Would you like to see more species stocked in Alberta?

[The Fisherman Guy]

Looking at the number of species and volume of fish stocked in Alberta, it pales in comparison to our neighbors to the West and South who have much larger numbers of fish stocked into their lakes, creating more angling opportunities for recreational anglers.

Taking a look at the numbers:

Quoted from: AFMRT-Solutions to increase angling oppportunity

Montana's Fish Culture Program

• 10 hatcheries
•45 million warm water species
• 8.4 million cold water species
• 836 lakes stocked
• 23 streams stocked
• Westslope cutthroat trout
• Yellowstone cutthroat trout
• Rainbow trout (8 brood stocks)
• Brook trout (2 brood stocks)
• Golden trout
• Brown trout
• Lake trout
• Kokanee
• Chinook salmon
• Arctic grayling (5 brood stocks)
• Largemouth bass
• Smallmouth bass
• Walleye
• Sauger
• Channel catfish
• Northern pike
• Tiger muskellunge
• Pallid sturgeon

British Columbia's Fish Culture Program

• 5 major hatcheries
• 2 conservation culture facilities
• 800 lakes and streams stocked
• Over 8 million coldwater species stocked
• Stocking includes catchables and triploids
• Anadromous cutthroat trout
• Coastal cutthroat trout
• Westslope cutthroat trout
• Rainbow trout (4 strains)
• Steelhead trout
• Eastern brook trout
• Kokanee
• White sturgeon

Alberta's Fish Culture Program

•2 hatcheries
• 2 brood stations
• 220+ waterbodies
• 2.2 million coldwater species stocked
• Live transfers warmwater species only at present
• Rainbow Trout
• Brown Trout
• Brook trout
• Cutthroat trout (every 2 years)
• Bull trout (every 4 years)
• Arctic grayling (every 4 years)
• Primarily AESRD but some ACA involvement

Pretty shocking indeed, considering Montana has a population of 1.015 million people (2013) in comparison to 4.025 million people calling Alberta home (2013). Combined with $331.9 billion of Alberta GDP in 2013, compared to a mere $44 billion GDP in Montana posted in 2013, it would appear that recreational fishing is not a top priority in Alberta.

However, out of the ~4 million people in Alberta, only 266,598 Alberta residents purchased fishing licenses in 2013, whereas in the same in year in Montana - 393,126 residents purchased fishing licenses. That accounts for approximately 38.7% of the residents in Montana holding a valid fishing license, in comparison to 6.6% of Alberta residents in the same year. What is haunting still, license sales in Alberta have dropped in 2013 from 2012 despite the population increasing.

However word on the street is that Tiger Trout may be stocked in several Alberta lakes in 2015. The fish will be sterile hybrids, much like the Tiger Trout stocked in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Nothing is for certain yet, however if this becomes a reality, it would be another significant step forward in Alberta's stocking program and recreational angling opportunities following last years closing of the Alberta commercial fishing industry on August 1, 2014.

Are we headed in the right direction with additional species to be stocked into Alberta waters?

[Talking moose]

No. Let them figure out how to manage our native species before they put their effort and limited funds into non native species!

[EZM]

I would say, yes, it would be nice to have some additional species to catch and enjoy HOWEVER I wouldn't support it if it came at a cost of some of our native species such as our westslope cutthroat trout or bull trout (as some examples).

Both of these native species are in serious risk of extirpation due to not native species being introduced into their native watersheds.

Many of the species we fish for, and place great value in, are not native species ..... rainbow trout, brown trout etc.....

http://esrd.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife...-A-Mar2013.pdf

As long as the impact is studied, risks are assessed, the watershed is isolated, or the stock is 3N (sterile triploids) I wouldn't have an issue.

[the local angler]

i agree with the assessment and also wish they would stock other species, for me it would be crappies, sunfish bluegills assorted pan fish. i keep wondering why they stock trout that can't reproduce even though some say they need running water for the eggs to survive. i read on another post about some places that do a spring stocking of fish and then again in the fall. alberta should try this instead of two stockings in the spring.

[Okotokian]

So nearly 40% of Montanans buy fishing licenses compared to around 5% of albertans. There is your answer right there. Should we drastically expand the stocking program? No. Most albertans have no interest in spending more money.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

So nearly 40% of Montanans buy fishing licenses compared to around 5% of albertans. There is your answer right there. Should we drastically expand the stocking program? No. Most albertans have no interest in spending more money.

