Activities Update - End of May

About a dozen trout hanging out in a pool on South Right’s River in Antigonish County. Photo Credit Kris Hunter

Over the last few weeks there has been a lot on the going in NS.  Rather than stick to one topic I figured I would give an update on the various going ons from the past few weeks.

 HBN

In response to the major expansion open net pen aquaculture plans by Cermaq and Cooke, there was a grassroots movement in many NS communities to organize and oppose the expansion. These community groups immediately found their voice and were able to demonstrate that these companies did not have the social license to operate freely. In response to the public pressure and unable to find enough acceptable sites in NS waters, Cermaq, called it quits and abandoned their expansion plans. Unfortunately, Cooke remains committed to theirs. As this process was unfolding these community groups released that they were stronger together and began meeting to find ways to support one another. This loose coalition officially launched as the Healthy Bays Network (HBN). The network of community organizations from across NS and provincial organizations such as the EAC, NSSA, and ASF, will speak for and support those who are opposed to open net pen aquaculture. HBN will work to help organize impacted communities, alert Nova Scotians to the effects of open net-pens, address the shortcomings of our regulatory regime, and present realizable options for sustainable aquaculture. HBN is committed to a healthy environment, empowered communities, local employment, and well-paying jobs with a future. Expect to hear lots more from the Healthy Bays Network in the weeks and months ahead. A website is in the works but for now you can contact me if you would like more information or to become involved.

NS Salmon Season Announced

NS Salmon fishing season was announced late last week. The season will be open for catch and release on June 1st -October 15th on the Margaree with the usual restrictions. From the East Margaree to the Big Intervale bridges on the Northeast and to the Scotsville highway bridge on the Southwest (not including the tributaries) is open June 1st- Oct.31st. As always the tributaries and Northeast Margaree upstream of the from the big Intervale Bridges is closed all year.  The remainder of Salmon Fishing Area 18 (Gulf Shore of Nova Scotia) will be open to catch and release September and October. In Salmon Fishing Area 19 (Cape Breton East) the Baddeck and Middle Rivers will be open to catch and release salmon fishers for the month of October and North River, downstream of “The Benches: will be open from June 1 to July 14, and September and October. The only substantial change in the regulations from last year has been the switch from the requirement to use only single barbless hooks to using only artificial flies. DFO released a statement after the fact indicating this switch was made because their ability to specify single-barbless hooks was called into question legally. I have asked DFO for more information explaining the reasoning behind this switch, as it was something that we fought to get for years.

Nova Scotia Salmon Association AGM

The NSSA had to postpone its AGM this year due to Covid-19. After some consideration it was decided that they will hold their AGM virtually on Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 from 7-9 pm. All current members will receive an invite in the coming days. Those interested in becoming members can do so through the NSSA website (www.nssalmon.ca) or by contacting secretary@nssalmon.ca. Membership is free but you do need to register to participate in the AGM.

Halifax Online Auction a Success

As you may be aware our annual Halifax Dinner had to be cancelled this year due to Covid-19. In lieu of the dinner ASF and NSSA ran an online auction instead, which wrapped up just over a week ago. As we worked on tallying the results and getting the prizes out to the winners, we have been astounded by the generosity of those involved. On behalf of the dinner committee, ASF, and NSSA I wanted to pass along our thanks to everyone helped make this event happen from our donors, our volunteers, and of course those that bid on items. Your support is invaluable and goes a long way to helping ASF and NSSA continue our work on behalf of wild Atlantic Salmon.

Rainbow Trout with a missing tail caught in the North River, Cape Breton. This is believed to have escaped from the open net pens in Bras D’Or lakes. Photo Credit Donald Halfpenny.

Bras D’Or Lakes

In the Bras D’Or lakes and adjacent rivers people are reporting catching lots of large Rainbow Trout. Unfortunately, many of these fish seem to be suffering from infections and have severe damage to their fins. It is suspected by the many anglers that I spoke with that these fish are escapees from the open net pens in the lakes. There was supposedly a big escape last fall from Hurricane Dorian but as of yet we have not heard official word that this is true. Worryingly these fish are appearing in greater numbers and further than with past suspected escape events, with some approaching the Sanctuary and others appearing outside the Bras D’Or lakes in North River. Given their numbers and diseased state many fishers are concerned about the impact that these fish will have upon other wild salmonids. I have been reaching out to the province to learn what I can about what is happening here.

