There has never been much public information for the record allowing concerned Albertan or angler to openly study and better comprehend the ins and outs of the way commercial fishing operations operate and affect Alberta fisheries, fishery management budgets, angling desires and angling experiences. Hopefully this website will be a very informative conduit for engaging and energizing the angling public. It is hoped it will also remind the outdoor organizations to get active and get involved. Finally and publicly it is hoped the site will put focused, direct and sustained pressure to bear on the provincial government and the public servants to do the right thing. After all they are charged with the responsibility of protecting and conserving Alberta’s natural resources as the custodians of the provinces water sheds and fisheries.
Office politics should never over ride any political appointees or public servants responsibility to make ethical and resourceful decisions instead of leisurely following the system blindly or taking the path of least resistance. Blind obedience is never the high road to follow when an individual or party can enact real change in circumstances where they are rightfully aware of any questionable situation and they casually look the other way. That is not integrity or responsibility that is self preservation under pressure for selfish desires and the opposite of a democratic process. Friends of the Red Deer River have put the following information together with the assistance of Environment & Sustainable Resources Development so this is as accurate and factual as it gets for now.
There are currently 149 eligible commercial fishing operations legally able to operate in the province in 2012-2013.
If an individual is considered commercial operator (fisherman) it does not matter if they are and aboriginal or Metis, all commercial fishermen pay $500 for a zone license and $1 per net for a lake license. Both are required to commercially fish any water body. The only Exception to this is that there is a Metis Commercial Fishing License available at Utikuma and Gift Lakes at a Zone License cost of $25 plus $1 per net for a lake license. Indian/Domestic Subsistence fishing licenses are free. Aboriginal/Metis do not require a Sportfishing license however all other Sportfishing regulations apply.
Friends of the Red Deer River asked ESRD if either of these groups committed any efforts towards mitigating their impacts on public fishery Management budget allocations, fisheries in general, public waters or the angling publics overall angling experience. This is what we received as an answer in return. Commercial fisheries are zoned to avoid incidental catches of non-targeted sport fish species. Mesh sizes will vary to avoid sport fish and on Cold Lake and again on Newell Lake, trap nets are used in lieu of gill nets such that non-target sport fish species may be released if captured. Commercial fishermen and domestic license holders will meet with ESRD staff to consult on season openings and obtain information on quotas as well as tolerances on an annual basis.
The specific species they target are Lake Whitefish, Walleye and Pike. Most commercial operations (fisheries) target Lake Whitefish; there are a couple of Poke commercial operations (fisheries).
Quotas as they pertain to species and volume (limits) are assigned on a lake by lake basis, there are no individual limits. Quotas are assigned annually on a lake by lake basis likewise lakes are opened and/or closed based on a harvestable surplus of the target and sport fish populations. Therefore the total allowable harvest will change from year to year.
Click here for the total Allowable Harvest by species from all lakes for a three season period.
It is really heart breaking to see trout fisheries that were once great both flowing water and Stillwater deteriorate to a point where it is depressing to re-visit and fish them in 2012. It is a real disheartening experience when anglers go back with a faint hope and the reality is they just aren’t worth fishing any longer. It has gotten to the point where many accomplished anglers have had to give up the sport through sheer disappointment or if they have the funds they travel to other provinces to experience exciting fishing but it is costly. Only to see how much effort the province has put into Walleye fisheries and the commercial fishing operations as well as the welfare of aboriginal needs. If the province would put even half the effort into trout fisheries that they have Walleye, the commercial fishing industry and aboriginal fishing needs boy the province would have world class trout fisheries once again. The potential for world class trout fishing on both Stillwater’s and flowing waters in Alberta is waiting for the province to pick up what they let deteriorate back in the seventies.
According to several aging passionate and accomplished anglers out of the Hillcrest area whom a few of us met on Bullshead Reservoir the province has let several lakes in that area that use to once produce six to ten pound reservoirs disappear. I must personally say they were all in there early eighties and still fishing with a passion and had the will to push back it was heart warming and real impressive to say the least. What were once great Rainbow Trout Stillwater fisheries are now Walleye, Lake Whitefish and other sport fish waters. This has happened on other once great Trout still waters in other areas of Alberta as well. Have the trout fishermen lost their fortitude, their passion, their vision do we not even have the will put enough push back to reverse such a disappointing trend. There will be no better time than now our backs are against the wall lets push back a little with some resolve and energetic public pressure. We know there are many of you out there that love trout fishing as we do, let’s for once let the right people know we want some effort, funding and practical management for our trout fisheries as well. It is the only way to assure we will have quality consistent angling experiences into the future.