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  #31  
Old 09-06-2020, 07:27 PM
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Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Don Andersen View Post
MrDave,

You are exactly right. Most of the native population was in decline years before additional roads, industrial logging and recreational lad destruction commenced.
WD was possibly the last nail.

Don
I believe poor management such as high limits, lack of suitable enforcement and angler education, invasive species have all played the biggest part. Roads and such only accelerated unsustainable harvest rates.

For ever now F&W managers saw fish as a consumable product to offset costs for anglers. Spend $50 in gas and being $50 in fish home.

Has it changed?

Not sure.

For years mountain whitefish were deemed garbage fish...to be eliminated to make more room for trout. Now we have few whitefish and few trout.

For over a hundred years...we have been removing biomass from the creeks and not replenishing the system.

We need s new vision of F&W to focus more on the experience and less on the harvest.

I think everyone sees there is a problem. Regardless of the past problems...what to do to fix it?

If I was to brainstorm...

One would be to increase licensing fees and increase enforcement and stocking.

Put all money from licensing into the resource with oversight by public volunteers who can serve a fixed term.

Start a stocking program to replish creeks amd rivers with proper genetic stock

Do a trial program of adding nutrients back into heavily harvested streams

Look at areas where spawning habitat and rearing habitat can use help.

Set up key lakes in areas for put and take but keep limits at 2 and restock regularly

Start aerating more lakes and build more and more quality fisheries

Start charging BC residents special daily fees to fish the Bow, Oldman and Crowsnest systems.

Start trialing some ideas to see what works.
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  #32  
Old 09-07-2020, 09:11 AM
MrDave MrDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Andersen View Post
MrDave,

You are exactly right. Most of the native population was in decline years before additional roads, industrial logging and recreational lad destruction commenced.
WD was possibly the last nail.

Don
Life along the eastern slopes is going to get tough for any native species. The carp are cleaning out the food sources, excessive amounts of siltation from the destruction of the backs by cattle and human activity and industry isn't keeping up with the needed changes.

There's a large breeding pond for the carp west of Innisfail that will keep their populations growing and it's only time before they crawl into the Clearwater. Add in the large brown trout population feasting on the minnows, and the replacements are getting picked off.

Unfortunately the odds are stacked against good fishing returning. With OHVs making the trips easier the old holes are even getting fished heavily. I expect fishing restrictions to be the norm on the slopes to increase. If not people will be talking about the good old days where there used to be plenty of fish a lot less.
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  #33  
Old 09-07-2020, 10:45 AM
Don Andersen Don Andersen is offline
 
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There are many who believe that WD will run its course and the fish populations will rebound.
A quick comparison between the Madison River where the rebound took 30 years to get to 80% of pre-WD infection and southern Alberta is worthwhile.

The Madison River is:
- not located within 2 hours of 2 million people.
- there is very little quad activity
- there is very little logging
- there is ranching but due to lack of rain, the stocking rate is very low.
- there is no mining
- there is no random camping or summer villages along water courses

Then there is Alberta where are least five of the above apply.
The rebound will take longer if ever.

The sentiment above assumes nothing changes for the better. If things get worse as history suggest it will, the fish are toast.

Don
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  #34  
Old 09-12-2020, 01:09 AM
Kucebags Kucebags is offline
 
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For all the arm chair biologists here, and I am the farthest
From an expert. Not one person has addresses the 2013
Flood and the impact that had with the smaller breeding stock.


Along with I do t know poops but two formally productive sections of the upper highwood habe re routed themselves from big spring currents and not a fish to be seen for in’s. crazy skinny water and such. Any thoughts.
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  #35  
Old 09-13-2020, 09:10 AM
MrDave MrDave is offline
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Originally Posted by Kucebags View Post
For all the arm chair biologists here, and I am the farthest
From an expert. Not one person has addresses the 2013
Flood and the impact that had with the smaller breeding stock.


Along with I do t know poops but two formally productive sections of the upper highwood habe re routed themselves from big spring currents and not a fish to be seen for in’s. crazy skinny water and such. Any thoughts.
As I said before, it's cumulative. When an added flow like that flood happens the Redd's get washed away and new ones form. Water speed changes their ability to lay eggs, so if the slope is greater than they can handle they move on. The flooding also creates better habitat in other spots, which changes where they will winter. It all adds up.
Over all unless there is a few years of a fishing ban, the reproductive rate won't keep up to natural death nor fishing mortality. More years like this one will only make the numbers drop, due to the increased pressure on the eastern slopes.
The one thing I wonder about is the effect that the jet boats are having on the fry, which easily get sucked up and flung up onto the shores from the waves produced. The effects of the boats can't be zero. Any studies anyone knows of?
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  #36  
Old 09-14-2020, 11:10 AM
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italk2u italk2u is offline
 
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There is a post on Facebook regarding man made pools that are blocking spawning grounds on many alberta streams and rivers, but i don't know how to post it on here. can someone help? This story really needs to be told and will shock a lot of people.
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  #37  
Old 09-20-2020, 10:10 PM
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Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
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Originally Posted by italk2u View Post
There is a post on Facebook regarding man made pools that are blocking spawning grounds on many alberta streams and rivers, but i don't know how to post it on here. can someone help? This story really needs to be told and will shock a lot of people.
I would be curious to see photos of such a thing. I see people building a row of rocks on the lower Fish Creek by the Bow to soak in. Those weren’t impassable barriers. It would have to be a pretty major dam. It is pretty amazing what spawners can pass.

It is possible with enough rocks and low water...but still need photos otherwise just more FB ... get people riled up for nothing... bcrap.
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  #38  
Old 09-20-2020, 10:20 PM
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I can't figure out how to paste the post from FB on here...but please check out the Northern Lights Flyfishers club facebook page. i promise you you'll be shocked.
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  #39  
Old 09-21-2020, 07:12 AM
.243dude .243dude is offline
 
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Originally Posted by italk2u View Post
I can't figure out how to paste the post from FB on here...but please check out the Northern Lights Flyfishers club facebook page. i promise you you'll be shocked.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627...7917447684479/
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  #40  
Old 09-21-2020, 09:22 AM
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Thank you for that.
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  #41  
Old 09-23-2020, 09:07 AM
ntsougri ntsougri is offline
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There is a Technical Report that details the Status of Whirling Disease in the Crowsnest River. It is alarming because it shows Whirling Disease infection is growing in the Crowsnest River. Below is the link for this report:


https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/564d...er-2020-09.pdf
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  #42  
Old 09-24-2020, 02:00 PM
Ursuskoolus Ursuskoolus is offline
 
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Wash your boots in water bleach mix
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