Blue Fish News – April 17, 2024

What’s New at Blue Fish Canada: Like many, I’ve been steering clear of the forward facing sonar debate raging across Canada and the U.S. Not because of the issues at stake, but to avoid getting drawn into some fairly heated discussions that seemed to be more about fishing access than sustainable fishing. And then I read about the Wisconsin department of Natural Resources survey on whether or not to ban the technology. So, today’s issue of the Blue fish News includes both an editorial on how this debate needs to move forward, and views about FFS from professional angler David Chong on The Blue Fish Radio show. And of course, there’s all the rest of the fishing, fish and habitat news from across Canada.

This Week’s Feature – Forward Facing Sonar Debate Escalates

By L. Gunther

I’m the last person who would want the evolution of technology designed to improve our ability to see to slow down for obvious reasons. People living without sight like me follow these sorts of innovations closely, and are usually the first to step up to purchase and test what are often very sketchy innovations being promoted as the next best thing to “seeing in the dark”. This time however, the debate concerns a new form of highly efficient underwater sonar technology being marketed to recreational anglers that represents a giant leap forward in how anglers can see fishes, the underwater structure fishes prefer, and even the lures we are using in real time. The problem is, not everyone believes it’s either fair or in the best interest of conservation. It’s called FFS or forward-facing sonar.

Electronic fish finders aren’t new. It’s technology that goes back easily forty years. But, in the past ten years significant advances have been made; testing the appetite of anglers to pay top dollar and discovering that price seems to pose no obstacle. Instead of looking down below the boat, we saw the introduction of side imaging, and then 360-degree imaging. This new forward-facing sonar or FFS goes further, providing anglers with a virtual spotlight of sorts that they can move about underwater to find fish as far as 50 meters away at all depths. Not only fishes, but promising underwater structure that is likely to be favored by fish, as well as their pray. It’s also powerful enough to reveal the angler’s lure in the water, and how the fish reacts to the lure, including the moment when the fish bites the lure in real time. But perhaps the most important advancement FFS represents is the ability for anglers to move about at slow speeds and find fishes that are in open water. Anglers now have an efficient means to locate fishes in open water that quite possibly have never been pursued or caught before.

From a fishing tournament perspective, FFS has provided competitors with a significant advantage over competitors who have yet to acquire FFS technology. Some also say it eliminates the advantage of those anglers who have invested considerable time and effort on the water to decipher the movements and feeding habits of fish. In short, it’s turned fishing into more of a “video game”, which is the other problem.

Watching competitive anglers fish using FFS is apparently quite boring. These anglers are constantly looking at the displays mounted on the bow as they move their boats around using their electric trolling motors. The only time they take a cast is when they spot a fish, and if it doesn’t bite, they don’t wait around, but instead continue their search for a fish that will. Five good bites are often all it takes to win a tournament.

The other problem people have with FFS is the increase in efficiency anglers have in terms of time and effort needed to catch their limit of fish. Fishing is no guarantee you will catch fish, never mind bring fish home. But with FFS technology, lakes that have been widely regarded as difficult places to catch fish are suddenly producing and doing so consistently. So what does this mean for fishing pressure and sustainable fishing?

At first many surmised that only top guides and competitive anglers would make the investment to purchase FFS, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Ice fishing is just one example of many where the popularity of FFS has exploded. Instead of having to drill dozens of holes through the ice in search of fish, an ice angler can simply drill one hole, lower their transducer, swing the device in a slow circle, and determine if there are fish nearby. After that it’s simply a matter of drilling a second hole where the fish were spotted, and lowering their baits.

Even if fish are being returned alive, there’s always the issue of barotrauma to consider. This occurs when fish are caught at depth below their capacity to return to that depth if brought to the surface. It’s true that all forms of sonar on the market allow anglers to search out and locate fishes at all depths, whereas before people had to troll lures at different depths and cover water with the hopes of crossing paths with such fishes. The ability to now efficiently find fishes in open water using FFS means more fishes may be subjected to barotrauma.

