Dozens of preschool students are buzzing around Glen Lake.

Forming a line alongside a pump truck, buckets in hand, students wait patiently to collect a fish from Vancouver Island Trout Hatchery manager Tristan Robbins. After getting a rainbow trout, the students of the West Shore Parks and Recreation nature preschool amble over to the lake to release it. The children are all smiles.

B次元官网网址淲e are just trying to get more youth out and about and enjoying the environment,B次元官网网址� Robbins said.  B次元官网网址淎 lot of kids spend more time inside than out B次元官网网址� and (weB次元官网网址檙e) trying to expose them to what is available to them (outdoors) and hopefully ignite a fire.B次元官网网址�

Robbins spends much of his spring and summer pumping trout into local lakes B次元官网网址� on this day 500 Fraser Valley rainbow trout are earmarked for Glen Lake.

Several other West Shore lakes are stocked twice a year, including Ida Anne Lake, which receives 350 in the spring, Langford Lake (5,000), Thetis Lake (2,000), Lookout Lake (1,000) and Prior Lake (500). Many of these freshwater bodies will get another equal infusion in the fall.

B次元官网网址淚t just ensures there are fish in the lakes for anglers B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 a great pastime,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e are encouraging people to get out and enjoy our beautiful province.B次元官网网址�

Fish are already a catchable size when they are brought into the lakes via the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., a non-profit society funded by freshwater fishing license revenues. One hundred per cent of the license fees go towards the stocking programs, research, conservation and improving access to fishing areas.

The hatchery stocks between 50 and 60 lakes on Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址�(This) creates an instantaneous fishery for anglers so you donB次元官网网址檛 have to wait B次元官网网址� These fish are ready to be caught as soon as they are released; itB次元官网网址檚 what anglers want,B次元官网网址� Robbins said. B次元官网网址�(And) itB次元官网网址檚 a native species.B次元官网网址�

Each year, the hatcheries of the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C., of which the Vancouver Island facility is one, release more than eight million fish. More than half of the lake fishing in B.C. is stocked by the six hatcheries across the province.

Stocking reports and more information about the program can be found on their website at gofishbc.com.

alim@goldstreamgazette.com