A fisherman trying is luck in Frenchman’s Run on the West River, Antigonish. A few moments earlier he hooked and released a nice 12” trout. Fishing in the area so far has been on par with previous years, down from the high’s seen 5-10 years ago.

River updates

At least in the Northern part of the mainland, we have rapidly switched from cold and wet to hot and dry. As a result, I heard that water levels were dropping fast. I got out locally this week to take a look for myself and chat to a few people on the rivers (from a safe distance of course). While the river levels are dropping, they still have a good amount of water. I didn’t encounter too many people on the rivers, and those that I did speak to seem suggest that most of the fish, at least in the Antigonish area, are still down in the estuary. This is not too surprising for this time of year. That said I did watch one fisherman on the West River hook and release a nice 12” trout and when I visited the South Right’s River I saw about a dozen decent sized trout in a pool near the bottom of the river. As several forest fires are now being report as out of control in NS, I hope everyone stays safe out there as they make the trek to their favorite fishing hole.

Invasive Species

This week is National Invasive Species Week, so I figured a good blog topic this week would be invasive species.  Invasive species regularly crop up in my conversations with fishers and other members of the public but people often don't realize that invasive species or more correctly invasive alien species has a very specific definition.  A good understanding of what is and what isn't a invasive species and some of the principles associated with invasive species is essential for understanding and addressing this important issue.  As an aside I am reminded of the time when I was a student and presented about sea lamprey as a pest that needed to be eradicated from the great lakes to group that included Portuguese fishery biologists.  In the Great Lakes sea lamprey are an invasive species and millions are spent trying to eliminate them but in Portugal sea lamprey are native and considerable efforts are being made to save that species.  Needless to say the questions were spirited until the context of sea lamprey as an invasive species was better communicated (ahh the mistakes we make when we are learning). 

Invasive Asian giant hornet, AKA the murder hornet, is an example of one of the more highly publicized invasive species.  I included it here because who isn't freaked out about a two inch (5cm) pissed off stinging insect with the nickname murder hornet.  Image taken from May 3,2020 CTV News article "Invasive 'murder hornets' have been spotted in the U.S." - Jean-Francois Monier/AFP/Getty.

Invasive Species - Some Basics

So what is an invasive species?  Different sources word their definition differently but all definitions have the following in common. 

1. The species; regardless if it is an animal, plant, fungus, protist, bacteria or virus; is one that does not naturally occur in the given area or region.  
2. The species was introduced into this new area by human activity.  Species introduced from natural processes such as range expansion are usually not considered invasive species.  
3. The species has a negative impact upon on the environment and/or upon the economy.   Species that are introduced have to have a noticeably impact on native species, on the environment, or on something important to humans in order to be considered a nuisance and an invasive.  This impact can be very costly.  In the great lakes millions of dollars are spent each year combating invasive sea lamprey. Environment Canada estimates that the estimated annual cumulative lost revenue caused by just 16 invasive species is between $13 to $35 billion and that invasive species that damage the agricultural and forestry industries results in an estimated $7.5 billion of lost revenue annually. Impacts are not just economic.  When green crab invaded Antigonish Harbour in NS, eelgrass in the estuary declined by over 95% resulting in a 50% decline in Canada geese and common goldeneye.  Many invertebrate species that grow on the eelgrass beds and that are crucial prey for many other species in the food web were also thought to have significantly declined.
4. The species reproduces at a quick rate. Species that reproduce slowly are usually easier to control and often don't have the same degree of impact on native species.

