The Margaree Salmon Association in northern Cape Breton has been utilizing electrofishing as a method to monitor fish populations in the Margaree River over recent years.
Electrofishing involves using an electric current to briefly stun fish, allowing crews to safely catch, measure, and identify them before releasing them back into the water.
According to Michael Fabiano, the conservation co-ordinator at the association, electrofishing operations are conducted from May to late September, with a mortality rate of two percent observed across the thousands of fish processed each season.
“Ensuring the safety of the fish is our top priority,” Fabiano emphasized. “We refrain from electrofishing when water temperatures are too high.”
Crews carefully adjust current levels to ensure the electric shock causes fish to momentarily roll over, minimizing harm. To protect themselves from potential electric shocks while working in water, crew members wear heavy rubber gloves and chest waders. No incidents of serious shocks have been reported among crew members during Fabiano’s 18-month tenure with the group.
The teams conduct surveys at various spots along the 120-kilometre river to pinpoint the most productive streams and evaluate the overall health of the fish population. The majority of the catch, about 95 percent, consists of trout and Atlantic salmon, with occasional appearances of eels and lampreys.
During the current season, the association has captured and released approximately 1,800 fish across nine streams, which is slightly lower compared to the previous year.
“The decrease could be partly attributed to the challenging conditions we faced last year,” Fabiano noted. “Low water levels and high temperatures for most of the summer due to a severe drought significantly impacted the Margaree.”
Paul MacNeil, the association’s president, highlighted that the group intensified its scientific research efforts due to reduced data collection by Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the river in the past five years. Established in 1982, the association sought reliable data to monitor river health amidst changing climate conditions.
To address this data gap, the association collaborated with the Chéticamp River Salmon Association to acquire electrofishing equipment. While members also manually count fish in the river, MacNeil emphasized that electrofishing provides more precise data on the juvenile fish population.
“Through electrofishing, we have a higher likelihood of capturing all juvenile fish within a specific area,” MacNeil explained.
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