A bag and possession limit will be imposed on arctic char and Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake throughout 2023, the State Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Sport Fish announced Tuesday.
That limit is one fish, less than 16 inches in length, according to a press release from the division. Any fish greater than 16 inches in length must be immediately released. This restriction will be in place from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, and matches the one imposed throughout 2022.
The division explains in the release that Stormy Lake was treated with rotenone to eradicate invasive northern pike in 2012. Eggs from Stormy Lake arctic char were taken and grown at the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery and released back into the lake the following year.
Those fish, described as having slow growth in the release, are now 10 years old. “Encouraging” surveys performed by the division indicate that “it is appropriate to provide limited harvest opportunity of this stock.” The bag and possession limit, combined with the prohibition of retention of larger fish, is intended to preserve the majority of mature fish for the continued restoration of the population.
This restriction is imposed via Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-23, and will be effective from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023.
This restriction was also in place throughout 2022, imposed by Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-22, which expires Dec. 31.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