Fishes use swim bladders to establish neutral buoyancy at their preferred depth, but very few species of fish can make quick changes to the amount of air in their bladders, meaning fish that are brought up from extreme depth will experience difficulty swimming back down because their swim bladder may have expanded abnormally, keeping them near the surface where they are either spotted by birds-of-pray, or they eventually die from related health complications. There are ways to release excess air from the bladder using a hypodermic needle, and devices that can be used to lower fish to their preferred depth and then released. It may be that FFS will lead to new rules concerning the mandatory use of such equipment.

The debate around the use of advanced sonar technology has been long in coming. Whether its undermining local experience, increased barotrauma experienced by fishes, or the increase in capture efficiency, these issues have been simmering for years. So if FFS has put these discussions front-and-centre, what’s preventing regulators from addressing the fish health and sustainable fishing issues associated with the wide-spread adoption of sonar by anglers? Any reasonably well equipped fishing boat going back 25 years is equipped with at least one sonar device, and most of these now include a GPS and mapping component.

The days of imagining that there exist infinite numbers of fish are long over. We can now fairly accurately assess the status of any fish species if so desired. The problem is Canada has a lot of lakes and rivers, and not nearly enough human and financial resources to study exactly how many and what types of fishes live in each water body. It’s true our regulations have evolved over time to include catch-and-release by establishing size parameters for various species, in addition to the number any one angler can have in their possession. What we don’t have is data about how many fish are being removed each season from each water body. Regulators do conduct on-site creel surveys designed to estimate the number and fishing success of recreational anglers over a short period of time on a handful of specific bodies of water, but collecting such data is expensive and resource intensive.

Canada’s recreational fishing regulations rely on the premise that anglers will move on to other bodies of water when the quality of fishing reduces to a point that satisfaction can no longer be anticipated. When our ability to routinely catch fish begins to drop off, we simply move on to other water bodies where the fishing is better. This gives the fish in those over-pressured water bodies a chance to recover while anglers stay away. However, FFS now means fishing efficiency is improved, meaning even more fish from a specific water body can be caught and/or removed before the quality of fishing is judged by anglers as unsatisfactory. The consequence for fishes means it will soon take longer for their numbers to rebound, and what recovery means to anglers may also change given their enhanced ability to locate and catch fishes.

Talk to guys who remember what fishing was like before we had sonar, and they will all tell you it was better than it is now. It could just be that there were fewer anglers chasing more fish that had never been caught before and thus, easier to catch. Fish are getting smarter as they get caught-and-released, whereas before those same old-timers kept everything they caught, which is definitely not the case now.

According to the latest Statistics Canada recreational fishing survey conducted in 2015, on average about 2/3 of all fish caught are released. It’s also the case that guides and lodge owners know that their businesses depend on quality fishing, which means many now discourage their guests from harvesting fish unless the fishes being pursued are in plentiful supply. Most all recreational anglers also know that the quality of fishing depends on everyone doing their part, which is why this debate over FFS is so lively – anglers care.

To close, FFS technology is not only changing the way we fish, but also shining a light on how we fish. The fact is many of us are willing to purchase expensive sonar equipment such as FFS to improve our fish capture efficiency, but are we also using these technologies to be more selective of the fishes we catch, and to avoid incidental fish captures such as those fishes that would experience negative health impacts? And we still need to decide how fishing competitions should be based on rewarding the best anglers, and when the use of “performance enhancing” technologies should be banned.

Stuffing FFS technology back in the bottle is unlikely and isn’t necessary. Learning self-control and adopting more sophisticated and nuanced harvesting practices are becoming the new norm. These new fishing ethics are encouraged through social pressure, and will ultimately be enforced through regulations once enough anglers believe in the benefits of such practices. We have come a long way since our grandparents took us fishing with the goal of filling the stringer, but we must continue to evolve to become even better stewards of nature.

