations. These waters were defined stringently so as to minimize the possibility of any escape of fish to natural waters. As part of this amendment, Subsection 3(2) of the OFRs now specify, among other things, that the regulations do not apply to artificial waters.
These waters are now exempted from: the requirement for persons to possess a sport fishing licence to angle or fish by other means; regulation of the fisheries by means of seasons, catch and possession limits, and gear and bait restrictions; and the requirement for persons to have a licence to stock fish obtained from either a licensed aquaculture facility or a licensed commercial fishing operation.
The policy also sets out that persons that maintain artificial waters as defined in the Ontario Fishery Regulations not be considered to be culturing fish when this is not done for commercial purposes; as such, an aquaculture licence would not be required.
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Provision of Fish or Gametes from the Provincial Fish Culture Program (FisPp.9.5.1)
Revisions to the aquaculture regulations in 1995 expanded the list of species eligible for aquaculture. To culture many of these new species the industry required access to wild stocks. MNR will assist by allowing the collection of fish or gametes directly from Ontario waters (FisPp.9.5.2 - Collection of fish gametes / Issuance of Licence to Collect Fish From Ontario Waters) and by making available surplus stock from MNR fish culture stations or MNR egg collections. This policy / procedure identifies the process for acquiring surplus fish or gametes from provincial fish culture stations. Prices for fish or gametes will be established by Fish Culture Section.
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Collection of Fish or Gametes/ Issuance of Licence to Collect Fish from Ontario Waters (FisPp.9.5.2)
Until a sufficient supply of brood stocks are developed, a Licence to Collect Fish from Ontario Waters can be issued for the purpose of culturing these fish. MNR will encourage the use of wild stocks for this purpose to avoid the importation of fish into Ontario. The intent of this policy is to ensure that individual operators, and the aquaculture industry as a whole, do not depend upon imported or wild fish collected from Ontario waters for their operations. Persons applying for licences will be advised of this and will be encouraged to develop hatchery-maintained brood stocks. Applications to collect fish and gametes will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and approval may be subject to a number of conditions.
Download this policy (PDF, 52 kb)
Commercial Fisheries Policies
Strategic Policy for Ontario’s Commercial Fisheries, 2011
This policy provides a framework for defining commercial fisheries in Ontario and how they integrate into the management of Ontario’s natural resources. It provides a focus for coordinating commercial fishing policies as well as providing linkages to other natural resource strategic policies, directives, and legislation.
Download this policy (PDF, 100 kb)
Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Guidelines for Lakes
Aquatic Habitat Inventory Survey – Manual of Instructions
Aquatic Habitat Inventory (AHI) Survey procedures are designed to acquire basic knowledge of the chemical, physical and biological conditions of the lakes and streams of Ontario. The manual is arranged to separate the AHI Surveys into three parts: ‘Lake Surveys’, ‘Stream Surveys’ and ‘River Surveys’. Many of the methods described are out-dated, and the manual is no longer widely used. The AHI is useful in that it documents methods used for inventorying more than 10,000 lakes and streams in Ontario between 1970 and 1990. The AHI protocols should continue to be used where newer protocols for basic inventorying of lakes and streams do not exist.
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Bathymetric Surveys (BASS) – Manual of Instructions
This manual describes the hardware and field procedures associated with collecting bathymetric data with the BASS system. It also provides an introduction to processing the data in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to produce bathymetric maps suitable for general fisheries management purposes. The purpose of a bathymetric survey is to describe the physical characteristics of a waterbody. Bathymetric data can be used to construct a map showing depth contours and underwater structure and is used to calculate volume and mean and maximum depths of a waterbody.
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Broad-scale Fish Community Monitoring (BsM) – Manual of Instructions
The Broad-scale Fish Community Monitoring protocol represents the provincial standard for monitoring fish communities in Ontario Lakes. It uses a combination of two types of gillnets:"Large mesh" gillnet that target fish larger than 20 cm in length to sample angler harvested freshwater fish; and, "small mesh" gillnet that target smaller fish. This manual also includes guidelines for measuring secchi depth, taking temperature/oxygen profiles, conducting reconnaissance for aquatic invasive species, processing of fish, and taking contaminant samples for fish captured in Ontario lakes. This protocol replaces the AHI for acquiring basic knowledge of fish communities in Ontario lakes.
