Sport fishing ban expands to Middle Shuswap River

The province just announced it is suspending sport fishing in Middle Shuswap River due to warm temperatures and low water levels.

The ban is effective immediately and will run through September 30th for all angling downstreamfrom Shuswap Falls to Mable Lake.

The fishing ban is meant to protect fish stocks thathave become vulnerable due to the ongoinghigh water temperatures and low water levels affecting the province.

• Read more:Province bans sport fishing in South Coast

This latest ban follows the province's suspensionofsport fishing in streams and rivers throughout most of B.C'sSouth Coast as well assimilar bans on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

These fishing restrictionsfollowed calls from conservationists, First Nations and angling associations that had previously askedfor fishing bans as a preemptive measure toprotect trout, steelhead and salmon in the waters.

Angling bans are enabled through British Columbia's Sport Fishing Regulations of the federal Fisheries Act.

As of now,fisheries biologists are continuingto monitor approximately 40 other key angling streams throughout the province and additional closures are possible in the coming weeks.