The 2014-15 fishing season was a "reel" profitable one for Manitoba fishers.
The Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation paid out $3 million to fishers this year, which president and CEO Donald Salkeld says is an increase from the $1 million it usually is.
Salkeld says there was some big factors that lead to the increased profits for this year.
"The final quarter, which ended April 30, was a very strong quarter and it resulted in a good profit for the corporation, and that's paid out in what they call a final payment."
Salkeld also credits the Canadian dollar and a strong market for fish for the higher profits and higher payments to fishers.
He says pickerel, whitefish and pike were the most popular species this year, but there was one species of fish typically caught in Lake Winnipegosis that was down this year.
"Perch has been down, it mainly comes from the West side of Manitoba near Winnipegosis and that area, and the fishermen tell me that perch is down significantly and they blame it on the Portage Diversion."
Salkeld says the opening of the diversion lead to a lot of pike making their way from Saskatchewan waterways into Manitoba and pushing a lot of perch out of the area.
He also says they've struggled to develop a new domestic market for the whitefish after a trade embargo cut off a previously successful market for them.
"Russia's embargo took place in August 2014 and that started to back up some whitefish into our inventory. Coupled with that, whitefish catching was significantly up this year."
Salkeld says he doesn't expect the recent Seafood Watch report about Manitoba fisheries to have an impact on the market saying demand for walleye is increasing.
