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Williston Reservoir proposed angling regulation

Last updated on December 20, 2024

The public is invited to comment on the proposed angling regulation described below until January 17, 2025. A BCeID basic account is required in order to post comments. Users with a business or personal BCeID account will not be able to access the feedback form without registering for a basic BCeID account.

Summary: Williston Reservoir update from regional regulation to harmonize with Region 7a regulation and implement quota

Status: Proposed

Region: 7b, Peace

Management unit (MU): 7-31 and 7-36

Regulation type: Quota

Species: All fin fish

Closing date: January 17, 2025

Decision statement: Pending

Current regulation: Regional regulation

Proposed regulation:

Williston Lake (in Zone B): 

  • No rainbow trout under 30 cm 
  • See mercury warning page 67 in Region 7A Regulations (PDF, 1.6MB), and definition of “stream mouth” on page 96 in the Provincial Regulations (PFD, 24MB) 
  • Arctic grayling release* 
  • Bull trout:
    • Daily quota is 1 with no fish under 30 cm or over 50 cm
    • Open October 16 to August 14
  • Lake trout:
    • Daily quota is 3 with none under 30 cm and 1 over 50 cm
    • Open November 1 to September 14

Rationale:

Williston Reservoir exists in two different fisheries management regions: the Omineca Region (7A) and the Peace Region (7B). The break between these regions occurs just west of Selwyn Creek on the Peace Arm. Currently the daily quota for Lake Trout is 3 (1 over 50 cm) in the Omineca Region and 2 (1 over 50 cm) in the Peace Region. The current discrepancy in regulations between Omineca and Peace Regions for Williston Reservoir creates confusion for anglers and a difficult enforcement situation for the Conservation Officer Service, since anglers could fish (or claim to fish) their limit in the Omineca section of the Williston but be travelling in the Peace section of the Williston and appear to have more than their daily quota of Lake Trout. This proposal wished to change the water-specific (Williston Reservoir) daily quota of Lake Trout to 3 (none under 30 cm, 1 over 50 cm) in the Peace Region to harmonize the daily quota of Lake Trout with the Omineca Region.

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