Success Story of a Salmon Stream's Rehabilitation

Thought you might find this success story of a Salmon stream's rehabilitation of interest.


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It is a report from the Sackville Rivers Association , now in their twentieth year.
Summary of Fisheries and Oceans involvement in the Sackville Rivers Association (SRA) from the early 1980s

• Early 80s- DFO assesses fish populations in the Sackville River
  
• 1986- DFO begins stocking Atlantic Salmon into the Sackville to recover their populations
  
• 1988
  SRA formed (Shane O’Neil - founding Secretary Treasurer)
  DFO supports river clean ups hosted by SRA
  
• 1990- Fish ladder built at the falls at Hefler’s Mill in collaboration with SRA, DFO, and National Gypsum and dedicated to Donny Cox, a DFO Assessment Biologist
  
• 1991- DFO Science assesses fish populations (lead by DFO Science)
  
• 1992-1996 - DFO runs a counting fence along the river at the DND Rifle Range to assess returning salmon adults
  
• 1997- present
  SRA operates a trap at the fish ladder with technical assistance from DFO
  Atlantic Salmon captured at the fish ladder incorporated into the department’s stock enhancement program
  DFO supports students’ and interns’ activities on the river in collaboration with SRA (technical and in-kind assistance)
  
• 1990s and into the 2000s
  About 315,000 Atlantic Salmon smolt and 320,000 parr have been released to restore salmon populations to this river after it was determined the population in the river was extirpated; largely supported with DFO funds and / or in-kind technical support
  Various in stream habitat improvements restore approximately 62,000 m2 of river habitat (Shayne’s Pool established in 2006 to celebrate the tireless work of Shayne McQuaid, Stewardship Coordinator, DFO Oceans, Habitat and Species at Risk Branch to restore the Sackville River)
  Education initiatives in the community and to schools such as River Rangers and Fish Friends are led by the SRA with DFO contributing in-kind and technical assistance and ASF help in the early stages (625 students annually from 25 HRM schools, Grades 4-6).
  
• 2001- DFO agrees to SRA request that the department continue stocking with the use of unfed salmon fry from the Coldbrook hatchery and SRA operates the trap at the fish ladder and collects brood fish
  
• 2003- Some unfed fry stocked for the first time
  
• 2004- DFO stocks salmon smolt to the river because of fish kill (effort funded by industry)
  
• 2007- DFO assists SRA in development of their Ecosystem Plan
  
• 2008, ongoing- DFO has been instrumental in directing fish habitat compensation funds to the Sackville River Ecosystem Plan to support further habitat restoration efforts on the watershed
  
  High points:
  # salmon released - 635,000
  area of river restored to date - 62,000 m2
  # children touched by educational programs - 625 annually since 1990, 11,250 in total
  

Into the future:
Ecosystem Planning (SRA planning initiative to assure sustainable development of Sackville River watershed resulting from collaboration with DFO, other governmental organizations and non-governmental agencies, developers and the community)

Overall result:
Exponential increase in stewardship, care and recovery of the Sackville River since the ‘80s initiated and sustained by SRA receives ongoing support from DFO
SRA is a textbook example of community-based stewardship for Canada’s aquatic resources.

Rainbow Trout, An Invasive Species for Nova Scotia?

When I was buying my fishing license this week I ran into Larry Short. He told me that two Rainbow Trout were caught in the Sackville River on opening day.

Why is this significant?

Well, they are not a native spices here. Back in November, a hurricane crashed into Nova Scotia.


There was an amazing amount of rain, screaming winds and waves of over 12 meters, that is about 40 feet, were reported in the ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Hurricane Noel destroyed an aquaculture facility in the waters of Liverpool Bay. They lost about $1,000,000.00 in equipment and stock. The stock in this case was big Rainbow Trout that escaped.

Between Liverpool where this happened and the Sackville River are several salmon streams. I call them salmon streams but all of our Nova Scotia rivers have been severely damaged by acid rain and other human activities. The naturally breeding salmon stocks are extinct in many and endangered in all.





The Sackville Rivers Association has been working for years to rehabilitate these urban waters and re-establish a breeding population of Atlantic salmon in them. With some success, I might add. Nevertheless, it is a fragile victory.

These two Rainbow Trout could disrupt the whole program if they were carrying a pen-born disease. It could be a disaster if they are the harbingers of breeding pairs pioneering local waters.




I asked Larry if these fish were not triploid as much fish farm stock is.

Triploid fish are sterile because of a genetic manipulation. They have three sets of chromosomes instead of two (diploid) which is normal.

The advantage to fish farmers of using triploid fish in aquaculture is their rapid growth and weight gain. The disadvantage is their susceptibility to deformities and disease. It also means that escapees cannot reproduce and become an invasive species.

