EDMONTON - Unlicensed rearing of Arctic char and unauthorized stocking in private fish ponds cost a commercial trout farm operator nearly $40,000 in Calgary provincial court on Friday August 9. Most of that money will go to a fund to enhance the fishery and fish habitat of the Bow and Elbow river systems.

About 15,000 Arctic char were found by staff of Sustainable Resource Development at Allen's Trout Farm in July 2001. The farm operator was not licensed to have that species of fish in the facility, which is adjacent to the Elbow River. Arctic char were found mixed in with rainbow trout in ponds on the site, and several escaped Arctic char were also found in Lott Creek near the facility. Further investigation showed that numerous licensed and unlicensed fish ponds had been previously stocked with fish from that farm, and some of those ponds occurred in areas where Arctic char were also not permitted. If Arctic char should escape from stocked ponds, they could negatively affect wild bull trout populations.

With the assistance of the landowners, staff of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development worked to remove stocked fish from those ponds that had a high risk of the Arctic char escaping.

In total, 31 charges were laid against Allen's Trout Farm, which led to 24 convictions after the owner pled guilty to the charges. The charges resulted in $12,500 in fines. In addition, the trout farm owner has paid $25,000 to the Alberta Conservation Association. The association funds work on fishery and fish habitat enhancement throughout the province. These particular funds may be used on the Elbow and Bow rivers to ensure that all Arctic char have been captured and removed from the wild, or for fishery or habitat enhancement.

Landowners who wish to develop private fish ponds should be aware that they must possess a current recreational fish culture licence from Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development before any fish can be stocked into their ponds. Regulations that apply to fish farming and pond development in your area should be determined before any site development is undertaken. Licence applications for fish farming are available online at http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/livestock/aquaculture/2002rec_app.html or by contacting the Aquaculture Licencing Coordinator, toll free 310-0000, then dial (403) 381-5164.

Education of Albertans about effective conservation measures is part of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development's initiative on Improving Alberta's Fisheries. Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development works closely with Sustainable Resource Development and supports the use of environmentally sound management practices on fish farms.

Media contact:

Dave Ealey
Communications
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Edmonton
(780) 427-8636

David Christiansen
Fish and Wildlife Division
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Rocky Mountain House
(403) 845-8269

Jack Stewart
Aquaculture Section
Agricultural, Food and Rural Development
Lethbridge
(403) 381-5164