The Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries
More Information
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.
Developed in 1976, the original Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries (SPOF I) provided a long-term plan for managing Ontario's fisheries resources. SPOF I was a beginning, and led to substantial gains.
In 1989, the Ministry of Natural Resources, in consultation with the public, designed a new Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries (SPOF II) for the 1990s and beyond. This consultative approach to the development of SPOF II allowed for the contribution of many diverse groups. SPOF II identified the ecological, economic, and social values we place on our fisheries, 
and mapped out a course of action to sustain aquatic ecosystems for the future.
SPOF II was formally adopted as a policy direction in June 1991.
The Strategic Plan for Ontario Fisheries consists of four important components:
- 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 manag
- ement issues.
Goal for Ontario Fisheries
Healthy aquatic ecosystems that provide sustainable benefits, contributing to society's present and future requirements for a high-quality environment, wholesome food, employment and income, recreational activity and cultural heritage.
Objectives
In order to provide sustainable benefits for the future, the objectives of the Strategic Plan are:
- to protect healthy aquatic ecosystems
- to rehabilitate degraded aquatic ecosystems, and,
- to improve cultural, social and economic benefits from Ontario's fisheries resource.
Guiding Principles
Five "guiding principles" form the foundation for fisheries management:
- sustainable development
- limit to the resource
- natural reproduction
- knowledge
- societal benefits
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development requires that adverse impacts on natural elements such as air, land and water, be minimized to ensure the aquatic ecosystem's overall integrity.
Ecosystems are a heritage for future generations. The use of resources today must not compromise the ability of those generations to meet their needs. Uses of air, land and water that affect aquatic ecosystems must be environmentally sustainable if society is to continue to benefit from economic development. Where local impacts occur, in spite of our best efforts to prevent them, compensatory actions should be taken to maintain the overall integrity of aquatic ecosystems.
Limit to the Resource
There is a limit to the natural productive capacity of aquatic ecosystems and, hence, a limit to the number of fish that can be harvested from them.
Fish, in their natural environment, are rarely visible to humans. The damaging effects of overharvesting are not readily apparent, and for that reason the need to limit harvest is not always recognized.
Since human activities, including overharvesting, pollution and improper land use practices can reduce productivity, healthy fish communities require the management of these human activities.
Natural Reproduction
Naturally reproducing fish communities, based on native fish populations, provide predictable and sustainable benefits with minimal long-term cost to society. More than 95% of the fish caught in Ontario are the result of natural reproduction. Most are native species, which have evolved since the last ice age and adapted to the ecosystems in which they live.
Although priority is placed on sustaining naturally reproducing fish communities, hatchery-dependent fisheries will continue to play a role in providing fishing opportunities in Ontario. The use of hatchery-dependent and non-native fisheries will be based on the analysis of long-term ecological, social and economic benefits and costs.
Several introduced species have established themselves as naturally reproducing species in Ontario. Some of these naturalized species, such as rainbow trout, brown trout and smelt, have become valuable components of the fishery.
Other introduced organisms, such as sea lamprey and zebra mussels, have become nuisance species. Naturalized species must be recognized and managed as part of the aquatic communities.
Knowledge
Good fisheries management is scientifically-based and relies on the collection and use of the best available knowledge.
Freshwater fisheries management is a relatively young science that has evolved over the past several decades. As we learn more about fisheries, aquatic ecosystems, and socio-economics, it is vital that we use this knowledge to manage Ontario fisheries effectively.
Societal Benefits
Resource management decisions, including allocations, shall be based on ecological, social, cultural and economic benefits and costs to society, both at present and in the future.
For thousands of years, fish have provided an important source of animal protein for humans. More recently, the state of fish communities has been recognized as an important indicator of the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Resource management decisions must take into account the enormous contribution the fisheries resource has made to the material, physical and cultural well-being of the people of Ontario. Our first priority must be to protect sufficient fish and aquatic habitat to sustain the resource. This will ensure that these benefits continue in the future.
Strategic Management Actions
The following strategic management actions address the issues that currently face fisheries managers.
1. Ensure benefits are sustained by protecting and rehabilitating aquatic ecosystems.
- Ensure protection of healthy aquatic ecosystems and prevent further deterioration of degraded ecosystems.
- Expand and improve efforts to rehabilitate degraded fish communities and habitat.
- Allocate aquatic resources to provide a fair distribution of benefits to all stakeholders while ensuring sustainable benefits for future generations.
- Provide for a variety of consumptive and non-consumptive opportunities based on naturally reproducing fish communities and judicious use of hatchery-reared fish stocks.
2. Inform and involve the public in decision making and program delivery to foster stewardship
- Increase the public's understanding of resource management principles, the value of healthy ecosystems, and the results of fisheries management efforts.
- Encourage communication among the public and stakeholders to foster harmony in resource use.
- Develop and encourage public education and involvement programs based on the ecosystem approach to managing fisheries on a sustainable basis.
- Improve consultation and involvement mechanisms for co-operative decision making and program delivery.
- Work co-operatively through partnerships.
3. Ensure resources are appropriately valued.
- Instill a broad appreciation of the value of the resources in those who benefit from them, and price access to aquatic resources, including fish, to reflect the cost of effective management.
4. Ensure effective program management and coordination among agencies.
- Improve effectiveness of fisheries management systems.
- Expand coordination among agencies sharing responsibility for managing aquatic ecosystems.
- Ensure staff receive appropriate training in the skills required to be effective aquatic ecosystem managers.
- Expand cooperative programs to increase efficiency and to ensure a comprehensive approach to ecosystem management.
5. Acquire and communicate essential knowledge for timely and effective resource management decision-making.
- Set priorities for acquisition of new knowledge based on resource management needs.
- Develop improved techniques for the acquisition and application of knowledge to protect and rehabilitate fish communities and habitat.
- Develop better understanding of fish communities and habitat and of the socio-economics of the fisheries resources. Increase understanding of the effects of environmental and social changes, as well as the impact of management actions.
- Improve communication of knowledge to managers, other agencies and the public to ensure understanding of the implications of management actions.
6. Enforce firmly and effectively.
- Ensure enforcement priorities reflect protection and rehabilitation needs.
- Focus efforts on regulating the harvest of naturally reproducing fish stocks.
- Increase efforts to ensure compliance with legislation.
- Evaluate effectiveness of enforcement efforts.
With this Strategic Plan, the Ministry of Natural Resources is providing the leadership for management of aquatic ecosystems in the province. However, fulfilling these goals can only be accomplished with the commitment and efforts of all the people of Ontario.
