No Browns In Muir - Yet!

[PeterSL]

The Fisheries Enhancement Society of Alberta(FESA) – the group of volunteers that initiated and implemented the Muir Lake project - requested in January that Fish and Wildlife add a few (250) brown trout to the 2013 stocking of Muir Lake. The intent was to add some diversity to the fishery, to add another valuable dimension to the angling experience there without in any way detracting from the rainbow fishing. It's happening in other areas of the province, it would enhance the image of Fisheries Management, and would bring economic benefits to Parkland County by attracting more anglers from elsewhere in the province. There is no fisheries department policy against the stocking of browns and there is no escapement from Muir (other I suppose than the unlikely possibility of a (blank) with a big bucket!)

FESA provided opportunity to Northern Lights Flytyers/TU Edmonton, the Edmonton Old Timers Fishing Club, the Edmonton Trout Club and members of the Alberta Flyfishing Forum to provide input to this recommendation. It received considerable support. However, the senior fisheries biologist for the area is not willing to support the request until he has had opportunity to conduct a broader social survey to see if in fact this action would be supported by stakeholders. Appeals of this decision have not yet been successful. However, we have been told that the survey will be conducted this summer and assured by senior Fish and Wildlife management that it does not need to be a complex process and should be completed in a reasonable time. We have requested a copy of the biologist’s consultation plan and timelines and I’ll post updates on this when received. We have also requested that a decision be made in time for a possible fall stocking of browns. I believe FESA might even be willing to buy them if necessary as the ESRD unit cost summary lists them as costing just $0.81 each. (Rainbows interestingly are $1.96 each).

 

I’m disappointed that it isn’t happening this spring, but I believe it will happen. Interestingly the proposed angling regulation changes for 2014 presented at yesterday’s Fisheries Roundtable meeting included changing Birch Lake to a mixed trout species fishery “to provide opportunity to harvest more than one species of larger sized trout from Birch Lake. The stocking strategy was changed to include Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout(emphasis mine) in order to diversify the fishery.”

 

In other news on Muir – the aerators have been taken out to avoid damage or losing them when the ice goes out (we lost the north one last year). Oxygen levels at the north end are good and at the south end low near the bottom and reasonable in the top 2 metres. Expect some fish kill – there always is especially of older fish – but hopefully it will be another year of great fishing. TransAlta has given us $2000 to pay the aerator electricity costs for this winter although that’s the end of their involvement in the Muir project. We have a good possibility of another sponsor coming on board for next year but can’t provide details yet till they get some internal approvals in place.

 

 

[swingwet]

That is a wonderful idea to have the beautiful German Trout in Muir.Not to excited about wanting to attract fisherman from other areas though,but that's just me.

When the time comes you can sign me up for buying 100 fingerling Browns.PM me for contact.

[vince]

Peter

 

Thank you for the up-date.

 

Vince

[TrollGRG]

If the Browns are stocked will the "keep" rules apply as they do for Rainbows? or

 

Will people be allowed one trout over 50 cm, or 2 or 3 browns of any size and a couple of bows any size that they didn't realize had different regs or were different fish?

[PeterSL]

Don't anticipate and wouldn't advocate for any change to the current regs for Muir, Troll.

Peter

[woolly]

If the fishers cannot identify the species they have caught then it should not be kept. Ignorance does not excuse poaching!

[dipperdan]

To some people poaching is a way to cook fish !!!!!!