EDMONTON - Whether you've never tried fishing before or you're an old hand at the sport, anglers of all ages can enjoy free fishing in Alberta on Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13.

Anyone can fish in Alberta for the two days without an Alberta Sportfishing Licence, in any public water body where fishing is normally allowed. But they must follow all regulations outlined in the 2003 Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations - available free where licences are sold, as well as at Alberta Sustainable Resource Development's regional Fish and Wildlife offices and online at http://www.albertaoutdoorsmen.ca/fishingregs/index.html.

"Free Fishing Weekends introduce new anglers to the sport and promote a respect for the resource," said Mike Cardinal, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. People also gain an understanding of catch-and-release fishing, a key fisheries management technique in Alberta (see attached backgrounder).

Alberta is presenting the Free Fishing Weekend as part of National Fishing Week, which takes place July 5-13 this year. National Fishing Week helps promote recreational fishing across the country and recognizes angling as an important part of Canada's heritage.

Recreational fishing is very popular in Alberta. Approximately 82,000 fishing licences were purchased between April 1 and mid-June, which is 8,000 more licences than were sold over the same period last year. About 320,000 people enjoy angling in the province each year.

For more information about fishing in Alberta, visit the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Web site: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/fish. Information about National Fishing Week and activities is available online at: www.nationalfishingweek.com.

Contact:

Ken Bodden
Fisheries Specialist
Fish and Wildlife Division
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Edmonton
(780) 427-7791

Dave Ealey
Public Affairs Officer
Communications
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Edmonton
(780) 427-8636