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Report: Life History, Stock Assessment and Recommendations for a Sustainable Recreational Fishery of Buckley Lake Rainbow Trout (00167KAKC)

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Buckley Lake was sampled September 8 to 10, 2003 by Skeena Region Fisheries staff in an effort to address rainbow trout life history characteristics and provide advice to Skeena Region Protected Areas staff on the sensitivity of the population to angler exploitation. Buckley Lake is a small, remote lake within Mt. Edziza Provincial Park.

Author:  Giroux, Paul A. and Jeff R.C. Lough

Old Reference Number:  sk138

Old Reference System:  Skeena Fisheries Report

Date Published:  Nov 2004

Report ID:  2644

Audience:  Government and Public

Buckley Lake was sampled September 8 to 10, 2003 by Skeena Region Fisheries staff in an effort to address rainbow trout life history characteristics and provide advice to Skeena Region Protected Areas staff on the sensitivity of the population to angler exploitation. Buckley Lake is a small, remote lake within Mt. Edziza Provincial Park. The lake outlet drains over a major waterfall barrier into the lower reaches of the Klastline River. Buckley Lake was deemed barren of fish following an inventory by BC Fish and Wildlife staff in 1982. BC Parks staff received reports of large rainbow trout being captured in the lake beginning in the early 1990s. It is speculated that a local trapper illegally stocked the lake with a local stock of wild rainbow trout in the mid 1980s. Buckley Lake is accessible by a short fixed wing flight from both Iskut (Tatogga Lake Resort) and Telegraph Creek or by foot or horseback along the Telegraph Trail. Buckley Lake currently provides a highly prized fishery for abundant large rainbow trout captured on conventional surface and littoral angling gear. Buckley Lake offers this unique angling experience due in most part to a high abundance of invertebrate forage, as well as, productive juvenile and adult rearing habitat. Analysis of stomach samples from Buckley Lake rainbow trout indicate that they are feeding almost exclusively on zooplankton (Amphipoda and Cladocera). Buckley Lake provides a relatively long growing season and high nitrogen to phosphorus ratio relative to other small wilderness Skeena Region lakes. However, Buckley Creek (outlet stream) provides limited spawning habitat for the system, and therefore constrains juvenile recruitment to the lake. Subsequently, fish densities are suspected to be low and a major contributor to conditions that result in exceptional growth rates for rainbow trout, especially given its latitude and elevation. Fishing mortality is expected to be very low for Buckley Lake under the current effort and harvest conditions. Maximum angler effort from Buckley Lake is estimated to be conservatively set at 3,900 angler days following methods presented by Cox and Walters (2002). However, a limit of 2,000 angler days is recommended for compliance with stated Stikine Country Management Plan goals. Increased certainty on maximum sustainable effort and harvest levels would result from more rigorous sampling for rainbow trout mortality, harvest, density and recruitment estimates. Recommendations for monitoring the fishery are also presented.

Report Type
  Fish and Aquatic Habitat Information
 
Subject
  Fish Species - Rainbow Trout - Oncorhynchus mykiss
  Region - Skeena
  Fish and Fish Habitat - Lake
  Fish and Fish Habitat - Overview
  Fish and Fish Habitat - Stock Assessment
  Watershed Groups - 660 - Klastline River
 


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