Anglers in the province can get their fishing rods out.
Fishing licences for the 2023-24 season became available April 1 and anglers should take note of several regulatory changes.
Casual anglers will no longer have to eat the cost of a full licence. The province has introduced a one-day pass this season.
Read Also
Shaky trade ground threatens efforts to build Canadian agriculture
Trade uncertainty is freezing billions in agriculture investment across Canada, which may threaten export-oriented Manitoba farms more than the tariffs spurring the uncertainty in the first place, experts tell Fields on Wheels conference.
Full season licences have also undergone a change. Conservation licences, which were cheaper but came with lower fish limits, are no longer available. A full-season licence this year will echo the fish limits of the previous conservation option for some species. The number of allowable northern pike and walleye, for example, maxes out at four, two less than allowed under a regular licence last year. Size limits were also altered for some species.
Anglers will have more time to set their sights on certain fish. Fishing for walleye, lake sturgeon and lake trout is still prohibited during certain seasons, but the season for all other species is open year-round.
“It’s exciting to be able to catch species such as northern pike and smallmouth bass during a time that has traditionally been closed. The Manitoba government encourages everyone to explore the province’s world-class fisheries,” Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt said in a March 29 release.
Anglers should check for location-specific limits before hitting the water. Lengths of the Red River between the Lockport Dam and Lake Winnipeg, for example, are closed this spring to protect spawning stocks. Lake Dauphin and its tributaries and the Assiniboine River just downstream of the Portage Diversion are also closed until mid-May.
Manitoba residents can expect to pay $22 plus GST and an administration fee to fish this year, compared to $25 last year, taxes in. A daily pass has been set at $8. A conservation licence in 2022 cost $19.20, including GST. Administration fees were also added to the cost of a licence in 2022.
Anyone 65 years of age or older can skip the bureaucracy and cost this year. Manitoba seniors will no longer require a formal licence, but should be ready to show proof of age and residency upon request. As well, members of the military and veterans residing in Manitoba are exempt, but should carry proof of residency and either military identification or record of service.
As in previous years, anyone under the age of 16 is also exempt.
The province has eliminated the requirement of a physical document. Anglers in Manitoba will be able to carry their licence electronically.
The province has set out two Family Fishing Weekends for the season. All anglers will be able to fish without a licence on June 9-11, 2023, and Feb. 17-19, 2024.
Nesbitt has said the changes stem from two years of regulatory overhaul. In 2021, the province looked for feedback on its proposed recreational angling strategy, which was designed to maintain recreational fishing while also dealing with increased pressure on the province’s fisheries.
