Tiger trout are being made available for the first time to Alberta’s aquaculture industry, including pond owners and private lake managers.
Under regulatory and licensing changes from Alberta Environment and Parks, tiger trout are being added as a licensed species of trout in 2021, states a release from Smoky Trout Farm in Red Deer County.
Tiger trout are a hybrid of brown and brook trout. The species is considered desirable to anglers and sport fishers because of its unique “fighting” style.
Tiger trout in Alberta cannot reproduce. This enhances the fish’s capacity to grow to a large size after several years in water bodies with abundant food. These factors makes them attractive to anglers.
Fish farms in Alberta, as well as private pond owners, including farmers, ranchers and recreational property owners, can benefit from the licensing change, which stems from years of study and science-based introduction of the species into Alberta water bodies.
Max Menard of Smoky Trout Farm said Alberta Environment has made surplus eggs and fingerlings available to his fish farms, after adding tiger trout to private licenses. There will be up to 30 provincially stocked lakes with tiger trout in 2021.
“For anglers and private pond owners who are serious about the experience of catching fish, tiger trout have been a wish list species for several years in Alberta,” said Menard, whose company purchased eggs from the government.
Craig Copeland with Alberta Environment said tigers trout are slower growing and take a few years to develop, so food availability is very important.
For more information, visit mywildalberta.ca/fishing and click on fish stocking.
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