Fisheries Program

"Alberta is a busy place with relatively few lakes, so understanding the influence of angling effort on sport fish stocks is vital for conservation. Our surveys update the status of individual stocks and our innovative methods increase ACA’s efficiency while being used provincially." Bill Patterson, ACA

Our Fisheries program helps retain and improve the diversity and abundance of fish populations by enhancing their biological processes and habitats. Ultimately, our program supports fishing opportunities for Alberta anglers while enhancing the sustainability of Alberta fish communities through credible science-based conservation. A complete list of fisheries projects, associated reports, research and additional materials is available.

For a snapshot of the Fisheries program, take a look at several numbers we’ve collected since our inception in 1997:

• 70 kilometres of riparian area maintained
• 56 on-the-ground riparian projects conducted on more than 6,500 hectares (over 100 quarter sections)
• 1.6 million fish stocked  (annual stocking ranges between 122,000 to 144,000)
• 230 kilometres of stream electrofished for sampling
• 53 angler surveys conducted
• 156,197 anglers surveyed

We also develop and review program priorities annually with ASRD and other stakeholders. To reflect the importance of these priorities our program is divided into five areas: Aeration, Enhanced Fish Stocking (EFS), Riparian Conservation, Lentic (standing water bodies e.g., lakes) and Lotic (running water bodies e.g., rivers and streams).

Lentic and lotic projects include inventory and monitoring of priority fish species and associated sport fisheries to provide information on population structure, abundance, angler use and harvest, and associated demographics in priority waters.

Riparian conservation focuses on collaboration with private landowners, government, industry and other stakeholders in order to maintain, protect and enhance vital habitat.

Lake aeration projects improve recreational angling opportunities – we develop and maintain lake habitats to promote the year-round survival of sport fish. Similarly, the EFS Program stocks 20-cm rainbow trout into put-and-take lakes to provide angling opportunities in areas of the province where such fishing opportunities would not have existed otherwise.