Fish-raising future on Banks Lake a question

A decision by the POWER organization this Thursday night could have a lot to do with how successful fishing might be on Banks Lake in the future.

POWER (Promoters of Wildlife & Environmental Resources) will hold its annual meeting at 7 p.m., March 24, at the Senior Center. The public is encouraged to attend.

The main topic at the meeting will be the future of the Electric City fish pens.

Currently, and for decades, POWER has managed and maintained the fish pens, which annually provides some 300,000 fish for release in Banks Lake.

President Carl Russell said Monday that he plans to retire from the program after 25 years, and is concerned that there will be local people who will keep the program going.

Funding for the fish pen program comes through a grant from Aquatic Land Enhancement Account of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

Russell said the group, Thursday night, will review its bird feed program, the future of the organization and have an election of officers.

The grant from ALEA for this year is $4,300. "This is for maintenance and operation," Russell stated.

The Fish and Wildlife Department provides the fish and feed for the pens, Russell stated.

The pens are filled with rainbow trout, which will be released later this year.