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HAY RIVER - Commercial fishers from Hay River who supplied whitefish to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation last year received a substantial bonus for their work.

The fishers, who number somewhere near 40 including crew members and helpers, reaped a total final payment of $21,000 for the 228,000 kg of fish - mostly whitefish - they produced between May 1, 2007 and April 30 of this year. Last year's bonus was around $3,000.

The Hay River fishery received a $21,000 bonus from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation for its work during the past fiscal period. Pictured here, in the summer of 2007, is Hay River commercial fisher Joe Gardiner. - NNSL file photo

This year's bonus is in addition to the nearly $400,000 in total payments Hay River producers made for their work throughout the fiscal year.

The overall bonus paid out by Freshwater to all of its producers throughout western Canada was $2.1 million - a $1.4 million increase over the previous year.

The increase was due "in part to increased prices that we're managing to get out of the market," said John Wood, president and CEO of Freshwater. "As we are able to increase prices in the market, we pass those increases to the fishers who sell to us."

Hay River plays an important role in the corporation's portfolio, said Wood.

"Great Slave Lake is a valuable source of whitefish for us," he said. "Whitefish is in high demand internationally and it's a fish whose demand is growing. We are very pleased that we're getting a higher price for it in the market than we have in the past few years."

That said, the Hay River fishery has its share of challenges, he added.

"The greatest concern we have is in the declining volume coming out of Great Slave Lake and the rest of the Northwest Territories generally (due to) a declining participation," said Wood.

"We're finding that a great number of fishers have either reached the age of retirement and their family aren't taking over the business, or they've chosen to move to other forms of employment. Let's face it: Hay River is actually quite a thriving community when it comes to transportation and other opportunities. There's lots of alternatives to fishing income."

Alex Richardson, president of the Northwest Territories Fishermen's Federation in Hay River, while happy about the bonus, said "we've got to get some younger people involved. Most of the guys that used to fish, they're all gone. They've passed away. I'm sure, down the line, we're going to run out of guys to fish.

Richardson is also talking to the corporation about the possibility of opening Freshwater's fish-packing plant in Hay River this winter. The plant, which Richardson believes could provide full-time employment to at least three people, has remained closed for the past two winter seasons.

Richardson says he's received calls from several fishermen expressing interest in winter fishing.

"There is a possibility," said Richardson. "(Freshwater) thinks we might be able to do it. It's still in process."