As spring nears, ice anglers have a week left to remove their fishing shelters from the ice in the southern part of the province.
All ice fishing shelters south of the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy. 16) must be removed by Friday, Mar. 15. Ice fishing shelters north of the No. 16 can be left on the ice until Mar. 31.
The provincial government’s Ministry of Environment cautions that if the shelters aren’t removed, the owners may be prosecuted and the structure and its contents may be taken off the ice and confiscated.
The Ministry of Environment said in a press release that each year ice fishing shelters are abandoned on the ice, which can later pose a danger to boaters, water-skiers and others on the province’s lakes. Pieces of the shelters can also wash up on shore and cause environmental hazards.
They also remind anglers that ice fishing shelters must have the owner’s full name, address and phone number on the outside of the shelter written legibily in letters that are at least 2.5 centimetres high. When the structures are removed they must be loaded and transporter to the owner’s residence or property.
As people remove their shelters they are asked to take extreme caution. As the weather warms, ice is eroding from above and below the ice at an advanced rate.
Information about fishing in the province can be found in the Saskatchewan Anglers’ Guide and online at www.saskatchewan.ca/fishing.
