Following a recent meeting that drew more than 350 people, organizers want to see changes in fishing regulations for local lakes. A big change would be to open up the walleye catch limit.
Area anglers who want to eat some home-caught walleye next fishing season only have a few more days to have their voices heard.
Water bodies of the Lakeland area have a zero-catch limit on all walleye, and have for several years since the population of the fish species was reported to be in a drastic decline. Over the years, however, local anglers have said the regulation needs to be adjusted as the walleye populations have not only rebounded, but the fish are starting to disrupt other fish populations.
Area fisheries biologist Ray Makowecki organized a meeting last month and invited anglers, area politicians and any community members to have a say in the fishing regulations for area lakes. An October 15 deadline for written comments on the issue is fast-approaching, and Makowecki hopes the strong voices from the meeting will translate into written support he will take to the provincial government to lift the walleye restrictions.
Emotions ran high and anger and frustration at times spilled over as 350 to 400 people packed into Lac Bellevue hall, near St. Paul for the meeting in early. Anglers from across the northeast region and politicians such as Lac-La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills MLA Dave Hanson, Lac La Biche Mayor Omer Moghrabi, Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr, County of St. Paul Reeve Steve Upham, and Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland were all in attendance.
“We have to take everything from this meeting, and find a solution for these anglers,” said Makowecki, who is a former Fish and Wildlife biologist. He was one of three main drivers of the meeting. He said his hope was to see regulations change for next year, so people could go to a lake and catch a walleye to eat. “The no-limit situation is completely unacceptable, and change needs to happen soon.”
Several lakes across Alberta are still listed as collapsed walleye fisheries including Lac Bellevue, Lac La Biche lake, Moose Lake, Seibert Lake and Kehewin Lake among others, but many anglers believe the data to support that is very inaccurate. Many at the meeting presented stories of how they have travelled to several lakes listed as collapsed, and they are only able to catch walleye, a fish with a zero catch limit.
In a vote taken of the people in the room, there was unanimous consent that leaving the zero-catch limit on walleye was “not acceptable.” The anglers at the meeting believed that if regulations were properly adjusted, it would make it a little easier to control the ecosystems and fish populations.
Makowecki says that the majority of anglers are not concerned about catching a big fish, but rather do it as a sport and hobby, as well as for consumptive purposes.
“The anglers here want to leave the bigger fish in the water to breed, and they are happy to catch a smaller fish when they get to take it with them and eat it.”
Attendees at the meeting weren’ t only talking about walleye stocks, as several other topics relating to the regional fishing environment were addressed. The group was asked to provide suggestions for changes, and each one was voted on. Among the other supported suggestions was controlling the populations of predatory cormorant birds, improved habitats and protecting water levels, and finding ways to better communicate with Fish and Wildlife and other government representatives. Many in attendance said they have been voicing concerns to Fish and Wildlife officers about the walleye stocks and other concerns for several fishing seasons - but feel their concerns have not been acted on.
MLA David Hanson expressed his displeasure with a number of things that he heard at the meeting in regards to how the concerns of anglers are being handled.
“These issues need to be brought to light. Hearing these stories and other stories I’ ve heard its clear that Fish and Wildlife officers need a change of attitude. The current regulations are ridiculous and archaic. We all have to work together and fight to make change happen.”
While the anglers say they know that the walleye populations have rebounded, official counts by provincial staff are still required. The problem, say the anglers, is that the Fish and Wildlife counts also reduce fish stocks.
Hanson said the way fish are counted on lakes - they are netted and then destroyed by biologists -takes thousands of fish out of the lakes.
“There has to be a better way than wasting fish; with all of the technology we have today, there must be an alternative and it needs to be used.”
When Lac La Biche’ s Mayor looks out the window of his council chambers, he looks directly at a lake that has carried a zero-catch walleye restriction for too many years. He too thinks the process for counting the fish stocks needs to be addressed - along with the zero-limit status.
"The anglers are killing a lot less fish than the biologists ... is time for change to the regulations," said Moghrabi.
Makowecki says that after what he saw at the meeting, it is pretty clear what the anglers wanted, and organizers must sift through and interpret all the information, to find the best way to move forward.
“Clearly there is plenty of support from not only the anglers but the local governments as well,” he said. “We have all parties onside and we need to go to the government with a strategy and hopefully get a response.”
People wanting to have their voice heard can contact Makowecki at [email protected]. The plan is to document the most preferred recommendations from all responses and present them to the government in the upcoming weeks.
“A meeting is being requested with the Government of Alberta to discuss changes,” said Makowecki “It is hoped that the people will be able to catch and keep a walleye in all these lakes by April 1, 2017 when the next Alberta Fishing Regulations are updated.”
