Kootenay freshwater fish management
The Kootenay Region encompasses the southeast corner of British Columbia and consists of the Columbia Mountains (Purcell, Selkirk and Monashees) and the Rocky Mountains. Noted fish species in the region include Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout and Gerrard Rainbow Trout. Fisheries staff are located in offices in Cranbrook and Nelson.
On this page:
- Kootenay Lake Public Meeting March 2022
- Primary responsibilities for the Regional Fisheries
- Classified Waters of the Kootenay Region
- Kootenay Regional News
- Kootenay Regional Reports
- Kootenay Lake Bulletins and Reports
Kootenay Lake public meeting - March 14, 2022
On March 14, 2022, an online meeting was held to discuss the Kootenay Lake Kokanee Collapse, the current status of fish stocks, recovery actions implemented to date and recovery action plans for 2022. Please find the pre-meeting slideshow below as well as some answers to some Frequently Asked Questions for Kootenay Lake fisheries.
Primary responsibilities for the Regional Fisheries
Primary responsibilities for the Regional Fisheries staff include:
- Freshwater fisheries management in regional lakes and streams, conservation, lake stocking, angling regulations, and classified waters
- Cooperative fisheries management with government agencies, First Nations and NGOs
- Specific Fisheries Project
- Review & Approval of scientific fish collection and live fish possession and transportation permits
- Collect and provide scientific fisheries information, data and support for First Nations treaty negotiation tables and other user groups
Classified Waters of the Kootenay Region
- 2015 Kootenay Region Angling Management Plan (PDF, 700Kb)
- Kootenay Region Classified Waters map (PDF, 382Kb)
- Classified Waters Relinquishment of Angler Days Form (PDF, 790Kb)
- Kootenay Region Classified Waters Angling Licence Booking System (PDF, 200Kb)
Kootenay Regional News
Kootenay Lake Online Public Meeting Poster March 2022 (PDF, 124Kb)
White Sturgeon Sampling on Kootenay Lake information poster (PDF, 2.6Mb)
Kootenay Lake Rainbow Trout and Bull Trout "Spaghetti Tag" Reward (PDF, 163Kb)
Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine Articles (Note: these links leave the Provincial Government web and take the viewer directly to Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine managed web pages)
- Koogopogo: Super-sized Sturgeon (an encounter with Big Bertha, one of the largest white sturgeon in the Kootenay River system)
- When the burbot bloomed (ice fishing for burbot on Lake Windermere)
Kootenay Regional Reports
Note: Additional reports can be accessed through the Cross-Linked information Resources (CLIR) Tool
Kootenay White Sturgeon in British Columbia 2018 and 2019 Summary Report (PDF. 1.8Mb)
Post release evaluation of White Sturgeon hatchery population genetics in Kootenay (PDF, 1.1Mb)
Kootenai River Resident Fish Mitigation: White Sturgeon, Burbot, Native Salmonid Monitoring and Evaluation (PDF, 7.0Mb) Note: Idaho Fish and Wildlife report that incorporates data collected by BC fisheries staff.
Lower Kootenay Burbot summary: Moyie Lake and Kootenay Lake/River 2017-18 (PDF, 3.65Mb)
Lower Kootenay Burbot summary: Moyie Lake and Kootenay Lake/River 2016-17 (PDF, 2.7Mb)
Kooteani River/Kootenay Lake Burbot Conservation Strategy (PDF, 1.94Mb)
Survival and Dispersal of Sonic-tagged, Hatchery-Reared Burbot released into the Kootenay River (PDF, 526Kb)
Kootenai River Resident Fish Mitigation: White Sturgeon, Burbot, Native Salmonid Monitoring and Evaluation (PDF, 7.0Mb)
Note: Idaho Fish and Wildlife report that incorporates data collected by BC fisheries staff.
