can someone please explain

[ron maloney]

Lake Newal limits are 0 pike , 1 walleye if you can get a tag, yet is still open to commercial fishing, I don't understand the logic

[Magnet7mm]

Lots of lakes like that
Makes zero sense to me

[RavYak]

Lake Newal limits are 0 pike , 1 walleye if you can get a tag, yet is still open to commercial fishing, I don't understand the logic

Logic is simple, SRD will do anything to make a buck. This way they are "conserving" the lake but still making profit off of it... Who cares that it is at the sport fisherman's expense...

[huntsfurfish]

:sign0161:


I have little to no problem with that.

You can still fish.:)

You can still keep your limit of whitefish.

Thats what the commercial fishery is for.:)

[WayneChristie]

for the next 5 and more likely 10 years the Newell commercial fishery will be shut down when the incidental pike catch hits 200 kg. how long do you think the commercial guys will fish a lake that wont even cover their expenses? I think the new pike closures will be the end to commercial fishing in that lake. pretty much any puddle in the province holds pike if you want to eat one. maybe if less people took home their limit everytime they fished lakes wouldnt have to be managed by closures. Newell is going to be an awesome trophy pike fishery in the future because of this closure and the whitefish fishing will be getting better and better too with the quick shutdown

[Red Neck]

:)AAAAAAmen Wayne I could not agree more. Up north you can take Lake Wabaman as an example all though it was closed for a different reason. It has become an amazing fishery as a result of 0 keep limits. I understand the folks who need to eat fish they catch? but theirs lots of other options. I was "surveyed"5 times bye SRD on Wab this winter. they watch and count? :test:It would be a great job to bad I underestimated staying in school:mad0100:
Red Neck Out
:scared0018:

[pinelakeperch]

for the next 5 and more likely 10 years the Newell commercial fishery will be shut down when the incidental pike catch hits 200 kg. how long do you think the commercial guys will fish a lake that wont even cover their expenses? I think the new pike closures will be the end to commercial fishing in that lake. pretty much any puddle in the province holds pike if you want to eat one. maybe if less people took home their limit everytime they fished lakes wouldnt have to be managed by closures. Newell is going to be an awesome trophy pike fishery in the future because of this closure and the whitefish fishing will be getting better and better too with the quick shutdown

Yup, I don't know how many times I've seen half a dozen pike lined up on the ice or on a stringer at the marina. I'd also argue that it is already a trophy pike fishery.

[pikergolf]

Whitefish are a very underutilized resource, don't know why the guys that want to eat fish don't target them, you can keep 10 for pete's sake.

[RavYak]

Whitefish are a very underutilized resource, don't know why the guys that want to eat fish don't target them, you can keep 10 for pete's sake.

Most people don't know how to find/catch them.

[WayneChristie]

Yup, I don't know how many times I've seen half a dozen pike lined up on the ice or on a stringer at the marina. I'd also argue that it is already a trophy pike fishery.

at the fisheries meeting the biologist thinks there may be as few as 10 or thereabouts trophy size pike left in there. I dont think anyone who fishes it agrees but if it gets us a local trophy lake Im happy with the closure and we didnt have to dump railtankers full of oil into the lake to set it up

[ron maloney]

Yup, I don't know how many times I've seen half a dozen pike lined up on the ice or on a stringer at the marina. I'd also argue that it is already a trophy pike fishery.

There is a number limit and a size limit for the sport fishermen , the four or five boats I've seen out there on a given day can't be hurting the population too greatly.

[Red Bullets]

Logic is simple, SRD will do anything to make a buck. This way they are "conserving" the lake but still making profit off of it... Who cares that it is at the sport fisherman's expense...

I am merely objectively saying...not causing waves.

The fish in alberta are a resource that are not exclusive to the sport fisherman.

Commercial fishing has been a tradition in Alberta for a couple hundred years. Just as traditional as sport fishing. Did you know that Alberta fish are known and served in other countries. People in New York or Europe will see "pigeon lake whitefish" or "Alberta walleye" on the menu.

And unfortunately Alberta's focus is based on money and finances. They will sell anything for a buck. I think it is the huge population increase of people coming to Alberta and new anglers that are stressing the fisheries more than the nets.

