WTHECK netting at Pigeon opening !!!!
 

Overheard a conversation in Thorsby yesterday. Commercial netting Pigeon going to happen THIS YEAR, like soon !!

Apparently the guy has his licence.

:mad2:

awesome
 

thats great news, now if we want a walleye from pigeon lake all we need to do is go down the local superstore and buy one for $18, I will save a ton of fuel.

are you serious??? !!!!!!:mad3::mad2::mad:

Isnt that nice. We can only keep walleye if we get an expensive tag, have to use barbless hooks yet they will allow netting on there. really makes you wonder what the point of these rules are when they open it up for netting.

Ok I thought this was a bunch of BS, especially after hearing right from the horse’s mouth (ASRD) that there will be no commercial fishing on Pigeon.
I made a phone call to ASRD and now they say yes there will be a commercial pull on Pigeon. :(
I guess nothing that ASRD says is written in stone.

Where's the Greenpeace and PETA freaks now? "Save the Walleye!" Seriously, why does something like netting still happen in this day and age? Makes a guy almost want to go vigilante.

PURE STUPIDITY. They can net them by the hunderds, I can't keep one in most lakes.

does anyone know the proper email address to send polite and well written emails showing our displeasure???

SRD personell?
Minister?
etc...

They will only be targeting Whitefish however there is always an incidental catch of Walleye and Pike and this Lake cannot sustain any incidental Pike harvest!!!

My e-mail and letter has already been sent!!! Note, written letters are more effective.

Honourable Mel Knight

Legislature Office
#404 Legislature Building
10800-97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
Canada T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 415-4815
Fax: (780) 415-4818
grandeprairie.smoky@assembly.ab.ca


Parliamentary Assistant Mr. Evan Berger

Legislature Office
#607 Legislature Annex
9718 107 Street NW
Edmonton, AB
Canada T5K 1E4
Phone: (780) 427-3001
Fax: (780) 415-0951

Good point, and thanks for doing something about it. Unfortunatley alot of people talk, write and make good arguements, but they have NO effect on a forum such as this.

If you'd like to make an impact, take your ideas, put them in an email or on a piece of paper and get it to the people outside this forum that can/should do something about it.

To those whom may think that sending an e-mail or letter has no effect, a few years back massive public out cry and public pressure reversed a decision where the lease agreement for land around and directly beneath Marie Lake was revoked. The oil company want to drilled under the Lake to gain access to the oil reserves that are directly beneath the Lake bed.

If you feel commercial fishing should be stopped on Pigeon Lake let your voice be heard. It can’t hurt.

Unfortunately you will be fighting against many locals around Pigeon Lake whom have traditionally commercially fished Pigeon and South Buck for many years. Mostly farmers whom have little interest in angling or conservation. The very few fishermen whom just want to make a few bucks and the rest whom just purchase the netted fish for dinner.

Hasn't there been a netting season on Pigeon for a long time? IIRC my Grandfather used to net on Pigeon at least 50 years ago.

thanks for the address...mine's already in...come on folks..it's as easy as typing a few lines on your computer and hitting send.

that might be the case, however just because it's been going on does not mean it should continue....

(in a general sense)

Screw the whitefish, they should target the walleyes....they could use a little thinning out in my opinion....

They shut it down completely a number of years ago. Don't know the exact number of years but 7 ish sounds about right.

Thanks Penner. I didn't realize they had shut down the season.

I dont think there are enough whitefish in there to fatten up them walleyes. Take away a bunch of whites and the walleye will get even skinnier:scared:

Letter
 

I just sent off my complaint letter.

Letter to Govt.
 

I as well sent my letter of grievance . But nothing would be better than

a mass protest on the day of netting ... Maybe invite PETA , they always

draw press and radio ... Netting any game fish in this province is absolutely

absurd ... Especially a forage fish like whitefish ...

A few years ago I was at Keho when the local hutterites netted for

whitefish , the so called incidental kill of pike and walleyes was pretty

heavy . I think a AO gathering on that day at the netting would be a good

idea .. If we could get some press coverage even better , the general

disregard for the resource here is so obvious . This is an insult to everyone

who buys an angling licence , belongs to a G&F club , takes an active interest in our natural resources. It flys in the face of what this govrnment

legislates and tells you is good policy .

W101 A.A.A. Alberta Angling Alliance..

u guys must not be the type who use the outdoors as a means to feed your family... my family has commercial fished on pigeon lake for 25 odd years... weve never once sold a single fish...we depend on such to feed our family... excuse us for not adheering to ur standards... we also shoot as many does as we can per year as allowed to feed our family... weve never trophy hunted in any way... if it was there it and it was a trophy it was shot... i think u need to take a closer look at the natives who net more than the locals who net....

When Pigeon lake fishing was at its peak, did they allow netting?

Deano

Pigeon Lake was historically commercial fished. The fishery was suspended several years ago. Not sure why. The target species was, and I'm sure is, whitefish. The incidental harvest of walleye and pike was managed by depth restrictions and mesh size of the nets. The incidental catch of those species is almost negligable. The tolerance limits placed on those species was very low. Once the tolerance was reached the fishery was closed (whether or not the whitefish quota was reached.)

I don't know about the status of Whitefish in Pigeon Lake but annual harvest from other lakes has shown to be benefitial to the whitefish population as a whole: faster growth rates, larger average size.

When someone says nets everyone gets up in arms! Perhaps we should educate ourselves before we jump to conclusions.

has anyone been on the lake in the summer? u cant look 50 yds without seeing a dead whitefish floating... and its been this way for 10 years... we target whites and any walleye or pike wich are fit are released... if u know how to set ur nets ur not gonna catch any pike at all....give ur head a shake!!!!

The problem was that Pigeon allowed 3 1/2" nets to target the Whitefish, South Buck had a 6" net rule for the Jumbo whites....all the years I commercial fished Buck we caight 0 Walleye and 1 BIG pike...at Pigeon before they shut it down (which is why they did) the whitefish/walleye count was about equal....wonder what happened to the Walleye fishery???? also u net 1 pike he'll roll up a 100 yards of net = no fish in it other than a 2# pike )3 1/2" net)

Pigeon Lake
 

This is nothing new. The government does what they want and when they want.

Hey, Mr.Uptight. How much does a commercial license cost? I heard a few years back it cost a few. How is it that a commercial license is, in your case, not being used for commercial purposes? Wouldn't you have to have proof of a market to sell your catch to get a license? Just a thought. You said you eat all you catch. Does not make sense. There should be selling of your catch involved. Otherwise buy an angling license and fish for your food recreationally. You have to buy a hunting license don't you. Natives can catch without a license for there own use. They can not sell. Lots of holes in this topic.

he said he lives a mile from Mulhurst...my suggestion is to go the other direction a mile , over the hill, and realize there's another world out there.....and you're right if anybody thinks you're making money on commercial fishing is living in a bubble...we sold them to the folks for 5 bucks each...might have averaged 15 each net for 3 nets...mmmmm...

Wow and guys say things dont get as heated in the fishing forum. Seems a little touchy over here. Wish I knew a little on this topic, could have some fun over here:evilgrin:
JJ
SG

same as all the other forums..."if u don't do what I think is right...you're a jerk"....no knowledge...just doesn't sound "right"..oh well... I hope I'm that smart when I get to be 25