Should Fishing Rules Change to Protect Native Trout in Central Alberta?
Official title: North central native trout recovery engagement
Why This Matters
Fish in Alberta's mountain streams? This was your chance to weigh in on whether favourite fishing spots should close to protect native trout. The Ram River watershed was a particular focus. Anglers had strong but divided opinions.
What Could Change
Fishing regulations in the Ram River watershed and north-central east slopes could have changed. Possible outcomes included seasonal closures, catch limits, or restrictions on stocked trout fishing. The government decided more consultation was needed before implementing changes.
Key Issues
- Should angling closures be implemented to protect native trout?
- What regulation changes would support native trout recovery?
- What are anglers' preferred management objectives for cutthroat trout in the Ram River?
How to Participate
- This consultation is now closed. Two online surveys ran in fall 2017. Visit Fisheries management for current information on Alberta's fishing regulations.
What Happened
More than 1,000 anglers and outdoor enthusiasts responded to the two surveys. Results showed Albertans have a wide range of opinions on the proposed regulation changes in the Ram River watershed. The government concluded that additional consultation is required to better understand anglers' needs regarding the stocked and naturalized cutthroat trout fishery.