Summer Sport Fishery & Special Harvest License Program Study

In 2006, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) initiated a pilot project on Pigeon, Newell and Wolf lakes that allowed anglers to harvest walleye from these previously closed fisheries through a Special Harvest License (SHL). To monitor the effects of SHL regulations on the sport fishery at Pigeon Lake, the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) conducted a summer angler survey from May 19, 2007 to August 27, 2007.

This survey collected information from the majority of the recreational anglers using Pigeon Lake during the summer angling period in 2007, and was successful at quantifying angling pressure, harvest and yield of walleye and pike, as well as collecting data on parameters used to categorize the walleye fishery in Pigeon Lake.

The anglers part of the program observed the age and length distributions of walleye harvested versus walleye captured from test angling were very similar. The truncated age distribution with few old pike was somewhat unstable. Growth rate of walleye was average. Walleye grew to 500 mm FL by age 9; however, walleye may reach 500 mm FL by age 7 or 8. The vast majority of the harvest was of mature walleye.

The full study report can be viewed - HERE

Accreditation: Patterson, B. 2008. Summer sport fishery and special harvest licence at Pigeon Lake, Alberta, 2007. Data Report, D-2008-012, produced by the Alberta Conservation Association, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. 21 pp. + App.