[Red Bullets]

:)AAAAAAmen Wayne I could not agree more. Up north you can take Lake Wabaman as an example all though it was closed for a different reason. It has become an amazing fishery as a result of 0 keep limits. I understand the folks who need to eat fish they catch? but theirs lots of other options. I was "surveyed"5 times bye SRD on Wab this winter. they watch and count? :test:It would be a great job to bad I underestimated staying in school:mad0100:
Red Neck Out
:scared0018:

Just seeing the irony of it all....

The other option for eating fish would be what?:thinking-006:

Buy commercial caught fish? From another province and is 3 days old by the time it gets here? Or frozen fishsticks that were processed in china?

[SCHOOCH]

I love the fact that the commercial guys have to shut it down after 200 kg.....1st time out with the nets will do that!!!! I like that there is a zero retention on pike also, i only catch and release regardless and there are lakes everywhere that you can take home a pike if you wish.

[Gators]

A trophy lake in Southern Alberta is a great idea. I can't wait for the pike population in Newell to recover. I love seeing the Big pike caught in Wabamun. Unfortunately the small lakes around Newell are going to get an increase in fishing pressure and a greater harvest of pike will cause a collapse in these fisheries as we'll. It's time to reduce the catch limit to one pike over 63cm in PP1. Makes no sense to allow commercial fishing in a collapsed fishery.

[EP2]

Whitefish are a very underutilized resource, don't know why the guys that want to eat fish don't target them, you can keep 10 for pete's sake.

You used to be able to keep 10 burbot too...

[pikergolf]

You used to be able to keep 10 burbot too...

There have always been and will always be more pounds of bug eating fish than fish eating fish in a given system. The whites can stand the pressure better than a predator.

[Red Bullets]

You used to be able to keep 10 burbot too...

Used to be people treated them like suckers.
At Pigeon lake I remember seeing piles of lingcod that were caught and left on the ice by anglers.

[AppleJax]

Logic is simple, SRD will do anything to make a buck. This way they are "conserving" the lake but still making profit off of it... Who cares that it is at the sport fisherman's expense...

You got it wrong Tyler... SRD doesnt make money off commercial netting. They target Whitefish and bycatch is extremely minimal. Whitefish are very abundant. Lots of misinformation and lack of understanding about how commercial netting works in this province.... Its the other people that net that should be frowned upon.

[Couleestalker]

Used to be people treated them like suckers.
At Pigeon lake I remember seeing piles of lingcod that were caught and left on the ice by anglers.

Not saying its right, but you can still go out catch your 10 burbot and leave them in a pile to rot.

[Habfan]

You got it wrong Tyler... SRD doesnt make money off commercial netting. They target Whitefish and bycatch is extremely minimal. Whitefish are very abundant. Lots of misinformation and lack of understanding about how commercial netting works in this province.... Its the other people that net that should be frowned upon.

Commercial fisherman are paying for licences, money goes to who then ?

[AppleJax]

Same place your fishing license money goes....

[Winch101]

The Conservative mismanagement of all departments runs through out
The entire Government . Every portfolio you can name it is a complete disaster
So why not the SRD . The sad part is that the government in waiting have
Even less of a clue ....so your screwed . The Rose is just waiting for the Tories
To totally blow up ,but they don't have a plan .
You have jobs ,isn't that enough ,how dare you complain about bad
Health care ,bad wildlife management , decrepit infrastructure , crooked
Premiers , ....you expect too much . 40 yrs you rode the gravy train ....
Now a wreck .
Netters government official cronies , a tradition what a crock. I spent
Quite a bit of time watching those buffoons at mcgregor ,last year ...
Over 3 days I never saw them checked by F&W . I went over to have a look
And they freaked totally . Wouldn't let me any where near those boats .
Another scandal in the making .

This Conservative Government is more like communist regime than
A democratic body . The average citizen totally in the dark about what
Transpires between the Govt and their lackeys . Even worse at the federal
Level ....Tories hell bent on squashing all freedom of information .
You'll be dropping a major load when the total verdict is in on this
Senate B S . Their all on the take .


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/04/many_canadian_senators_make_money_outside_the_sena te.html

[JohninAB]

Some should read the fisheries policy for Alberta. Outlines the priorities in there.

[RavYak]

Same place your fishing license money goes....

Come on AJ, you can say it louder then that ;).

