St. Paul anglers can influence province’s fishing rules on Monday

St. Paul area fishers and anglers will get an opportunity to influence the rules for 2020.

The province is hosting an open house at the St. Paul Recreation Centre on Monday, Jan. 27 from 4:30-8:30 to hear from residents about is and isn’t working with the sportfishing regulations.

The Ministry of Environment and Parks says they’ll collect this feedback and use it when making the new rules, which will be released on April 1.

St. Paul Mayor Maureen Miller said town council will make sure they attend.

“It affects our tourism. It affects a number of areas within our community. We need that voice and I’m glad they’re coming out and doing it here because we are the center of the Lakeland and we are directly impacted by these regulations. And I’m glad that they’re actually having a look at how that implication falls,” said Miller.

“It’s silly when you have to jump provinces to fish and come home with the fish…Obviously, there needs to be something in how that was originally set up,” she said.

The UCP said they have a focus on increasing recreational fishing opportunities across the province.

Lac La Biche will host the same open house on Jan. 28 at the Sir Winston Churchhill Provincial Park community facility.

Cold Lake hosted a similar meeting on Monday.

You can give feedback online as well on Alberta Environment and Parks’ website until Feb. 2.