Why Fish Are Disappearing in the Southern Alberta Streams
 

There has been a lot of talk online about why the fish are disappearing in the southern Alberta streams. It seems that more fishing pressure is having an affect, but Whirling Disease has been quoted as the main reason for the declining numbers.

Yes, Whirling Disease has been confirmed by biologists as the main cause of the declining fish population in southern Alberta watersheds. There are less smaller fish than in past years. Whirling Disease has and is killing fry and juvenile trout. Have you seen or caught very many smaller fish on the Crow, Oldman, Livingstone, Castle or Highwood river lately?

We need to do something right now to stop the potential collapse of our southern Alberta fishery. Whirling Disease will not go away and there is no way to eradicate it. Look at our neighbours in the USA. Several rivers and nursery creeks have been completely destroyed. Regulations and stream closures did not work in the USA so we may need to consider a restocking program with Whirling Disease resistant trout strains.

I hope there will be a concerted effort between government and fish organizations to fight Whirling Disease. We all need to get involved to stop the spread. What are your thoughts?

I was fishing the crow this year and I notice that we were catching a ton of browns, which to me was unusual, so I asked a conservation officer if he knew what was going on and he said that, they weren’t as susceptible to whirling disease, and I did also notice that I wasn’t catching ANY small guys, hopefully it can work itself out!

Highwood
 

I fish the Highwood regularly around High River and all I see is little ones. Fished it last Friday for about 3hrs. Seen probably 30 fish in the 3”-8” range, chasing around my hopper. Seen a few that would make 10” but a lot of little ones. Talked to a gentleman out as well and he said he always catches smaller fish

Check out the Whirling Disease in Alberta map on the AEP website. It shows that all the watersheds from the Red Deer Basin south to the USA border are infected by whirling disease. That is not good.

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/4598...ap-may2018.pdf

Have you personally seen evidence of whirling disease on a young trout in AB?

I certainly have not and have caught many small trout over the last couple years

One thing that i have noticed lately is the number of campers who have decided that it is their right to build a little rock pool in the middle of a stream and use it like a backyard pool.
I spoke to one Biologist who says this has prevented some species such as bull trout from navigating upstream to their spawning grounds. i saw a lot of that on the Blackstone a couple weeks back as well, but the biologist says it is every prominent in the southern end of the province.
He is currently doing a study on the problem and hopes to have a report out by spring.

Interesting theory and I have to wonder how many rock pools and to what level they are being made in some rivers to create a concern. I know the sea run bull trout navigate some boundaries far more complex then any rock pools I have seen made

I have not been out to western Alberta’s bull trout rivers for some time so maybe this is a new issue I just can’t invision

Last June I fished the Missouri River at Craig, Montana. Whirling Disease has run its course, and the remaining fish are all resistant to it. Caught plenty each and every day of browns and rainbows.


Easy peazy.

Get the hatchery stock for a re stocking from Montana's Missouri river, and its hatcheries.

Drewski

Genetics will (probably has already) get worked out here as well. I don't think we need new genes thrown in the local populations

Has anyone else been noticing a decline in the Rocky Mountain whitefish as well? I’ve been noticing a pretty big decline in a river west of Sundre area. I used to catch a pretty healthy number of them and have caught maybe 2 in the last 3 years

The genetics may take 30+years if the Madison is any example. Even then, the fish population only recovered to 80% so far.

I’d be about 110 before we saw a reasonable return of fish.

Hell of a plan.

Don

If a stream has already been subject to stocking in the past, then there are no pure genes from a local population anyway.

In any event, trying to preserve a gene pool that is dying out because of whirling disease by not stocking means that eventually, there are no fish in the gene pool.

Introducing resistant genes that mix with the local gene pool means that some offspring may immediately be resistant.

Drewski

Some Govts are dealing with WD.

https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Page...px?NewsID=7256

Don

Thanks for the article Don.
I guess we need to start trying some Hofer x Bow River crosses at the hatchery.

The online WD conference had a biologist presenting on this issue. Enlightening.
Thank God someone is doing something.

Don

This is a really good read from June of this year and there's a small blurb at the bottom saying they are consulting with experts in Alberta already. Hopefully that consulting turns into something definitive sooner than later.

https://coloradosun.com/2020/06/04/c...rling-disease/

I do worry about the whitefish too, they don't seem to get much love but are an integral part of the system feeding many bulls and other larger trout.

Here is a web site where you can link to YouTube and the presentations done in the online Whirling Disease Conference.

http://www.nlft.org/2020/05/22/whirl...ase-symposium/

My take away.
1) Colorado is actually doing something for replacement of infected species.
2) Alberta is monitoring where WD is present. This reminds me of people slowing to see an accident w/o actually getting involved.
3) WD found in a national park cause they actually looked. Alberta, well.....

Don

I wonder if BC has looked in the Elk. Can't imagine it is not infected

I'm sure all the excessive random camping and abuse of the Oldman Watershed and increased angling pressure (in that area) also plays a significant role!!

Not sure of the cause but yes, the numbers of juveniles in those systems is very very low. Inevitably the big boys will die and what will be left???

I personally think they need ban treble hooks on these rivers and streams, I’ve seen lots of guys rip half a trouts mouth off with those, like really, if they can’t catch fish on a single hook, then maybe they should consider other pastimes.....

Barbless would solve this more the a single only rule

You need to watch the documentary "Artifishal" in Netflix. Althought it's mainly to do with salmon, its very enlightneing as to why hatcheries are not the solution.

I have dismantled a couple this year. I don't think that fish would have been able to get past one of them and it went all the way across.

Streams i use to fish a lot in the upper Elbow are almost devoid of fish now. Could catch 50-100 small cutts and bulls...and now 2. Thing is...I fished a hole...nothing. Then walked through it and scattered nothing. Never happened before. I definitely see the change.

I thought maybe the floods and fishing pressure...but WD could definitely be an additional factor.

My only question is what amount of significant tubifex worms are in the upper mountain / foothill tribs?

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0.../1230/1507.jpg

I still see and hear about poaching. Driving through streams. Cows in flowing waters. Lack of tree and bush cover along the shores. Poor culverts.

Some change for the better is happening however I am not convinced all problems are WD related. What percentage is a good question. Adding some resistance into the genetics...makes sense.

WD is a function of Govt doing nothing to stop its entrance into Alberta.
After the trout are gone, let logging, mining’s and recreational land destruction dominate the landscape.
Would anyone care?


Don

The answer is not A,B,C, or D. It's E, all of the above. Extinction is never because of one cause, it's cumulative.

Folowing.

MrDave,

You are exactly right. Most of the native population was in decline years before additional roads, industrial logging and recreational lad destruction commenced.
WD was possibly the last nail.

Don