Regulation of Ice Fishing Huts on Alberta Lakes

WHEREAS Alberta’s lakes are a valuable natural resource for all Albertans that must be used in a sustainable manner to ensure the long-term benefits are preserved for future generations;

WHEREAS the wide variety of recreational uses on these lakes creates environmental challenges and results in potentially conflicting uses that need to be managed;

WHEREAS an increasing number of fishermen engage in ice fishing on these lakes due to Alberta’s rapid population growth and the popularity of the sport which has resulted in the placement of a record number of ice fishing shelters or huts on our lakes;

WHEREAS many of these ice huts are left after the end of the seasons despite current legislation that prohibits the unlawful disposal of waste;

WHEREAS these abandoned huts result in a number of negative consequences including pollutants in our lakes, hazards for other lake users such as boaters and swimmers, unsightly debris on our lakeshores, and risks for those who are left with the task of removing these abandoned huts; and

WHEREAS legislation in other Canadian provinces requiring the mandatory registration of ice huts has proven successful in controlling this problem.