Rob Cann – Bio

In the summer of 1987 while still completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba, I was hired by the Manitoba Fly Fishers Assoc. to conduct a fisheries project on the Rat River in southeastern Manitoba. The goal of this program was to introduce trout into the system and rehabilitate the area for fly fishing opportunities. Through this experience, an employment opportunity presented itself with Manitoba Fisheries Branch and my career was off and swimming.

In my earlier days working with the Habitat Management Section, I was involved in a number of stream channel and lake surveys, biological inventories and habitat enhancement projects (e.g. creating walleye spawning structures). Most notably was the work being conducted on the tributaries of Dauphin Lake and the pothole lakes south of Riding Mountain National Park. The hydraulic engineering skills and concepts learned during these projects was something that I’m sure no fisheries biologist ever expected to incorporate into his/her career. But I soon learned that in fisheries, you become a jack of all trades, and a master of none.

After completing a number of years of service with the Habitat Section, my job then shifted to assisting our Fish Culture Section. With the newly developing world of computers, Fish Culture was looking at taking advantage of this technology by incorporating it into their daily hatchery operations. Yet again, a new career unfolded before me. Today’s computers are considered a standard tool in the workplace however back then, incorporation of this technology was still in its infancy. Through this period, the skills I developed were expanded to include all technology needs for the Branch.

Now well versed in the IT world, my career yet again took another 90 degree turn and I was offered a position in the Fisheries - Sports / Commercial Fishing Section. In the mid to late 1990’s, a fledgling program was being developed that was designed to address declining angling license sales. This trend was being experienced across Canada and Manitoba wanted to develop a set of programs that were pro-active versus re-active. This lead to a number of promotional ventures to educate the public about Manitoba fisheries and the creation of a series of programs that became the backbone of my position for the next 5 years. These programs included: Winnipeg’s Urban Angling Partnership, Manitoba Recreational Fishing League and Manitoba Fisheries Sustainable Development Education website. In 2004, my portfolio expanded to include the provincial recreational angling program which includes policy, programming and regulation development.

Over the last 17 years, Fisheries Branch has provided me with a wealth of unique opportunities to work with local and provincial fish and game groups, industry and individual Manitobans for the benefit of our fisheries.