Nova Scotians are encouraged to take advantage of the warmer weather and head to one of the province’s many waterways to enjoy the 2019 sportfishing season opening on April 1.

“Sportfishing is an exciting pastime that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels, making it a great family experience,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell. “It is one of the most popular activities in the province and helps support jobs and economic activity in our rural communities.”

Sportfishing in Nova Scotia generated about $66.5 million in 2018. Last season, over 66,000 licences were sold.

“The sportfishing industry is particularly important to our rural communities and we are working on growing it sustainably,” said Mr. Colwell. “Using proper catch and release techniques and having effective regulations are key to ensuring this popular activity will be available to future generations.

2019 is the International Year of the Salmon. The department has a number of initiatives planned to celebrate this iconic species and to help raise awareness of the many challenges that face Atlantic salmon.

To make regulations more consistent across the province, changes have been made to the bag limit and size restriction for trout in the following areas:
–North River, Victoria Co.
–Trout Brook, Inverness Co.
–South River, Antigonish Co.

Regulations have also changed for Grants Pond, Victoria Co., a popular stocked lake to improve angling opportunities.

Anglers can read the rules for the 2019 season in the Angler’s Handbook and Summary of Regulations, which accompanies their fishing licence and can also be found online at https://novascotia.ca/fish/documents/Anglers-Handbook-2019.pdf .

Licences can be purchased from local vendors and at Department of Lands and Forestry offices throughout the province.

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Source : Media Release