People fishing in north told to stop wasting fish.

Fisheries officers in the northern territory of Nunavut say their efforts to convince fishers to stop wasting fish, is slowly working.

Five years ago, officers found bags of Arctic char left on the banks of the Sylvia Grinnell River, north of city of Iqaluit.

A biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada says there are still cases of people catching fish and leaving them to waste, but less so than previously.

“We have noticed quite a drop in the numbers of fish that have been discarded and left on the banks near the falls, so the message is getting out there and we’re quite happy about that,” he said.

Last week, fisheries officers posted a new sign at the Sylvia Grinnell River in Iqaluit. It outlines the life cycle of the char, and also includes advice from local

They are still concerned about the practice of snagging fish. Officials say it’s indiscriminate and so can catch small char and pre-spawners which are important.

In 2009 officials began a multi-year survey on the health and population of fish in the river by tagging and measuring fish.

The fish in the Sylvia Grinnell River, were once plentiful enough to support a commercial fishery.

Results of the research should be available in a few weeks time.

(with files from CBC)