The walleye population on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods will be at risk if significant changes are not made soon. When harvest levels and fishing pressures from 2018 and 2019 return in 2022 and beyond under current regulations, the lake will continue to lose more critical biomass that is already 50 percent below what it needs to be to sustain pre-covid fishing pressure and harvest.
Please see the document below from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry that provides “state of the Lake of the Woods walleye fishery” type information.
To be clear and blunt, this is a Canadian problem. It is not due to ice fishing or summer fishing in Minnesota waters. MN DNR has had an effective slot regulation in place for a long time (19″-28″) and monitors their side every year to ensure the ongoing health of their walleye fishery. Current Canadian data is based on 2018 monitoring and is very alarming. The time to act is ASAP; before it gets much worse.
DOWNLOAD THE LAKE OF THE WOODS RECREATIONAL WALLEYE DRAFT PLAN
PROPOSED CHANGES TO WALLEYE REGULATIONS FOR LOTW
Changes to the Lake of the Woods walleye regulations have been put forward for the Minister of Natural Resource’s approval. We are hopeful the size portion of the changes will be implemented on January 1, 2024. These changes were given more pubic consulting options than most regulation changes. There were information and comment sessions online, as well as local pubic meetings in Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls and Kenora as well as direct consultation with many stakeholders along with a 60 day public comment period on the Ontario ERO.
Members of the NW region of Ontario MNR as well as district staff from Kenora worked with a Fisheries Advisory Council made up of stakeholders from all around the shorelines of LOTW to propose the following preferred option:
Non-resident sport fishing license limits will be unchanged. The daily limit of 2 per day and possession limit of 4 will remain the same.
The most significant change will be to the slot size. The recommended/proposed changes for Sport Licenses will create a protected slot from 17″ to 27.5″ and allow 1 fish over 27.5″. For Conservation Licenses, the slot size will be less than 17″. This change will be the biggest help in preserving biomass moving forward. More mature fish will remain in the system to spawn and be protected throughout their life when they reach the 17″ slot length.
The over slot fish will be revisited once regulation changes are made that allow quick photograph and release of fish that are not legal size. Currently, the laws as written require immediate release of fish that are not of legal size. This is almost never enforced by conservation officers when recreational anglers are taking quick photos to preserve memories. I have never spoken to a CO that has issued a ticket for this. It is more of a tournament regulation that ensures quick release of non legal fish when fishing for money. Ontario MNR is currently studying what is required to make this change and hopes to have something in place when the process can be navigated.
The other changes are moving the daily limit of a conservation license to 1 walleye per day rather than 2. The possession limit will continue to be 2 walleyes on a conservation license.
Resident limits (Ontario and other Canadian anglers) will see their limits changed to match non-residents. The daily is currently 4 and that would change to 2. Possession limit would remain at 4.
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