Notifications

Government mail service may be affected by the Canada Post labour disruption. See how to send and receive government mail during this time

Fall Index Netting – Summaries

Summaries of fall index netting (FIN) information show risks to fish species sustainability.

Explore pages in:

Monitoring fish populations

Fall Index Netting and the Fish Sustainability Index

Fall index netting (FIN) is used by the Government of Alberta to primarily monitor walleye and Northern pike populations. FIN is being assessed as a method to assess the sustainability of other popular fisheries too, for example, lake whitefish and yellow perch.

For more information on Alberta’s FIN, visit:

The Fish Sustainability Index (FSI) was developed to bring consistency to fish stock assessments and provide a provincewide evaluation of the sustainability of Alberta fish species.

Information from fish stock assessments are translated into corresponding categories of risk to sustainability where a score of 1 represents a fishery at very high risk and a score of 4 or 5 represent lower risk (Table 1).

Table 1. Alberta’s Fish Sustainability Index risk thresholds for walleye and Northern pike using the standardized Fall Index Net (FIN) method.

Assessment scoreRisk to Sustainability
5Very Low
4Low
3Moderate
2High
 Very High

More information on Alberta’s FSI, and walleye and Northern pike FSI Maps, is available:

For more information on the assessment of a particular lake, please contact the local office:

FIN Summaries

FIN Summaries are based on adult abundance and length distribution.

2023

Table 2. 2023 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Badger LakeHighVery High
Beaver LakeModerateHigh
Calling LakeModerateVery High
Gift LakeHighModerateHigh
Hutch LakeExtirpatedModerateHigh
Keho LakeHighHighVery High
Long (Long 81) LakeN/AHigh
Rainbow LakeVery HighVery High
Rock Island LakeModerateVery High
Seibert LakeHighVery HighVery High
Snipe LakeVery LowVery High
South Heart ReservoirN/AVery Low
Sylvan LakeHighVery High
Travers ReservoirHighVery High
Utikuma LakeVery HighHigh
Utikumasis LakeLowHigh
Wabamun LakeLowModerateVery High
Winagami LakeLowHigh

2022

Table 3. 2022 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Amisk LakeLowHigh
Buck LakeLowModerateHigh
Elkwater LakeN/AModerate
Ethel LakeModerateModerate
Fawcett LakeLowModerateHigh
Floatingstone LakeVery HighHigh
Frog LakeExtirpatedHighVery High
Garner LakeHighVery High
Gregg LakeExtirpatedHigh
Gull LakeHighVery High
Iosegun LakeLowHigh
Jarvis LakeVery HighHigh
Lac Ste. AnneLowVery High
Moose LakeHighHigh
Muriel LakeExtirpatedVery High
Pigeon LakeVery LowVery High
Round LakeHighHigh
Skeleton LakeHighModerateHigh
Smoke LakeVery LowLowVery High
Sturgeon LakeVery LowVery High

2021

Table 4. 2021 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Clear LakeN/AModerate
Crawling Valley ReservoirModerateHigh
Forty Mile Coulee ReservoirHighVery High
Frog LakeExtirpatedVery High
Gipsy LakeN/ALow
Goodfish LakeVery HighVery High
Graham LakeHighVery High
Jack Fish LakeLowHigh
Kehiwin LakeHighHigh
Lac La BicheModerateVery High
Lake NewellModerateVery High
Moose LakeHighHigh
North Wabasca LakeHighHigh
Rolling Hills LakeHighVery High
Sherburne ReservoirHighHigh
South Wabasca LakeVery HighVery High
Talbot LakeN/AHigh
Wadlin LakeHighVery High

2020

Table 5. 2020 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Big Island LakeVery HighVery High
Bourque LakeHighHigh
Buck LakeLowVery High
Burnstick LakeHighModerate
Elinor LakeLowHigh
Fickle LakeHighVery High
Floatingstone LakeHighHigh
Garner LakeHighVery High
Gull LakeHighHigh
Iosegun LakeLowModerateHighVery High
Island LakeHighModerate
Lac Ste AnneVery LowVery High
Lesser Slave LakeHighVery High
Little Bow ReservoirVery HighVery High
Long LakeLowLow
Marie LakeHighVery High
McGregor LakeHighVery High
Moose LakeHighHigh
North Buck LakeExtirpatedModerate
Pigeon LakeLowVery High
Pinehurst LakeHighVery High
Skeleton LakeModerateHighModerateHigh
Smoke LakeModerateVery High
Snipe LakeLowHigh
Sturgeon LakeVery LowVery High
Sylvan LakeHighVery High
Travers ReservoirVery HighVery High
Wabamun LakeLowVery High
Winagami LakeModerateHighHighVery High

2019

Table 6. 2019 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Amisk LakeLowModerateHigh
Baptiste LakeModerateHigh
Chickenhill LakeExtirpatedExtirpated
Christina LakeVery HighHigh
Elinor LakeHighHigh
Fawcett LakeModerateHighHigh
Gardiner LakeVery HighVery High
Gods LakeHighVery HighHigh
Haig LakeVery LowVery High
Ironwood LakeModerateHighHigh
May LakeHighHigh
Pine LakeVery HighModerateHigh
Sawn LakeHighVery HighVery High
Shiningbank LakeVery LowLowVery High
Touchwood LakeHighHigh
Tucker LakeN/AVery Low

