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If you cast a line in the water and get no bites, it might not be because of your fishing skills.
It may be because fewer fish being stocked at your local fishing spot.
The Nova Scotia stocking program takes fish, mostly brook and rainbow trout, from three provincial hatcheries, grows them for a year or two, and then releases them into lakes. This helps native populations and attracts tourism through recreational fishing.
Last year’s drought changed things. Stephen Thibodeau, a manager with the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, says the program is not stocking rainbow trout at all, and there will be fewer brook trout available for stocking this spring.
“We were forced to conserve water and this was done by reducing the [number] of ponds that we had in operation,” he said, noting that the ponds used in the hatcheries depend on water from local sources, like rivers and lakes.
“As we were shutting these ponds down to conserve water, we had to stock fish earlier than typical or earlier than usual because we’re reducing our capacity to hang onto them.”
Thibodeau said his team has roughly 130,000 brook trout available for spring stocking, down around 60 per cent compared to regular years.
The typical cycle at the hatcheries lasts a year, meaning every spring, the hatcheries start a new batch of fry, growing them into yearlings and releasing them a year later. Sometimes they also grow them up to two years.
But since the drought forced them to release fish earlier than expected in 2025, the 2026 cohort has been reduced.
Mike Christmas, avid angler and owner of Mike’s Rigs N’ Jigs, said that he worries the lack of additional fish will deter some beginner anglers.
Christmas runs his business from his Dartmouth residence, which overlooks Albro Lake, a local fishing spot that receives annual spring stocking.
It typically draws in beginner anglers due to its accessibility, proximity to the city, and most significantly, the lake is known for providing easy catches. But that could change without its usual amount of stocked trout.
“The biggest frustration when fishing is not seeing any fish,” he said.
Future droughts
For now, Thibodeau said the impacts of the drought should only affect this year’s stock, so things will get back to normal by 2027.
He added that the current lakes carrying trout and other popular species for anglers will be able to withstand the pressures of fishing without stocked trout.
He adds that his division is talking about better ways to adapt to harsher, more frequent weather events like the 2025 drought.
“In my 24 years with inland fisheries, that was the worst drought that I’ve experienced,” said Thibodeau.
Still having fun
Christmas said fishing remains a great way to enjoy the outdoors regardless of the size and type of catch.
Victor Lewicki and his friend came out with his boat to Albro Lake, hoping to catch a “19-inch trout.” When told about the stocking program having fewer fish, he did not seem dissuaded.
“There’s trout in here. There’s a bass in here. Yeah, we’ll get something,” he said.
According to the program’s website, the limited available brook trout inventory will be used for the Learn to Fish and Trout Derby Programs first, and what’s left will be used on spring stocking throughout May and June.
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