Yellowknife (Oct 11/06) - Anglers may have a tough time getting ciscos for bait next summer after a family-run business learned its licence is not being renewed.

Orest and Marlene Hnatiw and their two sons have fished Tartan Rapids for ciscos for the past eight years, using an experimental licence from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

The Hnatiws applied to renew the licence in May, but only received written notice Oct. 10 the application had been denied. The cisco harvest happens in October.

From 1997 to 2002, they netted up to 1,000 kg of the small bait fish each year. When the licence was renewed from 2002 to 2005, the limit was increased to 2,000 kg, from which they packaged 4,500 bags, each containing a dozen fish. The fish were then sold through a number of outlets around the city.

Individuals can harvest ciscos, too, but are limited to 350 ciscos each. The personal harvest is not affected by the decision to deny the Hnatiw's experimental license.

"I hoped this would be my retirement business," said Orest Hnatiw last week.

Instead, he's wondering what to do with about $60,000 worth of equipment purchased over the last eight years - freezers, vacuum packaging machines, a backyard shed and, this summer, a $30,000 boat.

"They (DFO) knew I wanted to go bigger and commercial," said Hnatiw. "We could sell double or triple our quota."

Last year, the licence was amended to allow ciscos to be exported to Canadian provinces.

The licence was rejected this year because of concerns over the cisco stock and plans by the Yellowknives Dene to do a "multi-year" study on the population, said Andrea Cyr, Western Arctic area director for DFO.

"The Yellowknives Dene asked that we not issue the licence," said Cyr.

She said it took time to get input from everyone with an interest in the fishery.

"This year, it did drag out because we wanted to leave no stone unturned."

The Great Slave Lake Advisory Committee voted this summer to recommend the licence to be renewed with a quota of 1,000 kg.

A Sept. 11 e-mail from DFO biologist George Low noted the Akaitcho First Nations representative on the committee voted against the recommendation.

The advisory committee is responsible for providing advice and recommendations to DFO on allocation issues.

Yellowknives Dene chiefs Fred Sangris and Peter Liske could not be contacted for comment.

Hnatiw said DFO and his lawyer encouraged him to "buddy up" to the Yellowknives and gain their support for continuing the harvest.

He said he tried to contact Chief Sangris, but a Sept. 22 letter has gone unanswered. He added it's even too late to appeal the decision.

"If we put in an appeal and it takes two weeks, the season's over," said Hnatiw.

Cyr said that the Hnatiws could apply for the licence again next year, although to make the cisco harvest a true commercial fishery, DFO regulations would have to change.