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Brook Trout Index Netting (BTIN) – Manual of Instructions
This manual describes the standard methods and provides the technical information necessary for project leaders and field crews to conduct the BTIN field program which is designed to provide an unbiased index of brook trout abundance and collect biological information on the target species.
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End of Spring Trap Netting (ESTN) – Manual of Instructions
End of spring trap netting (ESTN) is a standard live release trap netting program designed to estimate the relative abundance of a fish stock and provide other biological measures to assess the status of walleye populations in Ontario. ESTN is an adaptation of the NSCIN protocol. This manual describes the standard methods of conducting an ESTN project.
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Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) – Manual of Instructions
This manual describes standard methods for the collection of biological information to support management of a percid fishery dominated by walleye. The fall walleye index netting (FWIN) uses overnight sets of multi-mesh gillnets and is therefore a method to be used in waterbodies where lethal sampling is acceptable.
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Nordic Netting - Manual of Instructions
The NORDIC Index Netting manual describes a standardized method for sampling fish in lakes with multi-mesh gillnets, and discusses some biomass and biodiversity benchmark values. The NORDIC method provides a whole-lake estimate for species occurrence, quantitative relative abundance and biomass (Appelberg 2000). The NORDIC method is an international standard gillnetting procedure used in many Scandinavian countries.
Download this guideline (PDF, 450 kb)
Nearshore Community Index Netting (NSCIN)- Manual of Instructions
Nearshore Community Index Netting (NSCIN) is a standard live release trap netting program designed to evaluate abundance and other attributes of fish species that inhabit the littoral zone of Ontario`s lakes. This manual describes the standardized methods and provides the technical information necessary for project leaders and field crews to conduct the NSCIN program.
Download this guideline (PDF, 1.7 mb)
Spring Littoral Index Netting (SLIN) – Manual of Instructions
This manual of instructions describes the methodology for conducting a survey of abundance for lake trout. The SLIN method uses 90 minute gill net sets to sample the littoral zone of a lake during the spring. The technique is easy to apply and the short net sets serve to minimize mortality. In addition to indices of abundance, biological information can also be collected to determine the status of the lake trout population.
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Summer Profundal Index Netting (SPIN) – Manual of Instructions
This manual of instructions describes the methodology for conducting a survey of abundance and biological information for adult lake trout. It was developed as a rapid assessment method requiring less than a week to complete, offers a lower mortality option for sensitive populations and provides a lengthy window of operation so many lakes can be surveyed in a single season.
Download this guideline (PDF, 1 mb)
Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment Guidelines for Rivers
Aquatic Habitat Inventory Survey – Manual of Instructions
Aquatic Habitat Inventory (AHI) Survey procedures are designed to acquire basic knowledge of the chemical, physical and biological conditions of the lakes and streams of Ontario. The manual is arranged to separate the AHI Surveys into three parts: ‘Lake Surveys’, ‘Stream Surveys’ and ‘River Surveys’. Many of the methods described are out-dated, and the manual is no longer widely used. The AHI is useful in that it documents methods used for inventorying more than 10,000 lakes and streams in Ontario between 1970 and 1990. The AHI protocols should continue to be used where newer protocols for basic inventorying of lakes and streams do not exist.
Download this guideline (PDF, 8 mb)
Basal Resources Sampling in Rivers
Attached algae, aquatic macrophytes, and riparian vegetation provide basal energy sources, nutrients, and critical habitat for ecosystems and their inhabitants (e.g., spawning northern pike and macroinvertebrates). This protocol describes methods for sampling basal resources including aquatic macrophytes, periphyton, organic material, and woody debris in rivers.
Download this guideline (PDF, 327 kb)
Benthic Sampling in Natural and Regulated Rivers
Benthic invertebrates are the link from basal resources to higher trophic levels, including fishes. Benthic invertebrates are often sampled in aquatic monitoring programs because they are diverse, generally sedentary, responsive to environmental alterations, and are good indicators of ecosystem productivity and health. The benthic sampling protocol discussed here provides a sampling methodology which acknowledges that rivers, particularly those with hydropower, can have strong longitudinal and lateral gradients in the composition and abundance of benthos that must be considered when developing a sampling plan.