More than a few invasive species biologists have pointed that by most definitions humans are the ultimate invasive species. Wit aside, species that aren't from a given area but don't meet the other criterion are usually referred to as exotic, non-native, introduced species. While not considered invasive they can still cause issues.  For example Striped Bass which are having a significant negative impact on salmon and trout populations are not actually an invasive because they are a naturally occurring species. Much of the confusion around muddling the waters around recovery efforts often blurs the lines between invasive and non-invasive species. 

When talking about invasive species invasive species biologists generally adhere to a few core principles that have been proven to be true.  Some of these princples are:

• early detection is key.  The sooner an invasive species is detected the early its impacts can be addressed.  The longer it goes undetected the larger and more spread out the population becomes.  Bigger, more spread out populations are much more challenging to address than smaller contained populations.
• early intervention is important.  The sooner an invasive species population is dealt with the sooner it can be eradicated, neutralized, or contained.  Waiter longer allows the population to grow and spread out confounding efforts to mitigate its impact.  An unfortunate reality is that detection and responses often take time and can be confounded by political and bureaucratic processes that further delay the response.  Too often this allows the invasive species population to establish (gain a firm foothold) making it nearly impossible to contain.  Smallmouth Bass and Chain Pickerel in southern NS and sea lamprey in the great lakes (sorry it was were I cut my teeth on invasive species) are examples of where invasive populations were allowed to establish.  These populations are now never going to be eradicated resulting in lasting and ongoing economic and environmental damage.
• impacts from invasive can be more complicated and more far reaching than first considered. When Sea lamprey were first introduced into the Great Lakes the impact on Lake Trout, then the top predator in the Great Lakes, was profound.  The annual harvest fell from thousands to tens of tonnes of fish.  Initially it was thought that was the only species affected, but as it turned out the impact that lamprey had on lake trout, effectively displacing it as the top predator,  changed the whole food web structure.  Once abundant bait fish were wiped out as species that were once controlled by Lake Trout became more abundant changing the structure of the prey populations below them.  These type of regime shifts are not uncommon when dealing with invasive species.
• once established invasive species populations will spread.  Because of their higher reproductive rates and ability to out compete native species or exploit parts of their new environment (niche) invasive species have greater reproductive success.  This leads to a larger and larger invasive population.  Eventually competition between the members of the invasive species will drive some of those members to seek out new habitats, resulting in more and more of the ecosystem being exploited by the invasive species causing increased environmental damage and economic cost.  
• public awareness and engagement is very important.  As I indicated above early detection and response are very important to dealing with invasive species.   Public awareness and active reporting helps in detection and monitoring of invasive species populations.  Public will to act and deal with invasive species issues also plays a big role in motivating politicians and bureaucrats to commit resources to deal with invasive species.  Lastly, it is a sad truth that one of the biggest vectors for the movement of  many invasive species into new areas is people deliberately introducing the invasive species.  The spread of many invasive species can be followed and very often it can be seen as a progression along a major roadway or transportation corridor.  Public education and awareness around the impacts is therefore a big tool in invasive species biologist toolbox to stop the spread.  

ASF Program Director for NB, Nathan Wilbur, with smallmouth bass he caught in the mainstem of the Southwest Miracmichi River.  The bass escaped from Miramichi Lake despite containment efforts by DFO.  

ASF and Invasive Species

The biggest invasive species issue that ASF is involved with is our efforts to eradicate an invasive Smallmouth Bass population in Miramichi Lake.  While usually involved with issues on a much broader scale (provincially, regionally, nationally and internationally), ASF undertakes some bigger local focused projects when the threat to Salmon is significant, there is need for larger organization like ASF to move the project forward, and there are lessons to be learned that can be applied to other areas/regions.   Miramichi Lake, like many of our large dam removal projects in Maine, was deemed to be one of these situations. 

Over a decade ago Smallmouth Bass were introduced as an invasive species into Miramichi Lake.  As part of their response, DFO implemented and maintains a containment barrier and monitoring program to keep the bass confined to the lake.  They did not deem it necessary to develop an eradication plan, despite the threat that this invasive species population poses to such an economically important salmon river as the Miramichi.  ASF stepped in and with our many partners have developed a plan to eradicate this invasive species once and for all, eliminating the threat and potentially saving the government thousands of dollars annually.  Dealing with that illegal introduction and developing the eradication plan has been plagued by numerous jurisdictional and bureaucracy issues,.  This past year the plan suffered a major setback when DFO's containment strategy failed and bass were found in the mainstem of the Southwest Miramichi just below the lake.  Despite this the first nation led coalition has persisted and are posed to begin implementation of the eradication plan this fall. 

