Couple Walleyes from the weekend

FishBio thanks for chiming in...you always provide good relevant input.
To my knowledge...most of biological data was completed by last fall and subsequently studied...additional information obtained from this summers creel surveys, if deemed relevant, would have just added to the volume of information that had already been collected and analyzed for the scheduled 5 year interim review (of the original 10 year management plan).
My understanding was...discussions have already taken place regarding the possibly of completing any remaining public consolation portion online (as was done for the cormorant issue) and or virtually...if all involved parties are capable and agreeable. Other more urgent and pending regulation changes in the province were also being 'considered' under a similiar format.
Implementation of any possible Nipissing regulatory changes, next year, was still an option and on the OMNRF's agenda...if the alternative public consolation options prove workable, sufficient and agreeable.
I've not heard or seen any update to this since May.....perhaps other involved parties have. If so, please update the rest of us.

FYI Grumpa I have a sweet spot for Erie and fish it any time I can.

These past years, walleye fishing on erie is mostly ~15-17in fish, with the occasional 2003er in the mix, otherwise it's all 2015 hatch. That's what people are limiting out on. Those two years were massive for walleye and we'll likely never see anything like it again.

Or so we thought.

The 2018 AND 2019 hatch, combined, are quadruple that of 2015. Give this cohort time to grow, and Erie will be absolutely bonkers.

Sterling...been hearing the same from my friends and contacts still living on Erie.
They're telling me with the restaurants basically (covid) closed, the commercial fishermen were unsure if they could sell their full catch quotas this season...so the recreational fishermen may be the benefactors of a possibly reduced commercial catch this year.
The commercial netting window is narrow. Everyone's feeling the pinch...even commercial fishermen. Most recreational anglers out of the north shore ports on Erie did quite well all last summer...based on a couple stellar recruitment years as you mentioned.
I still fish Erie regularly as well...lived there for many many years...and was able watch the rebuild of a walleye fishery there, first hand, in the 70's and 80's.

Covid 19 continues to be a convenient excuse to cut back, save money, and basically put off tough decisions all in the name of safety of course

Us anglers and hunters should be receiving a discount on our license fees with these reduced services.

Results from the fall index netting project, annual harvests by the fisheries, and model projections were reported to the advisory committee in the first week of February (2020) to start the regulation change process. With the Covid shutdown of non-essential activities all regulatory proposals have not proceeded. The timeline for including the required public consultation would have to have been completed by the second week of June. So I would not hold my breath that somehow the angling regulations will change for January 1st 2021.