Wapiti Watershed Recreational Fishing Survey Report

February 26th, 2014 Survey report completed by ACME Economic and Environmental Inc. (ACME) 9310-70a Ave., Grande Prairie, AB Phone: 780-380-1468 Website: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/acmegrandeprairie/ Report written for the Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance, the Wapiti River Water Management Plan Environmental Sub-committee and the Peace Country Fly fishers Association Survey Information The survey was developed by ACME and linked to a web based program called Survey Monkey. The survey was placed online at the Facebook social media website around 4 pm on February 16, 2014. The survey was closed midnight on February 25th, 2014. Thirty people participated in the survey and twenty nine of the respondents answered each question. People were asked to provide their names, emails, general home location and other demographic information for the survey. The personal information of the respondents (Questions 1 and 2) were excluded from this report for privacy. The survey questions were edited and reviewed by the President of the Peace Country Fly fishers Association, Jim Epp. I wish to thank him for his time and efforts in working with me on this small project. There were several purposes to the survey. Most notably to gather information on the types of fish in the local Wapiti\Smokey River Watershed for the Wapiti River Water Management Plan Environmental Sub-committee as requested by Adam Norris of the Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance. Additional questions were asked of recreational fisher’s to learn more about the group and their personal use-of and personal value of the river and/or watershed as a local fishing resource. The survey has been developed and compiled in an unpaid volunteer capacity as part of the ongoing business mission of ACME to support local initiatives. ACME accepts no liability for the content of the report or online survey, nor for consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided as is to the public. Any interpretations or opinions presented in the report are solely those of the author and do not represent those of any other person or organization. Best Regards, Walter Andreeff, BSc. President of ACME Economic and Environment Inc. Email: wandreef@acmegrandeprairie.ca

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Q3. Where do you live in the Grande Prairie Region or MD of Greenview?

Answered: 23 Skipped: 7

City

County

A tow n or village

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

City 60.87% 14

County 30.43% 7

A town or village 8.70% 2

Total 23

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Q4. How many years have you been fishing? The lowest amount was 3 years. The highest amount was 60 years. The average amount was 34 years of fishing with 29 out of 30 respondents submitting a response. At least 3 individuals had fished for 60 years.

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Q5. What is your age?

Answered: 28 Skipped: 2

6 to 16

17 to 64

64 or Older

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

6 to 16 3.57% 1

17 to 64 78.57% 22

64 or Older 17.86% 5

Total 28

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Q6. Excluding yourself, how many in your household between 16 and 65 years old held a fishing license in 2013? The smallest amount was 1. The largest amount was 3. 20 households had people other than the respondent who had a fishing license in 2013. The total amount of people other than the respondent who had a fishing license in 2013 was 28.

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Q7. Excluding yourself, how many youth in your household under 16 years of age and people older than 65 fished for recreation in 2013? The smallest number was 1. The largest number was 2. Excluding the respondent, only 10 households had youth or elderly people who fished in 2013. The total amount of youth and people over 65 other than the respondent who fished in 2013 was 15.

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Q8. How many days did you fish during 2013 in the Smokey/Wapiti River watershed area? Include’s Kakwa, Beaverlodge, Simonette and Bear Creek/River and lakes in the region. The smallest amount was 0. The largest amount was 70 days. The average amount of fishing days was 14 with 30 people responding to the question.

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Q9. During your fishing, have you ever spotted this type of fish?

Answered: 29 Skipped: 1

Mountain Whitefish

Arctic Grayling

Walleye

Burbot

Northern Pike

Yellow Perch

Rainbow Trout

Cutthroat Trout

Brow nTrout

Brook Trout

Bull Trout

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

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Mountain Whitefish 62.07%

18

Arc tic Grayling 75.86% 22

Walleye 65.52% 19

Burbot 24.14% 7

Northern Pike 55.17% 16

Yellow Perc h 41.38% 12

Rainbow T rout 82.76% 24

Cutthroat T rout 44.83% 13

Brown T rout 51.72% 15

Brook T rout 55.17% 16

Bull T rout 68.97% 20

Total Respondents: 29

A few survey respondents added several other species to the comments section such as, Brook Stickleback, Brassy Minnow, Redsided Shiner, Creek Chub, Lake Chub, Lake Whitefish, Longnose Sucker, White Sucker, Goldeye and Mooneye.

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Q10. How important is recreational

fishing to you in the Smokey/Wapiti River and watershed area?

Answered: 30 Skipped: 0

Extremely important

Very important

Moderately important

Slightly important

Not at all important

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

Extremely important 66.67% 20

Very important 16.67% 5

Moderately important 16.67% 5

Slightly important 0% 0

Not at all important 0% 0

Total 30

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Q11. How important to you is it to ensure recreational fishing in rivers and lakes in

the area are not impacted by development?

Answered: 30 Skipped: 0

Extremely important

Very important

Moderately important

Slightly important

Not at all important

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Answer Choices Responses

Extremely important 80% 24

Very important 20% 6

Moderately important 0% 0

Slightly important 0% 0

Not at all important 0% 0

Total 30

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Q12. Would you like to hear a response/report from the survey? At what email address would you like to be contacted? 24 people requested to have the completed survey report and provided me with their email address.

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End of the Survey Report