Fish conservation in Manitoba has had a massive impact over the past couple decades. From monster greenback walleyes, to massive lake trout. From sixteen inch plus-sized crappies, to schools of five pound smallmouth bass. Manitoba is home to some incredible fish and offers some of the best fishing opportunities in North America. This didn’t happen by accident. Over the past couple decades Manitoba has heavily invested in conservation efforts to improve and maintain their great fisheries.

Fish Conservation in Manitoba

Manitoba has many regulations unique to the providence designed to help protect the resource. One example of this is that all hooks must be barbless. Manitoba has been completely barbless for over twenty years.

In many cases a barbless hook can save a fish, that’s hooked deep, from mortality. It is a regulation that is designed to protect those trophy fish in a system.

Manitoba has also implement many special slot regulations. Most of these regulations involve walleyes or northern pike, but it varies from lake to lake. These special slot regulations were designed so anglers could still harvest fish; but it makes sure those larger, trophy caliber fish remain in the system.

These are just a few regulations that Manitoba Fish and Wildlife has put in place to help the conservation in Manitoba and to maintain their great fisheries.

Here are a few things you can do as an angler to help protect the fish for future generations to enjoy.

First is to be efficient when handling fish.

This means you have the proper release tools ready to go. Have a pliers within an arms reach. Keep the fish in the water while unhooking it.

If your taking a photo of the fish, have the camera ready, snap a few photos and then release the fish.

The shorter the time out of the water, the better it is for the fish and the greater the chance that fish will survive another day.

Another thing you can do as an angler to help protect our fisheries is by practicing selective harvest. When harvesting fish try to keep a meal of smaller sized fish instead of keeping a few large ones. As an example if you are crappie fishing, try to keep four ten inch fish, instead of keeping four thirteen inch fish.

These a just a few simple things you can do as an angler to help persevere and improve our fisheries for years to come.

For more information on ice fishing in Manitoba, visit huntfishmanitoba.com