Link below to hear my conversation with professional angler David Chong on the Blue Fish Radio show. David is a top competitive bass angler and a representative of numerous fishing, boating and electronic brands. His insights and reflections on FFS are profound: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/e440-david-chong-on-forward-facing-sonar–59458104

Keep visiting the resource page on the Blue Fish Canada website to download the latest sustainable fishing tips. These are developed with input from local experts, knowledge keepers and fact-checked by top fishery biologists: https://bluefishcanada.ca/resources/blue-fish-sustainable-fishing-tips/

The Latest Fishing, Fish Health and Fish Habitat News

Fishing:

Fishing closures at Port Renfrew a serious mistake / Vancouver Sun
This newest closure would gut Port Renfrew’s economy, force what few fishermen and fishing guides are left to travel long distances up the coast, burning a lot more fuel into the environment as well as greatly increasing the chance for marine fatalities. We are told that it’s to save the resident killer whales from starving. We also read a lot of opposing science on the subject but very little science from the Department of Fisheries supporting this rash move.

Tagging brook trout proves that catch-and-release works / Outdoor Canada
We know from mark-and-recapture studies that catch-and-release works brilliantly on relatively hardy fish like bass, but what about more fragile fish like brook trout? It was the defining question that Rob Swainson, in charge of managing the most famous brook trout fishery on earth, needed to answer in order to gain acceptance for the special regulations that would rejuvenate the Nipigon River fishery.

How Canadian companies are reinventing commercial fishing / Globe&Mail
The centuries-old fishing process where vessels drag large, cone-shaped nets held open by a pair of one-tonne steel doors (which often make contact with the sea floor) was becoming costly amid reduced fishing grounds, restrictive quotas, rising environmental scrutiny and soaring fuel prices. “We needed to change to meet the new policies, but also make the operations better by reducing costs, fuel consumption, gear repairs and bycatch,” says Mr. d’Entremont. “We needed to start to figure out a different way to fish.”

Canada, Alaska suspend fishing of Yukon River chinook salmon for 7 years / CBC
In a bid to help the recovery of the Yukon River chinook salmon run, the federal government and the State of Alaska have agreed to implement a seven-year moratorium on fishing the species.

Our waterways are for everyone to share, protect and enjoy / Outdoor Canada
Harassment of any kind should never be tolerated, and that includes the harassment of anglers (and hunters, for that matter). And when necessary, it should involve the police. In my home province of Ontario, in fact, harassment of anglers or hunters can lead to charges under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which states it’s illegal to interfere with anyone who is engaged in lawful hunting, trapping or fishing activities.

Putting the Cart Before the Redfish / Hakai
After a nearly 30-year hiatus, Atlantic Canada’s redfish fishery is coming back. But as opening day draws nearer, concerns about its viability are mounting.

Fish:

What to know about elvers / CTV
Tiny, translucent baby eels, called elvers, are back in the news after two Mi’kmaq men from Nova Scotia reported being detained by federal fisheries officers and then left far from home at 1 a.m. — without footwear or phones — after they were caught fishing near Shelburne, N.S.

865 million farmed salmon dead in a decade  / Nature.com
A study released earlier this month found that 865 million farmed salmon died prematurely in sea cages between 2012 and 2022. The staggering death toll represents a colossal waste and untold animal suffering. The authors blame intensive production techniques, climate change, and predict the problem will get worse.

Should We Factory Farm the Highly Intelligent Octopus? / Yale E360
New insights into octopus intelligence are fueling opposition to a Spanish company’s plans to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm. The company contends that raising octopuses for their meat will help conserve the creatures in the wild. But critics say that caging octopuses, which are increasingly understood to be highly sensitive and capable of solving complex tasks, would be cruel and inhumane.⁠ “Octopods should never be kept in large numbers in confined spaces,” says an expert in animal consciousness. “It leads to stress, conflict, and high mortality.”⁠

Get Ready for the Robotic Fish Revolution / Hakai
Scientists say swarms of robotic fish could soon make traditional underwater research vehicles obsolete.

Options to deal with whirling disease limited / Columbia Valley Pioneer
Precious little can be done to get rid of whirling disease now that it’s arrived in the East Kootenay, but residents and visitors must remain extra vigilant to keep it from spreading any further and to keep out other invasive species.

Meet the Killer Whales You Thought You Knew / Hakai
The iconic marine mammals may not belong to one species but several. Surprise!