2018

Table 7. 2018 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Battle LakeModerateHigh
Berry Creek (Carolside) ReservoirVery HighModerate
Crane LakeVery HighModerateHigh
Goodfish LakeVery HighVery High
Hebephrenic LakeVery HighHighVery High
Hutch LakeLowModerate
Isle LakeVery HighModerate
Kehiwin LakeHighHigh
Lac BellevueVery LowVery High
Lac La BicheModerateHigh
Lac La NonneVery HighModerate
Lac Ste. AnneLowHigh
Long LakeN/AModerateHigh
Milk River Ridge ReservoirVery HighVery High
Pigeon LakeVery LowVery High
Pinehurst LakeHighHighVery High
Rainbow LakeVery HighVery High
Rock Island LakeModerateHighVery High
Scope LakeVery HighVery High
Utikumasis LakeHighVery High
Utikuma LakeVery HighHigh
Wolf LakeHighHigh

2017

Table 8. 2017 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Amisk LakeLowModerateHigh
Brutus LakeHighHigh
Buck LakeVery LowVery High
Buffalo LakeN/ALow
Calling LakeLowModerateVery High
Ethel LakeModerateLow
Floatingstone LakeModerateHighHigh
Fork LakeN/AModerateHigh
Garner LakeModerateVery High
Graham LakeHighVery High
Gregoire (Willow) LakeModerateHigh
Gull LakeModerateHigh
Hilda LakeLowHigh
Jackfish LakeHighHigh
Jackson LakeHighHigh
Lake NewellHighVery High
Long LakeModerateHigh
Moose LakeHighModerate
Net LakeModerateHighVery High
North Wabasca LakeHighHigh
Peerless LakeVery HighVery High
Raspberry LakeN/AVery Low
Rattlesnake LakeHighVery High
Rock Island LakeHighVery HighHighVery High
Rolling Hills LakeHighVery High
Round LakeLowHigh
Sandy LakeVery HighModerate
Snipe LakeModerateVery High
South Wabasca LakeHighLow
Sturgeon LakeVery LowHighVery High
Sylvan LakeHighVery High
Vandersteene LakeHighHigh
Winefred LakeHighHigh

2016

Table 9. 2016 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Baptiste LakeModerateHigh
Beaver LakeHighHigh
Bourque LakeModerateVery High
Fawcett LakeHighHigh
Frog LakeExtirpatedVery High
Iosegun LakeLowHigh
Island LakeHighHigh
Lac La BicheHighHigh
Lac La NonneVery HighHigh
Lac Ste AnneVery LowHigh
Lawrence LakeN/AVery Low
Smoke LakeHighVery High
Wadlin LakeVery LowHigh
Whitefish LakeModerateVery High
Wolf LakeVery HighModerate

2015

Table 10. 2015 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Badger LakeVery HighHigh
Berry Creek (Carolside) ReservoirN/AHigh
Blackett LakeModerateHigh
Burnstick LakeHighModerate
Brazeau Canal ReservoirN/AHigh
Brazeau ReservoirN/AVery High
Crawling Valley ResHighHigh
Eagle LakeHighHigh
Elinor LakeModerateHigh
Gregg LakeVery HighHigh
Heart LakeLowHigh
Jackson LakeModerateHigh
Jarvis LakeVery HighHigh
Jensen ReservoirVery HighVery High
Keho LakeVery HighHigh
Kinnaird LakeModerateHigh
Lac BellevueVery LowVery High
Lac La BicheLowModerateHigh
Long LakeHighVery High
Marie LakeHighHigh
Muskwa LakeVery HighVery Low
North Buck LakeExtirpatedHigh
Nipisi LakeN/AModerate
Orloff LakeModerateHighVery High
Pigeon LakeVery LowVery High
Pine LakeVery HighModerate
Sawn LakeVery HighHigh
Seibert LakeHighVery High
Skeleton LakeModerateHighLowModerate
Spencer LakeLowHigh
Wabamun LakeVery HighHigh
Winagami LakeLowModerate

2014

Table 11. 2014 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Big Island LakeHighVery High
Bistcho LakeHighLow
Clear LakeVery LowVery High
Fickle LakeHighVery High
Gardiner LakeHighHigh
Gods LakeVery HighHigh
Gull LakeHighHigh
Haig LakeLowVery High
Ironwood LakeModerateHigh
Lac La BicheModerateHigh
Lac Ste AnneVery LowHigh
Lesser Slave LakeHighVery High
Magee LakeN/AVery Low
Middle Chain LakeN/AHigh
Moose LakeHighHigh
Pinehurst LakeModerateHighHigh
Shiningbank LakeModerateHighHigh
Snipe LakeVery HighHigh
Thurston LakeVery HighHigh
Touchwood LakeHighHigh
Wolf LakeModerateHigh

2013

Table 12. 2013 list of waterbody and risk to sustainability rating for walleye and Northern pike.

WaterbodyRisk to sustainability rating
WalleyeNorthern pike
Amisk LakeHighVery High
Buck LakeVery LowHigh
Christina LakeVery HighHigh
Fawcett LakeHighHigh
Fork LakeN/ALowModerate
Garner LakeVery LowVery High
Iosegun LakeLowVery High
Kehewin LakeHighHigh
Lac La BicheHighVery High
Lac Ste CyrVery HighHigh
Lake NewellHighVery High
Long LakeLowModerateHigh
May LakeHighHigh
McGregor LakeHighVery High
N Wabasca LakeVery HighHigh
Pigeon LakeVery LowVery High
Sandy LakeVery HighHigh
Smoke LakeModerateVery High
Sturgeon LakeVery LowHigh
Tucker LakeN/ALowModerate
Utikuma LakeHighVery Low
Wabamun LakeVery HighModerate

Read the reports from 2010 to 2012:

For more information on fisheries management and conservation, visit: