Yellow perch fans are lauding a move by the province to significantly increase the possession limit this year along Ontario’s Lake Erie shoreline.
A change in regulations for Zone 19 means anglers can now catch 50 yellow perch per day and can keep 100 if they possess a sport licence. With a conservation licence, the catch rate is 25 per day with a possession limit of 50. Previously, the catch and possession limit was 50 and 50 for those with a sports licence.
It’s a welcome change for those who have pushed for higher yellow perch limits in recent years.
Higher possession limits may stimulate angler interest and help encourage extended fishing trips to the area and bolster the local economy
“Higher possession limits may stimulate angler interest and help encourage extended fishing trips to the area and bolster the local economy,” says Tom Brooke, a fisheries biologist with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH).
For the past five years the OFAH, with its members and partners, have lobbied the province to increase the daily possession limit, especially considering less restrictive limits on the lake south of the border and studies that indicated more stable perch populations in Erie.
The new limits are for both resident and non-resident anglers.
This is welcome news, however, over fishing commercially remains an issue in my opinion.
commercial fishing has always been the demise of fish populations. better management is needed to assure the supply of fishes in all the great lakes. communities make more revenue from sports fishermen and tourism fishing than all the commercial fishing combined. so why do we let these commercial fishermen destroy the system?? c’mon now.
A fair way would be to buy up the commercial licences as they become available until there are just enough to supply the market.