The Wildlife Division's Aquatic Research Program conducts research projects on aquatic species. Left: Genetics sampling in Northern Labrador. Centre and right: Sampling and surgical implantation of archival data tags. Wildlife Division photos
The Wildlife Division's Aquatic Research Program conducts research projects on aquatic species, including game fish such as brook trout (Salvenlinus fontinalis), lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and northern pike (Esox lucious), as well as non-game fish such as suckers (Catostomuus spp.), whitefish (Coregonis spp.) and burbot (Lota lota). Annual surveys and other research initiatives contribute to the Provincial Aquatics Database and Archive (PADA), which currently houses over 68,000 individual fish records.
The Province owns the inland fish resource and has the mandate to licence anglers and regulate its use once captured. Regulation of the Province's mandate is found under the Wild Life Act and its subordinate legislation, including the Wild Life Regulations, CNLR 1156/96 and Guides Regulations, CNLR 60/98. Primary management authority for fisheries in the Province rests with the federal government through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
There are over 25 freshwater fish species in Newfoundland and Labrador, many of which are important to both recreational and commercial
fishing. Currently, provincial regulations are used to issue licences and tags to harvest Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as well as
non-resident trout licences. The Province is also involved in enforcement of inland fisheries through the
Department of Justice Public Safety-Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Division
and through cooperative efforts involving
conservation officers within the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency.
Currently, research conducted by the Department of Environment and Climate Change is compiled and
submitted to the Canadian
Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) of
DFO. CSAS then coordinates the peer review and subsequent publication of such documents. Through this
process and subsequent annual meetings, the Department is able to provide recommendations regarding
management of inland fish species for specific lakes and watersheds in the Province.
The province has conducted watershed-specific research and has been influential in the adoption of management recommendations including:
For specific details on Special Trout Management Areas and further information on Season Dates for
recreational angling, please contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada at (709) 772-4423 or view the
online Angler's Guide
.