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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Members of the fishing and hunting industry sounded off about important issues facing their businesses at the NWT Tourism Conference a week and a half ago in Yellowknife.

Harold Grinde, owner of Gana River Outfitters, speaking at panel discussion the NWT Tourism Conference a week-and-a-half ago, said the hunting age for youth must be lowered to 12 or 14 from 16 in order to attract a new generation of hunters to the North. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

Greg Robertson, owner of Bluefish Services on Great Slave Lake, said the NWT sport fishing industry faces many challenges today. According to Robertson, there has been a decline at lodges in traditional fishermen, but an increase in business traffic.

"Lodges that seem to be surviving deal with a lot of repeat clients. The secret, of course, is getting new clients," he said.

But NWT guides and lodges - just like all other NWT businesses - face unique obstacles.

"In the North, we're faced with particularly high costs for operations, particularly when you have to use aircraft. In addition, we're faced with such a short operating season," said Robertson.

The cost of coming up North is often an impediment to potential customers, he added.

"It's very expensive to come up here," he said. "You can probably go to a five-star salmon lodge in B.C. for less money or the same money."

What NWT guides and operators need to do is flout the things that make the North different - promote the things that provinces cannot boast of, said Robertson.

"We've got some of the best freshwater fishing in the world," he said. "We have pristine lakes. We have remoteness. We're not overrun from fishermen. You can actually drink from the lakes up here."

Robertson told the story of one of his guests, a man from Holland, who didn't do anything for the first hour of his trip, just sitting calmly in the boat.

"I asked him why and he said, 'I'm just enjoying the fact that there's nobody else.' Those are things that we have that are going for us."

Guides must also become more informed on matters of fly fishing, which is quickly becoming popular with visitors to the North, as testified to Robertson by some industry members, including Bear Lake guide Jack Goulet.

"Fly fishermen are what you call a desirable client. They're very appreciative. They're usually quite sophisticated, so you have to treat them a certain way," requiring more training for guides and operators, said Robertson.

Robertson's comments were followed by those of Harold Grinde, owner Gana River Outfitters in the Mackenzie Mountains, where guests hunt Dall sheep, caribou and some moose.

Grinde said the territorial regulation stating no child younger than 16 may join his parents on a hunt needs to be changed in order to attract a new crop of hunters that can help sustain hunting operations in the future.

Grinde called the regulation "ridiculous" and said the age should be lowered to 12 or 14.

"If we want to get young people involved and interested in our activities, we need to get them before they turn 16," said Grinde. "It's going to supply us with a whole new generation of clients."

Providing incentives to visitors so they can bring their kids along with them is also key, he added.

"I don't think we can focus enough on getting young people up here," he said. "We need to try - whether you give a price break or through some kind of incentive - for people to bring their kids along on these trips. If we're selling hunts and somebody wants to bring their son along, pretty much if I can just cover my extra costs, I'd let them come along. If they want to actually hunt, we'd give them a big discount for people to get young people interested."

The industry should approach Northern airlines about offering discounted seating for kids accompanying their parents, Grinde said.