MNRF conducting research and data collection on Lake Nipissing

Ontario, in partnership with Nipissing First Nation, will be conducting research and data collection on Lake Nipissing this fall.

Nets will be placed in the water during the month of October according to a news release.

This project will allow for the collection of important fish population information to help manage the whole lake ecosystem, as well as help in the recovery of the walleye population in Lake Nipissing.

Over the course of three weeks, standardized nets are set for 20 hours in randomly chosen locations. Nets will be identified with orange and white buoys labelled ‘MNRF’ and boaters should avoid travelling between these buoys. It is an offence under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to interfere with, or tamper with, gill nets set for commercial or scientific use.

Fish will be assessed for length, weight, sex, maturity, and age. The data collected from this and other research is used to guide fisheries management on the lake.

This fisheries survey supports the objectives outlined in the Lake Nipissing Fisheries Management Plan, including the movement towards an ecosystem-based fisheries management approach.

In November 2016, an independent panel of biologists released a report suggesting the current Management Plan was showing signs of success.