And ..... that % may relate to votes ......... satisfy the interest groups with the big impact on votes and you will be fine .......(unless you're a fascist, then it doesn't matter).

[TUFFBUFF]

I'd like to see Splake and Tiger Trout. I read somewhere that there's Tigers at Cold Lake but they my have to kill them this year if can't get the ok to put them somewhere.
As for sunfish, they are super fun to catch and enjoyable. Don't know where you'd put them though, somewhere in S Ab.

I'm all for preserving the Atha bows, Bull trout and Grayling so no flowing water, bad enough with those browns in the Bow

[honda450]

No way. Why bring more invasive species into this province to threaten our native species. Have not we already seen this?

[glen1971]

In 2007 Alberta stocked 53,889,300 fish of 7 species in 268 bodies of water with 50,430,000 Walleye...

In 2008, it was 46,230,450 fish of 8 species in 296 bodies of water with 42,940,000 Walleye.. They added Yellow Perch..

In 2009, it was 55,231,401 fish of 10 species in 257 bodies of water with 52,080,000 Walleye.. Dropping Golden Trout and adding pike...

In 2010, it was 20,824,500 fish of 7 species in 242 bodies of water with 18,100,000 Walleye.. Dropping Arctic Graying, Grass Carp, Pike and Perch... They did add Golden Trout back for 400...

In 2011, it was 29,982,400 fish of 5 species in 242 bodies of water with 27,760,000 Walleye.. Dropping Bull and Golden Trout...

In 2012, it was 8,562,700 fish of 5 species in 250 bodies of water with 6,490,000 Walleye.. They dropped Cutthroat and added Arctic Grayling..

In 2013, it was 1,908,420 fish of species in 243 bodies of water with 520 Walleye.. They added Cutthroat back...

In 2014, it was 2,051,364 trout species in 222 bodies of water and 5,211,043 Walleye. They dropped Arctic Grayling...


Basically they filled up Lac La Biche with Walleye and have moved on to Wabamun... The trout stocking has dropped off considerably and have dropped quite a few lakes off the list of being stocked... I'd think if Bull Trout were that bad off they might want to be stocking more of them... Maybe more Golden Trout...

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by the local angler

i agree with the assessment and also wish they would stock other species, for me it would be crappies, sunfish bluegills assorted pan fish. i keep wondering why they stock trout that can't reproduce even though some say they need running water for the eggs to survive. i read on another post about some places that do a spring stocking of fish and then again in the fall. alberta should try this instead of two stockings in the spring.

X2 I too would like more panfish in the stocked waters.

Alberta does do some fall stocking in some places.
http://mywildalberta.com/Fishing/doc...Oct14-2014.pdf

[EZM]

10-15 years ago all of us were whining about the lack of walleye ..... so the SRD went hard on stocking walleye .....

Now we are complaining about the amount of Walleye we are stocking and the damage it's doing to Pigeon, St.Anne, Wabamun etc....

I'm not innocent either ..... lol ..... I might have been whining too ....

Poor SRD can't do anything right despite itself !!!!

[.270fan]

I'd love the chance to catch largemouth bass in Alberta
Not sure how plausible that is but I figure that maybe in some southern reservoir or ponds

[Bhflyfisher]

Same guys who want more fish stocked are the same guys who bitch about license costs going up and what you most don't realize, is keeping 5 6" trout out of a stocked pond is costing SRD more then growing the fewer fish naturally once they've been put in. Doing ourselves more harm then good by wasting the little money that SRD does have, by whacking all the the "catchables" months after they've been put in.

Not necessarily saying thats the case in montana, but BC freshwater is double, almost triple (with steelhead stamp) our license costs here. Even Saskatchewan's trout fisheries are a world ahead of Alberta's as far as stocked fisheries go. I gladly pay the 65 dollars it is for an annual in sask and the 80-100 it is for the BC license. The fisheries are simply better, because they have more $ at their disposal. The one thing Alberta is limited to, is the fish sustaining water bodies (deep enough to over winter fish through our harsh winters) that other provinces have. Its tough to compete with other provinces. However that is "easily" fixed should they decide to up license costs.

There is some pretty phenomenal trout fisheries 3-5 hours east from Edmonton, and 5-6 hours west. Its absolutely ridiculous how crossing the border is the difference maker.

3 things that need to be changed.

