Stocked trout are arriving in Manitoba’s lakes via a new fish hatchery stocking truck, the province announced June 15.
Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt said the new vehicle is already on the road.
As of mid-June, the truck’s route was taking it into the Duck Mountains region. Last year, East Blue Lake was stocked with rainbow trout while West Blue Lake saw an influx of brook trout.
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This year’s provincial stocking efforts will release more than 130,000 trout measuring 18 centimetres or more in 42 sites, the province has said.
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Walleye stocking will bolster populations in 60 waterbodies with the release of about 35 million fry.
“Manitoba is a world-class destination for outdoor adventure and home to the finest freshwater fishery in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 90 species of fish,” Nesbitt said in a release announcing the new truck.
“This investment aligns with our government’s ongoing work to protect, conserve, enhance and manage our province’s fisheries, to provide the greatest benefits to all Manitobans.”
The addition of a “specialized, sophisticated distribution vehicle” will make stocking more efficient, the release said.
The truck replaces a vehicle that had outlived its lifespan, according to the province. Features of the replacement vehicle include more sophisticated aeration, a dissolved oxygen monitoring system and upgraded tank layout.
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The Manitoba Wildlife Federation welcomed the addition.
The organization is “very pleased to see the Manitoba government continuing to invest in Manitoba’s fisheries,” managing director Carly Deacon said in the same June 15 release.
“The new fish-stocking truck is welcome news and will certainly play a vital role in the continuation and expansion of Manitoba’s fish stocking program.”
