1. BC MoE Burbot Recovery Progress 2007 Kootenai Burbot Conservation Strategy

2. Recovery Measure 9.1 Fish Management  Although Burbot once comprised an important sport fishery they are now closed to harvest in the Kootenay River and Lake  Additional restrictions and closures have been implemented in other regional waterbodies as a result of low population size in recent years  Continued monitoring of incidental impacts and harvest

3. Recovery Measure 9.3 System Productivity, Aquatic Communities  Continued fertilization of Kootenay Lake including both the North and South Arm projects  Continued efforts to restore and maintain other aspects of native fish communities including kokanee egg plants and sturgeon recovery efforts.

4. Recovery Measure 9.5 Culture, Supplementation and Reintroduction  Evaluate donor stock suitability using both biological information and social constraints  Developing methods to capture, hold, spawn, fertilize and rear burbot.  Design a fish culture strategy

5. Recovery Measure 9.5 Evaluate donor stock suitability  Previous Studies:  Provision of brood stock for experimental fish culture (2001- 2006)  Initial trapping in several lakes and reservoirs to establish background life history data (2001-2004)  Subsequent trapping aimed at enumerating burbot on Duncan Lake using a variety of sampling methods (2005- 2006)  Selection of potential brood lake (Moyie Lake) 2006  Stock assessment on Moyie lake including population and angler harvest estimates (ongoing)

6. Recovery Measure 9.5 Evaluate donor stock suitability  Studies initiated in Spring 2005 to mark and recapture fish to provide an index of population strength on Moyie  Additional trapping in Spring and Fall 2006 and Spring 2007. Estimate to be refined in next few months.  trapping with cod traps; apply M/R methods  South Lake ~ 1500  North Lake ~ 1800  survey still underway

7.  Assessing impacts from Moyie Lake winter sport fishery  fishery entirely through ice  creel survey last winter  attempted to use trail cameras and roving surveys  2007 - caught 515, harvested 168 (a “poor” fishery in 2007) Recovery Measure 9.5 Evaluate donor stock suitability

8. Recovery Measure 9.5 Develop Methods to rear burbot  Burbot provided to KTOI and U of I annually since Fall 2001.  Total of 158 burbot provided for fish culture trials and pathology sampling  4 sources: Duncan, Moyie and Columbia Lakes, as well as Arrow Lakes Reservoir YearCapture LocationNumber of Fish 2001 Duncan23 2002 Duncan19 2003 Duncan20 2004 ColumbiaGametes Arrow32 2005 ColumbiaGametes Arrow35 2006 Moyie29

9. Recovery Measure 9.5 developing methods to rear burbot  19 Adult burbot have again been provided to U of I in October 2007 from Moyie Lake to supplement current brood fish held from previous years (Moyie, Duncan and Arrow)  Support for IDFG trials of outdoor pond trials (“extensive culture”)  Working with KTOI to design a fish culture strategy

10. Recovery Measure 9.6 Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Information and Education  Annually Assist IDFG with studies to assess burbot status on Kootenay River and Lake  Prepare and distribute annual monitoring, evaluation and research reports

11. Next Steps  Refine brood collection techniques  Assist with aquaculture planning process  Assist with design of experimental release and monitoring strategy  Assist work to meet fish health requirements for release