1. Our stocked trout fisheries need to have their limits dropped, so that our fish can grow bigger and the people who want to keep fish, can keep fewer bigger fish. (Perhaps from 5 -> 3 or even 2 over/under a certain size so that a real meal can be had by those wanting muddy tasting trout)

2. License costs need to go up, in order to support further stocking and lake management (aeration in our sloughs).

3. Coupled with license costs going up. More enforcement is needed so that lakes will be more closely monitored, and so people will follow rules in our stocked fisheries and our "wild" fisheries.

You could probably jump on me and call me out saying I'm just another fly fisher who is solely catch and release minded, but that is not entirely true. There is definitely a place for sustainable catch and keep fisheries in our province, but our fisheries and SRD need more help than they're getting.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Not necessarily saying thats the case in montana, but BC freshwater is double, almost triple (with steelhead stamp) our license costs here. Even Saskatchewan's trout fisheries are a world ahead of Alberta's as far as stocked fisheries go. I gladly pay the 65 dollars it is for an annual in sask and the 80-100 it is for the BC license. The fisheries are simply better, because they have more $ at their disposal. The one thing Alberta is limited to, is the fish sustaining water bodies (deep enough to over winter fish through our harsh winters) that other provinces have. Its tough to compete with other provinces. However that is "easily" fixed should they decide to up license costs.

There is some pretty phenomenal trout fisheries 3-5 hours east from Edmonton, and 5-6 hours west. Its absolutely ridiculous how crossing the border is the difference maker.

3 things that need to be changed.

1. Our stocked trout fisheries need to have their limits dropped, so that our fish can grow bigger and the people who want to keep fish, can keep fewer bigger fish. (Perhaps from 5 -> 3 or even 2 over/under a certain size so that a real meal can be had by those wanting muddy tasting trout)

2. License costs need to go up, in order to support further stocking and lake management (aeration in our sloughs).

3. Coupled with license costs going up. More enforcement is needed so that lakes will be more closely monitored, and so people will follow rules in our stocked fisheries and our "wild" fisheries.

You could probably jump on me and call me out saying I'm just another fly fisher who is solely catch and release minded, but that is not entirely true. There is definitely a place for sustainable catch and keep fisheries in our province, but our fisheries and SRD need more help than they're getting.

Fantastic post, thank you for your input.

I agree wholeheartedly; I would pay triple the license cost if it meant:

More:

-Enforcement
-Management
-Studies on: native species, habitat, environment & species diversification


Enforcement is a big one. It's terrible to constantly witness poaching, littering and general disrespect to our wildlife resources.

As for your fly fisherman comment on catch and release, I do not disagree. I do not see ANY reason why one legal angler should retain 3 or 5 stocked fish instead of 1. Taking 5 fish from a lake with a limited amount of fish in it, only reduces the opportunity for another angler to take home just 1 - like a child looking for their first fish.

[stinkynuts]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

No. Let them figure out how to manage our native species before they put their effort and limited funds into non native species!

You hit the nail right on the head

[AlbertaCutthroat]

Originally Posted by stinkynuts

You hit the nail right on the head

Stocking additional species and adding opportunity benefits native species, it removes pressure from sensitive fisheries and draws attention from other areas receiving too much pressure.

There have been some developments in Alberta in the hatchery front but other areas are being cut. Word is golden's will not be supplemented any longer as one of the area managers wants to manage strictly for native fish. SRD has been developing a brood stock for Athabasca Rainbows which is cool, i wonder if it will be delayed due to low oil prices though. The tiger rumors are also promising, could be useful in controlling invasive species which are able to reproduce.

I also see sunfish mentioned, problem with them is they can spawn and take over ponds just like perch. Would be far too expensive to insure all are confirmed triploid (This has happened in Alberta and the only thing that fixed the ponds was some really harsh winters).

Hatcheries and managing native species should not be seen as competing objectives, they can indeed compliment one another especially in a province with so few natural lakes.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCutthroat

Stocking additional species and adding opportunity benefits native species, it removes pressure from sensitive fisheries and draws attention from other areas receiving too much pressure.

There have been some developments in Alberta in the hatchery front but other areas are being cut. Word is golden's will not be supplemented any longer as one of the area managers wants to manage strictly for native fish. SRD has been developing a brood stock for Athabasca Rainbows which is cool, i wonder if it will be delayed due to low oil prices though. The tiger rumors are also promising, could be useful in controlling invasive species which are able to reproduce.

I also see sunfish mentioned, problem with them is they can spawn and take over ponds just like perch. Would be far too expensive to insure all are confirmed triploid (This has happened in Alberta and the only thing that fixed the ponds was some really harsh winters).

