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Angler fined for over-fishing on Gardom Lake

It was an expensive fishing trip for an Okanagan man this weekend.
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Rainbow trout were seized by BC Conservation officers after a tip came in from a concerned angler about overfishing. The limit for rainbow trout on Gardom Lake is two per person. -Image credit: BC Conservation Officer Service.

It was an expensive fishing trip for an Okanagan man this weekend.

The man was caught over-fishing rainbow trout on Saturday at Gardom Lake, between Enderby and Salmon Arm after a concerned angler called in a tip to the Conservation Officer Service’s Report All Poachers and Polluter tip line.

According to B.C. Conservation Service, one man in a group of three fishermen on board had more than six times the legal limit for the fish. Officers found 19 rainbow trout on the man’s boat – the legal limit is two.

The man who caught the majority of the fish was fined $1,100 and charged under the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations and the Wildlife Act.

The Conservation Service notes it is the responsibility of all anglers to know the fishing limits in the area and abide by them.

Kelowna resident Rob Lewis said he watched the fishing boat ahead of him receive the fine. There had been complaints made previously to the conservation officers, who sat and watched him fish all morning, he said.

“I just want to highlight the conservation officers,” he said, adding that overfishing is a problem for everyone.

The Conservation Officer Service’s 24 hr violation report line can be reached at 1-877-952-RAPP. Tips can be made anonymously.