Effective Monday, April 1, 2019, the kokanee angling season on the upper west arm of Kootenay Lake will be reduced to four days in 2019.

The 2018 season was 28 days.

This measure is an effort to support long-term kokanee conservation.

The 2019 kokanee regulation for the west arm of Kootenay Lake is catch-and-release only all year except for April 1-2, 2019, and July 1-2, 2019, when the daily quota for kokanee will be five.

This reduced angling opportunity is in response to uncertainty around current kokanee numbers. The reduction in openings will reduce the risk of overharvest to maintain spawner escapements for conservation.

Kokanee are an important part of the natural ecosystem. Surplus kokanee, after conservation targets are met, provide an excellent fishery opportunity. The ministry and its partners will continue their management efforts to ensure the long-term health of kokanee populations.

Quick Facts:

• Kokanee are landlocked salmon and are second only to rainbow trout as the most popular game fish in B.C.
• Escapement is the portion of the kokanee population that returns to its freshwater habitat to spawn.
  • Escapement targets are the number of kokanee needed to meet conservation requirements.
  • Harvest opportunity exists when populations are higher than escapement targets.

Learn More:

For more information on freshwater fish and fishing in B.C., visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/