Value of Fish Restocking by Clubs in New Brunswick

1. Value of Fish Restocking by Clubs in New Brunswick By Justin Mackenzie Jeffrey MacLaggan

2. Why we restock Chinese known to have practiced fish culture from almost prehistoric times. In Canada the value of restocking was realized in 1853. Abundant rivers lead to reckless wastefulness, lead to enforcement of protective laws supplemented with artificial fish culture.

3. New Brunswick’s Fish Stocking History Initiated by the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in the 1870’s NB Department of Natural Resources (DNR) raised fish for stocking fish in 1976 In 2004 decommission of the provincial fish hatchery

4. History Cont. In 2005 a mandatory $5 “Fish Stocking Conservation Fee” was added to fishing licenses (few exceptions) Approximately 64,000 fishing licenses sold = $320,000 in conservation funds This is to generate revenue for fish rearing and stocking services http://www.gnb.ca/0254/FishStocked-e.asp

5. Joint Operation NB’s (DNR) & Canada’s (DFO) share the responsibility for management of freshwater fisheries here in NB DNR has a primary responsibility for 19 recreational fish species These include: landlocked Atlantic Salmon & various trout species

6. Can Anyone Stock Fish? To stock fish in NB waters one must first contact DFO Secondly must follow DFO’s Procedural Guide: which outlines stocking requirements, principles and procedures This does not apply to stocking efforts for recovering species at risk

7. Clubs that Restock Fish in New Brunswick The New Brunswick Salmon Council Inc (NBSC) – Trout Stocking Fredericton Fish & Game Association Trout Stocking Program (Killarney Lake) Miramichi Salmon Conservation Centre & Miramichi Salmon Association Inc. - Salmon fingerlings

8. Miramichi River StockProgram $20 - 40 fingerlings $50 - 110 fingerlings $100 - 225 fingerlings $500 - 1200 fingerlings $1,000 - 2500 fingerlings Same rates apply to Miramichi speckled trout http://www.salmoncentre.ca/miramichiriverstock.html http://chl.erdc.usace.army.mil/chl.aspx?p=FullSizeImage&a=ImageFile_ID;1743

9. Potential Fingerlings With a rate of $1,000 = 2500 fingerlings $320,000 produce from the conservation fee of fish licenses = 800,000 fingerlings

10. Miramichi River Stock Program Cont. All of the salmon fingerlings are released between October 15 and November 15 each year Young salmon are fin-clipped for future identification http://www.salmoncentre.ca/miramichiriverstock.html

11. What is Fish Restocking Used For? To restore fish populations that are no longer self-sustaining Where appropriate, enhance recreational fishing

12. DNR’s Stocking Policy Wild strains of fish native to NB may be stocked in NB waters where justified on the basis of: ecological, economic and social costs/benefits http://www.gnb.ca/0254/FishStocked-e.asp

13. Downside to Fish Stocking When used haphazardly, can harm wild fish populations: loss of resources through competition, predation and gene pool dilution Hatchery-produced fish can lead to: disease/reduce genetic fitness of natural fish and reproducing of fish

14. To Minimize negative impacts DNR only stock fish that are: 1. Native to New Brunswick 2. Genetically-appropriate for the receiving water 3. Certified disease free 4. Of a Wild NB strain (no exotic fish)

15. Minimize negative impacts Cont. DNR only stock fish that are: 1. Suitable to support stocked fish 2. Previously supported fish species being stocked 3. Accessible to the public http://www.gnb.ca/0254/FishStocked-e.asp

16. DNR Will Not Stock: Waters already have an acceptable fishing standards Waters producing target species or near max levels (trout, landlocked salmon) For fishing tournaments or commercial benefits

17. DNR Will Not Stock Cont. Previous poor stocking results – determined by DNR Where stocked fish could harm other species at a population level Without prior consultation with appropriate representatives from near by jurisdictions when stocked fish could migrate to those jurisdictions

18. DNR Stocking Target/Yr. Spring: 46,000 1yr. old landlocked Atlantic salmon Spring: 100,000 1yr. Old brook trout Fall: 60,000 8 month old brook trout Regional biologists determine locations based on population & Habitat assessments http://www.gnb.ca/0254/FishStocked-e.asp

19. Requirements Before Initiating Fish-stocking Clear objectives of the project and how to measure its success Review ecological, economic and social impacts of project Make sure that stocking is the appropriate management strategy

20. Requirements Cont. Make sure the appropriate species, strain, age class and stocking rate Proper permitting from New Brunswick Introduction and Transfers Committee (I&T Committee)

21. I&T Committee I&T committee’s Procedural Guide: Private Sector Involvement in Enhancement of the Public Fisheries and Resources This Procedural Guide is available from I&T committee at (506) 851-6207 http://www.gnb.ca/0078/policies/FWB0192006E.pdf

22. Ideal Restocking Stages Determine the habitat requirements of the target species Survey the current population and habitat for the species Identify threats for the target species Determine the cause of the original decline of the species population for the area

23. Ideal Restocking Stages Cont. 5. fade away the cause for the population decline 6. Re-stock to assist population recovery 7. Monitor population to assess the effect of restocking and habitat restoration

24. DNR’S Fish Standards Species: focused on brook trout, and landlocked salmon Strain: maintain genetic integrity of wild populations (only wild NB fish strains) Fish age: generally fall fingerlings (age 0+) or spring yearlings (age 1)

25. DNR’S Fish Standards Health & condition: all fish stocked in NB must meet DFO’s Health requirements & Fishery Regulations Also must meet quality standards by DNR’s fishery biologist Marking/Tagging: each fish must be given a mark or tag prior to stocking for follow-up evaluations http://www.gnb.ca/0078/policies/FWB0192006E.pdf