Commercial fishermen pay $500 plus $1 per net(or did in 2012). If you shut them down they don't pay anything. If you reduce sportfishing regulations on one lake you lose next to no sport fishermen. Pretty easy to see why SRD chooses this method...

[fish99]

The Conservative mismanagement of all departments runs through out
The entire Government . Every portfolio you can name it is a complete disaster
So why not the SRD . The sad part is that the government in waiting have
Even less of a clue ....so your screwed . The Rose is just waiting for the Tories
To totally blow up ,but they don't have a plan .
You have jobs ,isn't that enough ,how dare you complain about bad
Health care ,bad wildlife management , decrepit infrastructure , crooked
Premiers , ....you expect too much . 40 yrs you rode the gravy train ....
Now a wreck .
Netters government official cronies , a tradition what a crock. I spent
Quite a bit of time watching those buffoons at mcgregor ,last year ...
Over 3 days I never saw them checked by F&W . I went over to have a look
And they freaked totally . Wouldn't let me any where near those boats .
Another scandal in the making .

This Conservative Government is more like communist regime than
A democratic body . The average citizen totally in the dark about what
Transpires between the Govt and their lackeys . Even worse at the federal
Level ....Tories hell bent on squashing all freedom of information .
You'll be dropping a major load when the total verdict is in on this
Senate B S . Their all on the take .


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/04/many_canadian_senators_make_money_outside_the_sena te.html

I was told that fish and wildlife officers were to be present when net fishing was going on due to the by catch that would shut it down if exceeded.

[Red Bullets]

Not saying its right, but you can still go out catch your 10 burbot and leave them in a pile to rot.

Not to sidetrack the thread. Just to clarify...

Lingcod are now considered a sportfish in Alberta and cannot be wasted or left on the ice.

[WayneChristie]

Not to sidetrack the thread. Just to clarify...

Lingcod are now considered a sportfish in Alberta and cannot be wasted or left on the ice.

read your regs. unfortunately they can

[The Reel Deal]

read your regs. unfortunately they can

X2

[The Reel Deal]

:1041::1041::1041:

[Geezle]

Wow, the misinformation in this thread is astounding! :budo:

[Couleestalker]

General Sportfishing Restrictions

It Is Unlawful To:

Use more than one line when angling into open water.
Use more than two lines when angling into ice-covered water.
While angling be further than 30 m from any line in the water.
Use a line in angling equipped with more than three hooks (e.g., three hooks, or three single-hook lures, or one three-hook lure).
Use a lure in angling with more than three hooks as part of it.
Use a hook with more than three points on a common shaft (see Important Definitions).
Release live fish or live fish eggs into any waters except back to the waters from which they were caught.
Possess live crayfish.
Possess live bait fish.
Possess live game fish– unless the fish have been lawfully caught by angling and are within 5 metres of the waters from which they were caught.
Use live fish for bait.
Set out or use bait to attract fish unless it is attached to a hook used in angling.
Use scented lures or scented weights where bait bans are in effect.
Fish by snagging.
Possess fish taken by snagging.
Possess a snagging device (such as a gaff or gaff hook) while angling.
Use gaffs, gaff hooks or spring-loaded hooks (spring-loaded hooks incorporate a device that snags/traps/holds the fish).
Use snares, firearms, or any device to attract, stun or kill fish by causing an explosion or electrical current in the water.
Use lights to sportfish unless the light is attached to a hook or line used in angling. This includes visible lights that are emitted by underwater cameras.
Clean fish for transport home in a manner that is not authorized. (see Cleaning and Transporting Fish.)
Additional Restrictions:

The edible flesh of legally kept game fish must not be wasted, destroyed, spoiled or abandoned (this does not apply to burbot).
Fish must not be removed from, or disturbed in, any facility or structure designed to capture, hold or facilitate the passage of fish. Fishing is prohibited by any method within 25 yards (22.86 m) downstream of the lower entrance of any fishway, canal, obstacle or leap. Weirs and dams are considered obstacles.
NOTE: Fishways, fish ladders, impoundment nets, fish traps and other similar structures are set up to assist in the management or the study of fisheries, or to allow the passage of fish.
Angling is not permitted through the ice: a) into beaver ponds or b) into flowing waters in Zone 1 (Eastern Slopes Zone).
Important points:

Tributaries to a lake have the same regulations as the outlet stream from the lake unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
Stream regulations do not apply to a lake or reservoir unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
The same regulations apply to beaver ponds as apply to the streams in which the ponds are found.

