New Manitoba fishing limits causing concern among some tournament anglers – Winnipeg | 24CA News

Manitoba has launched new fishing rules this spring, and a few anglers are voicing considerations over the impression they are going to have on native fishing tournaments.

The province’s new rules, which got here into impact on April 1, change when you’ll be able to fish and what you’ll be able to maintain.

The fishing season in Manitoba is now open 12 months spherical, with exceptions for sure areas and for sure species together with walleye, lake trout, and sturgeon. It additionally launched a brand new single annual licence with smaller possession limits.

As an instance, anglers used to have the ability to maintain six walleye, now they will maintain 4 not exceeding 55 cm in size.

Eric Labaupa, a aggressive angler and creator of KickerFish.ca, says the modifications are an important enhance for conservation efforts within the province.

“The province implementing these new regulations is — generally speaking — fantastic,” Labaupa informed Global News.

“Increasing access to the sport and at the same time, helping protect the resource for years to come — all good, it’s great.”

But the brand new rules additionally change measurement limits, that means anglers can now not maintain trophy-sized fish, together with no walleye over 55 cm; no smallmouth bass over 45 cm; no lake trout over 65 cm; and no northern pike over 75 cm. Labaupa says many have considerations over how these guidelines will impression the Manitoba fishing event scene.

“The affect on tournaments, though, in the angling scene — ‘significant’ is probably understating it. Catastrophic in many cases,” he stated.

Labaupa says the brand new rules forestall anglers from retaining trophy-sized fish of their livewell to be weighed in on the event, after which launched once more. He says the brand new rule creates a major hurdle for event organizers.

“With the new regulations of not being able to bring in big fish to weigh, catch-photo-release is the next option. It’s either that or not having the event,” Labaupa stated.

“Catch-photo-release has lots of pros to it. It’s taking a photo of the fish, measuring it, taking a photo of that as well, releasing the fish on the spot, and then submitting that photo and measurement for judgment after, and that’s how you determine who wins a competitive event. It sounds all good and great, when it works.”

Labaupa says not having the ability to catch and weigh in trophy-sized fish is each inflicting problems for event organizers and making some anglers much less .

“There is some of it that isn’t feasible. It just isn’t feasible, and generally it’s not as attractive to anglers, so then the scene just fizzles out organically on its own because of the new regulations,” he stated.

“Already other anglers are going to Saskatchewan, they’re going to Ontario and taking their dollars there. As far as other anglers coming to Manitoba for events, it’s already taken a hit.”

Labaupa says a bass fishing event deliberate for Falcon Lake, Man., this weekend has already seen fewer anglers from Ontario signing up.

“So that’s 15 to 20 boats (from Ontario) that are not buying Manitoba licences, that aren’t buying gas and food in Falcon Lake and West Hawk. Right off the bat. It sounds small, but that adds up. And you take a whole season worth of events and it’ll take a hit on the tournament scene, for sure,” he stated, including there are financial implications for smaller communities in Manitoba.

“Killing that (tournament) scene, which it’s headed down that path of the scene just fizzling out in Manitoba, is a huge hit to the economy,” he stated. “Talk to towns like Pine Falls, Lac du Bonnet, Falcon Lake, Russell, all kinds of towns every year, they have big and small (tournaments).

“With these events going by the wayside, it is a big hit, it is a big hit for sure. It’s not as easy as just flipping a switch and saying do this new format and you’ll be good to go, it’s not as easy as that. There’s a learning curve.”

Randy Lewis, the president of the Central Walleye Trail, stated he’s heard considerations from each event organizers and particular person anglers.

“Given that the (catch-photo-release) technology is fairly young and new, from that aspect a lot of the tournament organizers are a little bit apprehensive to go that route at least for this first year,” Lewis stated, including some tournaments are utilizing that format whereas different are simply specializing in weighing in smaller fish.

“That’s what the goal always has been in the past, is to catch these trophy fish and bring them to the scales. Given now that that’s not an option and if they’re going to include trophy fish, it’s going to be a catch-photo-release using a virtual platform, there are a lot of anglers that are a little hesitant to go that route.”

The Central Walleye Trail is a non-profit group that awards anglers based mostly on a degree system by a number of tournaments. After a survey indicated waning curiosity, the CWT determined to place a pause on the 2023 season after which reassess for the 2024 season.

“We found that interest was waning a little bit,” Lewis stated, including elevated price of gasoline, journey, and lodging are possible taking part in a task in fewer anglers collaborating in a number of tournaments.

“The change in the regulations and the ability to bring those big fish to the scales certainly has turned off a number of anglers,” Lewis added. “So it’s going to be an interesting year, 2023, to see how tournament angling makes out in Manitoba.”

In an emailed assertion to Global News, a provincial spokesperson stated the brand new rules enhance the sustainability of walleye fisheries by defending bigger fish which are an essential spawning inventory for the species. It stated whereas anglers can now not weigh in these fish historically, they will nonetheless be entered within the new catch-photo-release event format.

“The new angling regulations provide an opportunity for CFEs (competitive fishing events) to showcase Manitoba’s exceptional fisheries, by allowing a greater size range of fish to be entered into events through the use of Catch-Photo/Video-Release,” the assertion stated.

“In addition, by using new and innovative technologies, CFEs can diversify and promote new events that support Manitoba’s economy and local tourism. The department is working with CFE organizers and providing support to help the industry transition to using catch-photo-release.”

Labaupa agrees the brand new rules are helpful to conservation of the species, however he’s hoping the province can meet them midway.

“We’ve thrown our ideas out there, and we have solutions in place if we want. And the ask if just a special permit, perhaps, and exemption, if you will, to these,” he stated.

“And we’ll use that time to have conservation officers, university students, any biologist from the department themselves to come down and let’s collect data (on) mortality numbers, fish release success stories from our own backyard, and not depending on studies from Alabama and Michigan to form policies about competitive events in Manitoba.”

3:33New fishing rules in Manitoba