Bull Trout and Road crossings

[Don Andersen]

Folks,

Attended a info session last week where several people made presentations about Bull Trout and Road Crossings.
1) The ACA told us that the Clearwater River Bull Trout population is low and really hasn't varied since 1998.
Also most of the fish sampled in the same area were Brook Trout.

2) Sundre Forest Products is funding a Bull Trout survey on the Red Deer River.

3) Sundre Forest Products has been remedating road crossings in a number of areas within the FMA. These crossings were inherited from either Govt or Oil Companies. Some of the Oil Companies are partnering in the repair.

NOT FAKE NEWS!


Don

[Engels]

If this is true, it’s good some people are finally tackling the actual issues at hand. Maybe the AEP should jump on board....... but that costs money so.


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[slough shark]

That’s great to hear, the Clearwater closure is a very puzzling one to me as the brook trout could very well proliferate if you remove their harvest from the river it will likely put significant pressure on the bullies. Really good news that industry is stepping up and actually doing something to help the river out

[Don Andersen]

If you read the Govt plan closely they talk about removing invasives.
Brook Trout may be in for a hard time. There is a long tradition of killing problem wildlife in Alberta be it elk, ducks, geese and Brook trout.

And what is critical here. Sundre Forest Products are doing what they are not responsible for.
The Govt was not mentioned.

Don

[slough shark]

How would they remove brookies? Short of killing everything and starting over how would they accomplish this? Doing the whole river and tributaries would seem like a feat I don’t think they’re capable of. Ideally if they want to bring back the fishery they start stocking bullies give them the upper hand and between fishing for the brookies and the bullies chowing down the brookies the balance goes in favour of the bullies

[Don Andersen]

Originally Posted by slough shark

How would they remove brookies? Short of killing everything and starting over how would they accomplish this? Doing the whole river and tributaries would seem like a feat I don’t think they’re capable of. Ideally if they want to bring back the fishery they start stocking bullies give them the upper hand and between fishing for the brookies and the bullies chowing down the brookies the balance goes in favour of the bullies

Killing the Brookies is how to remove them. Methods from most effective to least would include poison, electro-shocking or angling. All of these methods have been used somewhere.

Don

[slough shark]

Oh I know you’d have to kill them, to the best of my knowledge poisoning would kill all fish not just brookies, electroshock seems to me that they wouldn’t get them all, fishing doesn’t get them all but keeps the overall numbers down. Have you heard if they plan on doing anything? Without removing the brookies they’re probably damaging the bullies more closing the whole fishery down rather than leaving the regs alone

[Don Andersen]

One thing that occurred to me is the danger of electro fishing on endangered species. Many years ago, before everyone walked around protecting their butt, I helped the Govt. Biologists electro fish. The device can and will kill fish. Not many but some. It would be a real shame if this project killed the Bulls.

For your bed time reading:

http://www3.carleton.ca/fecpl/course...%20Summary.pdf

Don

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Don Andersen

One thing that occurred to me is the danger of electro fishing on endangered species. Many years ago, before everyone walked around protecting their butt, I helped the Govt. Biologists electro fish. The device can and will kill fish. Not many but some. It would be a real shame if this project killed the Bulls.

For your bed time reading:

http://www3.carleton.ca/fecpl/course...%20Summary.pdf

Don

Its been well documented that electrofishing doesn't actually work very well on Bull trout due to the shape of their heads/bodies. Generally why BT populations are angled/trapped for sampling and not electrofished.

[Don Andersen]

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Its been well documented that electrofishing doesn't actually work very well on Bull trout due to the shape of their heads/bodies. Generally why BT populations are angled/trapped for sampling and not electrofished.

BH,
You might wants pass that along to the biologists for the ACA who seemed to be using backpack electro fishing gear. I didn't see any boats and they showed smaller streams.


Don