Manitoba Fishery Regulations, 1987 (SOR/87-509)

Spoilage of Fish

• 16.1 (1) If a fish is caught by fishing, no person shall handle, transport or dispose of it in a way that will result in the spoilage or waste of the fish.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of rough fish caught by a person engaged in commercial fishing.

Non-retention of Fish

17 Every person who catches a fish the retention of which is prohibited by these Regulations shall forthwith release that fish to the water from which it was taken in a manner that causes the least possible further harm to that fish.

Release of Tagged Fish

18 No person who tags or marks any fish shall release that fish into any waters of Manitoba except as authorized by a Live Fish Handling Permit.

PART IVRecreational Fishing

Close Times and Quotas

• 19 (1) No person engaged in recreational fishing shall fish for or catch and retain any species of fish from the waters set out in an item of Schedule X by a method set out in that item during the close time set out in that item.

• (2) For the purpose of subsection (1), the close times set out in Schedule X are considered to be fixed separately and individually for each method of recreational fishing and for each species.

• (3) No person engaged in recreational fishing shall, on any day, catch and retain fish of a species set out in an item of Schedule XI from the waters set out in that item if the size of the fish does not comply with the size limit, or the amount caught and retained exceeds the daily quota, set out in that item.

• (4) No person engaged in recreational fishing shall, on any day, possess fish of a species set out in an item of Schedule XI from the waters set out in that item if the size of the fish does not comply with the size limit, or the amount possessed exceeds the possession quota, set out in that item.

• (5) [Repealed, SOR/2023-28, s. 11]

• (6) [Repealed, SOR/2023-28, s. 11]

• (7) A person who is not a resident of Manitoba and is under 16 years of age must, while engaged in recreational fishing,

  • (a) hold a valid angling licence; or

  • (b) be accompanied by

    • (i) the holder of a valid angling licence, or

    • (ii) a resident of Manitoba who is authorized under the provincial Act to engage in recreational fishing without a licence.

• (8) All fish caught by non-residents accompanied by persons referred to in paragraph (7)(b) shall be counted as part of the catch of the person accompanying the non-resident.

19.1 and 20 [Repealed, SOR/2003-107, s. 3]

Boundary Waters

21 Where any person catches and retains fish of any species from any waters common to Manitoba and an adjoining province, state or territory, the fish caught and retained from that portion of the waters located in the adjoining province, state or territory shall be counted in determining, for the purposes of these Regulations, whether any quota or size limit has been exceeded.

General Restrictions

• 22 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall take or attempt to take fish by snagging, snaring, clubbing or gaffing or by the use of trap nets.

• (2) A person may use a gaff hook to assist the person in landing a fish caught by angling.

• (3) No person shall fish in a stocked trout lake or stocked trout stream by any means other than by angling.

23 No person shall use, for the purposes of recreational fishing, a boat that is propelled by any means other than human or electric power, in any waters set out in an item of Schedule XII.

• 24 (1) No person shall, unless the fish is being prepared for immediate consumption, possess any fish caught by recreational fishing that are dressed, packed or cut in such a manner that

  • (a) the species of fish cannot readily be identified;

  • (b) the number of fish cannot readily be counted; or

  • (c) where size limits are applicable, the size of the fish cannot readily be determined.

• (2) For the purpose of paragraph (1)(a), the species of fish that has been filleted can be readily identified if an area of skin of at least 6 cm² remains attached to each fillet.

Angling

• 25 (1) No person shall while angling

  • (a) in open water use more than a single line, or rod and line;

  • (b) in ice-covered water use more than two lines;

  • (c) have more than two hooks attached to a line;

  • (d) use any hook that is spring-loaded;

  • (e) use for bait

    • (i) any fish other than yellow perch, goldeye or mooneye caught by recreational fishing, baitfish or previously frozen smelt, or

    • (ii) the offal of any fish of a species set out, in respect of Manitoba, in Part 2 of the schedule to the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations; or

  • (f) use any hook other than a barbless hook.

• (2) No person who is engaged in recreational fishing shall possess a hook that is attached to the end of a fishing line if the hook is not a barbless hook.

• (3) [Repealed, SOR/93-39, s. 4]

26 Every person shall

• (a) when angling in open water, keep the person’s line within sight; and

• (b) when angling in ice-covered water, stay within 50 m of any line being used by that person.

27 [Repealed, SOR/98-247, s. 11]

28 No person shall use natural bait while angling in

• (a) Corstophine Lake (50°35′ N., 100°12′ W.) 7.5 km northwest of the town of Sandy Lake;

• (b) McHugh Lake (49°43′ N., 95°12′ W.);

• (c) Patterson Lake (50°38′ N., 100°34′ W.) 6.5 km north of Oakburn;

• (c.1) Persse Lake (51°33′ N., 101°25′ W.) 44 km north of Roblin;

• (d) Pybus Lake (50°30′ N., 100°11′ W.) 3.5 km southwest of the town of Sandy Lake;

• (e) Twin Lakes (51°33′ N., 101°27′ W.) West of Duck Mountain Provincial Forest;

• (f) West Goose Lake (51°13′ N., 101°21′ W.) Town of Roblin; or

• (g) West Watjask Lake (51°39′ N., 101°27′ W.).

• 29 (1) Where, pursuant to subsection 4(1), the provincial Minister or the Director varies a close time set out in Column IV of an item of Schedule X to permit angling, the provincial Minister or the Director may specify in the notice referred to in subsection 4(2) one or more of the angling gear restrictions set out in the table to this subsection.

  	Angling Gear Restrictions
  1	Only barbless hooks allowed
  2	No natural bait allowed
  3	Only artificial flies allowed
  4	Only single-pointed hooks allowed
  5	Only multiple-pointed hooks allowed

• (2) Where one or more angling gear restrictions are specified by the provincial Minister or the Director pursuant to subsection (1), no person shall, in the waters to which the notice applies, angle in contravention of any of the angling gear restrictions specified in the notice.

Spearfishing

30 No person shall engage in spearfishing unless they are swimming and using a barbed spear.

• 31 (1) No person shall, by spearfishing, fish for or catch and retain any fish of a species set out in Part I of Schedule XIII.

• (2) No person engaged in spearfishing while using scuba gear shall fish for or catch and retain any species of fish set out in Part II of Schedule XIII.

Bow Fishing

32 No person shall engage in bow fishing

• (a) for fish other than carp or suckers;

• (b) except with a fish arrow attached to a line of at least 20 kg test strength;

• (c) [Repealed, SOR/90-302, s. 9]

• (d) in the Red River from the dam at Lockport to a point 1 km downstream; or

• (e) in the Saskatchewan River from the Grand Rapids Generating Station to a point 1 km downstream.

Dip Netting, Cast Netting, Seine Netting and Minnow Trapping

• 33 (1) Subject to subsections (1.1) and (2), no person engaged in recreational fishing shall use a dip net, cast net, seine net or minnow trap to fish for any species of fish except bait fish or common carp.

• (1.1) Subject to subsection (2), no person engaged in recreational fishing shall use a dip net, cast net, seine net or minnow trap to fish for any species of fish in

  • (a) the Saskatchewan River from the Grand Rapids Generating Station to a point 1 km downstream;

  • (b) stocked trout lakes; or

  • (c) stocked trout streams.

• (2) A person engaged in recreational fishing may use a dip net to assist in landing fish caught by angling.

• (3) [Repealed, SOR/2004-39, s. 1]

• (4) [Repealed, SOR/88-190, s. 5]

34 [Repealed, SOR/2023-28, s. 16]