One hundred cutthroat trout on Comox Lake have been tagged as part of a B.C. government research project to assess the fish population's health.
The tags have a four-digit identification number and phone number for the local fish and wildlife office and anglers who land one will be eligible for gift cards to pay for new fishing gear.
The Ministry of Forest Lands and Natural Resource Operations says the two-year project will help evaluate the effectiveness of existing regulations and prevent trout from being over-fished.
It says Comox Lake is one of the lakes most used by anglers on Vancouver Island and there have been public concerns about declining catch rates and fish size.
New regulations were implemented in 2013 for Comox Lake, which restricted cutthroat trout that could be taken to sizes between 30 and 50 centimetres.
Anyone who provides a numbered tag to the Nanaimo fish and wildlife office by mail or in person will receive a $20 or $100 gift card that can be redeemed at a local tackle shop.
The Canadian Press