In recent years, the Margaree Salmon Association in northern Cape Breton has been utilizing electrofishing as a method to monitor fish populations in the Margaree River. This technique involves using an electric current to temporarily stun the fish, allowing the crews to safely capture, measure, and identify them before releasing them back into the water.
Michael Fabiano, the conservation co-ordinator of the association, mentioned that electrofishing operations take place from May to late September with a mortality rate of two percent among the thousands of fish processed each season. Ensuring the safety of the fish is the top priority for the crews, and they avoid electrofishing when water temperatures are too high.
The crew carefully regulates the current levels to ensure the fish are only stunned for a brief moment, minimizing any potential harm. To protect themselves from electricity while working in water, crew members wear heavy rubber gloves and chest waders. Fortunately, there have been no serious incidents of electric shocks among crew members during Fabiano’s tenure of 18 months.
The teams conduct surveys 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, approximately 95 percent, consists of trout and Atlantic salmon, with occasional sightings of eels and lampreys.
This season, the association has caught and released around 1,800 fish across nine streams, a decrease from the previous year. Fabiano attributes this decline partly to the challenging conditions experienced last year, with low water levels and high temperatures impacting the river due to a severe drought.
Paul MacNeil, the association’s president, highlighted the increased focus on scientific research in response to reduced data collection by Fisheries and Oceans Canada over the past five years. Established in 1982, the association sought reliable data to monitor the river’s health amid shifting climate patterns.
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 emphasized that electrofishing provides more precise data on juvenile fish populations.
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