Sportfishing Weekend Planned for June 2-3

All Nova Scotians will have an opportunity to experience one of our province’s favorite pastimes during the seventh annual sport- fishing weekend June 2-3.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, along with Trout Nova Scotia, will co-sponsor this year’s event, in which residents of the province can fish without a general sport fishing licence. However, normal bag limits, licence requirements and regulations will apply for fishing Atlantic salmon.

“The sport-fishing weekend is designed to encourage Nova Scotians to try sportfishing by allowing them to do this without a fishing licence,” said Ernest Fage, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Hopefully after the weekend more people will be hooked on fishing. Fishing can be a lifelong activity that can be enjoyed at any age and in most areas of the province.”

Participants are encouraged to go fishing where fish stocks are healthy. Where fish stocks are less than ideal, the practice of catch and release is strongly recommended.

This year there will be 16 organized angling events across the province. Trout Nova Scotia will sponsor a contest in which new anglers will have a chance to win one of 10 fishing outfits.

Everyone who registers with Trout Nova Scotia will receive a sport-fishing certificate and a chance to win one of 10 fly- fishing outfits. Participants are asked to write a short story about their fishing trip and, if possible, to send along a picture. The draw will take place on June 23.

For additional information on the contest, register with Trout Nova Scotia c/o The Outdoor Centre, 68 Parkhill Road, Halifax, N.S. B3P 1R6 (fax: 902-490-4504), or telephone the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries at 902-485-5056 (fax: 902-485-4014).

Sport fishing in Nova Scotia is worth over $80 million a year to our economy. Over 100,000 Nova Scotians sport fish each year and thousands more visit the province to fish.

Fisheries Minister Ernest Fage urged Nova Scotians to get out for a day of sport fishing on their local lake or river. “I’ve been fishing for over 35 years and I enjoy it every time,” he said.

For more information on the seventh annual sportfishing weekend visit the department’s Web site at www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing or call the Inland Fisheries Division at 902-485-5056.