Fish Populations - Lake Winnipeg Basin Indicator Series

Abstract

Lake Winnipeg supports an important subsistence fishery, and valuable recreational and commercial fisheries. Walleye and sauger are the primary target species. Small fish (prey fish) that walleye and sauger eat are also important to the overall health of the fishery. Manitoba Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Fisheries Branch, monitors walleye, sauger, and prey fish in Lake Winnipeg each year. This indicator reports on the weight (biomass) of walleye and sauger, condition (relative weight) and mortality of walleye, and on the weight (biomass) of prey fish, using this monitoring data.