How two Quebec brothers are filling a catch-and-release niche

MEETING THE DEMAND

Buckle also notes the arrival of Frero nets on the market was timed perfectly, considering the pandemic led to an uptick in the popularity of salmon fishing, one of the few activities people could still do during the lockdowns. There was also an industry-wide shortage of landing nets at the time.

Plus, the growing popularity of catch-and-release practices for Atlantic salmon includes the use of landing nets instead of traditional tailing, which can lead to injury when fish are brought close to shore. According to Myriam Bergeron, general manager of the non-profit Quebec Federation for Atlantic Salmon, Quebec anglers live-released more than 70 per cent of their reported catches in 2021, more than double the number from a decade ago.

For their part, the Choquette brothers plan to continue riding the popularity of sustainable salmon fishing, and grow their company in the process. To date, they’ve made some 200 nets, with brisk sales in Canada, the U.S. and England leading to the recent hiring of a part-time employee. They plan to double production in 2023.

“It’s a lot of work,” says Antoine. “We’re not skiing as much as we’d like to these days, but we’re having a lot of fun, and we’re very proud of what we’re doing.”

Learn more about frero at en.frero.ca.