Seeing so many invasive frogs, he asked permission to harvest them for food. This B.C. district said yes
North Cowichan Mayor said private citizen stepping up to help with bullfrog issue well received by councillors
Michael Indge is 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 becoming more independent about food 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:
According to the Invasive Species Council of B.C., the American bullfrog was first imported 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 big bullfrogs 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 and the amphibians are most active.
North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas said having a private citizen step up to help with the bullfrog problem was well received by council members, who unanimously approved Indge's request during a regularly scheduled council meeting on Sept. 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," said Douglas.
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.
With files from CHEK News