[Winch101]

Xcellent ,I am writing this AM ..

We should suggest that the govt disclose the revenue to them from
Commercial licence in Alberta , then raise the sport fishing licence cost
To offset the loss in revenue when commercial fishing is closed permanently .

No Walleye , or Pike should be kept by netting .

[huntsfurfish]

Double :sign0161:

Yup cant be sportsfishermen as the cause.

Best blame commercial fishing.

[kevinhits]

The only way commercial fishing will stop or have it's impact reduced is if people stand up and be counted. I suggest that people who haven't done so already, take the minute or so that it takes to contact esrd, to make your view known, that way things can be changed. The more people that do this, the more likely things are to change:

esrd.info-centre@gov.ab.ca

I did this a few weeks ago, and this is the response I got (note I've deleted the telephone and email address for privacy reasons):


-----
Thanks for your email. The Province is experiencing significant issues with respect to the management of commercial fishing, and the lakes which you reference below are but two of several that are being evaluated in terms of commercial allocation and sustainability of fisheries for a variety of stakeholders. In October of 2012, an independent, third-party review of commercial fishing on 12 lakes in Zone E (NW AB)was completed by Dr. Peter Colby of Ontario, who not long ago completed a sustainability review of commercial fishing on Lake Winnipeg. In his review, Dr. Colby identified three options to help mitigate conflicts in Alberta: 1) maintain status quo (unsustainable) 2) manage for very tight tolerances using realistic quotas, use by-catch avoiding gear such as trap nets and buy-out commercial operators that do not wish to abide by those regulations or 3) close unsustainable commercial fisheries. Our Department has accepted the Colby report and is currently re-evaluating the policy for the management of commercial fisheries on a provincial basis and evaluating the options by which the system will be changed. We will do so in consultation with stakeholders such as yourself and with commercial fishermen. In the meantime, the commercial sport-fish tolerance for Newell lake has been reduced (fewer sportfish allowed to be harvested), and I suspect that regional biologists will be evaluating similar options for Travers. Please email me directly from time to time to get progress updates.

Thanks,

Matt


Matt Besko
Senior Fish and Wildlife Manager and Head, Fisheries Management Policy
Fish and Wildlife Policy Branch
Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
2nd Floor, 9920-108 St., Edmonton, AB, Canada
T5K 2M4
Office: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX
XXX@gov.ab.ca

Kudos to you for taking the initative to write ESRD but the fact remains...Nothing is ever done about it till it is too late....Why does it take so long to get anything implemented...Ie. Burbot reduction at PCR...

As far as I am concerned, all we get is smoke blown up our buts just like the response from Matt...

[Red Bullets]

Thank you all for clarifying that it is legal to waste lingcod. I stand corrected. I thought because burbot are considered a gamefish a person could not waste them. Sort of sad to see them wasted.

[WayneChristie]

Thank you all for clarifying that it is legal to waste lingcod. I stand corrected. I thought because burbot are considered a gamefish a person could not waste them. Sort of sad to see them wasted.

I agree 100% I think the regulations need to be changed, and we as fishermen and women need to make our voices heard to bring about that change.

[KegRiver]

I agree that Burbot should not be left to rot. It makes on sense.

If they were an introduced species, especially a invasive introduced species, perhaps it would make sense. If they were a problem species, crowding out other species, or a major predator of other species, and plentiful on top of that then maybe it wouldn't be so offensive.

But so far as I know Burbot are a native species, I don't seem to be especially plentiful and although they are a predatory species, so far as I know they aren't a significant predator of any other species.

I just don't see the harm in returning them to the water and if there is no harm in releasing them then to me it makes zero sense to leave them to rot.

Either use them in some way or return them to the water they came from.

My personal preference is to take them home and eat them.

Waste not want not. I find them to be good eating. And besides what difference does how they look make. Cooked up they look like any other fish cooked.

How they look is such a shallow excuse for wasting them.

