Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (May 27/02) - Bert Buckley has spent 31 of his 51 years fishing on Great Slave Lake. With his 40-foot boat the Haley Dawn he sails out of Hay River and makes a living harvesting whitefish.

Bert Buckley, a fisherman on Great Slave Lake and president of the NWT Fishermen's Federation, stands in front of his boat, the Haley Dawn. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

When not actually fishing, Buckley promotes the industry as president of the NWT Fishermen's Federation, which recently held its first-ever major conference in Hay River.

News/North: How did you become a fisherman?

Bert Buckley: I became a fisherman because it's in the family. My father was a fisherman in Saskatchewan. I moved up here about 31 years ago to continue fishing. It's not something I developed over the years. I grew up as a fisherman.... The reason for coming up here was that, in Saskatchewan, fish stocks went down. We heard of Great Slave Lake through other people that had been up here.

N/N: You came to the Northwest Territories just to fish?

BB: Just to fish. The primary reason we came here was just to fish. We didn't come for the scenery. The lake's nice, though. It's a beautiful lake.

N/N: Did other members of your family come up?

BB: My two brothers were also here. Three of us brothers came up here. There's only two of us left now. I've got numerous nephews fishing the lake right now.

N/N: How far back does fishing go in your family?

BB: In Saskatchewan, I imagine my ancestors also fished for their food. Then my father started commercial fishing probably in the late '40s. And he continued fishing and then the boys picked it up, and that's pretty much where we started?

N/N: What's the appeal of fishing to you? Is it a way to make a living, or is it a lifestyle?

BB: It's both, I guess. It seems like, once you start fishing, fishing is in you and it will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's just something you want to do. It's the freedom of being outdoors. I like being out in big spaces. Plus, there are also a lot of challenges. You've got to learn to deal with nature. I love being outdoors. And I love water.

N/N: Is running your own business and being your own boss important for you?

BB: Kind of, I guess. You're more independent. But you've got to be a self-disciplinarian because there are early mornings you've got to get up. You've really got to give 'er. So you've got to motivate and push yourself, and push yourself to work as many hours as you want. And that's what I like, the sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Like, if I go out there, sometimes the fishing is not that great, but you come back saying, "I accomplished something." Whereas in town, you work at a slower pace. I like a faster pace to work.

N/N: Is fishing 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week?

BB: Absolutely. The reason why people misunderstand us is that, when we set our nets in the water, actually we are working 24 hours even when we're sleeping. We've got to get up in the morning, we've got to be with our nets, and we've got to be with our crew. We've got to be there. Unlike other products, fish is a highly perishable thing, so we have to harvest them right now and get them iced. Someone just can't say, "Ah, I'm going to wait 'til next weekend." And our seasons are short, so for a short period of time you just got to give 'er. If everything goes well, you do OK. If not, well then things don't go so well."

N/N: What's the toughest part about fishing?

BB: Number one, it's the ever-changing weather. And another one close behind is actually finding help for commercial fishing. It's not like years ago. Now we've got diamond mines opening up. It's just a new generation of fishermen. When I grew up there was a real joy in fishing ... now it's, "Ah, it looks too hard. I don't want to do it."

N/N: In your 30 years on Great Slave Lake, what are some of your more memorable experiences?

BB: Beautiful mornings. The beauty of the country, like in the East Arm. That was very memorable, when I first came here. The beauty of the whole land. That is something I'll always remember. Of course, I'll always remember the times we were in rough weather. It gets pretty wild out there. Last year, I came back from a place called Dawson Landing and we had gale force wind.

N/N: Would you recommend fishing to the younger generation?

BB: Absolutely. It's a very, very rough life. Great Slave Lake is a very unforgiving lake. But it teaches you as a young boy -- my sons went through it -- to survive. They're in school, right now. But you learn how to work by yourself. How to look after yourself, because you do have to look after yourself when you're out there. It's a lot of hard work, which is good for you when you're young.... Mind you, the pay's not all that great sometimes, but that's just part of fishing. I mean farmers have it the same way.

N/N: If a young person might not want it for a lifetime career, it would still teach them good things?

BB: It will teach them how to work, how to be responsible because, when you're in a vessel, everybody should know what to do. People in a boat depend on each other for what they do. You can make simple mistakes, but major mistakes will cost you. That's where you've got responsibility. How to be self-motivated.

N/N: That's the life you wanted?

BB: I grew up with it. I fell in love with it. I enjoy it and it's something I like to do. It's the thing of seeing how far you can push yourself, how much fish can you produce. It's just a challenge for yourself, really. And the freedom. Freedom means the less you do, the less you make. Sometimes that doesn't work, you put in a lot of effort and nothing. But you still just carry on.