Monitoring fish populations
Fall Index Netting and the Fish Sustainability Index
Fall index netting (FIN) is used by the Government of Alberta to primarily monitor walleye and Northern pike populations. FIN is being assessed as a method to assess the sustainability of other popular fisheries too, for example, lake whitefish and yellow perch.
For more information on Alberta’s FIN, visit:
The Fish Sustainability Index (FSI) was developed to bring consistency to fish stock assessments and provide a provincewide evaluation of the sustainability of Alberta fish species.
Information from fish stock assessments are translated into corresponding categories of risk to sustainability where a score of 1 represents a fishery at very high risk and a score of 4 or 5 represent lower risk (Table 1).
Table 1. Alberta’s Fish Sustainability Index risk thresholds for walleye and Northern pike using the standardized Fall Index Net (FIN) method.
| Assessment score | Risk to Sustainability |
| 5 | Very Low |
| 4 | Low |
| 3 | Moderate |
| 2 | High |
| Very High |
More information on Alberta’s FSI, and walleye and Northern pike FSI Maps, is available:
For more information on the assessment of a particular lake, please contact the local office:
FIN Summaries
FIN Summaries are based on adult abundance and length distribution.
2023
Table 2. 2023 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Badger Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Beaver Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Calling Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Gift Lake | High | Moderate | High | |
| Hutch Lake | Extirpated | Moderate | High | |
| Keho Lake | High | High | Very High | |
| Long (Long 81) Lake | N/A | High | ||
| Rainbow Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Rock Island Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Seibert Lake | High | Very High | Very High | |
| Snipe Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| South Heart Reservoir | N/A | Very Low | ||
| Sylvan Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Travers Reservoir | High | Very High | ||
| Utikuma Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Utikumasis Lake | Low | High | ||
| Wabamun Lake | Low | Moderate | Very High | |
| Winagami Lake | Low | High | ||
2022
Table 3. 2022 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Amisk Lake | Low | High | ||
| Buck Lake | Low | Moderate | High | |
| Elkwater Lake | N/A | Moderate | ||
| Ethel Lake | Moderate | Moderate | ||
| Fawcett Lake | Low | Moderate | High | |
| Floatingstone Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Frog Lake | Extirpated | High | Very High | |
| Garner Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Gregg Lake | Extirpated | High | ||
| Gull Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Iosegun Lake | Low | High | ||
| Jarvis Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Lac Ste. Anne | Low | Very High | ||
| Moose Lake | High | High | ||
| Muriel Lake | Extirpated | Very High | ||
| Pigeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Round Lake | High | High | ||
| Skeleton Lake | High | Moderate | High | |
| Smoke Lake | Very Low | Low | Very High | |
| Sturgeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
2021
Table 4. 2021 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Clear Lake | N/A | Moderate | ||
| Crawling Valley Reservoir | Moderate | High | ||
| Forty Mile Coulee Reservoir | High | Very High | ||
| Frog Lake | Extirpated | Very High | ||
| Gipsy Lake | N/A | Low | ||
| Goodfish Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Graham Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Jack Fish Lake | Low | High | ||
| Kehiwin Lake | High | High | ||
| Lac La Biche | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Lake Newell | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Moose Lake | High | High | ||
| North Wabasca Lake | High | High | ||
| Rolling Hills Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Sherburne Reservoir | High | High | ||
| South Wabasca Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Talbot Lake | N/A | High | ||
| Wadlin Lake | High | Very High | ||
2020
Table 5. 2020 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Big Island Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Bourque Lake | High | High | ||
| Buck Lake | Low | Very High | ||
| Burnstick Lake | High | Moderate | ||
| Elinor Lake | Low | High | ||
| Fickle Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Floatingstone Lake | High | High | ||
| Garner Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Gull Lake | High | High | ||
| Iosegun Lake | Low | Moderate | High | Very High |
| Island Lake | High | Moderate | ||
| Lac Ste Anne | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Lesser Slave Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Little Bow Reservoir | Very High | Very High | ||
| Long Lake | Low | Low | ||
| Marie Lake | High | Very High | ||
| McGregor Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Moose Lake | High | High | ||
| North Buck Lake | Extirpated | Moderate | ||
| Pigeon Lake | Low | Very High | ||
| Pinehurst Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Skeleton Lake | Moderate | High | Moderate | High |
| Smoke Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Snipe Lake | Low | High | ||
| Sturgeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Sylvan Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Travers Reservoir | Very High | Very High | ||
| Wabamun Lake | Low | Very High | ||
| Winagami Lake | Moderate | High | High | Very High |
2019
Table 6. 2019 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Amisk Lake | Low | Moderate | High | |
| Baptiste Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Chickenhill Lake | Extirpated | Extirpated | ||
| Christina Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Elinor Lake | High | High | ||
| Fawcett Lake | Moderate | High | High | |
| Gardiner Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Gods Lake | High | Very High | High | |
| Haig Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Ironwood Lake | Moderate | High | High | |
| May Lake | High | High | ||
| Pine Lake | Very High | Moderate | High | |
| Sawn Lake | High | Very High | Very High | |
| Shiningbank Lake | Very Low | Low | Very High | |
| Touchwood Lake | High | High | ||
| Tucker Lake | N/A | Very Low | ||
2018
Table 7. 2018 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Battle Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Berry Creek (Carolside) Reservoir | Very High | Moderate | ||
| Crane Lake | Very High | Moderate | High | |
| Goodfish Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Hebephrenic Lake | Very High | High | Very High | |
| Hutch Lake | Low | Moderate | ||
| Isle Lake | Very High | Moderate | ||
| Kehiwin Lake | High | High | ||