[Alberta_bassman]

lol people dont think lake newell has no fish lol i caught massive pike .. the best ice fishing year was just last winter .. 32lbs ,x2 26lbs x4 20-22 lbs .. all summer you can go there and catch so many pike in one day.. between 2-10 lbs you dont have any paint left on the spoon .catch the odd 10 plus .. like for real .. every cast ur suppose to catch a big one like what a joke .. i am glad not many people can catch em .. that leaves em in there .that is true lots and lots of people catch 10 plus instant keep thats the sadd part people dont know how big of a deal it is to keep a fish like that it plays a big part in the next generation of fish .it is also sadd the average walleye is bigger then the average pike caught . lake newell is really good still and always will be ...
i lived in brooks for 12 years and fished lake newell alot ..
:shark:

[Lefty-Canuck]

I agree 100% I think the regulations need to be changed, and we as fishermen and women need to make our voices heard to bring about that change.

Agreed....and I will go so far as to suggest that those who do waste burbot are not true sportsmen...I was taught to release what I didn't want to keep.

LC

[kevinhits]

lol people dont think lake newell has no fish lol i caught massive pike .. the best ice fishing year was just last winter .. 32lbs ,x2 26lbs x4 20-22 lbs .. all summer you can go there and catch so many pike in one day.. between 2-10 lbs you dont have any paint left on the spoon .catch the odd 10 plus .. like for real .. every cast ur suppose to catch a big one like what a joke .. i am glad not many people can catch em .. that leaves em in there .that is true lots and lots of people catch 10 plus instant keep thats the sadd part people dont know how big of a deal it is to keep a fish like that it plays a big part in the next generation of fish .it is also sadd the average walleye is bigger then the average pike caught . lake newell is really good still and always will be ...
i lived in brooks for 12 years and fished lake newell alot ..
:shark:

They serve decaf coffee too:bad_boys_20:

[Habfan]

lol people dont think lake newell has no fish lol i caught massive pike .. the best ice fishing year was just last winter .. 32lbs ,x2 26lbs x4 20-22 lbs .. all summer you can go there and catch so many pike in one day.. between 2-10 lbs you dont have any paint left on the spoon .catch the odd 10 plus .. like for real .. every cast ur suppose to catch a big one like what a joke .. i am glad not many people can catch em .. that leaves em in there .that is true lots and lots of people catch 10 plus instant keep thats the sadd part people dont know how big of a deal it is to keep a fish like that it plays a big part in the next generation of fish .it is also sadd the average walleye is bigger then the average pike caught . lake newell is really good still and always will be ...
i lived in brooks for 12 years and fished lake newell alot ..
:shark:
How come your pike tally is only 17 ? Do you only count ones over 20 lbs ?:thinking-006:

[kevinhits]

How come your pike tally is only 17 ? Do you only count ones over 20 lbs ?:thinking-006:

Hasn't updated his count...It says from 2012:)

[rafhone]

from what I seen and heard last ice on newell, the whitefish population is healthier. more large whites swimming in groups again. i think the early closure of the fall netting showed immediate results.

the locals are concerned about the lake and haven't taken it lieing down. policy is changing. good on everyone for standing up for your fishery!

[packhuntr]

from what I seen and heard last ice on newell, the whitefish population is healthier. more large whites swimming in groups again. i think the early closure of the fall netting showed immediate results.

the locals are concerned about the lake and haven't taken it lieing down. policy is changing. good on everyone for standing up for your fishery!

Lol. Except the "locals" arent happy. They want to kill
pike like they "always have". There are fingers being pointed at commerial guys for the damage theve apparently done, and huge uproar in protest of commercial fishing, yet as usual,, no one will admit where responsibility really lies,,, directly in the hands of the resident sport angler. Go figure eh lol. History has a way of repeating itself. First we destroy the old world, now this side of the ponds turn lol. Take take take, right on!

[WayneChristie]

Lol. Except the "locals" arent happy. They want to kill
pike like they "always have". There are fingers being pointed at commerial guys for the damage theve apparently done, and huge uproar in protest of commercial fishing, yet as usual,, no one will admit where responsibility really lies,,, directly in the hands of the resident sport angler. Go figure eh lol. History has a way of repeating itself. First we destroy the old world, now this side of the ponds turn lol. Take take take, right on!

thanks for another of your valuable contributions! being one of the local anglers, and fishing with a lot of non local anglers I dont see many pike being taken home
and definitely not the class that is supposedly missing from the lake. just curious, did that 30 pounder you caught go home to the freezer or was it released for someone else to catch?