Assessment of the Summer Sport Fishery for Walleye and Northern Pike at Smoke Lake, Alberta, 2003

Assessment of the Summer Sport Fishery for Walleye and Northern Pike at Smoke Lake, Alberta, 2003 CONSERVATION REPORT SERIES The Alberta Conservation Association is a Delegated Administrative Organization under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. CONSERVATION REPORT SERIES 25% Post Consumer Fibre When separated, both the binding and paper in this document are recyclable Assessment of the Summer Sport Fishery for Walleye and Northern Pike at Smoke Lake, Alberta, 2003 Mike Blackburn Alberta Conservation Association #203, Provincial Building 111 – 54 Street Edson, Alberta, Canada T7E 1T2 Report Series Editor PETER AKU KELLEY J. KISSNER Alberta Conservation Association 59 Hidden Green NW #101, 9 Chippewa Rd Calgary, AB T3A 5K6 Sherwood Park, AB T8A 6J7 Conservation Report Series Type Data, Technical ISBN printed: 978‐0‐7785‐7005‐9 ISBN online: 978‐0‐7785‐7006‐6 Publication No: T/175 Disclaimer: This document is an independent report prepared by the Alberta Conservation Association. The authors are solely responsible for the interpretations of data and statements made within this report. Reproduction and Availability: This report and its contents may be reproduced in whole, or in part, provided that this title page is included with such reproduction and/or appropriate acknowledgements are provided to the authors and sponsors of this project. Suggested Citation: Blackburn, M. 2004. Assessment of the summer sport fishery for walleye and northern pike at Smoke Lake, Alberta, 2003. Data Report, D‐2004‐025, produced by Alberta Conservation Association, Edson, Alberta, Canada. 27 pp. + App. Cover photo credit: David Fairless Digital copies of conservation reports can be obtained from: Alberta Conservation Association #101, 9 Chippewa Rd Sherwood Park AB T8A 6J7 Toll Free: 1‐877‐969‐9091 Tel: (780) 410‐1998 Fax: (780) 464‐0990 Email: info@ab‐conservation.com Website: www.ab‐conservation.com i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY To aid in the management and recovery of Alberta’s declining walleye and northern pike populations, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) developed new management strategies for walleye and northern pike in 1995 and 1999, respectively. Smoke Lake, near Fox Creek, Alberta, was classified as having a stable walleye population from 1996 to 2000, which allowed sport anglers to harvest three walleye daily with a minimum size limit of 43 cm total length (TL). In 2000, ASRD adjusted the sport fishing regulations at Smoke Lake to a harvest of two fish over 50 cm TL because of high angling pressure and a potential conflict with walleye management at nearby Sturgeon Lake. From 1999 to 2003, the northern pike population was classified as a stable recreational fishery enabling sport anglers to a daily harvest of three pike with a minimum size limit of 63 cm TL. In 2003, Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) and ASRD conducted a summer creel survey at Smoke Lake to collect data to evaluate the status of walleye and northern pike populations and to review sport fish regulations. Using angler interview data it was estimated that 2,142 anglers fished Smoke Lake for 4,126 h or 4.3 anglers‐h/ha. Angling pressure was lower in 2003 compared to a creel survey in 1998 by ACA when 2,326 anglers fished the lake for 6,869 h or 7.2 angler‐h/ha. In 2003, an estimated six walleye were harvested at Smoke Lake with an estimated mean weight of 1.074 kg, resulting in an estimated yield of 0.007 kg/ha. Walleye yield declined in 2003 compared to 1998 when the estimated yield was 0.423 kg/ha. In 2003, anglers reported a release rate of walleye of 1.66 fish/h, resulting in an estimated release of 9,275 walleye. The estimated total yield (harvest + incidental mortality) of walleye was 525 or 0.361 kg/ha. An estimated 24 northern pike were harvested at Smoke Lake in 2003 with an estimated mean weight of 1.730 kg, resulting in an estimated yield of 0.042 kg/ha. Estimated harvest and yield were lower in 2003 than in 1998 when 167 northern pike were harvested with a mean weight of 1.186 kg, resulting in an estimated yield of 0.207 kg/ha; however, the estimated weight increased. In 2003, anglers reported a release rate of ii northern pike of 0.244 fish/h for a total of 516 northern pike. The estimated total yield of northern pike was 34 or 0.048 kg/ha. In general, Smoke Lake had high densities of small walleye (< 50 cm TL) with a stable age‐class distribution, which was composed of slow‐growing fish that matured at a relatively young age. Based on criteria in the Walleye Management and Recovery Plan, the walleye population at Smoke Lake in 2003 was likely stable. According to the Northern Pike Management and Recovery Plan, five of the nine criteria used to evaluate the status of northern pike populations indicated that Smoke Lake had a vulnerable northern pike population in 2003. The remaining four criteria indicated a collapsed pike population. The northern pike population at Smoke Lake could be classified as vulnerable‐to‐collapsed. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was funded by the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA). Additional funds were provided by Human Resources Development Canada through the Student Career Placement Program. In addition, the ACA received in‐kind support from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD), Fisheries Management Division in Edson and Stony Plain. Special thanks to Bill Patterson, Fisheries Biologist (ACA), for providing continuous support with regards to the data analysis and report organization. Thanks to Craig Johnson, Fisheries Biologist (ACA), Calvin McLeod, East Slopes Business Unit Leader (ACA), and George Sterling, Area Fisheries Biologist (ASRD), for providing critical review of this report. An essential contribution to this project were the creel clerks, Corey Rasmussen, Ingrid Van Herk, Lyndon Rempel, and Susan Parsons, who creeled Smoke Lake. Thanks to all the volunteer test anglers for donating their time and personal expense to this project. Thanks also to the town of Fox Creek for providing the creel clerks and test fishery volunteers with the use of the Smoke Lake campground free of charge. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................vii LIST OF APPENDICES.............................................................................................................viii 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 1 1.1 General introduction...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study rationale................................................................................................................ 2 2.0 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................. 2 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS.................................................................................... 4 3.1 Survey design.................................................................................................................. 4 3.2 Angler interviews........................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Test angling ..................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Biological fish data ......................................................................................................... 5 3.5 Data management and analysis ................................................................................... 5 4.0 RESULTS.......................................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Angler survey ................................................................................................................. 7 4.2 Walleye harvest and yield........................................................................................... 10 4.3 Northern pike harvest and yield................................................................................ 13 4.4 Walleye sport fishery assessment .............................................................................. 15 4.5 Northern pike sport fishery assessment.................................................................... 21 5.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 25 6.0 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 28 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location of Smoke Lake and the 2003 creel survey site. .................................... 3 Figure 2. Flow chart outlining the process used for estimating parameters from the sport fishery at Smoke Lake, Alberta in 2003....................................................... 6 Figure 3. Standardized probability density functions of the number of

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