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Electrofishing Rivers: Nearshore Community Sampling Methodologies for Ontario’s Flowing Waters
Sampling fishes in rivers can be intimidating and difficult due to the inherent logistical considerations and safety risks associated with high-energy flows. This protocol describes a standard method for sampling the wadeable nearshore fish community in non-wadeable rivers using electrofishing gear. This protocol acknowledges that regulated and natural rivers can have strong longitudinal and lateral gradients in fish abundance, growth, and community membership that must be considered when developing a sampling plan.
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Measuring Stream Temperature Using Data Loggers: Laboratory and Field Techniques
The methods described in this document are intended to assist those interested in measuring water temperature in flowing waters. In this guide we provide advice in four areas including: (1) choosing a temperature data logger; (2) laboratory procedures; (3) field procedures; and (4) retrieving and handling time-series temperature data. We also introduce ThermoStat, a tool for analyzing data in a consistent format for reporting purposes. This report is intended to help people conduct successful field measurements to maximise the quality of their data and the information obtained.
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Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP - Updated – 2010)
The Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP) contains a series of standardized methodologies for identifying sites, evaluating benthic macroinvertebrates, fish communities, physical habitat and water temperatures in wadeable streams. The OSAP provides standardized methods that ensure data repeatability. Use of these standard methodologies allows data to be shared, used for multiple purposes and stored in a common database.
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Riverine Index Netting (RIN) – Manual of Instructions
This manual represents the provincial standard for assessing fish populations and communities in medium to large non-wadable rivers in Ontario. The manual is subdivided into sections on: gear description, pre-field activities, field procedures, post field activities, and data management. We also provide a hypothetical case study to illustrate how the Riverine Index Netting method can be employed at a hydropower development. Lastly, we provide appendices on bathymetry mapping, aging structures, contaminant analysis, field forms, equipment list, and fish species codes.
Download this guideline (PDF, 690 kb)
Lake Trout Lake Policies
Dissolved Oxygen Criterion for the Protection of Lake Trout Habitat (FisPo.7.5.1)
Ministry policy is to use a 7 mg/L mean volume weighted hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen (MVWHDO) criterion to determine lakeshore development capacity on all inland lake trout lakes on the Precambrian Shield, in order to protect adult and juvenile lake trout habitat. The dissolved oxygen criterion supports the March 2005 revisions to the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) by providing a scientifically established standard for the protection of lake trout habitat to guide decision-making by municipal planning authorities.
Download this policy (35 kb)
Crown Land Dispositions on Lake Trout Lakes
For direction on considering Crown land dispositions on lake trout lakes, refer to Lands policy PL 4.02.01 (POL) Application Review and Land Disposition Process (Appendix A) found on the Crown Land Policies web page.
Strategic Policies
The Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries (SPOF II)
Freshwater fisheries are among Ontario's most valued natural resources. Protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems not only means healthy fish but healthier environments. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide fishing opportunities and a nutritious food supply, and create employment. The Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries (SPOF II) identifies the ecological, economic, and social values we place on our fisheries, and maps out a course of action to sustain aquatic ecosystems for the future. SPOF II consists of four important components: a goal for Ontario fisheries; objectives to meet the goal; guiding principles to form the foundation of fisheries management; and strategic management actions to resolve important fisheries management issues.
Download this policy (PDF, 2.3 mb)
Strategic Policy for Ontario’s Commercial Fisheries, 2011
This policy provides a framework for defining commercial fisheries in Ontario and how they integrate into the management of Ontario’s natural resources. It provides a focus for coordinating commercial fishing policies as well as providing linkages to other natural resource strategic policies, directives, and legislation.
Download this policy (PDF, 100 kb)
In-water Work
In-water Work Timing Window Guidelines
These guidelines are established by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to restrict in-water work related to an activity during certain periods in order to protect fish from impacts of works or undertakings in and around water during spawning migrations and other critical life stages.
Download this policy (PDF, 308 kb)
