Assessing the vulnerability of wild rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) stocks to overfishing in the Thompson Nicola Region of British Columbia

Overfishing is more commonly associated with commercial fisheries than recreational fisheries, but evidence increasingly suggests recreational fisheries are not immune. In my study, I use a generalized linear model to examine if wild stocks of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in British Columbia's Southern Interior lakes are vulnerable to overharvest from recreational anglers. Assuming high angling effort implies high harvest rates, I determined which factors make a lake attractive to anglers. Driving distance, lake productivity, and the presence of facilities such as resorts or campsites have the greatest influence on effort. My results suggest less than 10% of the 326 wild rainbow trout lakes I predicted fishing effort for in the Southern Interior are vulnerable to over-fishing. Lakes that are highly vulnerable to over-harvesting are located close to large population centers in the southern portion of the region; are moderately productive, and offer camping and resort amenities.