Streams in the Kootenays were closed to anglers as of April 1 for the annual spawning period.
Every year streams in the Kootenay region (region four) close from April 1 to June 14 to allow for spawning. Lake fishing is still permitted, with some exceptions.
Region four spans the entire Kootenay region, north to Valemont, east to Alberta, south to the U.S. border, and west past Revelstoke, Nakusp and Castlegar.
The closure is outlined in the B.C. Freshwater Fishing Regulation synopsis, which lists all regulations for fishing in the province.
Any exceptions for stream closures will be listed.
The closure ensures that spawners will reproduce more successfully, providing conservation for future fisheries.
The synopsis includes specific information on each water body, including daily and annual quotas for lake fishing, so it is important for anglers to read through the synopsis before heading out.
April 1 also marks the date to renew annual fishing licences in B.C.
Many East Kootenay rivers and their tributaries are classified waters and require a supplemental Classified Waters Licence. Licences can be obtained online or at your local recreation or fishing store.
The B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) has also closed several backcountry areas of the Thompson Okanagan and one area in the Kootenays to motor vehicles, with the goal of aiding wildlife recovery.
The closures were announced on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, and remain in effect for an undetermined amount of time.
In the Kootenays, there is a year-round closure in the Lewis Creek area, which is the management unit surrounding the area where the Bill Nye fire took place – southeast of Wasa.
The closure affects all forest service roads within the map, except those identified in green. It also affects all motor vehicles on recreation trails and trail networks. It does not apply to public roads, which are defined as a road that is maintained by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Commercial activities are also exempt.
READ: New backcountry road closures in Okanagan, Kootenays aim to aid wildlife recovery
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
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