April 29 Session: Esrd Highlights

[kemo99]

Highlights from ESRD session(s)

• Historical records in FWMIS show historical records of Grayling in the study area, but declined and collapsed populations in the mainstem Pembina in 2002-2003
• ESRD did a huge project in the Upper Pembina in 2014
• 29 sites were sampled with backback electrofishing, mostly in upper reaches
• 331 fish were captured, including 236 Brook Trout and, 2 Bull Trout, 5 Mountain Whitefish, and 0 Arctic Grayling
• 32 sites were sampled by angling, systematic approach, 10 km apart, on Pembina River, Dismal Creek, Lovett River, Rat Creek and Paddy Creek
• 340 hours angled, over 100km of streams angled; 186 Brook Trout, 85 Grayling, 20 Mountain Whitefish, 12 Rainbows, 3 Walleye, 2 Bull Trout, 3 Northern Pike
• Most of the Grayling were caught on Dismal Creek
• Many sites that historically had Grayling populations had none this year. (appears collapsed on mainstem Pembina)
• Bull Trout also collapsed through watershed, Brook Trout populations appear to be increasing
• We don't know much about seasonal movement of Grayling.
• We don't know how Brook Trout populations influence Grayling (if they do)
• Many of the lower reaches have temperatures that cause stress to Grayling

• These graphs show the fish sustainability index for Grayling. Notice the huge increase in Low and Extirpated ranges
• In the mainstem Pembina, Grayling catch rates have dropped from 1-3 fish/hour to 0.03/hour in 2014
• Little Smoky is a reference for a healthy Grayling fishery.
• Other studies show Grayling are affected by climate change
• Other factors include Forestry, Roads, Oil and Gas, Coal Mining
• Dismal Creek has some size classes missing compared to Little Smokey, but overall decent profile.

[dipperdan]

Thanks Ken !!!

[Paulf]

...looks and sounds like a very successful meeting with ESRD in Edsen...they too put in a lot of time and effort in the study...I am surprised at the lack of Grayling in the Pembina River...looks as though they are holding up in specific areas of the river...

...with the absence of graying in the pembina, could this be one of the leading causes of the fish not showing up in streams and creeks where they were previously?...

...hopefully this year more grayling are caught in the pembina...

[vince]

Thanks for the report Ken

 

Vince