Eastern Slopes ES1 Regulation Survey..

[bcubed]

ES1 survey at last..suspect we know whats coming down the pipe, but here's a start

 

https://talkaep.alberta.ca/eastern-slopes-fisheries-regulations-es1

 

[ÜberFly]

I will look at the survey when I have more time, and participate. I'll be sure to comment on mandating a classified system for non residents and increase enforcement (and limiting/eliminating random camping, OHV an resource development use for that area - as that is how I feel, others feel differently, I realize), if there is an opportunity to do so...

P

[bcubed]

After going through it, my quick thoughts.

I am in favor of removing fish retention out of the Elbow, however it is a noted spawning stream for brown trout and rainbow trout, and therefore should not be open year round. This blanket approach is not appropriate for the stream.

Time to get working on out-of-province guides or at least a day system in places like the Oldman and tribs (Livingstone, etc). Numerous guides are coming across from BC or Montana and utilizing our rivers with zero return for Alberta. There has been a significant change in BC management with the change to 'draws' for rivers adjacent to ES1 streams, therefore continuing to increase the demand on our rivers that are adjacent to the border (Crowsnest, Oldman, Livingstone, Waterton, Castle, etc). There has been a noted requirement in BC for resident-priority, which has not been seen in Alberta. Time for that to change.

Guide use has continued to increase, with zero regulations, into more areas across ES1. Self-designated groups like AOGAA have limited to zero ability to discipline members at this time, and is strictly a voluntary group.

[BurningChrome]

Not sure if you caught the one they snuck in as part of number 9:

The recovery of species is more important than my angling experience.

That's a precursor to angling closures for sure.

[bcubed]

44 minutes ago, BurningChrome said:

Not sure if you caught the one they snuck in as part of number 9:

The recovery of species is more important than my angling experience.

That's a precursor to angling closures for sure.

I selected strongly agree. Our discussion on FB may reflect that!

[TroutPanther]

Thanks for posting - I shared a lot of the same thoughts re: single barbless hooks in cutthroat/bull streams, increased enforcement, implementing a tag system for non-residents in sensitive headwaters/popular tailwaters, giving browns fall spawning protection in the bow upstream of whd and in the elbow, and (might not make friends with this one) closing the bow mainstem near the highwood mouth in the spring. 

I disagreed with the “recovery is more important than angling” proposition (that was on the north central survey as well, and they are shutting down those systems). I would like to think we can have both with properly managed C&R if other impacts are mitigated. 

[monger]

Low numbers of pure Cutts is going to result in closures. It will only be a matter of time

[bcubed]

53 minutes ago, monger said:

Low numbers of pure Cutts is going to result in closures. It will only be a matter of time

Bull trout will be next..SARA listed shortly

[jgib01]

4 hours ago, ÜberFly said:

I will look at the survey when I have more time, and participate. I'll be sure to comment on mandating a classified system for non residents and increase enforcement (and limiting/eliminating random camping, OHV an resource development use for that area - as that is how I feel, others feel differently, I realize), if there is an opportunity to do so...

P

There is a space for free narrative, though not sure how much you can write in there.  I wrote a good sized paragraph of about 6 sentences, complete with many parenthetical commas, and it submitted.

[fishinglibin]

Done, with additional comments.

[SilverDoctor]

Humm.... lets see, a nice population of Cutthroat Trout doing OK, lets bring back Bull Trout a giant eating machine that vacuums them by the . up out of small pools with no escape, it certainly can't affect the strain.  

[Dangus]

SD, could you elaborate? 

[SilverDoctor]

With all respect my rambling ranting point is (I am no scientist but just an old guy with eyes) there are more than one reason for lower Cuttroat numbers. Habitat destruction, deforesting, evasive species introduction to name a few. No one has  mentioned predation.  I often sit and watch pools and have watched large bulls pick off smaller Cutties easily with lower levels. With our low water levels in the last few years it concentrates the Trout. I would think it logical from what I've seen that there is less water volume to protect smaller Trout from their larger predators. I certainly have other thoughts but I'm just a crazy old bugger not an expert.

[DonAndersen]

I get a real kick outta the statement 

"I HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF TBE CONSERVATION CONCERNS AND SPECIE RECOVERY EFFORTS IN ES1"

Which means, those that done agree with them are ........

Gotta wonder if those that created this survey have an "understanding"

Don

[Dangus]

Sd,

I wonder what the affect of a high whitefish take has.  Not sure if it provides more habitat/less competition for cutties or if it means more cutties on the menu. 

Anyways, will be nice to see barbless on those streams.  Gag a little when I see dufus hero shots with lipless 14” cutts.

[SilverDoctor]

29 minutes ago, DonAndersen said:

I get a real kick outta the statement 

"I HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF TBE CONSERVATION CONCERNS AND SPECIE RECOVERY EFFORTS IN ES1"

Which means, those that done agree with them are ........

Gotta wonder if those that created this survey have an "understanding"

Don

Darn, Don when I read that I thought it was just me being silly.

[SilverDoctor]

Another thing that burns me up is in the last couple of years I've been seeing Hero's fishing for Bulls with gear (spoons and plugs) in small streams. Word is getting around there are large Bulls out there but a face full of trebles can't be great for any Trout. Perhaps its time for Fly Fishing only areas.

[bcubed]

I don’t think you’ll see barbless anytime soon due to the complications in how they set up the Alberta Fisheries Act under the federal Fisheries Act. Currently they have say they have zero way of doing it. Unsure how BC was able to, except that DFO doesn’t allow barbed gear for nearshore (so probably why).

 

Funny to think that closing a river entirely is less onerous then a gear restriction. 

 

[BurningChrome]

Did anyone get email from AlbertaRELM or AEP about this survey, NCNT, or the Pike and Walleye one? I only saw them linked on social media and posted here. Guess it's no wonder so few people filled out the NCNT one.

[Sage]

I have not received this survey via an AlbertaRelm email

[threepwood]

I did get an email from AEP at the address I used to register for previous surveys.