Use of Moyie Lake Burbot for conservation aquaculture: on ice methods (PDF, 709Kb)
Population Abundance Methods:
- 2018 Analysis of telemetry data from Burbot on Moyie Lake (PDF, 3.28Mb)
- 2018 Analysis of Burbot Mark-Recapture Dataset (PDF, 1.1Mb)
- 2007 Moyie Lake Burbot Population Assessment (PDF, 2.54Mb)
- 2007 East Kootenay Burbot Population Assessment (PDF, 1.26Mb)
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Count | Date | Count | Date | |
| April 1 | no count | May 1 | 93 | June 1 |
23 (last count) |
| April 2 | no count | May 2 | 130 | June 2 | |
| April 3 | no count | May 3 | 126 | June 3 | |
| April 4 | 0 | May 4 | 155 | June 4 | |
| April 5 | 0 | May 5 | 141 | June 5 | |
| April 6 | 0 | May 6 | 138 | June 6 | |
| April 7 | 0 | May 7 | 185 | June 7 | |
| April 8 | 0 | May 8 | 212 | June 8 | |
| April 9 | 0 | May 9 | 210 | June 9 | |
| April 10 | 0 | May 10 | 227 | June 10 | |
| April 11 | 0 | May 11 | 249 | June 11 | |
| April 12 | 0 | May 12 | 226 | June 12 | |
| April 13 | 0 | May 13 | 222 | June 13 | |
| April 14 | 0 | May 14 | 203 | June 14 | |
| April 15 | 0 | May 15 | 206 | June 15 | |
| April 16 | 0 | May 16 | 242 | June 16 | |
| April 17 | 0 | May 17 | 284 | June 17 | |
| April 18 | 0 | May 18 |
no count - poor weather |
June 18 | |
| April 19 | 0 | May 19 | 268 | June 19 | |
| April 20 | 0 | May 20 |
no count - poor weather |
June 20 | |
| April 21 | 0 | May 21 | 216 | June 21 | |
| April 22 | 0 | May 22 | 205 | June 22 | |
| April 23 | 0 | May 23 | 176 | June 23 | |
| April 24 | 0 | May 24 | 161 | June 24 | |
| April 25 | 1 | May 25 | 144 | June 25 | |
| April 26 | 1 | May 26 | 117 | June 26 | |
| April 27 | 3 | May 27 | 89 | June 27 | |
| April 28 | 14 | May 28 | 71 | June 28 | |
| April 29 | 40 | May 29 | 65 | June 29 | |
| April 30 | 39 - windy | May 30 | 58 | June 30 | |
| May 31 | 41 | ||||
Kootenay Lake Bulletins and Reports
Kootenay Lake Action Plan 2016 (PDF, 1.2Mb)
- Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program #3 Launch Announcement (June 2022) (PDF, 141Kb)
- Kootenay Lake Fish Health 2022 (May 2022) (PDF, 150 Kb)
- Kootenay Lake Kokanee Recovery Update (December 2021) (PDF, 143Kb)
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Kootenay Lake Kokanee Recovery Update (January 2021) (PDF, 244Kb)
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Kootenay Lake Angler Incentive Program (August 2020) (PDF, 190Kb)
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Kootenay Lake Kokanee Recovery Update (October 2019) (PDF, 300Kb)
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Kootenay Lake Sport Fishing Update (May 2015) (PDF, 600Kb)
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Rainbow vs. Kokanee Identification Guide for Kootenay Lake (PDF, 600Kb)
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Kootenay Lake Sport Fishing Update (March 2008) (PDF, 150Kb)
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November 2021 - Kootenay Lake - Action Plan Presentation (PDF, 6.2Mb)
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November 2020 - Kootenay Lake - Action Plan Presentation (PDF, 6.5Mb)
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November 2019 - Kootenay Lake - Action Plan Presentation (PDF, 7.2Mb)
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September 2018 - Kootenay Lake - Action Plan Presentation (PDF, 3.6Mb)
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May 2018 - Kootenay Lake Fishery Workshop Summary (PDF, 8.9Mb)
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November 2017 - Public Meeting - Friends of Kootenay Lake Presentation (PDF, 6.0Mb)
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June 2016 - Public Meeting - Kootenay Lake Presentation (PDF, 2.6Mb)
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October 2015 Public Meeting - Friends of Kootenay Lake Presentation (PDF, 3.2Mb)
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June 2015 Public Meeting - Kootenay Lake Presentation (PDF, 3.4Mb)
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March 2015 Expert Team Review and Recommendation Report (PDF, 7.4Mb)
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February 2015 Public Meeting - Balfour Question and Answers (PDF, 300Kb)
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February 2015 Public Meeting - Kootenay Lake Presentation (PDF, 3.6Mb)
