Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is a Victoria-based non-profit that raises and stocks fish across 800+ British Columbia lakes, delivers Learn to Fish education, and channels 100% of provincial freshwater fishing licence fees into stocking, conservation, and angler-access programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC does
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is a non-profit society founded in 2003 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, that operates the provincial program for recreational freshwater fisheries. The society raises and stocks trout, kokanee, char, steelhead, and white sturgeon — across 9 strains — into 800+ lakes throughout BC, and maintains a Provincial Stocking Database that records species, strains, genotypes, life stages, sizes, and quantities released. It supports three operational hatchery fishing pond locations at Fraser Valley, Clearwater, and Kootenay, plus municipal, regional, and provincial park sites province-wide.
Its core digital surface is the GoFishBC.com website, offering an interactive lake map, searchable Lake and Regional Stocking Reports, educational blog content, and a YouTube channel (@gofishbc). Educational and outreach products include Learn to Fish (introductory angling instruction), Rod Loan (free tackle lending), birthday parties, school field trips, and group bookings. Fishing licences themselves — annual, eight-day, and one-day — are sold through the Province of BC's Wildlife Information and Licensing Data (WILD) system, with 100% of licence fee revenue flowing back into the society's stocking, conservation, education, research, and fishing-access programs. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation is a parallel recipient of licence surcharge revenue used for conservation grants.
The society is governed in partnership with the Province of BC and operates as a private non-profit with 51-100 employees, no parent company, no equity investors, and no public listing. Strategic and operational information is published via the GoFishBC.com website, social media channels, media releases, and strategic plan publications.
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
- Legal name
- Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
- Website
- https://gofishbc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is a Victoria-based non-profit that raises and stocks fish across 800+ British Columbia lakes, delivers Learn to Fish education, and channels 100% of provincial freshwater fishing licence fees into stocking, conservation, and angler-access programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recreational Fisheries Management
- NAICS
- Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)
- SIC
- Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquaculture & Fish Health Services (AFAEANAE)
Keywords
Where Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Fishing License Fees: Revenue from the sale of recreational freshwater fishing licenses (annual, eight-day, and one-day options) sold online through the BC government's WILD system. 100% of licence fees benefit recreational freshwater fisheries in British Columbia, funding the provincial stocking program, conservation and education programs, research, and improvements to fishing access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual freshwater fishing licence |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Eight-day freshwater fishing licence |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | One-day freshwater fishing licence |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC operates the provincial recreational freshwater fisheries program in British Columbia, raising and stocking trout, kokanee, and char into 800+ lakes, and administering fishing licence revenue that funds stocking, conservation, research, education, and access improvements. It delivers consumer-facing services through the GoFishBC.com platform, including an Interactive Lake Map and searchable Fish Stocking Reports, plus in-person educational programs such as Learn to Fish, School Field Trips, Birthday Parties, Group Bookings, and a free Rod Loan at hatchery ponds.
Product overview
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC operates British Columbia's provincial recreational fishing program through a portfolio of digital services and educational offerings. The core digital platform at GoFishBC.com provides an interactive map of 800+ stocked lakes and searchable Fish Stocking Reports (Lake Reports and Regional Reports). The society runs hatchery fishing ponds at Fraser Valley, Clearwater, and Kootenay where it delivers the Learn to Fish Program, School Field Trips, Birthday Parties, Group Bookings, and free Rod Loan services. Fishing licences are sold through the Province of BC's WILD system with all fees supporting the stocking program. The society stocks rainbow trout, kokanee, eastern brook trout, coastal cutthroat trout, steelhead, and other species across the province.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fish Stocking Reports (Lake Report)
Companies that use Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Province of British ColumbiacoreThe Province of BC manages and holds regulatory jurisdiction over freshwater fisheries. The society receives 100% of freshwater fishing licence fees which fund the provincial stocking program, conservation and education programs, research, and improvements to fishing access. Licence sales moved to the WILD system as of the 2026-2027 season.
- Habitat Conservation Trust FoundationcoreReceives the surcharge revenue collected from angling licence sales to provide grants for fish conservation projects. Works in conjunction with the society's stocking and conservation activities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trout Unlimited: US-headquartered coldwater fisheries conservation non-profit. Highly comparable mandate (trout, char, steelhead habitat and stocking) at greater scale; analogous non-profit funding model from members, donors, and license-plate programs.
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Fisheries Programs): State agency operating the largest inland trout hatchery and stocking program in the US, with associated education and licensing programs. Closely comparable operational model (state hatchery + stocking + angler licensing + education) at significantly greater scale.
Regional players
- BC Wildlife Federation: BC's largest provincial hunting and angling advocacy organization. Same jurisdiction, same recreational angler/hunter base, similar non-profit operating model, and overlapping conservation-policy interests.
- Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters: Ontario's largest hunting and angling non-profit federation. Closest provincial-scale counterpart to the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC; analogous advocacy, conservation, and angler-engagement functions in a different Canadian province.
Direct peers
- Atlantic Salmon Federation: Canadian coldwater conservation non-profit focused on wild Atlantic salmon and habitat. Closely comparable non-profit, fish-culture, conservation-research, and education-program model to the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.
- Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation: BC conservation foundation that already receives the surcharge revenue stream from angler licence sales. Same funder base (BC anglers), same regulatory partnership with the Province, and directly collaborates on fish conservation projects.
- Pacific Salmon Foundation: BC-based non-profit focused on Pacific salmon conservation and habitat restoration. Closest direct peer: same jurisdiction, same non-profit, same recreational-fisheries constituency, similar surcharge/license-fee funding mechanisms.
Others
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): Federal Canadian regulator with jurisdiction over fisheries beyond BC's provincial scope. Although not a direct competitor (DFO focuses on marine and federal fisheries), it is the immediate regulatory counterpart and ecosystem-level partner for BC freshwater fisheries management.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC social profiles
Digital presenceFreshwater Fisheries Society of BC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
What does Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC do?
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC operates the provincial recreational freshwater fisheries program in British Columbia, raising and stocking trout, kokanee, and char into 800+ lakes, and administering fishing licence revenue that funds stocking, conservation, research, education, and access improvements. It delivers consumer-facing services through the GoFishBC.com platform, including an Interactive Lake Map and searchable Fish Stocking Reports, plus in-person educational programs such as Learn to Fish, School Field Trips, Birthday Parties, Group Bookings, and a free Rod Loan at hatchery ponds.
Is Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC a public or private company?
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC founded?
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC based?
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC make money?
One revenue line is on record: fishing License Fees.
Who are Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trout Unlimited and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Fisheries Programs). Regional players are BC Wildlife Federation and Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Direct peers are Atlantic Salmon Federation, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and Pacific Salmon Foundation. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is listed as an others.
Does Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.
What industry is Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC in?
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC's product category is Recreational Fisheries Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEANAE, Aquaculture & Fish Health Services. Its NAICS code is 112511 and its SIC code is 200.