26. Two Stocking Strategies Fishery Enhancement: provide increased recreational fishing opportunities. Where stocked fish will not significantly impact the naturally-occurring aquatic community

27. Two Stocking Strategies Cont. 2. Re-habilitation: fish stocking is used to help a locally or regionally depressed wild, native fish population return to a self-sustaining stage This is in conjunction to changes in fish regulations and other appropriate management strategies

28. Illegal Stocking It is Illegal to transfer or stock fish without approval Its ILLEGAL to: Moving smallmouth bass to new waters Moving chain pickerel to new waters Stocking rainbow trout Letting goldfish swim freely

29. Spreading of Unwanted Species by: Releasing ship’s ballast water containing exotic organisms Water transportation by boating, bait handling and releasing fish from different locations www.ec.gc.ca/.../zebra_mussels_DFO3_l.jpg

30. Dangers of Unwanted Species A new species can disrupt an ecosystem and impact native fish Introduce diseases and parasites to fish populations New species may compete/prey on salmon & trout http://www.gnb.ca/0078/policies/FWB0192006E.pdf

31. Diluting genetic diversity Less fishing of natural population, but still causing problems. Escape of farmed, release of stocked, and their interaction with wild population. -90% of the salmon in the Baltic Sea and between 25 and 40% of the salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean are cultured fish. What dose this mean?

32. Artificial selection Selection Index - Optimal body weight - Low fat consumption - Late sexual maturity - Flesh color Genotype and phenotype different from that of natural population. - Resulting in genetic repercussions within wild population

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34. Back peddling evolution Traits introduced by means other then natural selection. - ? overall fitness of population Re-introducing traits that have possibly already been breed out naturally.

35. Genetic differences aside Stocking creates larges then natural fish. - High resources - Regulator feeding Competition with wild fish - (Food, habitat, and mates)

36. Limiting repercussions Attention to time and place of release to minimize adverse effects. Species specific Measuring to evaluate success.

37. Limiting repercussions con’t Gene banking Gene banking - To cryogenically freeze sperm and ova in an effort to broaden allele frequencies - Later to be cloned to restore traits within population.

38. Effect on fishable population Stock fish are released in New Brunswick in May. - Will not reach catchable size till September. No effect on fishable population first year!

39. Winter mortality Tagging program study showed approximately 80% mortality rate for the first winter for stocked fish Wild fish of the same age showed a 70-35% survival rate. Why?????

40. Poor performance Genetic short comings (mentioned earlier) Human rearing - regular feeding causing a decline in foraging abilities.

41. Poor performance Aquaculture tanks absent of natural predators -More likely to not perceive predators as a threat and are therefore more likely to confront them. Highly aggressive, high risk fish.

42. Can’t we all just get along? These fish are also more likely to engage in male-male competitive fighting.

43. Fight and lose Stocked fish are commonly larger then the wild fish population Wild fish seem to have the advantage in male to male competitive fighting. - “Sea smarts”

44. Economically successful Brook trout released in New Brunswick are between 6-7 inches. At an average cost of $1.075 - As stated by Miramichi Fisheries

45. Economically successful?

46. Economically successful? There are ways to off set these costs - $5 of every fishing licence goes to hatchery for salmon farming (after 2004 closure of Miramichi salmon and trout.) What about trout? - April 17 2007

47. Economically successful? The one million dollars over 5 years. - $200,000 dollars per year allows for about 160,000 tiny trout to be stocked each year for the next 5 years. 160,000 trout GREAT RIGHT?

48. Economically successful? Remember mortality - As stated earlier mortality rate for these fish is about 80% - 160,000 trout released 32,000 survive to join the catchable population the following season. 32,000 Not Bad Right?

49. Economically successful? When you consider the 64,000 anglers who purchase a New Brunswick fishing licence each year! Is it really helping the natural population?

50. Economically successful? Well yes right it is 32,000 extra fish One extra trout for every 2 anglers per season Is it worth $200,000 per year????

51. Better place for this money? Is this money more beneficial if spent else where? - Implementing a catch and release policy - Enforcing - Better rearing techniques

52. Better place for this money? Explaining where the money was spent - No immediate effect - Better in the long run

53. “Million dollar” Question Value? - What I learned! - I’m not convinced Need? - Better on paper then in practice leads to everyone happy but inefficient. - overall yes

54. References CBC News – April 18, 2007 “ $1M to go to N.B. fish hatcheries” Jonsson, B., 1997 “ Areview of ecological and behavioral interactions between cultured and wild Atlantic salmon” ICES Journal of Marine Science 54: 1031-1039 Miramichi Salmon Conservation Center- Miramichi Fisheries Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission – Late season trout-stocking mortality rates Thorgaard, G.H., P.A.Wheeler, J.G. Cloud and T.R. Tiersch, 1998. Gene banking efforts for endangered fishes in the United States. In: Action before Extinction: An International Conference on Conservation of Fish Genetic Diversity. B. Harvey, C. Ross, D. Greer and J. Carolsfeld, eds. World Fisheries Trust, Victoria, British Columbia, pp. 181-185,

55. References http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/home-accueil_e.htm http://www.gnb.ca/0254/FishStocked-e.asp http://www.freewebs.com/fishandgame/troutstockingprogram.htm http://www.miramichisalmon.ca/ http://www.nbsalmoncouncil.com/ http://www.salmoncentre.ca/miramichiriverstock.html