aggregate limits

[speckmaster 114]

While going through the new regs. I noticed that you can't keep/possess an aggregate limit of speckled trout and lake trout. Does this apply to speckled trout from one of the stocked speckled trout lakes?

thx

[Guest MNR]

MNR Answer:

Aggregate limits are catch and possession limits for a combination of fish species. Where there are aggregate limits, you may not catch and retain a separate limit of each species. For trout and salmon, you may only catch and keep in one day or possess no more than five trout and salmon in total under a Sport Fish Licence or two trout and salmon under a Conservation Fishing Licence. As part of the aggregate limit, you may not exceed an individual species limit.

There is no differentiation in the regulations between stocked vs natural when it comes to aggregate limits for trout species (or trout/salmon combinations).

So the answer to your question is YES, the aggregate limits apply to stocked Brook Trout (speckled trout) when combined with either Splake, Lake Trout, natural or stocked Brook Trout, other trout speciesand salmon. You cannot exceed the individual species limits and you cannot exceed the total aggregate limit.

As an example, in Fisheries Management Zone 6 a person with a sport fishing licence could catch and keep;

- 3 splake, 2 lake trout; or

-2 lake trout, 2 brook trout, 1 splake etc.

A person with a conservation licence could catch and keep;

- 1 lake trout, 1 brook trout (conservation limit for lake trout is one) or

- 2 brook trout; or

- 1 splake, 1 brook trout etc.

All other individual species restrictions still apply, as well as any location-specific restrictions.

Refer to the Ontario Fishing Regulation Summary for size restrictions on natural brook trout and lake trout.

Aggregate limits also apply to walleye/sauger, largemouth and smallmouth bass and black and white crappie.

Reference: Ontario Fishery Regulations 2007 Section 18, or see Page 7 in the Fishing Ontario 2008-09 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary (Aggregate Limits for Trout and Salmon).