Waterhen Lake is home to the first freshwater fishery
in North America to be certified sustainable.
Walleye – image credit USFWS. Artwork by Timothy Knepp.
Transcript of the Audio Podcast:
A small Canadian lake recently snagged a big honor… on this CurrentCast.
Waterhen Lake in Manitoba has long been proud of its walleye and northern pike fishery. Now, after a rigorous process, it’s been recognized by the Marine Stewardship Council – the nonprofit group best known for certifying ocean fisheries – as the first sustainable freshwater fishery in North America.
To achieve the certification, the fishery had to prove that fishing methods did not deplete pike and walleye stocks or harm the lake’s ecosystem.
John Casselman, a fisheries expert, says the lake’s modest size might make it seem like a small step, but it’s a giant leap for sustainable fisheries.
As over-fishing depletes fish populations around the world, Casselman says it’s increasingly important for all fisheries, in both ocean and freshwater areas, to aim for sustainability.
Support for CurrentCast comes from the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas. Learn more online at CurrentCast.org.
Learn More:
Marine Stewardship Council logo
- “Manitoba lake the first freshwater fishery in North America to be certified sustainable” from The Toronto Star
- “Manitoba fishery earns rare status in Western Hemisphere” from CBC News
- Marine Stewardship Council
- Waterhen Lake Fisheries Management Plan, 2013
