Since the mid-2000’s, the collapse of the Kootenay Lake fishery has been apparent, and well documented. Prior to 2012, the Meadow Creek spawning channel has supported an average of 67.7 million kokanee eggs and an average of 693,000 spawners. Since then, egg numbers have only averaged 7.7 million and spawner numbers have fallen to an average of 28,000. The end result is too
Posted:
May 9, 2021
KLAIP continues to help kokanee salmon
The spring weather gets everyone excited to head outdoors and enjoy time with the family. Even more exciting is a chance to win an 18’ Kingfisher boat prize package worth $50,000! The Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program (KLAIP) runs until June 1, and the grand prize draw will take place in early June. Anyone with a freshwater fishing licence can enter the draw!
Anglers are encouraged to harvest rainbow and bull trout in the main body of Kootenay Lake and then turn in the heads to one of four depots: Crawford Bay Market, Gill and Gift, Woodbury Resort, and Wynndel Foods and Outdoor Gear.
by Contributor on Thursday April 08 2021
Guy Rook, February winner of $1,000 worth of gift certificates was drawn from the Wynndel Foods & Outdoor depot. Submitted photo
The Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program is designed to help the iconic kokanee salmon population recover after their collapse in 2013. In 2017, only 12,000 spawners were estimated in the main lake. Conservationists have been trying to reverse the decline by conducting kokanee egg plants and fry release for the past five years.
The high in-lake abundance of rainbow and bull trout is suppressing the survival of the kokanee, the primary food source of these predators. The incentive program encourages anglers to catch and retain rainbow and bull trout while giving the juvenile kokanee a chance to grow.