Cold Lake, Alta. (Rural Roots Canada) — Cold Lake Fish Hatchery stocks over 240 bodies of water across Alberta each year, helping maintain a healthy fish population while reducing angling pressure on native lakes.
As part of the recent Alberta Farm Writers’ Association farm tour, Rural Roots Canada toured the facility and learned more about its role in supporting Alberta’s recreational fisheries.
To support recreational fisheries without affecting the wild population, the hatchery raises and releases triploid trout, which are functionally sterile. While the fish behave like naturally reproducing trout, they are unable to breed with native fish. The approach allows anglers to enjoy consistent fishing and catch opportunities in lakes where natural reproduction is limited, without placing additional pressure on native fish in the lakes.
Each spring, more than one million fish leave the hatchery for lakes throughout the province. According to Jesse McNabb, Fisheries Technician of Cold Lake Fish Hatchery, the fish are weighed in buckets, loaded into transportation tanks and delivered to their destination lake. Before release through a hose system, staff conduct a water quality test to ensure that conditions are suitable for the survival of the fish.
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Beyond supporting recreational fishing, hatchery releases also play a role in maintaining aquatic ecosystems. McNabb said healthy fish populations are important throughout the food web; overharvesting smaller species can have ripple effects on larger fish and wildlife that depend on them.
“Many Albertans are immersed within wildlife and fishery. We have a large population that does like to hunt and fish, and if we don’t do what we do, then they wouldn’t be able to fish anymore,” said McNabb
Since opening in 1980, the facility has adapted its operations to meet conservation and fish health needs. Originally designed to raise lake trout and walleye, the hatchery strengthened its biosecurity measures after concerns of infectious pancreatic necrosis in lake trout. Today, the facility uses ozone generators and ultraviolet treatment systems while rearing species like walleye, native trout, grayling and bull trout.
The hatchery has also received $10 million in federal funding to improve energy efficiency. Through the adoption of a recirculating aquaculture system, the facility has reduced water withdrawals from natural water bodies while also lowering heating costs. McNabb said the upgrades could create opportunities for additional niche conservation-focused programs in the future.
