New signage informing about the new Fishing Regulations and a QR code with the Fishing Guide – DiscoverWestman.com

RM of Sifton councilor Scott Phillips has been going around the area installing new signage on lakeside areas.

The signs contain important information for anglers:

Walleye/Sauger possession limit – 4 fish – must be between 35 cm to 55 cm (13.58 inch to 21.65 inch) in length.

Please note: anything smaller or larger must be returned to this body of water.

About a month ago, a group of southwestern municipal leaders met with Manitoba Conservation and provincial representatives about regulations regarding fishing and aquatic invasive species.

Phillips says the conversation led to the need to hire more conservation officers in the Westman area and to the problem that too many anglers continue to fish well above legal limits.

“There is a great need for conservation officers and there is a shortage of them in rural Manitoba and the fishing is out of control because people are catching different sizes of fish and catching fish in buckets and there is low enforcement,” he explains. “So it was mentioned that there are signs along the Red River and in some of the larger centers around Winnipeg advising about restrictions and sizes along with a QR code in case of language differences.”

Long story short, Phillips requested this signage for the Westman area and received 14 signs to share throughout Westman. So far, ten municipalities have new signs, and more are planned.

“So over the last few weeks, we picked 14 places to put the signs, and we did most of them in one day,” he said. “Various Game & Fish representatives and officials were very present, so we placed them in what we thought were the hottest spots in the area.”

“We hope this will help fight overfishing and unstable fishing practices,” he adds. “Unfortunately our COs can’t be everywhere, so we’re hoping some signage will help. This is the beginning.”