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Mosaic, province come to agreement to stock 3 small Cowichan lakes with fish

Province and Mosaic are increasing local angling opportunities on 15 popular fishing lakes in 2020
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Mosaic and the province have come to an agreement that will see 15 small lakes on Vancouver Island stocked with fish this year. (File photo)

Mosaic Forest Management and the Province of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, have entered into an agreement to have 15 small lakes within Mosaic-managed private forest lands on Vancouver Island stocked with trout.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, a non-profit organization that works alongside government’s fisheries management agencies, will conduct the stocking in 2020.

By working together to ensure the continued stocking of lakes on Mosaic private forest lands, the Ministry and Mosaic are increasing local angling opportunities on 15 popular fishing lakes in 2020 between Campbell River and Shawnigan Lake. The lakes include, in the Cowichan Valley, Kissinger, Lois and Rheinhart lakes, as well as Beavertail, Echo, Helldiver, Loon, Nimnim, Reginald, Rhododendron, Rowbotham, Shelton, Tadjiss, Wolf and Wowo lakes on the rest of the Island, the groups said in a joint press release.

Lake stocking is the practice of releasing hatchery fish into lakes to increase fish populations for recreational anglers. Several of these stocked lakes are also being enriched to increase fish growth to provide opportunities to catch larger bodied fish.

Mosaic provides public access to its private managed forest land for recreational purposes, including fishing, when it is operationally safe to do so, and wildfire risk is at acceptable levels. The Ministry manages the recreational fisheries, setting the stocking rates and fishing regulations.

The Ministry says that stocking fish into lakes helps to sustainably manage freshwater sport fishing in B.C by providing a diversity of fishing opportunities, while also helping to conserve wild fish populations. This agreement enables the Provincial Fish Stocking Program to continue in lakes on Mosaic’s private forest lands, to the benefit of the public and fish resources.

“Enhancing fish populations and supporting safe recreation opportunities align with Mosaic’s core sustainability and community commitments,” said Mosaic President and CEO Jeff Zweig. “We are pleased to see the continuation of this program and build on decades of partnership with the Province on fisheries enhancement.”

Each year on behalf of the province, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC conducts fish stocking on more than 800 lakes in B.C. The Society’s six hatcheries raise and release rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, eastern brook char, kokanee and steelhead for recreation stocking, and white sturgeon and lake char for conservation purposes.

“This agreement between Mosaic and the Province is good news for anglers on Vancouver Island,” said Andrew Wilson, president, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. “We will release rainbow and cutthroat trout into the 15 lakes located within the Mosaic managed forest lands this month, providing excellent fishing opportunities for anglers keen to visit these popular lakes.”