| Lac Bellevue | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Lac La Biche | Moderate | High | ||
| Lac La Nonne | Very High | Moderate | ||
| Lac Ste. Anne | Low | High | ||
| Long Lake | N/A | Moderate | High | |
| Milk River Ridge Reservoir | Very High | Very High | ||
| Pigeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Pinehurst Lake | High | High | Very High | |
| Rainbow Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Rock Island Lake | Moderate | High | Very High | |
| Scope Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Utikumasis Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Utikuma Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Wolf Lake | High | High | ||
2017
Table 8. 2017 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Amisk Lake | Low | Moderate | High | |
| Brutus Lake | High | High | ||
| Buck Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Buffalo Lake | N/A | Low | ||
| Calling Lake | Low | Moderate | Very High | |
| Ethel Lake | Moderate | Low | ||
| Floatingstone Lake | Moderate | High | High | |
| Fork Lake | N/A | Moderate | High | |
| Garner Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Graham Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Gregoire (Willow) Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Gull Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Hilda Lake | Low | High | ||
| Jackfish Lake | High | High | ||
| Jackson Lake | High | High | ||
| Lake Newell | High | Very High | ||
| Long Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Moose Lake | High | Moderate | ||
| Net Lake | Moderate | High | Very High | |
| North Wabasca Lake | High | High | ||
| Peerless Lake | Very High | Very High | ||
| Raspberry Lake | N/A | Very Low | ||
| Rattlesnake Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Rock Island Lake | High | Very High | High | Very High |
| Rolling Hills Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Round Lake | Low | High | ||
| Sandy Lake | Very High | Moderate | ||
| Snipe Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| South Wabasca Lake | High | Low | ||
| Sturgeon Lake | Very Low | High | Very High | |
| Sylvan Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Vandersteene Lake | High | High | ||
| Winefred Lake | High | High | ||
2016
Table 9. 2016 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Baptiste Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Beaver Lake | High | High | ||
| Bourque Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Fawcett Lake | High | High | ||
| Frog Lake | Extirpated | Very High | ||
| Iosegun Lake | Low | High | ||
| Island Lake | High | High | ||
| Lac La Biche | High | High | ||
| Lac La Nonne | Very High | High | ||
| Lac Ste Anne | Very Low | High | ||
| Lawrence Lake | N/A | Very Low | ||
| Smoke Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Wadlin Lake | Very Low | High | ||
| Whitefish Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Wolf Lake | Very High | Moderate | ||
2015
Table 10. 2015 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Badger Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Berry Creek (Carolside) Reservoir | N/A | High | ||
| Blackett Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Burnstick Lake | High | Moderate | ||
| Brazeau Canal Reservoir | N/A | High | ||
| Brazeau Reservoir | N/A | Very High | ||
| Crawling Valley Res | High | High | ||
| Eagle Lake | High | High | ||
| Elinor Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Gregg Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Heart Lake | Low | High | ||
| Jackson Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Jarvis Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Jensen Reservoir | Very High | Very High | ||
| Keho Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Kinnaird Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Lac Bellevue | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Lac La Biche | Low | Moderate | High | |
| Long Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Marie Lake | High | High | ||
| Muskwa Lake | Very High | Very Low | ||
| North Buck Lake | Extirpated | High | ||
| Nipisi Lake | N/A | Moderate | ||
| Orloff Lake | Moderate | High | Very High | |
| Pigeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Pine Lake | Very High | Moderate | ||
| Sawn Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Seibert Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Skeleton Lake | Moderate | High | Low | Moderate |
| Spencer Lake | Low | High | ||
| Wabamun Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Winagami Lake | Low | Moderate | ||
2014
Table 11. 2014 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Big Island Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Bistcho Lake | High | Low | ||
| Clear Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Fickle Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Gardiner Lake | High | High | ||
| Gods Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Gull Lake | High | High | ||
| Haig Lake | Low | Very High | ||
| Ironwood Lake | Moderate | High | ||
| Lac La Biche | Moderate | High | ||
| Lac Ste Anne | Very Low | High | ||
| Lesser Slave Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Magee Lake | N/A | Very Low | ||
| Middle Chain Lake | N/A | High | ||
| Moose Lake | High | High | ||
| Pinehurst Lake | Moderate | High | High | |
| Shiningbank Lake | Moderate | High | High | |
| Snipe Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Thurston Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Touchwood Lake | High | High | ||
| Wolf Lake | Moderate | High | ||
2013
Table 12. 2013 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.
| Waterbody | Risk to sustainability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Northern pike | |||
| Amisk Lake | High | Very High | ||
| Buck Lake | Very Low | High | ||
| Christina Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Fawcett Lake | High | High | ||
| Fork Lake | N/A | Low | Moderate | |
| Garner Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Iosegun Lake | Low | Very High | ||
| Kehewin Lake | High | High | ||
| Lac La Biche | High | Very High | ||
| Lac Ste Cyr | Very High | High | ||
| Lake Newell | High | Very High | ||
| Long Lake | Low | Moderate | High | |
| May Lake | High | High | ||
| McGregor Lake | High | Very High | ||
| N Wabasca Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Pigeon Lake | Very Low | Very High | ||
| Sandy Lake | Very High | High | ||
| Smoke Lake | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Sturgeon Lake | Very Low | High | ||
| Tucker Lake | N/A | Low | Moderate | |
| Utikuma Lake | High | Very Low | ||
| Wabamun Lake | Very High | Moderate | ||
Read the reports from 2010 to 2012:
For more information on fisheries management and conservation, visit: