Anglers are being reminded to remove ice fishing shelters from Saskatchewan lakes in the south.
Ice fishing season is slowly winding down and as of March 15th, all fishing shelters south of Highway 16 will need to be removed, while the deadline is March 31st for the northern region, again marked by highway 16 as the dividing line.
In southern and central Saskatchewan, ice fishing season closes on March 31st and on April 15th in the north.  Information about fishing in the province can be found in the Saskatchewan Anglers’ Guide, and online at www.environment.gov.sk.ca/fishing.
Each spring, a number of ice fishing shelters are abandoned on lakes and owners can be prosecuted for leaving them as they create a hazard for boaters, water-skiers, and others enjoying the lakes. If shelters are not removed, owners could be prosecuted, and the structure and contents may be confiscated and removed by the ministry. Any litter must also be removed when ice shelters are taken off the ice and structures must be moved to a location above the high water mark.
Anyone travelling on ice at this point should take extreme caution; increasing amounts of slush indicates that ice is eroding from above and below at an advanced rate.