In recent years, the Margaree Salmon Association in northern Cape Breton has been utilizing electrofishing as a method to monitor fish populations within the Margaree River. This technique involves using an electric current to momentarily stun fish, allowing teams to safely catch, measure, and identify them before releasing them back into the water.
Michael Fabiano, the association’s conservation co-ordinator, mentions that electrofishing activities occur between May and late September. With thousands of fish processed each season, the method incurs a two per cent mortality rate. Safety of the fish is a top priority, with operations halted during high water temperatures to avoid harming the fish.
Crews carefully regulate current levels to ensure fish are briefly affected, causing them to roll over for only a few seconds. To mitigate any risks associated with working with electricity in water, team members wear protective heavy rubber gloves and chest waders. Throughout Fabiano’s 18-month tenure, no serious electrical incidents have occurred.
Surveying locations along the 120-kilometre river enables crews to identify the most productive streams and assess the overall health of the fish population. The majority of the catch comprises trout and Atlantic salmon, with occasional appearances of eels and lampreys. This season, the association has captured and released approximately 1,800 fish across nine streams, a decrease from the previous year.
Paul MacNeil, the association’s president, highlights the group’s increased focus on scientific research due to reduced data collection efforts by Fisheries and Oceans Canada over the past five years. Established in 1982, the group aims to gather reliable data for monitoring river health amidst changing climate conditions.
To bridge the data gap, the association collaborated with the Chéticamp River Salmon Association to procure electrofishing equipment. While members also conduct fish counts by swimming in the river, MacNeil emphasizes the superior accuracy of electrofishing in assessing juvenile fish populations within specific territories.
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