Effectiveness of Walleye-Pike Fishing Regulations

In 2018, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas released updated management objectives for walleye and northern pike fisheries that included manipulations with different harvest regimes at select lakes (GoA 2018a, 2018b). To aid in evaluating the impact of these manipulations, we conducted angler surveys on four impacted fisheries (Lac Ste. Anne, Gull, Buck, and Pigeon lakes) during the summer angling seasons of 2022. These angler surveys followed an instantaneous count methodology completed using boats or from shore during unsafe weather conditions. They were accompanied by angler interviews on shore. Estimated angler effort was 2.08 h/ha at Lac Ste. Anne, 3.03 h/ha at Gull Lake, 11.30 h/ha at Buck Lake, and 2.09 h/ha at Pigeon Lake. Mean catch rates were 0.92 walleye/h and 0.22 northern pike/h at Lac Ste. Anne, 3.41 walleye/h and 0.29 northern pike/h at Pigeon Lake, 1.25 walleye/h and 0.19 northern pike/h at Gull Lake, and 1.09 walleye/h and 0.29 northern pike/h at Buck Lake. Mean walleye harvest rates were 0.07 walleye/h at Gull Lake and 0.13 walleye/h at Buck Lake. We did not calculate walleye harvest at Lac Ste. Anne or Pigeon Lake as they are regulated by a specific number of tags.

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