TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
I personally travel to bodies of water that hold different species just for the opportunity to catch new species. So do a lot of other people. I've stayed at resorts on lakes like Cowichan and Cameron simply for an opportunity to catch Brown Trout. The gov stocked Lake Trout in Aloutte Lake many years ago I would often travel there for a chance to catch Lakers. I've traveled all through the province, and other Provinces and Territories simply for the opportunity to catch new species. The provincial government knows there is a large segment of the fishing public that enjoys fishing for these alternative species. It creates a lot of tourism and and many anglers enjoy the diversity. In some lakes Salmonids are not well suited to the habitat, and other species may fill a niche that would otherwise be under utilized.
As far as Atlantic Salmon go I'm not against the species itself. It is the many diseases they carry from being raised in such crowded conditions that is concerning. It is the possibility of fish farm escapees transferring foreign diseases to our native species that is the biggest concern in my opinion. I would be far more worried about diseases being transmitted to our native species than foreign species displacing our native species personally. Whirling disease has now spread to Canada, and is getting very close to infecting our waters in BC. I would be far more concerned about that devastating disease infecting our Salmonid populations than Bass, or Brown Trout being in some of our local bodies of water. Bass and Brown Trout were introduced by the provincial govt to Vancouver Island over half a century ago and there has been no negative impacts from those legitimate stockings. Whirling disease is about to devastate a world class fishery on the Bow River in Alberta. When it crosses the border into BC we will be entering a whole new world of pain for our local fisheries. In the big picture a few foreign species are the least of our worries. It's the diseases that they could be carrying that are the all to real concern that could devastate our native species.
As far as Atlantic Salmon go I'm not against the species itself. It is the many diseases they carry from being raised in such crowded conditions that is concerning. It is the possibility of fish farm escapees transferring foreign diseases to our native species that is the biggest concern in my opinion. I would be far more worried about diseases being transmitted to our native species than foreign species displacing our native species personally. Whirling disease has now spread to Canada, and is getting very close to infecting our waters in BC. I would be far more concerned about that devastating disease infecting our Salmonid populations than Bass, or Brown Trout being in some of our local bodies of water. Bass and Brown Trout were introduced by the provincial govt to Vancouver Island over half a century ago and there has been no negative impacts from those legitimate stockings. Whirling disease is about to devastate a world class fishery on the Bow River in Alberta. When it crosses the border into BC we will be entering a whole new world of pain for our local fisheries. In the big picture a few foreign species are the least of our worries. It's the diseases that they could be carrying that are the all to real concern that could devastate our native species.
