Since 1998, Trout Unlimited Canada has collaborated with Alberta Fisheries Management (Alberta Environment and Parks) to assess whether angling can be effectively used as a management tool to facilitate the recovery of native Cutthroat and Bull Trout by removing non-native Brook Trout. In 2009, the program expanded to other streams in the upper Bow River watershed and in 2013 to the upper Oldman River watershed to remove non-native Rainbow Trout from selected streams. The name of the project transitioned from the Quirk Creek Brook Trout Suppression project to the Stewardship Licence Pilot Project (SLPP) to reflect this expansion. We have been very fortunate to have many dedicated volunteer anglers commit many hours to this project over the years at Quirk Creek and the SLPP streams.
In recent months, AEP undertook an evaluation of the project, to determine if it has met the objectives of: increasing anglers’ awareness of and appreciation for native species, educating anglers on proper fish identification, and using angling as a method to suppress non-native Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout, in order to facilitate the recovery of native Cutthroat Trout and Bull Trout.
While the first two objectives appear to have been achieved through this program, AEP’s assessment of the data collected at Quirk Creek suggests that while the Brook Trout population has indeed been reduced, a recovery of Cutthroat and Bull Trout has not occurred. There is also concern that focussed angling efforts could have the unintended consequence of increased incidental hooking mortality of native species.
We realize that this comes as disappointing news for participants of this project. Here at Trout Unlimited Canada, we cannot fully express our appreciation for the dedication many anglers have shown in supporting this project over the years. The data anglers have collected is invaluable, and provided a rare opportunity to conduct an evaluation on such a longstanding, and well recorded data set. We also recognize that this project has created a unique opportunity to harvest fish from streams where harvest opportunities are otherwise limited. TUC will continue to work with our colleagues at AEP and advocate for enhanced angler education and tangible efforts towards the recovery of our native Cutthroat and Bull Trout in southwestern Alberta but also Arctic Grayling and Athabasca Rainbow Trout along the northern East Slopes. TUC is also working on other programs to continue to engage anglers as stewards on the landscape to educate other anglers on fish identification and conservation.
Thank you to Alberta Conservation Association, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and Devon Canada for providing funding to this project over the years. TUC also extends a big thank you to Jim Stelfox for assisting with supervised outings and data entry and for launching this program back in 1998.
For fish identification testing and catch results from anglers including the 2015 SLPP season, click here.
Please click here to read the letter from AEP Senior Fisheries Biologist Paul Christensen, outlining the decision to discontinue the SLPP.
For more information, contact Lesley Peterson, Provincial Biologist, Trout Unlimited Canada.
Comentarios