The County of Stettler is reminding all anglers with ice fishing huts, to have them removed from the ice by the March 31 deadline.
The County of Stettler participates in the ‘Take it Off’ Program in partnership with Lacombe County. Anglers are encouraged to register their ice huts through our website, to ensure each hut is accounted for at the end of the ice fishing season.
This program reduces the likelihood of ice huts falling through the ice in the spring, and polluting our lakes and creating safety hazards for boaters. Registering ice huts not only helps protect the environment but ensures the safety of the animals who depend on these water sources. Registration helps identify the owner of an ice hut in the event of any issues related to the ice hut property such as vandalism or theft, or to contact them in the event of an early ice break-up.
“Last year we had an issue on Buffalo Lake where we were unable to identify the owner of an ice hut that was left on our lake way too late in the season. In the end, it took a team of volunteers, a few putting personal safety at risk, to get that hut removed and at considerable expense.
“It isn’t a scene we want to ever re-create,” recalled Quinton Beaumont, Director of Agricultural Services and the Manager Health and Safety for the County of Stettler.
“Other lakes in our province have experienced early ice break up in previous years and ended up with dozens of ice huts falling in and polluting their lakes. We are trying to avoid a catastrophe of that scale as well,” added Beaumont. “Please just take a minute, and register your hut at www.stettlercounty.ca; click on Agriculture; click on ‘Take it off’ ice hut registration. If you don’t have access to the internet, call us – we’ll help you.”
The registration process is quick, easy and free of charge. Anglers are only required to register once, then display their registration number permanently on the outside of their ice hut. Ice hut registration numbers issued continue to be valid from year-to year. The County of Stettler just asks that you inform us about changes to contact information by calling our office.
County of Stettler No. 6
Box 1270
6602 – 44 Avenue
Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L0
T:403.742.4441 F: 403.742.1277
