Fish Stocking Facts

Want to Stock your Pond?  You must have a permit .  Click for an application for stocking into private ponds.

In British Columbia, nearly 900 lakes and streams are stocked annually with trout, char and kokanee produced from the five facilities operated by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. 

The Ministry of Environment's regional lakes biologists submit their lake stocking requests for the number of fish, a specific strain and species, the life stage and a preferred size. View the Latest Fish Stocking Reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lake Stocking Times

REGIONAL STOCKING TIMES

Fish are released several times a year, primarly during the spring (March-May) and fall (Sept-Nov). 

Vancouver Island Stocking Times	Interior- Nothern BC Stocking Times
Lower Mainland Stocking Times	Kootenay Stocking Times

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From the Hatchery to the Lake

Most lakes in the province are accessible by road therefore the most common method of stocking fish is by tanker truck. The fish have an oxygen supply in these tanks as they travel several hours to reach their new homes. Frequent stops are made by the fish culturist to check the oxygen levels in the tank and the water temperature to ensure that the fish remain comfortable during the trip.   The fish are released by pouring them out of a bucket or by a flexible tube into the water.

When a lake is not accessible by road, the alternative is by air release.  Approximately 200 systems in the province are stocked with fish fry by use of a helicopter.   A 100 foot cable hangs below the helicopter with a “fry mover” container at the end. The pilot will control the release of the fry from this fry mover by a electronic switch with the guidance of a fish culturist for a suitable spot.   Although the fry are released approximately 20 feet from the water's surface, they land safely in the waiting pools.

Types of Fish Stocked in BC 

The FFSBC stocks rainbow trout , cutthroat trout, brook char, steelhead, and kokanee salmon for the angler.   Each strain and species will use lake habitat differently or can give a different "fight" for the angler.

Read About Rainbows Stocked in BC and articles about Pennask Trout and Kamloops Trout.

Who Decides?  The Ministry of Environment will request a strain and type of fish that is best suited for that environment.   Salmon species are released by federal facilities.

Fish Culture for Conservation Programs

Recovery initiatives are now underway for some of these populations or species to prevent extinction in the short-term and rebuild populations over the longer term. In some cases, a change in regulations and/or habitat restoration and protection may be adequate to recover species or populations. However, where numbers extremely low or no natural recruitment is occurring, populations face immediate and extreme danger of extinction and more intensive measures are required. These measures may include conservation fish culture.

Conservation fish culture differs from more traditional culture activities in that the goal is to preserve genetic integrity and aid in rebuilding native populations, rather than augment or provide angling opportunities. High priority is placed on adopting practices that ensure the genetic traits of the entire population to be recovered are represented. In contrast, augmentation goals are geared to provide a quality fishery and can involve a selective component to try to create a more desirable fish (e.g. selecting largest or earliest running adults to spawn). Because a number of freshwater fish populations in BC currently face a serious risk of extinction, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has developed expertise in conservation fish culture techniques. Currently, the Society plays a key role in recovery initiatives for white sturgeon.  Learn more about the White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative