As you’ve probably heard, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans recently made the sale of frozen-at-sea spot prawns illegal, effectively stopping the sale of all frozen spot-prawns to Canadian markets. After a lot of pushback, (including from Skipper Otto members!) the DFO has now said they won’t be enforcing the rule this year, but the rule still exists, so … Continued

We say “fishing is unpredictable” a lot. Although we might know in theory when to expect a certain species, more often than not there is some complicating factor at play! Take for example, last year’s chinook salmon season.  Summer 2020 Chinook Surprise Last summer’s salmon season was disappointing for a lot of BC fishing families. Salmon … Continued

There’s been a lot of talk about Seaspiracy, a new Netflix documentary, where stories behind the industrial fishing industry are exposed. A few members have reached out to us to voice their concerns about Seaspiracy, and we totally understand – the Skipper Otto team was also disturbed by the film! The truth is, the realities … Continued

April 26, 2021 update: Thanks to your amazing outpouring of support, our fight to keep the DFO from banning frozen-at-sea spot prawns has reached the next stage — and now we need your help again! We received over 4,000 signatures on our first petition that we sent you in March, and we got the attention … Continued

What a year 2020 was! I’m so proud and humbled by all our members, including those who joined for the first time ever, and those who have been with us for years. Our members came together to support fishing families and to create a better sustainable seafood system – one that works for people, communities, … Continued

When tensions in the Nova Scotia lobster fishery between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishermen erupted into violence last month, we all watched with dismay and fear, concerned for the safety and livelihoods of the Mi’kmaq fishermen. Like you, we worried about how a peaceful resolution would be found and what this conflict meant for Indigenous/ non-Indigenous … Continued

When you imagine life as a fisherman, it’s easy to picture an idyllic existence. One where it’s always sunny and clear and the seas are never rough.  Maybe this is because for a lot of us, our main interaction with fishing is as a recreational activity. But fishing for a living isn’t easy, and sometimes things … Continued

Ever wondered how Skipper Otto fishermen catch your fish? A lot of them (including Otto himself!) are gillnet fishermen. This means they use nets that lay vertically in the water like a fence. Lead weights at the bottom of the net and floating corks attached to the top of the net keep the net in place.  Fish swim into the net and get … Continued