The eradication plan will involve the use of Rotenone, a naturally occurring fish pesticide that has been used by indigenous populations for thousands of years.  While i may be shocking to say or hear that the lake and part of the river will be treated with a fish killing pesticide this has been studied very carefully and identified as the only way to conclusively eliminate the ecological and economic damage that will be caused by letting the invasive species continue to persist and grow.  "Poisoning the lake", while technically an accurate and certainly convenient headline/sound byte that grabs readers/listeners attention,  doesn't reflect the degree of care and consideration that has gone into balancing the costs of short term impact against the long term costs both economically and environmentally.  When looking at this issue on those terms it is the only viable solution and one that has been successfully used before in other systems across Canada.  For more information on the history, the treatment plan, incuding specifics on how rotenone breaks down naturally and how other compounds will be used to neutralize the rotenone so that it doesn't impact untargeted areas, I encourage you to reach out to Nathan or other members of the Miramichi Lake coalition. 

Chain pickerel, which have found their way into the LaHave River, are no friend to Atlantic salmon. (Robert Short/CBC)  Taken from June 8, 2017 CBC Article by Paul Withers "Chain pickerel invade critical Nova Scotia salmon habitat"

Nova Scotia 

For me here in NS, this project is especially important one that I hope to learn from as we are now facing a similar issue.  Smallmouth Bass, and another even nastier invasive species Chain Pickerel, were deliberately introduced into southern NS over a hundred years ago.  As a result these species have been long established in many of our major rivers and lakes, especially in the southern 1/2 of our province.  These populations are established such that they are well beyond the point where eradication is a feasible option. Now the focus for these populations s on managing them in these infested systems (keeping them at a acceptable level) and preventing their spread further into new territory within these systems.  Just last year Kejimkujik National Park announced changes to its harvest regulations and introduced new measures within the park designed to do just that.  The Province of NS also changed its rules a few years ago making it illegal to have live fish in your possession and making regulations to stop fishing in any water bodies that get new introductions of invasive species.  Despite these efforts invasive species are continuing spread into new systems.  It is with these newly established populations, where eradication is still possible, that we can look to the lessons learned from Miramichi Lake project. 

The invasive plant Japenese Knotweed growing on PEI.  This species can choke out native species of plants and has the potential to dramatically alter the riparian zones of trees and bushes that line rivers and streams. 

PEI

According to a PEI government website, PEI has recognized 6 common invasive plants and 5 common invasive insects (https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/environment-water-and-climate-change/invasive-plant-and-animal-species).   Undoubtedly PEI has many more invasive species, as clearly from context this isn't intended to be a comprehensive listing of all invasive species on the Island, rather a simple list of some of the most common invasive species for the public to watch out for. The site does point the reader to more comprehensive sources such as the PEI Invasive Species Council and PEI Nature Tracker.   Thankfully at least from a salmon perspective, PEI doesn't yet have an invasive fish species problem.  There have been concerns around Rainbow Trout an introduced non-native species, but recent published work (Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2018, 75(11): 1949-1959, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2017-0342) by PEI Council President, Scott Roloson, is showing that these species are likely not causing an invasive species level of impact.  One potential invasive species concern for salmon and trout on PEI has to do with the invasive plant, Japenese Knotweed.  This ornamental plant, which escapes from nurseries and gardens, can grow very rapidly and will out out compete most native bushes and trees.  Once established it becomes very difficult to remove, since leaving even a small root can be enough reestablish the plant.  When it becomes established along rivers it can drastically alter the composition of the riparian zone.  Riparian zones provide important shade, woody debris, and nutrients to streams.  They also act as critical barriers to erosion preventing sediment, such as fine sand and silt from entering the stream.  Riparian zone management  is a major concern everywhere but especially on PEI.  For salmon and trout any invasive species that can impact the riparian zone has the potential to have significant impacts on stream function and fish populations. 