Hatcheries and managing native species should not be seen as competing objectives, they can indeed compliment one another especially in a province with so few natural lakes.

Good post .....

Regarding your first paragraph, I agree as long as those non-native species are not stocked in the same waters as the native species we want to protect. If guys are out there keeping rainbows for the table and letting cuts swim .... that's fine with me.

The non native introduced rainbow trout introductions have all but decimated the native westslope cuts. They have interbred with cuts, providing a dominant gene, and seem to be better able to compete for forage and habitat pushing the cuts to near extrapolation in many areas.

There are many examples ...... this is just one of mis-mangement (years ago and before my time).

I am confident we have learned from our mistakes in stocking. At least regarding the introduction of non-native species into sensitive watersheds where native species are present.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

So nearly 40% of Montanans buy fishing licenses compared to around 5% of albertans. There is your answer right there. Should we drastically expand the stocking program? No. Most albertans have no interest in spending more money.

Beat me to it. Agree.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by EZM

10-15 years ago all of us were whining about the lack of walleye ..... so the SRD went hard on stocking walleye .....

Now we are complaining about the amount of Walleye we are stocking and the damage it's doing to Pigeon, St.Anne, Wabamun etc....

I'm not innocent either ..... lol ..... I might have been whining too ....

Poor SRD can't do anything right despite itself !!!!

I agree EZM.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Same guys who want more fish stocked are the same guys who bitch about license costs going up and what you most don't realize, is keeping 5 6" trout out of a stocked pond is costing SRD more then growing the fewer fish naturally once they've been put in. Doing ourselves more harm then good by wasting the little money that SRD does have, by whacking all the the "catchables" months after they've been put in.

Not necessarily saying thats the case in montana, but BC freshwater is double, almost triple (with steelhead stamp) our license costs here. Even Saskatchewan's trout fisheries are a world ahead of Alberta's as far as stocked fisheries go. I gladly pay the 65 dollars it is for an annual in sask and the 80-100 it is for the BC license. The fisheries are simply better, because they have more $ at their disposal. The one thing Alberta is limited to, is the fish sustaining water bodies (deep enough to over winter fish through our harsh winters) that other provinces have. Its tough to compete with other provinces. However that is "easily" fixed should they decide to up license costs.

There is some pretty phenomenal trout fisheries 3-5 hours east from Edmonton, and 5-6 hours west. Its absolutely ridiculous how crossing the border is the difference maker.

3 things that need to be changed.

1. Our stocked trout fisheries need to have their limits dropped, so that our fish can grow bigger and the people who want to keep fish, can keep fewer bigger fish. (Perhaps from 5 -> 3 or even 2 over/under a certain size so that a real meal can be had by those wanting muddy tasting trout)

2. License costs need to go up, in order to support further stocking and lake management (aeration in our sloughs).

3. Coupled with license costs going up. More enforcement is needed so that lakes will be more closely monitored, and so people will follow rules in our stocked fisheries and our "wild" fisheries.

You could probably jump on me and call me out saying I'm just another fly fisher who is solely catch and release minded, but that is not entirely true. There is definitely a place for sustainable catch and keep fisheries in our province, but our fisheries and SRD need more help than they're getting.

Very well said!

[iliketrout]

The real issue is the lack of funding. Since license costs and revenues from fines now goes into general revenue, unfortunately paying more for a license does not equal more money for stocking and/or enforcement. I don't have the exact numbers at my fingertips, but I looked it up a few months ago and the budget for SRD has been cut by more than 50% over the past 4-5 years.

Pretty apparent what the real issue is, IMO. A government that does not care about wildlife management.

[tight line]

You had me at Tiger Trout.... Good to see they would be sterile, they definately need to be careful to protect Albertas Native Fish Stocks Moving Forward.. Alot of Damagehas been done from careless species introduction

[Supergrit]

Why don't they mix stock more trout lakes. For instance have rainbow trout for the mases to catch but put a low percentage of brown tout in a lake have them as a trophy species. Lakes like Carson I don't fish much because there is not much chance of catching anything big there's no mystery in it. Unless I catch a ling cod.

[Red Bullets]

Through the years there have been many attempts to stock several different lakes. Reading through the Altas of Alberta lakes there has been alot of species indroduced unsuccessfully since 1900.

Kokanee, bass, atlantic salmon, arctic char, the cisco and several other species were introduced as far back as 1901. Lots of different lakes and most were unsuccessful.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Through the years there have been many attempts to stock several different lakes. Reading through the Altas of Alberta lakes there has been alot of species indroduced unsuccessfully since 1900.