Against the odds, wild fish spring to life in Lake Ontario / Narwhal
It’s springtime, which means migration and spawning for many Lake Ontario fish — and a good time to share the fascinating story of how many salmon and trout came to live in this Great Lake in the first place. Brook trout and Atlantic salmon are native to the lake, but in 1873, the federal government began stocking it with non-native salmonids — a large family of ray-finned, carnivorous fish — starting with chinook salmon. Coho salmon, steelhead, and brown trout soon followed.

For Marlin, Stripes Mean Stop / Hakai
Drone footage reveals that marlin flash their bright stripes before going in for a kill.

Rescuers Grapple with How to Save Distressed Sawfish / Hakai
In Florida, an effort is underway to bring endangered smalltooth sawfish to safety, following mysterious behaviors and deaths. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is documenting reports of abnormal fish behavior, including spinning and whirling, in the Lower Florida Keys. Along with this abnormal behavior, there have also been reports of fish deaths in these areas, including more than 28 smalltooth sawfishas of March 24. The Commission is leading an effort to investigate the abnormal behavior and cause of death. Efforts to collect and analyze samples are underway.

SIXTY YEARS OF JAWS / Safina Centre
Six Decades After the Film’s Release, Paul Greenberg Sheds Light on the Real Victims of Jaws. “Sharks as we would recognize them have been in the oceans for more than 350 million years… In less than a 700th of that time our species has made quick work of them,” writes Safina Center Writer-in-Residence Paul Greenberg in his new article. Unfortunately, the influence of Jaws goes far beyond the film industry, and reaches into the ways in which our species has viewed and treated sharks.

Habitat:

Adult Fish Struggle To Bounce Back In Marine Protected Areas / Science daily
Many marine protected areas are falling short of their most basic purpose: to rebuild struggling fish populations. In a new study, scientists looked at the age breakdown of reef fish in marine protected areas for the first time. They discovered in almost all of them, adult fish populations — vital to spawning the next generation — have either flatlined or declined. “It’s always difficult to prohibit fishing from any part of the sea — as if it goes against a basic human instinct,” said Melanie McField, co-author and director of the Healthy Reefs Initiative. “But fully protecting and enforcing these areas is the best way to grow bigger fish that can rebuild the populations and actually increase overall fish catches outside the fully protected areas.”

‘Forever’ chemicals found in excessive levels in Earth’s groundwater / CTV
Potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in surface and groundwaters around the world at levels much higher than many international regulators allow, a new study found. However, drinking water may only be responsible for about 20% of exposure, with the most significant exposures coming from food, dust and other sources.

Light at the End of the Tunnel / Hakai
Millions of killer culverts lurk beneath North American roadways, strangling populations of migratory fish. Now with a nationwide project, the United States is trying to fix them.

Fish, frogs and… pharmaceuticals? How researchers are addressing Ohio’s medicated streams / The Statehouse News Bureau
Researchers are testing Ohio’s streams and wastewater for pharmaceutical drugs. Algal blooms and forever chemicals often dominate the conversation around water quality in Ohio. But, researchers across the state say there’s another, lesser known threat to Ohio streams: medications.

Crabs, kelp and mussels: Argentina’s waters teem with life – could a fish farm ban do the same for Chile? / Guardian
Banning intensive salmon farming has helped one region in Argentina become a foodie haven known for its bountiful local seafood. But in neighboring Chile, open-net-pen salmon farms have proliferated, threatening artisanal fishing and biodiversity alike. Now, activists are pushing Chile and other nations to adopt a ban like Argentina’s.

Why is the U.S. cracking down on PFAS and what are these ‘forever chemicals’? / National Observer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has put limits on certain PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water for the first time. PFAS are a large group of human-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s to waterproof and stainproof products — at a cost to human health. These chemicals have been linked to cancers, liver damage, high cholesterol and more. The new rules mean utilities will now need to look for six of these chemicals in drinking water and remove them if they exceed EPA limits. Limiting six chemicals doesn’t sound like much, considering there are more than 12,000 known PFAS, NPR’s Pien Huang reports. But experts she spoke to say it’s a strong first step. The EPA estimates it will cost $1.5 billion each year for water companies to comply with its new rules. Huang says consumer water bills may go up eventually, but the federal government has dedicated billions of dollars for PFAS removal as a first resort.

