GPS, social media add to fishing pressures in Yukon lakes

Social media and technology are making it easier for anglers to catch fish, and that's taking its toll on some species, according to wildlife officials.

NowEnvironment Yukon is considering new catch limits in certain lakes.

Secret fishing spots are becoming less secret, says fisheries biologistAaron Foos.

"Old-time secrets that were handed down verbally through generations ... now are much more accessible to people as someone just takes a GPS coordinate and texts it to their 10 friends," he says.

Bigger and faster boats and fish finders are also making it easier to catch fish.

"You go to a campground nowadays and you don't just see the small tin boats with mom and pop and the kids in it," he says. "You have families in large aluminum boats with hard tops."

New catch limits proposed

Wildlife officials are considering new catch limits at Kusawa Lake and Fox Lake and catch-and-release attwo other lakes in the territory.

Local angler Dennis Zimmermann agrees that restrictions need to be placedon fishing lake trout.

"They are a slow-growing species, they are sensitive and there is a lot stacked up against these fish so I think we are in a position where we do need to give them a little extra protection."

The new limit would be two lake trout at Kusawa and one at Fox lake. For Frenchman Lake and Twin Lakes, where fish numbers are very low, only catch-and-release would be allowed.

The proposed limits are under review;it could take two years before any changes come into effect.