The youth Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program is running for the summer. By fishing for rainbow and bull trout in the main body of Kootenay Lake, kids 15 and under are actively contributing to local conservation efforts to protect the iconic kokanee.
So far there are 30+ age-appropriate kids’ prizes, like kayaks, fishing rods and zipline adventure packets to be divided between the two kids’ prize draws – one on August 1 and one on October 1.
Encouraging anglers of all ages to catch and retain Kootenay Lake trout gives the juvenile kokanee a chance to grow. The rainbow and bull trout are suppressing the survival of the kokanee, the primary food source of these predators.
In the first year of the program, more than 11,000 rainbow and bull trout heads were submitted, greatly assisting juvenile kokanee recovery in Kootenay Lake.
“This program reduced rainbow trout and bull trout abundance faster than any other recovery action implemented to date…We anticipate this last year has made significant steps towards the goal of recovering kokanee and the Kootenay Lake trophy trout fishery.” –Molly Teather, Fish Biologist, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development B.C.
As well as promoting local conservation and healthy outdoor family fun, the Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program has supported local businesses in a tough year.
Cam Muir of Crawford Bay Market, one of the four depots storing trout heads for the program, said that the Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program has been great economically-the program increased their business as fishers learned that Crawford Bay Market offers gas in addition to everything else offered in the store.
The Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program is managed by the local West Arm Outdoors Club with support from B.C. Wildlife Federation, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNORD), Jones Boys Boats of Woodbury Creek and several local merchants from around Kootenay Lake.
Click here for more information on the Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program.