What to do

What can you do? As I mentioned earlier in this article public awareness and involvement is crucial in dealing with invasive species.  By knowing what plants and animals are native to your area and what ones aren't you can take actions to help stop the spread of invasive species.  Help stop the spread, get informed.  You can get more information on invasive species by:

• contact your government office.  Fisheries, natural resources, and environment department offices will all have information on invasive species or can point you in the right direction.
• get involved or attend meetings and seminars for your local river and environmental organizations.  These organizations often are involved in dealing with invasive species and can use your support.  They often offer great programs for free, such as one identified in the first pic of this blog where Clean Annapolis River Project was hosting a bunch of free seminars to promote National Invasive Species Awareness Week,.  
• visit, either virtually or in person, a natural history museum or interpretive center in your area
• contact your local library.  Librarians are wonderful people that can help you find out anything you would like to know, and I am not just saying that because I married one.

By getting informed, taking appropriate actions, and being vocal about invasive species issues you can make a real difference and help preserve and protect your environment.  

Cheers

Restoration Activities on PEI

Mooney's Pond outflow on the Morell River, PEI

Covid 19 has been a major disruption to all our lives on a personal and professional level.  Despite this Maritimers as they usually do have been pretty at good taking it in stride (OK maybe with a touch of complaining), adapting, and carrying on. The environmental sector is no exception.  The work that ASF and our partners do has not been deemed essential work but many groups are finding ways of carrying on.

Physical distancing will be required while working in the streams. (Brian Higgins/CBC from the Yarr article)

While I know that this is happening across the range of wild Atlantic Salmon, there has been some great progress being made on PEI.  Earlier this week this was highlighted in an article by Kevin Yarr entitled "Watershed groups making pandemic adjustments, but 'delighted' to get back to work" that appeared on the CBC website. In the article, Yarr highlights how two PEI groups in particular, the Souris and Area Branch of the PEI Wildlife Federation and the Kensington North Watersheds Association, are adapting to the times while finding ways to continuing their good work .  While only these two groups were highlighted in the article, I know that they are representative of what is happening across PEI. 

Abegweit Conservation Society crew installing brushmats in the Midgell River in 2016.  Photo from Abegweit Conservation Society Blog post.

This past week I was able to participate in a conference call with four other PEI organizations, Cascumpec Bay Watershed Association Inc., Trout Unlimited Prince County Chapter, Morell River Management Co-operative, and the Abegweit Conservation Society that are also exploring and finding new ways to engage in their conservation work during these difficult times.  These organizations are working together on an Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk grant that the Abegweit Conservation Society received last year.  The work is focused on three rivers, the Mill River (led by Cascumpec Bay Watershed Association Inc., and Trout Unlimited Prince County Chapter), the Morrell River (led by Morell River Management Co-operative), and Midgell River (led by Abegweit Conservation Society).  The work will involve habitat and fish passage restoration, fisheries monitoring, and incorporation of traditional ecological indigenous knowledge.  This project is not only a great example of safely working through the adversity of covid 19, but is a generally great example of partnership and working together to achieve shared goals. 

Via social media, phone calls, and media I have also been following the activities of many of the other watershed and conservation organizations on PEI.  If you don't already follow these groups I suggest that you do because many of them are doing fantastic work even in these difficult times.  A complete list of groups can be found on the PEI Watershed Alliance website.

Opening Day

Danny and Ella Hunter fishing on MacNeil's Brook in Antigonish.  While they weren't successful they were very excited to finally get out fishing.  

Opening Day

Last Friday (May 1st) was opening day on Prince Edward Island and in Nova Scotia.   While on PEI it was clearly communicated that it was opening day it was less clear in NS.  The delay to the fishing season in PEI was meant to extend until June, whereas in NS it was until May 1st.  Variation orders were issued by DFO to bring this into effect in NS and in PEI license sales were postponed.  

