This petition is addressed to:

Hon. Mel Knight, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development of Alberta

Hon. Evan Berger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of SRD, Alberta and

Mr. Terry Clayton, Area Contact for Fisheries Management, Lethbridge, Alberta

The purpose of this petition is to stop commercial fishing on Lake McGregor in Alberta, Canada and allow the lake whitefish population to recover. The quality of recreational fishing on Lake McGregor has decreased dramatically in the last decade to the point where very few catches are experienced by anglers.

There are an estimated 300,000 licensed recreational anglers throughout Alberta. They contributed to the province economy in excess of $350 million in the year 2000 alone. There are 800 commercial fishing licenses in Alberta. The commercial fishing industry in Alberta contributes to the economy an estimated $5 million / year. (Alberta Sustainable Resource Development website)

Between 1989 and 1999, for Lake McGregor alone, 21 commercial fisheries IDs were identified. Between 2000 and 2010, 27 more commercial fisheries IDs were added for a total of 48 commercial fisheries IDs. (Alberta Sustainable Resource Development website)

Lake McGregor has been fished commercially for lake whitefish since 1948. During the 1980s, the mean annual commercial catch was a total annual average of 85,964.3 kg of lake whitefish and northern pike. This is ~190,000 pounds of fish (~64,000–95,000 fish) worth close to a million dollars. (Alberta Environment Report 1982 – Wikipedia website)

We believe that commercial fishing on Lake McGregor serves little benefit to few at the expense of great benefit to many. Therefore we petition the Alberta Government to stop commercial fishing on Lake McGregor.

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