The Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area (16,000 ha) is located about 100km east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and supports a popular fishery for speckled trout. The purpose of this study was to assess the status of the trout fishery and address concerns related to over-exploitation. Angler check points were occupied during 1979 and 2007 on an access road to sample the catch of anglers during the May-June period of heavy angler activity. In 1979, a total of 1380 interviewed anglers spent 6889 hours to catch 1852 trout. In comparison, a total of 178 interviewed anglers spent 1363 hours to catch 593 trout during 2007. The differences associated with sample size between survey years reflect sub-sampling in 2007 rather than a change in angler activity. The majority of anglers retained less than three trout and of the total trout caught, anglers released 19% in 1979 and 50% in 2007. Catch per hour, size, age, and growth rate of trout were similar between surveys. Results indicated that there was little change in this fishery between the 28 years separating the two creel surveys.
