Kokanee harvest may increase

SANDPOINT - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is trawling for public comment on a proposal to increase the harvest limit for Lake Pend Oreille kokanee.

Anglers can comment until May 10 on the proposal to raise the kokanee bag limit from six kokanee to 15. If the increase is supported by anglers, the department will present the proposal to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission when it meets on May 15-16.

Continued improvement of kokanee population is prompting the proposed harvest limit amendment, according to Fish and Game. The population of landlocked sockeye salmon is rebounding thanks to vigorous predator-control efforts on the lake.

Lake trout have been dramatically reduced through harvest incentives and netting efforts, which have increased the survival of juvenile kokanee.

"When we opened the kokanee fishery in 2013, we took a very cautions approach with a six-fish limit, anticipating if the population continued to grow we could consider changing the rules mid-cycle," said Jim Fredericks, Fish and Game's Panhandle fisheries manager.

Those with questions or remarks about the proposal can reach Fredericks at (208) 769-1414 or [email protected]