Before B.C. anglers cast their lines in the water this year, they’ll need to fish in their wallet for some extra cash.
On Wednesday, the B.C. Ministry of Forests announced that the cost of freshwater angling licenses will rise 9.9 per cent in 2023 and a further four per cent in 2024. For a basic adult angling licence, the cost will rise from $36 last year to $39.56 this year and $41.15 in 2024.
“Freshwater angling fees in British Columbia have not increased since 2003, and 100 (per cent) of the revenue goes toward funding programs run by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation,” the ministry statement said. “Both organizations work to support the management of fisheries, habitats and angler opportunities within the province.”
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks more than 5.4 million fish into 641 lakes in the province each year. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is a non-profit charity that funds conservation projects and an education program.
Fishing licences can be purchased online at the , or in-person at .
