Good try there but fisheries have been closing Alberta lakes since 1996. Long before this survey range began. About 10 years before. Despite it being up 58% in recent years it is still less than the number of licensed anglers in 1980s. In 2017 there were 294,037 licensed anglers. In 1985 there were 343,310.
So please stop listening to these people who say there are no fish because of our population growth and that there are so many more anglers because it just isnt true!!! Here are the facts. Make up your own assumptions.
I think this shows a somewhat better picture of historical data and catch rates prior to closures. Looks like they were catching and retaining way more fish in the 70s and early 90s. By 2005 licensed angler days had dropped in half of what it was in 1985. Number of fish retained in 1980 10.6 million, 1985 went to 11.2 million (that means the 5 years in between you can assume it was around the same). By 2005 10 years after closures, half as many fishermen days and only 1.7 million retained. So from 1975 to 1995 they were taking 5 to 10 million fish home a year.... and somehow they were still able to do it year after year..... now the lakes have been closed for 25 years and the fish are still disappearing even though nobody can take any fish home????
Could it be that fisheries decision to protect walleye has actually collapsed the forage, perch and pike populations and may have little to do with population of anglers and fish retention as history seems to indicate?
I'm no fisheries biologist but sure seems fishy to me.
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