Photo: County of Grande Prairie

By Liam Verster

Sportsplex Pond Fish

County to help fund trout stocks at Sportsplex Pond

Jul 15, 2020 | 12:10 PM

The County of Grande Prairie has agreed to form a Corporate Partnership with the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), and provide funding to stock the Sportsplex Pond with trout.

Since 2018, the ACA has stocked the pond with 2,000, catchable-sized (20 cm) rainbow trout each year. Scott Seward, a Fisheries Biologist with the ACA, says the fish cost about $2.64 each, and stocking the pond costs over $5,000 a year.

“We buy our fish from the Government of Alberta and some private growers. So, every spring we have a contract with a number of companies and they have ponds that they’ll go out to and stock fish into. They show up with the stocking truck and check the water quality to make sure that the water quality in the fish tanks matches what’s in the pond, and then they’ll stock out the fish into those ponds.”

At Monday’s meeting, County Council voted in favour of becoming a Corporate Partner in the ACA’s Conservation Program, and will be providing $2,500 a year to stock the pond. That partnership will last five years, with the County contributing the agreed upon amount each year, starting in 2021. The County’s portion for stocking the pond will come from the Parks and Recreation budget.

Seward says this funding support will allow the ACA to expand their operations to other opportunities not just in the County, but in other parts of Alberta as well.

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The ACA has a time-lapse camera set up at the Sportsplex Pond to monitor it’s usage, and Seward says there has been substantial growth since they began stocking the pond with trout.

“In 2018 we saw about 58 hours [of use] per hectare, and in 2019, we had a six-and-a-half fold increase, to 381 hours per hectare.”

He contributes the increase in use to the County, who have used their social media platforms to promote the fishing opportunities at the pond, as well as the ‘Kids Can Catch’ event held there every year.

“Kids can come out and learn about fishing and what’s required to catch a rainbow trout. They provide some of the equipment, and it’s just a really family-friendly venue to check out angling.”

He adds the hours of use are expected to see another increase this year, as many people are looking for outdoor recreational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There was no hockey practice, or soccer, or even baseball for that matter. So, this is one of those opportunities where people are going out, and you can fish by yourself or with your family, and it’s a pretty relaxing, safe outdoor activity.”