Today marks the start of the 15^th annual Family Fishing Weekend. In addition to community events taking place throughout the province, BC residents are able to fish the province’s fresh and tidal waters licence-free from June 13-15^th.

Hosted by The Family Fishing Society of BC and local groups of volunteers, Family Fishing Weekend events feature how-to sessions for beginners that include information on equipment, casting, identifying local fish species and conservation. Loner rods, reels and tackle are provided for those who do not have their own gear.

“These events offer a great opportunity to learn about how to fish in a fun and supported environment,” Wayne Saito, President, Family Fishing Society of BC. “The hundreds of volunteers who organize and participate in these events are passionate about fishing and even more passionate about sharing their love of the sport. They are keen to share what makes fishing such a great pastime.”

HCTF has been a long-time supporter of Family Fishing Weekend, providing over $380,000 since 2001. Since then, the program has grown from half a dozen events to nearly fifty across the province, with last year’s festivities attracting a record 17,000 participants.

A complete list of event locations and descriptions can be found at www.bcfamilyfishing.com. For beginner anglers, Family Fishing Weekend sponsors FFSBC have a great learn-to-fish program guide available for download on their website. Before heading out, be sure to familiarize yourself with the angling regulations for your region:

• For freshwater angling regulations, visit http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/
• For tidal (saltwater) angling regulations, visit http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html

Happy Father’s Day, and happy fishing!

As promised in our spring newsletter, we’re sharing some of our favourite HCTF project photos submitted by our grant recipients. Here’s a great action shot of a Narraway bighorn ram being released after collaring in the mountains near Tumbler Ridge, BC.

The GPS collar will provide researchers with updates about the ram’s location every six hours. This information (combined with location data from other collared herd members) will allow the project team to map the sheep’s annual and seasonal ranges. The Narraway herd has the northernmost range of bighorn sheep in North America, and its small population size makes it vulnerable to local extinction. Gaining a better understanding of the sheep’s movements and habitat use will help in making informed management decisions that ensure the herd’s survival.

The Public Conservation Assistance Fund grant application deadline is just a little over three weeks away! Apply now for funding to support your club or organization in carrying out a volunteer-based project to help local fish & wildlife. Questions about your application? Contact our Biological and Evaluation Services department.

Read about some of our past PCAF grant recipients on our project profiles page>>

HCTF was recently featured in a YouTube video created by Fishing with Rod about purchasing freshwater fishing licences. The video explains how to use the Province’s e-licencing system, and talks about some of the fisheries and conservation benefits derived from licence fees and surcharges.

Still need to purchase or renew your licence? Use Rod’s tips to navigate the e-licencing system at http://www.fishing.gov.bc.ca/.