Lower Athabasca region fisheries management survey

Overview

A review of recent assessments of walleye and pike fisheries in the Lower Athabasca region has resulted in the identification of opportunities to shift management and regulations to address some habitat limitations or provide additional fishing and fish harvest opportunities.

In 2017, a public survey asked for feedback on fishing management changes in 7 waterbodies:

• Lac la Biche
• Bourque Lake
• Hilda Lake
• Manatokan Lake
• Bangs Lake
• Little Bear Lake
• Moose Lake

Lac la Biche

The survey asked for confirmation of the objective to restore the walleye population and proposed the use of a special harvest licence to provide a limited opportunity to harvest a small proportion of the walleye stocked in this lake, while maintaining the intent to re-establish a self-sustaining population.

• 87.9% of respondents agreed that the primary objective is to restore the walleye population
• 74.4% agreed with the use of a special harvest licence to provide a limited opportunity to harvest a small proportion of the walleye stocked in this lake

Regulation change implemented for 2017:

• walleye limit of zero, except for holder of a special harvest licence and tags may retain walleye of a size, number, and at the times specified on the licence

Bourque Lake

The survey asked for feedback on a proposed shift to a sustainable harvest management objective and the harvest of walleye via a special harvest licence for this lake.

• 69.7% of respondents agreed

Regulation change implemented for 2017:

• May 15 to March 31 – walleye limit of zero, except for holder of a special harvest licence and tags, may retain walleye of a size, number, and at the times specified on the licence

Hilda Lake

The survey asked for feedback on a proposed shift to a sustainable harvest management objective and the harvest of walleye via a special harvest licence for this lake.

• 65.3% of respondents agreed

Regulation change implemented for 2017:

• May 15 to March 31 – walleye limit of zero, except for holder of a special harvest licence and tags, may retain walleye of a size, number, and at the times specified on the licence

Manatokan Lake

This lake experiences winterkill, so a shift was proposed to focus primarily on a sustainable harvest management objective for yellow perch with a liberal harvest objective and regulation for other species (pike or walleye).

• 94.6% of respondents supported the shift

Responses to the regulation were mixed, but 61.2% of respondents indicated a preference to harvest pike of any size, per day.

Regulation change implemented for 2017:

• pike limit of 3, with no size limit

Bangs Lake

This lake experiences winterkill, so a shift was proposed to focus primarily on a sustainable harvest management objective for yellow perch with a Liberal Harvest objective and regulation for other species (pike or walleye).

• 93.8% of respondents supported the shift

With regards to the regulation, 65.3% of respondents indicated a preference to harvest walleye and pike of any size, per day.

Regulation changes implemented for 2017:

• walleye limit of 3, with no size limit
• pike limit of 3, with no size limit

Little Bear Lake (near Cold Lake: 19-64-2-W4)

The survey asked for feedback on diversifying the stocking plan to include brown and brook trout.

• 74.9% of respondents agreed to this

The fish stocking plan with be updated to diversify the trout fishery.

Moose Lake

The survey asked to confirm that the management objective for this lake should be sustainable harvest for pike, walleye and perch.

• 80.5% of respondents agreed
• 57.1% agreed that the management objective for yellow perch should also be sustainable harvest

No change to sportfishing regulations required.

Related links

2019 Fish Consumption Guidance: Mercury in Fish
Fisheries management