Larry told me that the problem is that even though triploid fish are being raised, not all of them are in fact sterilized. As in anything, there is a margin of error.

What does it all really mean?

Well, in talking to my fishing friends not all of them are unhappy about the fish escaping and entering our rivers. About half of the guys are looking forward to catching them if they can.

They point to Cape Breton, which has Rainbows and Steelhead in the rivers now, apparently from aquaculture escapees getting into the Bras D’Or Lake over the last twenty years or so. I have gone fishing for Steelhead there myself. (I did not get any so went salmon fishing instead).

Others fear the big picture. A new invasive species that just might be the straw that breaks the Salmon’s back.

The Rainbows are out of the cage now so only time will tell. It is too late for our opinions on the subject to have an effect but I would still be interested in hearing what you think.


Image of fish after storm on Beach Meadows Beach from the Queens County Times

Compass or GPS ?

I got this note from Larry Shortt the other day. Larry is one of the fellows who along with Walter Regan and other volunteers works hard at The Sackville Rivers Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the Sackville River Watershed :

"Hi Guys,
If any of you are into Topo Maps this is a great program for your pc. I have the Maritimes version that I bought about 5 years ago for $100.00 which has the topo maps of NS, NB, PEI and the Gros Morin area of NL on it..

If you go to:
http://www.softmaptech.com/en/volumes/volEN_Maritimes_topo50.html

Handy for finding secret fishing spots..

Larry"

That got me thinking about: Compass or GPS?

When I was younger I once got lost in the woods. I didn’t do anything particularly stupid to find myself in the situation, ordinary stupidity is usually sufficient for that sort of thing but nonetheless; there I was.

Ever since then I’ve followed some simple rules whenever travelling in the back country.

First, I always look at a map of the area to gain some familiarization with the lay of the land.
 Topographic maps used to be my preferred choice but now I use Google Maps or Google Earth as often as not.

I always have a compass and two fire sources with me. I keep the fire sources each in different pockets. Usually I have a disposable lighter in one pocket of my fishing vest and some waterproofed matches in another piece of clothing, my pants pocket or jacket.

I also have a good pocketknife with a lanyard that I carry with me. With that basic kit I have no problem lighting out with just a compass bearing and the promise of good fishing at the far end of a long walk. Recently though I’ve been thinking about getting a GPS unit.

For interest’s sake here is how a GPS works: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense.

 Some time in the 1980’s these were made available for civilian use.

The GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is.

A GPS receiver must have a clear lock on at least three of the 24 satellites to plot its longitude and latitude position. With 4 satellites locked, it can also plot altitude. Having that data, the GPS unit can then calculate and extrapolate other information such as speed of travel, bearing, and distance to destination, sunrise or sunset time and more.

The way a compass works is like this.

Picture the earth’s magnetic field, its like a giant bar-magnet run through the centre of the globe. This bar has a north end and a south end. A compass is just a magnetized needle balanced on a pin that allows the needle to move freely.

With magnets the rule is, "opposites attract" so the south end of the needle swings to point toward the North Pole. This end of the needle is usually coloured and marked with an “N”.

It’s almost impossible for a compass to be wrong. It can be a little bit out because of a thing called declination – the slow movement of true magnetic north - but for just taking a bearing to get you through the brush and back it’s hard to beat.

A GPS on the other hand can memorize way points such as where you left your car or where the honey-hole is on the featureless surface of a lake.

Have you ever emerged from the bush onto the road where you’ve left your car and not been sure whether you should walk left or right to get to it? Never happens with a GPS if you’ve set your vehicle as a way point. So the advantages of the GPS are pretty obvious.

What are the negatives? I don’t have a GPS yet so I’m speculating here but I think the size of the unit is a pretty important consideration. Weight aside, the harder it is to stow, access and re-stow, the more likely one is to lose it, drop it or leave it home altogether.

The basic ruggedness of the unit is pretty important. I don’t know about you but when hiking through the bush I’m always banging off trees, slipping on logs and generally beating my gear and myself up pretty badly.

That’s when I’m not falling into the water I’m trying to fish.

Then there is the question of batteries. I guess you need to carry a spare set of fresh ones as well as put new ones in the unit before a day afield. I also wonder about how clear the canopy above has to be to get a good reading. That is a lot of stuff to think about before even looking at prices.

 I paid about $15 bucks for the compass that over the last twenty years has gotten me into and back out of more adventures than I’d dare to tell. It fits comfortably in my pocket with no weight, no fuss and no batteries. Wet or dry it works without fail.


I’d really like to hear from anyone who has had experience with these GPS things. I’m almost convinced that I should get one but I suspect I’ll still carry my old compass anyway. It just gives me a sense of security.