By Jim Brown
jim@peicanada.com

The natural area manager for Trout Unlimited, Prince County Chapter, says she knows of a good way Islanders can get a reliable glimpse of the damage to Trout River caused during last month’s fish kills.

According to Lee Cowan that involves electroshocking parts of a productive river system recently named one of the best trout fishing destinations in the country in a national competition.

Electroshocking surveys are conducted in the early fall, with provincial officials and watershed volunteers involved in the work.

“It allows us to see the fish density. Electrofishing gives a small, very mild shock, from which (fish) recuperate almost instantly,” she said.
The trout are scooped up with netd, counted and various measurements taken, before they are released back into the water. 

“We’ll be electroshocking (parts of the river) within the next little while,” said Ms Cowan.

The numbers of fish captured by electroshocking devices will be compared to numbers from previous years, including last year’s totals, she said.

Less than a week ago Environment Canada released preliminary findings from tests of the three West Prince rivers affected by fish kills - the Big Pierre Jacques River and the Mill and Trout rivers, showing trace amounts of pesticides in bottom sediments. A joint Environment Canada, provincial Department of the Environment investigation is underway into the fish kills, which have closed the Big Pierre Jacques and Trout rivers to angling to preserve brood stock.

Approximately 500 large fish were recovered by volunteers and provincial government officials last month, but the death toll is believed to be in the thousands, since many fish were likely buried in sediment and debris or hidden under blood red waters, swollen from heavy rains.

Ms Cowan said electroshocking could also shed light on whether smaller trout were killed in large numbers. 

She went on to say she and the Prince County chapter’s co-ordinator, Dale Cameron, were checking the waters again Monday following heavy rains. Ms Cowan said she was heartsick about the prospect of more fish dying from runoff.

She says another survey in late fall or early winter involving trout and salmon redds (nesting areas) in the Trout River system should also provide some answers on the health of the river’s population.

Ms Cowan says the last survey a year ago showed there were so many trout nests, “we couldn’t count them” in one area of the Trout River. Ironically, large numbers of large, decomposing trout were recovered from that same area.
“I think we’re going to see a significant decline in the number of spawning trout this year,” she said.