North-Central Native Trout Recovery

The North Central Native Trout Recovery Program was initiated by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) this year to actively recover threatened native trout species in the central and northern East Slopes of Alberta, including bull trout, Arctic grayling, and Athabasca rainbow trout, as well as benefiting other species including mountain whitefish.

For further information on the recovery program, view the video at:

Additional information and reference materials can be found at:

Previous, less aggressive efforts to restore Alberta’s threatened trout populations by implementing catch-and-release fishing regulations and other management actions have mostly failed. AEP has identified a number of focal watersheds where specific management actions informed by cumulative effects modelling are predicted to result in significant increases to current population numbers. Actions include habitat restoration, changes to current fishing regulations, and consideration of enhanced management of non-native, competitive species.

This survey will help determine the level of support from Albertans to implement fishing regulation changes as recovery actions.

The North Central Native Trout Recovery Program was initiated by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) this year to actively recover threatened native trout species in the central and northern East Slopes of Alberta, including bull trout, Arctic grayling, and Athabasca rainbow trout, as well as benefiting other species including mountain whitefish.

For further information on the recovery program, view the video at:

Additional information and reference materials can be found at:

Previous, less aggressive efforts to restore Alberta’s threatened trout populations by implementing catch-and-release fishing regulations and other management actions have mostly failed. AEP has identified a number of focal watersheds where specific management actions informed by cumulative effects modelling are predicted to result in significant increases to current population numbers. Actions include habitat restoration, changes to current fishing regulations, and consideration of enhanced management of non-native, competitive species.

This survey will help determine the level of support from Albertans to implement fishing regulation changes as recovery actions.

  • North Central Native Trout - Proposed Angling Closures

    The North Central Native Trout Recovery Program is an Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) initiative to recover threatened native trout species in the central and northern East Slopes of Alberta, including bull trout, Arctic grayling, and Athabasca rainbow trout, as well as benefiting other species including mountain whitefish.

    A fishing closure means there is no Indigenous or Non-Indigenous fishing permitted at any time of year, including catch and release fishing. Proposed closures are very similar to the standard fishing regulations in place in East Slopes streams for several decades (1950s to 1980s), where alternate-year closures were used to protectContinue reading

    The North Central Native Trout Recovery Program is an Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) initiative to recover threatened native trout species in the central and northern East Slopes of Alberta, including bull trout, Arctic grayling, and Athabasca rainbow trout, as well as benefiting other species including mountain whitefish.

    A fishing closure means there is no Indigenous or Non-Indigenous fishing permitted at any time of year, including catch and release fishing. Proposed closures are very similar to the standard fishing regulations in place in East Slopes streams for several decades (1950s to 1980s), where alternate-year closures were used to protect fish. Each year, approximately half of the streams would be closed, and half would be open. This would be reversed the next year. Similar to the current catch-and-release regulations, this one-year rest period was not enough to allow fish populations to recover.

    To effectively recover populations to levels where options such as sustainable harvest can be considered, the following watersheds are being proposed for five year fishing closures. After five years, the populations and the fishing closures will be re-evaluated.

    • Kakwa River and all tributaries
    • Lower Ram River and the section of the North Saskatchewan River between Rough Creek and Prentice Creek
    • The upper Berland River and tributaries
    • The upper Clearwater River and tributaries

    The native fish populations in these watersheds are considered at high to moderate risk of extirpation. In several of these watersheds, proposed fishing closures will be paired with habitat restoration work to ensure all key threats are being addressed. In addition, Fisheries Management will work with enforcement agencies to ensure fishing closures are effective.

    In the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan River watersheds, other regulation changes are proposed immediately upstream and downstream of the proposed closed area to provide protection to sensitive, migrating fish (mountain whitefish and bull trout), while still allowing recreational fishing and permitting additional harvest opportunity for naturalized cutthroat trout and brook trout.

    Overall, your response in this survey will help determine the level of support for fishing closures as a recovery action. Fisheries Management would appreciate your opinion on these proposed closures and other fishing regulation changes.

    This survey closes on October 20, 2017 at 4:30pm.

    Personal Information Collection and use Notification

    The opinions you provide in this survey to Alberta Environment & Parks (AEP) is collected under the authorization of the Fisheries (Alberta) Act and Section 8 (1) (2) of the Government Organization Act, and is being managed in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act. Submission of this information is strictly voluntary and the opinions being collected will be used by AEP to engage and provide information on policies, plans, programs and services pertaining to Alberta’s fisheries and specifically the North Central Native Trout recovery program. The email addresses collected may be used to inform respondents through email of future surveys. By participating in this survey you are giving Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) your permission to use your opinions and comments for input into this directive and the results of the survey will be anonymized and summarized on AEP website.

    The personal information provided, will not be used or disclosed for any other purpose without your consent by Alberta Environment and Parks. Should have any further questions or concerns, please contact:

    John Tchir Resource Manager, Alberta Environment and Parks
    2nd fl. Provincial building, 4919 - 51 Street
    Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 1B3

    Tel: 403 845-8353
    Email: john.tchir@gov.ab.ca

    Take Survey