A group of pesky river otters have devastated fish populations at the Kootenay Trout Hatchery over the past few months, after the otters discovered a moat that runs alongside the hatchery.
The Kootenay Trout Hatchery and Visitor Centre is located along the Wardner Fort Steele Road in the Bull River area. They rear millions of baby trout each year to enhance recreational fishing.
Hatchery Manager Owen Schoenberger says he鈥檚 not entirely sure where the river otters are coming from, but suspects that they may have travelled from Norbury Creek and across the parking lot to the hatchery.
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鈥淲e first saw them [otters] back in February; one of our staff saw five of them swimming in the moat here at the hatchery,鈥� explained Schoenberger. 鈥淲e鈥檝e lost quite a few fish. At one time we had 200 fish [in the moat] that were up to 15 lbs, and now we鈥檙e down to around 50 fish.鈥�
He adds that the otters have also gotten into the hatchery鈥檚 stocked fishing pond, where families and new anglers practice their skills and learn how to fish.
鈥淭he moat and the pond are big attractions, people love to come to learn to fish and feed the fish, but the fish have been a bit shy since the otter attacks,鈥� Schoenberger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fairly noticeable as well, a lot of the fish have scars on them, especially on their dorsal fins, which I think is what the otters are using to catch them.鈥�
He adds that he and the team at the hatchery have done all they can do try and deter the otters from stealing the prized fish.
鈥淭he fact is that otters are good swimmers and good at catching fish,鈥� Schoenberger said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e blocked off some of the access to the moat, and installed fish proof panels so they can鈥檛 drag the fish out, but the otters can still get in. We had successfully blocked them off for a while, but they figured it out. They were getting in through the pipe to the moat, so we鈥檝e blocked that off as well.鈥�
Schoenberger says that he has consulted both Biologists and Conservation Officers, however they are not in favour of relocating the otters.
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鈥淲e鈥檙e holding our own. The Biologists and Conservation Officers suggested we remove the fish from the moat to deter the otters from coming back, but it hasn鈥檛 come to that yet,鈥� explained Schoenberger. 鈥淭he otters can鈥檛 be much more aggressive than they have been. Hopefully they move on.鈥�
He says that over the past weekend there were three otters spotted in the nearby creek. The hatchery also has a wildlife camera set up, which tells them the otters have been hunting early in the morning and at night.
鈥淟ast year we had some mink that came through, but they didn鈥檛 do any damage,鈥� Schoenberger said. 鈥淭hese otters are just doing what otters do. We鈥檝e had problems with otters in the past, but this is the most persistent group and the first loss of significant numbers.鈥�
corey.bullock@kimberleybulletin.com
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