Lake Winnipegosis has been commercially fished since the late 1890s. Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures, as well as local Indigenous communities through the Collaborative Stock Monitoring Program, conduct annual index gill net surveys to assess the status of the Walleye stock, along with other species in Lake Winnipegosis. The Department is committed to improving fish stocks on Lake Winnipegosis to sustainable levels. For more information on Lake Winnipegosis, please review the reports below.

Lake Winnipegosis Fishery Summary

Lake Winnipegosis 2020 Fish Stock Assessment

Lake Winnipegosis 2022-2023 Management Plan and Fish Stock Assessment

Lake Manitoba has been a commercial fishery since 1895 and has a long history as a mixed-use fishery, supporting commercial harvest, recreational fishing and subsistence fishing. Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures conducts an annual index netting program to assess the status of fish populations in Lake Manitoba, and has been in its current form since 2009. The Department is committed to improving fish stocks on Lake Manitoba to sustainable levels. For more information on Lake Manitoba fish stocks, please review the reports below.

Lake Manitoba Fishery Summary

Lake Manitoba 2020 Fish Stock Assessment

Index Netting Data

Index netting data is collected on Lake Manitoba annually. Fishery-independent index netting data is utilized to assess the state of the Lake Manitoba multi-use fishery and informs government decision making on the management of this fishery. As with many long-term datasets, there have been changes in collection methodology and analyses over time. Raw data from 2009 is available in Excel format below. Some data may not be available for certain sample sites as they were not assessable due to low water levels in some years. Researchers are advised to contact department staff for methodological background prior to data analysis or to seek permission to use this data in publications by emailing fish@gov.mb.ca.

• Lake Manitoba Index Gillnetting 2009-2022

Index Netting Data

Since 1979, annual index netting has been undertaken on Lake Winnipeg.  Fishery-independent index netting data is utilized to assess the state of the Lake Winnipeg multi-use fishery and informs government decision making on the management of this fishery.   As with many long-term datasets, there have been changes in collection methodology and analyses over time, including changes in the method of fish age determination, the composition and length of index net gangs, and the location of index netting sites.  These are important considerations for any analysis of index netting data. In order to avoid erroneous interpretation of the data in the absence of important methodological background, researchers are advised to contact Department staff directly prior to analysis or to seek permission to use this data in publications by emailing fish@gov.mb.ca.

• Lake Winnipeg Index Gillnetting 2009-2022
• Lake Winnipeg Index Gillnetting 1979-2003

Assessment Reports

• Lake Winnipeg Quota Task Force Report, Technical Assessment of the Status, Health and Sustainable Harvest Levels of the Lake Winnipeg Fisheries Resource (2011)

...