Enhanced Public Involvement in Fisheries Management

To further encourage public involvement, the MNR has created three pilot Fisheries Management Zone councils. The pilot councils are working in the following Fisheries Management Zones (FMZ):

• FMZ 6    (Thunder Bay, Nipigon, Dryden)
• FMZ 10  (Sault St. Marie and Sudbury)
• FMZ 17  (Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes)

In addition, the following FMZs established zone councils in 2008-2009:

• FMZ 9    (Lake Superior)
• FMZ 13  (Lake Huron)
• FMZ 18  (Eastern Ontario)
• FMZ 19  (Lake Erie)
• FMZ 20  (Lake Ontario)
  

These councils provide a broad range of participants with the chance to help MNR develop management strategies for the zones. The MNR wants strategies that will provide for sustainable use of Ontario's fisheries for future generations.

The councils will: 

• identify issues that are key to resource sustainability
• set objectives for the fisheries, and,
• provide advice on how to achieve these objectives.

MNR is continuously working to refine the council process based on the best practices and successes of the current councils.

Each of the remaining Fisheries Management Zones will have a council established in the coming years.