The Mille-Îles river and the Prairies river, whose shorelines girdle Jesus island, attract many fishing enthusiasts. Pikes, Walleye and American shad are among the most sought-after catches. How to combine the stability of population for these species in our rivers and the continuation of human activities such as recreational fishing?
Quotas: the case of the American shad
Laval is the ideal place for American shad fishing, more precisely between May and June. As stated by the Act respecting threatened or vulnerable species (Quebec), the American shad is considered vulnerable. The main threats are as follows: overfishing, poaching (non-compliance with total allowable catches), the modification of natural systems caused by dams (which represent obstacles to migration) and climate change impacting the spring spawning conditions (Quebec government).
It is of course essential for fishers to comply with quotas so that the American shad can eventually recover.
Lost fishing gear
Lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear (nets, traps, hooks, ropes, etc.) are a global issue; depending on the water bodies, they will vary in gravity. Of course, in oceans, the consequences are concerning, particularly because of how dangerous fishing gear is to marine mammals, sharks, turtles and so on.
But let’s come back to Laval; taking great care of your fishing gear and making sure to recover everything once your activity is over is doing a great service to fishes!
Relevant resources (in French)
Parc de la rivière-des-Mille-Îles
