Sustainable and Selective

Troll fishermen use hooks and lines, towed behind their vessels at low speed, to catch salmon. It is the slowest and most selective method for harvesting salmon. The hooks are attached to lures that imitate the salmon’s food, such as herring and squid. Each fish is individually caught and the line is pulled in with a hydraulic winch. However, fishermen must haul in each salmon by hand for the last 20 to 60 feet—a struggle in which the skill and agility of the fishermen is paramount.
Fishing Area

View West Coast Trollers in a larger map The West Coast of Vancouver Island, known as “Area G” by fisheries managers, is one of the most western points in Canada. Indeed, the motto of Ucluelet, the largest village on the outer coast, is “life on the edge.” It is a fecund region of rainforests fjords, [...]
History & Tradition

For thousands of years, First Nation fishermen on the West Coast of Vancouver Island went out to sea in small dugout canoes to search out and catch salmon using baited hooks and hand lines. While some things have changed, there is no denying that the culture and economy of the region is still intrinsically linked to salmon harvest.