Message from the Minister
As Minister of Natural Resources, I’m pleased to welcome you to a new year of angling in Ontario.
Ontario is home to thousands of lakes, rivers, and wetlands that provide habitat for a rich diversity of species and world class fisheries. In fact, with 128 species of native fish and 17 naturalized species, these bodies of water contain the highest fish diversity in Canada. It’s no wonder, then, why people from all over the world travel to our great province to take advantage of the abundant angling and recreational opportunities Ontario has to offer.
Fishing in Ontario is a big business contributing $1.75 billion to our province’s economy every year. It benefits local communities and businesses and the tourism industry in many ways, such as visits to fishing lodges and the purchase of bait from a small business in rural Ontario.
And the fees collected from the sale of fishing licences are put back into angling opportunities in Ontario, including conservation efforts, protection of resources, fish stocking and education.
This year we took steps to protect vulnerable salmon during peak migration season in the lower Ganaraska River by creating a new fish sanctuary. We also extended the fall season to create additional opportunities for anglers to catch a variety of trout and salmon species in this area. Please visit Fishing regulation changes for a summary of updates across Fisheries Management Zones.
Science informs decision making to ensure responsible management of our fisheries now and in the future. However, ensuring the long-term sustainability and conservation of our fisheries is a shared responsibility between all resource users including recreational anglers, commercial fishers, and Indigenous communities.
I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations listed in this summary, and to be safe as you discover what makes angling in Ontario so special.
To honour the service of our veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members residing in Ontario, Ontario offers them free recreational fishing in the province, whenever and wherever fishing is allowed. You can find out more about this on Recreational fishing licences and fees.
So whether you want to fish in the winter or summer months, the province offers great opportunities.
Happy fishing!
The Honourable Graydon Smith
Minister of Natural Resources
