The sales of fishing licenses continue to fall

François Cormier

Monday, 19 February 2018 19:08

UPDATE
Monday, 19 February 2018 19:10

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The number of fishing licenses sold in Quebec has steadily fallen for the past four years. While more than 775 000 licences were sold in 2013, there were 692 000 in 2017.

“I don’t know how the person has taken these statistics, then I don’t want to comment on,” said minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Luc Blanchette. We, we are told that the number of participants to the activities of fishing has been maintained”, he continued.

These figures on which VAT News has put the hand originate yet from the ministry. They clearly show a decline in the number of permits sold for the past four years.

“The liberal government has increased [the price] of a fishing licence in a major way,” said the mp pq to Bonaventure, Sylvain Roy. In effect, the price of a fishing license has gone from $ 20 to $ 30 in three years.

Sylvain Roy also shows the finger at the prohibition of the use of live minnows as bait in force since last year. “When you have a fish as bait, and you take the fish. The fishermen are not going to sit on the ice to watch the snow. They want to catch fish”, he launched.

Lack of succession

The aging of the population, however, could explain more of the decline in sales of fishing licenses in Quebec. “Today, a young boy knows how to handle a XBox. A fishing line, this is something else, illustrated by Steve Blanchette, manager of the Domaine du Lac St-Pierre, Louiseville. There is a lack of succession. A lot of exodus of young people to the cities.”

The department of Forestry, Wildlife and Parks argues that a sum of $ 5 million has been granted to attract the interest of fishing in families and the uninitiated.