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. Electrofishing involves the use of an electric current to temporarily immobilize fish, allowing crews to safely capture, measure, and identify them before releasing them back into the river.
Michael Fabiano, the conservation co-ordinator at the association, mentioned that electrofishing operations occur from May to late September, resulting in a two percent mortality rate among the thousands of fish handled each season. Ensuring the safety of the fish is the top priority, and electrofishing is avoided when water temperatures are too high.
To minimize the impact on fish, the crews regulate the electric current to immobilize the fish for a brief moment. Crew members wear heavy rubber gloves and chest waders to protect themselves from electric shocks while working in water. Despite working with electricity in water, there have been no reports of serious shocks among crew members during Fabiano’s tenure.
The crews conduct surveys along the 120-kilometre river to identify the most productive streams and evaluate the overall health of the fish population. The catch primarily consists of trout and Atlantic salmon, with occasional sightings of eels and lampreys. This season, the association has captured and released approximately 1,800 fish across nine streams, a decrease from the previous year.
Paul MacNeil, the association’s president, highlighted the increased focus on scientific research due to reduced data collection by Fisheries and Oceans Canada over the past five years. Established in 1982, the association sought reliable data to monitor river health amidst changing climate conditions.
To address the data gap, the association collaborated with the Chéticamp River Salmon Association to acquire electrofishing equipment. While manual fish counting is also conducted in the river, MacNeil emphasized that electrofishing provides more accurate data on juvenile fish populations within a specific area.
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