Quote:
Originally Posted by iliketrout
W101, that's the point. It is a healthy fishery and it should stay that way. As has been already posted on this thread, the Travers tourney date has been progressively getting earlier and earlier. Just from the SAWT website, you can pull out the dates from past tourneys.
June 17-18, 2006
June 16-17, 2007
June 14-15, 2008
June 13-14, 2009
May 15-16, 2010
May 28-29, 2011
As has been stated this is through no fault of SAWT as they are given the date when they get a license. The problem is that we have had a late spawn the last couple of years, and an early tournament which has many knowledgeable and skilled fisherman who have forgot more about Walleye fishing than many of us will ever know. So it's a perfect storm of guys who know how and when to catch fish, catching as many fish as possible, during their post-spawn recovery period.
So the fact that it may be a healthy fishery today does not mean that it won't be a healthy fishery in a couple of years if nothing is done to protect the vulnerable fish.
Do you have a degree in biology? Even if you do, have you done the amount of the data collection, test netting etc. that would be required to formulate an "educated" opinion on the fishery? If you answered no to any of the previous questions, then your opinion that there is no problem is no less speculation than any of the other opinions on here stating that there is a problem.
The fact that a regulation change is coming is enough proof to me that there is a problem.
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Another good post. It is concerning that the tournament dates are being pushed close and close to overlaping the spawn season (through now fault of the SAWT). Which is weird because the reason why the licences are being pushed is because the gov. bios issuing the licences say it is because of water temps. They dont want the tourneys happening in summer when higher water temps in livewells and stuff stress the fish...... forcing the tourneys to overlap post spawn seems like a step in the wrong direction IMO.
anyways very good post. But I would like to just quickly say that IMO, just because regs are changing doesnt mean the fishery is in jeopardy. Alberta SRD does have a history of making mistakes with regs and not always in best interest of the fishery. PCR for example, I would not call that a healthy fishery IMO. To me, saying because the regs are changing that means there is a problem is like saying I am stocking up on TP and canned corn because a commercial told me the world is going to end. one of those dont believe everything someone tells you type of thing.
Is the fishery in jeopardy? Maybe. Personally I wouldn't say it currently is, yet. But I think if it is not monitored and taken care of that it very well could be in years to come. I think the reg changes are not to rescue a fishery in trouble but to protect it for future and to ensure that the quality fishery does not decline