Fisheries Guide

Inland Freshwater Commercial Gillnet Fisheries Marketing Guide

As both Manitoba and Saskatchewan are now operating in an open market environment, an assessment of the existing and potential market for the inland commercial fishing industry is being conducted and a guide is being developed to inform fishers, cooperatives, associations, and communities interested in exploring marketing opportunities.

The research and planning will include an assessment of current available products, identification of new markets and of diversification opportunities. The guide will be based on sustainably sourced principles and contain a full-chain traceability system to be able to meet international sustainable market requirements and standards.

The outcome of this project will be the creation of a comprehensive guide to the open marketing system and promotion of Manitoba’s and Saskatchewan’s inland freshwater commercial gillnet fisheries. The information contained within the Inland Freshwater Commercial Gillnet Fisheries Marketing and Promotion Guide will be available in hard copy and electronically on the web and smartphone platforms.

The inland freshwater commercial gillnet fishery marketing and promotional guide will encompasses the following:

  • Marketing and how does Marketing apply to the inland freshwater commercial gillnet fishing sectors located throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
  • Marketing locally, regionally, internationally.
  • Rules and Requirements – Provincial / Federal / International laws, regulations and policies pertaining to the marketing and selling of fish locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.
  • Freight and Logistics – from harvest to processing to buyer/distributors/retailers.
  • Traceability – from harvest data/catch monitoring along each product transfer and transformation point of the supply chain.
  • Realities – regional perspectives and market demands.
  • Barriers –  identify local/regional/provincial/national/international barriers to the marketing and selling of Manitoba’s and Saskatchewan’s commercially harvested fish (including on a species basis).
  • Mitigations – identify government programs and other sources that are available to overcome barriers/obstacles.
  • Opportunities – identify local/regional/provincial/national/international opportunities and options to marketing and selling Manitoba’s and Saskatchewan’s commercially harvested fish (including on a species basis).
  • Marketing Forces – sustainable fisheries certification – how is it and will affect Manitoba’s and Saskatchewan’s commercial fishing sector.

The overall purpose of the guide is to assist fishers, communities, and industry in preparing and moving forward on the development and implementation of their own marketing plans. The guide will be available in the spring of 2022.