Hay River (Apr 03/06) - The number of fish caught in Great Slave Lake dropped drastically again this winter, forcing the processing plant in Hay River to close more than a month early.

Calvin Peddle, the NWT field operations manager with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corp., stands by an idle fish filleting line at the Hay River fish plant. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The seasonal fishery, which ended during the second week of March, brought in a catch of just 70,678 kg, according to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. The previous winter's haul was 198,184 kg. The overall weight in 2003-2004 was 285,460 kg. That's a 75 per cent decline over two years.

"Fishing seemed to be good for people who were participating," said Calvin Peddle, the NWT field operations manager with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. "It's just the simple fact there weren't the numbers out there."

Normally, the Hay River plant operates until the third week of April, but closed March 11 because of a lack of landings.

The diminishing catch was matched by a smaller number of active fishermen this past winter. Only 28 people took part in the winter fishery and just two of the 12 crews stayed on during the entire 14-week season.

Last winter, there were 47 people - certificate-holders and helpers - fishing on the lake. There were 18 certificate-holders, eight of whom kept their crews out for the whole season.

High gas prices and the low rates paid for fish are the reasons, said Lionel Rundle, president of the NWT Fishermen's Federation.

Rundle and his colleagues are forming their own co-operative and seeking to sell their product to more lucrative markets in Alberta. The fishermen have hired consultants to carry out a feasibility study. They plan to meet with the GNWT to discuss their options.

"This is one step that we have to take," said Rundle. "This is a cut-throat business."

Peddle said he has a hard time understanding how the price for whitefish is too low, although he notes it was the same as last year - $1.55 per kg for medium whitefish.

"That's why I'm kind of confused," he said, noting the price was 29-43 per cent higher than what was being paid by private companies elsewhere in Canada.

The marketing corporation paid fishermen $75,716.90 for their 2005-2006 winter efforts.

Peddle also notes that, even though the lake was a little late freezing up, the weather was better this past winter for fishing than previous years.

Although the winter fishery is in a doldrums, commercial activity on the lakes remain healthy during the warmer season.

The 2005 summer landings from Great Slave and Kakisa was 562,369 kg, up 6,374 kg over 2004.