Assessment of the Status of the Sport Fishery for Walleye at Lac La Nonne, 1997

Author(s)

Bill Patterson, M. G. Sullivan

Summary

To recover or maintain Alberta's walleye fisheries, a new walleye management
strategy was implemented in 1996. In 1996, the walleye fishery at Lac La Nonne was
classified as vulnerable and a 50 cm (total length) size limit in walleye was implemented in
the sport fishery. In order to monitor the status of the walleye fishery at Lac La Nonne, a
creel survey was conducted during May to August 1997. Of the 12 walleye observed
harvested, 8 were smaller than the minimum size limit. The catch rate on legal-sized walleye
(>50 cm total length, TL) was 0.005 walleye kept / h.
Based on the criteria used to classify walleye stocks in Alberta, the walleye population in Lac La Nonne was collapsed. The regulation recommended in Alberta’s walleye management strategy for a walleye fishery with a collapsed status is a catch and release regulation (0 daily bag limit). According to the survey results, this regulation would affect 4% of all anglers and protect the remnant population of walleye in Lac La Nonne.

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