Perron's pickerel

BY ALISHA PERRON - NORTH BAY, ONTARIO

BACKSTORY AND SUSTAINABILITY

As avid outdoor enthusiasts, camping and ice fishing have been a part of my family for as long as I can remember. While we enjoy catching and cooking the fish, what we enjoy above all else what the time, the laughs and the fun we had outside as a family. Pickerel (also called Walleye) is a freshwater fish and the largest North American species in the perch family. It is one of the most sought-after sport and food fishes. The pickerel used in this recipe is freshly caught during the ice fishing season (January to March) from my hometown lake in North Bay, Ontario. The Ontario conservation fishing license is a sustainable source. Catching fish yourself (with a license and within the fishing regulations) is a very environmentally friendly way to get your own seafood, as you are having minimal impact on the environment.

The regulations put in place for sport fishing, in terms of the number of allotted fish to keep and size of fish to keep, have been measured against the population of the lake an ensure longevity of said species. On top of this, instead of the regular sport fishing license, fishermen can also opt to get the conservation fishing license which errs on the safe side of sustainability and allows you to take home an even smaller amount of fish. Walleye, or pickerel is the most commonly caught by recreational anglers in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

Commercial fisheries of walleye dominate the great lake fisheries, and smaller fisheries exist across Canada. Bottom gillnets and trapnets are the prevalent catch method of walleye, and both methods are selective, resulting in reduced bycatch, and have minimal habitat impact. Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch lists Lake Superior and Lake Huron walleye as a 'Good Alternative.' Ocean Wise also provides recommendations on specific products.

When cooking this dish it is important to know where your pickerel come from and not to encourage and support unsustainable fishing practices. Surrounding the pickerel/walleye fishery, there are three parties involved, the recreational, commercial, and First Nations fisheries. To ensure heathy populations stronger regulations surrounding the fish size, keep numbers, and the method of fishing are required. Having the ability to hunt and take home more fish than is sustainable for the lake's population is never a good thing and cripples the future ecosystem for everyone. Furthermore, loose regulations surrounding fish netting is detrimental to the health of the lakes. Lots of fishing nets are lost or left behind on the shores around our lake, trapping, killing many different species fish; this is known as ghost fishing. While I understand fishing sometimes accidents happen and gear can be lost, so I believe line and hook fishing is the most sustainable option because it enables targeted fishing and removes unwanted bycatch.