The Margaree Salmon Association in northern Cape Breton has been utilizing electrofishing as a method to monitor fish populations in the Margaree River for the past few years. This technique involves using an electric current to temporarily stun fish, allowing 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 are conducted from May to late September, with a mortality rate of two percent among the thousands of fish processed each season. Fish safety is the top priority, and electrofishing is avoided when water temperatures are too high.
Crews carefully regulate the electric current levels to cause fish to momentarily roll over, ensuring minimal harm. To protect themselves from potential electric shocks while working in water, crew members wear heavy rubber gloves and chest waders. No serious incidents have occurred during Fabiano’s tenure with the group.
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 comprises trout and Atlantic salmon, with occasional eels and lampreys making up about 95 percent of the total.
This season, approximately 1,800 fish have been caught and released across nine streams by the association, a decrease from the previous year. Fabiano attributed this decline partly to the challenging conditions experienced last year, with low water levels and high temperatures affecting the Margaree River due to a severe drought.
Paul MacNeil, the association’s president, emphasized the increased focus on scientific research due to reduced data collection efforts by Fisheries and Oceans Canada over the past five years. By partnering with the Chéticamp River Salmon Association to procure electrofishing equipment, the group aims to ensure reliable data for monitoring river health amid shifting climate conditions.
While members also conduct fish counts by swimming in the river, MacNeil highlighted that electrofishing provides more precise data on juvenile fish populations. The method allows for capturing all juvenile fish in a specific area, improving the accuracy of the assessments.
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