Discussing the Environmental Impacts of Zero Lake Ice / 13ABC
Lake Erie experienced record-low ice coverage this winter, raising concerns about fish health, erosion, and harmful algal blooms.

The first step to stopping invasive Asian carp is recognizing them. Here’s what every angler should know / Outdoor Canada
Like enemies at the gate, invasive carp are threatening to populate the Great Lakes. Collectively known as “Asian carps,” bighead, black, grass and silver carp are notorious for outcompeting native fish and destroying habitat, including wetlands. The most imminent threat comes from grass carp, which have reproducing populations in two U.S. tributaries of Lake Erie. So far, bighead, black and silver carp remain confined to the Mississippi River. Should these fish-farm escapees become established in the Great Lakes, they would also severely damage the region’s US$556 million a year sportfishing industry by harming populations of everything from bass to muskies. Anglers can serve as the first line of defence against these aquatic invaders, however, and that starts with being able to identify them.

Scientists Are Sweating Over Freakishly High Marine Heat / Hakai
While some experts believe global temperature anomalies adhere to climate crisis predictions, others are alarmed by the speed of change.

In Graphic Detail: Gluts of Ghost Gear / Tyee
Researchers from the University of Tasmania in Australia surveyed fishers from seven countries about their use of five different gear types: gillnets, purse seines, trawl nets, longlines, and pots and traps. From the surveys, the scientists calculated annual gear loss rates for each fishing method and extrapolated that to fishing efforts around the world. The researchers estimate that fishing vessels lose around two per cent of their gear every year, a staggering amount when taken together.

Indigenous:

From the Torngat Mountains to the Labrador Sea, a new Inuit-led protected area takes a step forward Narwhal
A marine conservation area covering 16,791 square kilometres of ocean off the Nunatsiavut coast has been deemed feasible and desirable — a key part of establishing the project led by Labrador Inuit. The Nunatsiavut Government has led the charge to create a marine conservation area, working in conjunction with Parks Canada — which falls under Environment and Climate Change Canada. Currently, in order for Indigenous-led marine conservation projects to be federally recognized, a federal agency has to be a partner, be that Parks Canada or Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Industry:

Learn more about becoming Rainbow Registered / Destination Northern Ontario
In today’s tourism landscape, diversity and inclusion are paramount for creating vibrant and immersive travel experiences. Despite Northern Ontario’s celebration of various cultures and backgrounds, many tourism businesses still lack diverse representation in their workforce. Embracing diverse perspectives enriches visitor experiences and fosters innovation and creativity in our offerings.

Arts:

Marine Endangered Species Art Contest / NOAA
Teachers: Celebrate Endangered Species Day (May 17) by having your classroom or individual students participate in the 2024 Marine Endangered Species Art Contest! located in New England and the mid-Atlantic United States, we invite participants from anywhere in the world to submit entries! Artwork should highlight one or more marine endangered or threatened species from the New England/Mid-Atlantic region.

Podcasts:

E440 David Chong on Forward Facing Sonar
While some can’t wait for the debate about forward facing sonar to end, others believe we aren’t finished by a long shot. Regulators in the U.S. are actually surveying anglers for their views on whether the technology should be banned. We reached out to professional angler David Chong for his views on the topic. David is one of Canada’s top professional bass anglers and a long-time representative of many fishing, boating and electronic brands. Welcome back David to The Blue Fish Radio Show!

Special Guest Feature: TAKE THE SURVEY – Would you support banning the use of live scopes, and similar 360° imaging electronics?

Recent move made by a state agency signals next-level concerns over forward-facing and 360-degree sonar. How can the Wisconsin DNR Spring Hearings potentially affect anglers nationwide? Because this round, they’re calling out fishing technology.

The first step in the process is getting public input on questions concerning potential legislation. That first step is happening now and the WI DNR is accepting online comments. (You do not need to be a Wisconsin resident to participate.)

Question #22 stands to be the most controversial amongst anglers. It reads as such:

Background for Question #22: Ban live scope: With the ability of these types of units to detect fish, as far as 180’ from the user, anglers have become more efficient at locating and catching fish. This type of pressure could reduce fish populations, which may lead to reduced bag limits for anglers.

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