Tracking fish movement in the Tay River-Do you ever wonder how biologists can collect information on a spawning run or track fish movements? Fisheries biologists have a variety of tools available, depending on the questions we are trying to answer, the information and resources available, and the life history and biology of the fish in question.
PIT tags (passive integrated transponder) are used on various species to answer questions about movement, growth, survivorship, etc. They are also used on household pets, livestock, and zoo animals to provide a unique identifier to an individual. PIT tags are small (12 mm long is pretty common) and typically cylindrical in shape. In fish, PIT tags can be implanted using a large gauge needle. When a handheld or backpack PIT tag reader or scanner is passed over the fish, its identification number is displayed. Larger “array” stations can also be set up along a creek that will record the tag numbers that pass by the station.
This technology is not new to Trout Unlimited Canada (TUC). For several years, the Northern Lights Fly Fishers chapter PIT-tagged Arctic Grayling which helped to provide some key information about the species in the Pembina River watershed. In Ontario, we have used PIT tags to track the survival of Brook Trout transferred from a healthy source population to a system where recovery was being pursued.
For the Tay River, TUC is working with partners including Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), Cows and Fish, and the University of Calgary, to better understand the conditions of the watershed, the fish community, sources of pollution, and the factors that could help us recover Bull Trout. We are also carrying out habitat restoration including willow staking along shorelines and working with livestock producers to reduce impacts from cattle. The Tay River is on the “front lines” of the Clearwater River Bull Trout recovery – there are still a few Bull Trout here, but it appears they are not in the numbers that there used to be. Reports from anglers and results from previous electrofishing surveys suggest that Bull Trout might still use the Tay River system for spawning. But how many? And where are they going? And when? Enter: the Tay River fish trap.
In late August, TUC and AEP set up a bi-directional fish trap in the lower Tay River to track fish moving upstream and downstream. All fish captured in the trap will be carefully handled and basic information will be collected (species, length). Bull Trout and other sportfish will be implanted with PIT tags and released in the direction they were headed. In future years, TUC will set up array stations in the watershed to track where they are moving and help identify key habitat areas and restoration/recovery opportunities.
What can you do?
Want to help with recovery efforts? Here are a few things you can do:
If you are angling in the Tay River and its tributaries and catch a Bull Trout, let us know! You e-mail your report to tuc@tucanada.org or bulltrout@gov.ab.ca and tell us approximately where and when you caught it and how big it was.
If you have any stories or memories of the Tay River watershed that you’d like to share, you can also e-mail tuc@tucanada.org or bulltrout@gov.ab.ca
Call the Report-A-Poacher line (1-800-642-3800) or go online to report illegal fishing activity or public land abuse.
Download and use the Watercourse Crossing Inventory app to help collect information on fish passage and sedimentation issues at road and trail crossings.
Join your local TUC chapter or sign up to become a volunteer.
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