(Soldotna) - Effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, January 1, 2018, the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden will be prohibited in Stormy Lake to continue the restoration of native fish stocks.

This restriction will be in effect through 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 31, 2018.

Stormy Lake was successfully treated with rotenone to eradicate nonnative northern pike in September 2012. Prior to the treatment, eggs were taken from native Arctic char and reared in the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery. During the summer of 2013, Alaska Department of Fish and Game staff released the resulting Arctic char fingerling into Stormy Lake. Post-treatment surveys of Stormy Lake to determine if the native Arctic char restoration project was successful are encouraging. Arctic char restored to Stormy Lake are now age five. As shown by weekly sampling events through the fall of 2017, the majority of Arctic char have not reached maturity; therefore, they have yet to undergo a major spawning event. Arctic char are a species with slow growth rates and low population densities and it is unknown how long it will take for these fish to become sexually mature and to reestablish natural production. To allow for the restoration of native fish in Stormy Lake, it is prudent to prohibit harvest of this stock until the fish are able to propagate.

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