Effects of non-catch related factors in explaining variations in angler effort for stocked lakes in British Columbia's central interior and subsequent management opportunities

The British Columbia Ministry of Environment (MOE) has set the goal of increasing angling licence sales by 30% (of 2004-2005 levels) by the year 2015. I used a generalized linear model to predict angler effort on stocked lakes in B.C.’s central interior based on non-catch related factors. Lake access, stocking rate, driving distance from Kamloops, presence of a lodge and presence of gear restrictions have the greatest influence on effort. If angler effort generated by B.C.’s lake stocking program is going to be maximized, it is critical for biologists to accurately identify and focus limited available field time on lakes with the greatest potential for improvement. Thus, I provide a method for identifying stocked lakes that are currently performing above or below the regional average, in terms of generating angler days, in B.C.’s central interior.