Last week, as provinces began to consider easing restrictions, PEI released information on a four phase plan which included information on the fishing seasons.  Licence sales were quickly made available via PEI's online licensing portal and by all accounts opening day went smoothly.  I reached out to a few fishers and heard that while many didn't have the best of luck everyone seemed to enjoy the opportunity to get out and wet a line.  While there were some that seemed to forget about social distancing, the vast majority seemed to be able to get out and enjoy some time on the water while adhering to social distancing guidelines.   

Fishermen on PEI practicing appropriate social distancing on Opening Day.

In Nova Scotia, things were less clear.  During the last days of April it seemed as if NS was headed for an extension to its fishing season closure.  During one of their regular briefings that week, Premier MacNeil and Dr. Strang, indicated that "now is not the time to ease restrictions".  Communications with Inland Fisheries didn't provide much insight, other than they had submitted a lot of information about the recreation fisheries in NS and some options to the Health Authority.  They too seemed to be waiting for a decision to find out what was going to happen.  As it happened no word came from Premier or Dr. Strang and at midnight on April 30th the DFO variation order that kept the season closed expired.  So without official word as people awoke the next day they were in the dark as to whether the fishing season was open or not.  Inland Fisheries was flooded with calls, as was I and everyone else who might "be in the know" asking for clarity.  Social media was of course full of conflicting information.  Adding to the confusion some government agencies indicated that season was closed while others said it was "open by default".  Some business started selling fishing licences (in NS there is no online licence sales, which is a whole other rant for another day) while others refused saying the season was closed.  Eventually during the Premier and Dr. Strang's 3 pm briefing it was revealed that the season is indeed open and that NS would be easing an number of restrictions for the mental health of all Nova Scotians.  A follow-up meeting with Inland Fisheries Advisory Council, a collection of angling organizations that meet to advise Inland Fisheries Division of the NS Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, that took place immediately after the announcement revealed that Inland Fisheries themselves were in the dark until moments before the announcement was made.  While some of the specifics around the restrictions associated with the season opening (status of public boat launches for example) are still unclear, it is clear that the fishing season is open but that anglers need to be responsible and maintain social distancing rules. 

So go out wet your lines and take a much needed break but do so with some common sense.

Since as the joke goes, common sense is no that common, here is a list of common senses rules published by the Nova Scotia Salmon Association that you can follow to maintain social distancing. 

The MacGillvary brothers got out with their Dad during opening day weekend.  The boys had a great outing and caught 5 rainbow trout (a stocked species in Antigonish) for their supper.

Despite the confusion to its starts, it appeared to be a successful opening weekend in Nova Scotia.  Lots of people took advantage, including many families with young children.  I know my own children were excited to get out.  All day I was pestered with can we go fishing yet Dad.  My reply of yes but not just yet because I have to work did not go over well.  Eventually we did get out and while my kids didn't catch anything they were all smiles, happy to get out the house and do something with Dad.  We had no sooner got back and they began planning our next excursion.    My family was not the only ones who got out.  Another such family were the MacGillvarys who got out in their boat on Gillis Lake in Antigonish during opening day weekend.  Their dad, Ryan, was able to get a few shots his boys during their excursion that show their big smiles and happiness at finally being out on the water with their dad.  He indicated it was a great couple of days and a good experience for the boys.  The boys had a great day landing 5 rainbow trout, a stocked species in NS, which their dad let them keep for their supper.  They practice what I think is a great idea to engage kids in the sport, where they get to keep the first five fish they catch before switching to catch and release for the remainder of the season.  

Thanks Ryan for sharing the experience you got to have with your boys.  I know that this experience mimics that of many other anglers and families in NS and PEI.  Over the weekend I got reports of anglers and families evenly spaced along reaches and lakes from across both provinces.  From those I spoke with, most talked about how good it felt to escape and to get out on the water, wet their lines, and do something enjoyable for a change.  While the catch reports seemed mixed and the weather wasn't the greatest no one seemed to really care about that.  They were just happy to be out.