Corbett Brook, N.B. Fish Diversity Study By: Aaron Mosier and Erin Foster

1. Corbett Brook, N.B. Fish Diversity Study By: Aaron Mosier and Erin Foster • Introduction: • Fish species composition is important in understanding stream health and dynamics1 • The objective was to estimate the number of fish species in Corbett Brook • Methods: • One pool at each site was sampled by electrofishing (Fig 1) in August and October, 2002 • Catch per unit effort was calculated (CPUE - # of fish caught/seconds shocked) • Figure 1: Map of Corbett Brook encatchment Results: Table 1:Fish species diversity of Corbett Brook in August and October 2002. 0.3 August October 0.2 Catch per unit effort 0.1 0 UNB Woodlot Unipress Wilsey Rd. S. Wilsey Rd. N. Kimble (Tributary) Site 1 3 4a 4 2a Upstream Downstream Figure 1: CPUE of fish in Corbett Brook in August and October 2002. Note: Number given is the maximum number of fish found within any trial at that site • Discussion and Conclusions: • Site 1 had the only cold water species (Brook Trout) suggesting a cool stream environment (Table 1)2 • Site 1 had the greatest CPUE (Fig.1) suggesting more fish in the area • Kimble Drive had the greatest biomass but the lowest diversity (Fig.2). Creek chub has omnivorous food habits and can occupy warmer water than brook trout, which may be the reason for its success in the Kimble Drive tributary2 • Environmental conditions seem to declinefrom site 1 to site 5 30 20 g/m2 of fish 10 0 UNB Woodlot Unipress Wilsey Rd. S. Kimble (Tributary) 4 2 2a Site 1 3 4a 2a 1 4a 3 Upstream Downstream Figure 2:Fish biomass (g/m2) in Corbett Brook in October 2002. Legend: Site 1: UNB Woodlot Site 2: Canterbury Drive (Tributary) Site 2a: Kimble Drive (Tributary) Site 3: Unipress Site 4a: NB Liquor Commission Site 4: Near Shell station References 1. Karr, J.R. 1981. Fisheries 6:21-27 2. Scott, W.B and Crossman, E.J. 1998. Freshwater fishes of Canada