Kokanee, bass, atlantic salmon, arctic char, the cisco and several other species were introduced as far back as 1901. Lots of different lakes and most were unsuccessful.

In other words, a waste of esrd limited funds.

[PerchBuster]

Originally Posted by EZM

10-15 years ago all of us were whining about the lack of walleye ..... so the SRD went hard on stocking walleye .....

Now we are complaining about the amount of Walleye we are stocking and the damage it's doing to Pigeon, St.Anne, Wabamun etc....

I'm not innocent either ..... lol ..... I might have been whining too ....

Poor SRD can't do anything right despite itself !!!!

What they failed to introduce along with the Walleye stocking programs was a timely and effective harvest fishery. They stock a lake, have a zero limit for far too long, then when that population of Walleye starts to mature and proliferate they are late to the party with a tag and keep system. When you stock predatory fish by the millions they will eventually eat themselves out of house and home if
left unchecked for too long. Liberal albeit perhaps temporary keep limits should be introduced on these lakes to maintain a balance in the ecosystem. You can't allow the stocking of one fish species to decimate the forage base putting all
other species at risk for survival. This has played out at Pigeon, Calling etc and will likely happen again at places like Lac La Biche and Wabuman. Furthermore, we should be allowed to keep a liberal limit of fish say under 43cm which is great table fare and release everything larger so the fishery can have a chance at sustainability. Mud Trout on the other hand, fun to catch,but why anyone would
want to keep them is beyond me. Waste of time, money and effort if you ask me stocking these small ponds and sloughs with Trout. They often winter kill anyways. I'd rather see a concerted effort to establishing more trophy Perch and Walleye fisheries with proper bag limits to keep the populations in check and sustainable. As for all the other species, most wouldn't survive our habitat and climate but it's nice to dream!

[slough shark]

I'd like to see them address the tot ponds that someone dumped perch into (Phyllis for example). Perhaps stock brown trout (which are more predatory) at a larger size and have a minimum keep limit of say 14 or 16 inches. Right now unless you catch a brood trout in that lake all you catch are skinney, stunted perch, suckers and trout. They have eaten themselves out of house and home.

[edsonfisherman]

I find the Tiger Trout stocking kinda funny, considering in 2013 I was at wabamun and did a creel survey for SRD and was asked what other fish species I would like to see in alberta and I suggested the Tiger Trout because of them being sterile. I would also like to see more panfish species stocked as I think they would create more fishing opportunities and add to forage for our walleye and pike.

[tallieho]

Guys/Gals;There are some very good comments here.The Hook & Hackle club, invited the fish culture mgr. & staff .To give a presentation on the state of the hatcheries,staffing,new strains etc.
I'll touch on a few.Hatcheries are antiqued structures,built yrs ago.Most repairs arenot easily done by going to h/depot for parts.They have to be made by Machine shops,welders etc.This expertise doesnot come cheap.Staffing [mgr.30+yos],fish bio[37yos],there was another fellow there but can't remember,but it was lots of yos.Remember the flood,well 2 of them saved all the fish in sam hatchery,by moving them to Cold LK fac.
New strains [tiger tr.].Would probaly go into waters that are inidated with prussian carp[blood indian].Hopefully the AREA BIOLOGIST,SETS REG'S IN PLACE C&R.to protect them[tigers].Because the area biologist has the most say in all fishery matters in there area.So help them out,to make the right decision.
Arctic Grayling.Eggs are collected,every 2 yrs.Cutthroat every 4.
The hatchery stocks less quantity,but if you'll remember they are bigger when they're stocked.Staying in the limited space hatchery longer.
Having attended 6 RND.TBL MTGS [Prov].This fellow Craig Copeland,gave the most informative mtg. that i have ever attended.
One thing stuck-out,considering that he is in the fish culture business.HE & HIS STAFF ARE LIKE FARMERS THEY WILL PRODUCE WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED,OR ASKED TO PRODUCE..
I may have some of my comments,incorrect but i'm going of memory..

We have to support the Fish bio's in our area's....

[degasvegas]

I for one would be in favor of increasing the cost of a license considering we pay this fee only once a year and then are able to catch as many fish as we like (within the regs obviously). I would pay double per year for them to stock more aggressively.

I also love that they are pushing walleye hard. I am catching more Walleye now than I ever have, and it's fun. But I wish we could dedicate certain lakes for that, I find that with the increase in Walleye at all these big lakes your hard pressed to find non predatory species.