Seeing so many invasive frogs, he asked permission to harvest them for food. This B.C. district said yes

Michael Indgeis looking forward to munching on his first lake-to-table frog leg.

The recreational fisherman was recently granted permission by the District of North Cowichan to fish for American bullfrogs in Chemainus Lake, located on Vancouver Island about 60 kilometres north of Victoria.

"No, I've not tasted them, but I hear that they taste just like chicken," Indge told CHEK News.

Indge says he is interested in becomingmore independent aboutfood security and being able to harvest bullfrogs is a step in that direction.

He'll also be helping control the population of a problematic invasive species that has a voracious appetite and will eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths, including turtles, birds, rodents and snakes.

WATCH | Meet the fisherman looking to catch and cook some bullfrogs:

Man wins right to catch and eat invasive bullfrogs

11 months ago

Duration 0:59

A Vancouver Island man has been given the go-ahead to harvest and eat American bullfrogs, an invasive species, from a municipal lake.

According to the Invasive Species Council of B.C., the American bullfrog was firstimported for frog-leg farming from eastern North America and have since established populations throughout the province.

They can grow up to 20 centimetres long, making them the largest bullfrog in British Columbia and about twice the size of local frogs.

Indge has noticed the bigbullfrogs at Chemainus Lake where he regularly fishes and figured he could do something about it.

"I thought, since I'm already there for trout, I might as well extend that experience to bullfrogs," he said.

Indge wrote a letter to the district's council asking permission to fish for the frogs at Chemainus Lake at night, when the park is closed andthe amphibians are most active.

North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas saidhaving a private citizen step up to help with the bullfrog problem was well received by council members, whounanimously approved Indge's request during a regularly scheduled council meeting onSept. 6.

"There's obviously concerns around safety and liability and that sort of thing, but our staff at the municipality have assured us they can work this out with Mr. Indge," saidDouglas.

There have been ongoing efforts in the Kootenay region to control the American bullfrog population for years. According to the B.C. government, the population can grow rapidly as females can lay up to 20,000 eggs a year.

The animal is green on its back and sides (ranging from olive coloured to bright green) and has a white belly that is sometimes mottled with grey markings.

The province forbids people to own or release American bullfrogs and advises people not to purchase aquarium frogs to stock their ponds.