Fisheries Management of the Credit River
Fishing is a favourite pastime for millions of Ontario residents and visitors. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is the lead agency for fisheries management in Ontario. MNR issues fishing licenses, determines fishing regulations, constructs and maintains fishways, rehabilitates fish habitat, stocks fish and works for the recovery of Species At Risk such as Lake Sturgeon, Redside Dace and Atlantic Salmon. MNR also encourages public involvement in fishing and fisheries management through the Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program (CFWIP), free Ontario Family Fishing Weekends, and through the development of fisheries management plans. For more information about the MNR and copies of the most recent sport-fishing regulations, consult their website at: www.mnr.gov.on.ca
The federal department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is responsible for the Fisheries Act, which is recognized as one of Canada’s most important pieces of legislation for protecting aquatic habitat. The Act addresses any “harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction” of fish habitat “directly or indirectly”. Their policies of protection, mitigation, and compensation encourage a “net gain” in fish habitat and productivity. CVC and other Conservation Authorities work in close partnership with DFO and MNR to further the protection, enhancement, and restoration of fish habitat. Together our goal is to work with people that live, work, and play around water to leave a healthy legacy for future generations. For more information about Fisheries and Oceans Canada, consult their website at: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
CVC assists its many partners through provision of scientific advice as well as regulating activities that directly affect watercourses, wetlands and floodplains. An overall Watershed Plan involves integration of a variety of disciplines and management strategies of which the Credit River Fisheries Management Plan is but one chapter.
Fish habitat is a product of groundwater recharge and storage in forests and wetlands, runoff and flooding, erosion and sedimentation, water quality, floodplain and riparian conditions and healthy food supplies of invertebrates. CVC’s logo features a fish which is an environmental indicator of the overall health of watershed conditions. To that end, the overall health of the Credit River Watershed is carefully monitored and reported by CVC, using fish as one indicator. A network of more than 90 electrofishing stations supported by volunteers is one component of a broader water and terrestrial monitoring program.
Credit River Fisheries Management Plan
The Credit River Fisheries Management Plan (CRFMP) was published in 2002 and is a cooperative product of the MNR and CVC with assistance from DFO, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), regional/local municipalities, and other local nongovernment organizations (NGOs). It includes a comprehensive list of 90 issues, 140 strategies, and 350 specific, measurable and accountable tactics for the agencies and the public to consider. Guidelines for land use planners prescribe in-water construction seasons, buffer widths, and other fish community sensitivities and requirements. The plan also provides guidance for NGO’s and the public on responsibilities and how to get involved in advocacy and rehabilitation projects.
Priorities, issues, strategies, and specific tactics the Credit River Fisheries Management Plan (CRFMP) focuses on:
Water Quantity – Fish need water. A water budget and water allocation plan will be pursued to ensure water is available to sustain healthy fish populations. There is a need to protect and rehabilitate groundwater recharge areas and surface water storage areas, such as wetlands.
Water Quality – The CRFMP recommends that sediment controls, especially on construction sites, be monitored and enforced. There is a need to establish and respect the assimilative capacity of the river with respect to waste water treatment. The plan also identifies a need to maintain and retrofit urban stormwater management practices including “at source” (e.g. disconnect rain gutters) and “end of pipe” controls (e.g. stormwater ponds and artificial wetlands).
Physical Habitat – The CRFMP supports the need for increased monitoring and enforcement of fish habitat violations. There is a need to prioritize some 500 dams and on-line ponds for repair, mitigation, or removal.
Angling Opportunities – Programs to create new angling opportunities including the introduction of smallmouth bass above the Streetsville Dam, and the establishment of a self-sustaining rainbow trout population are underway. The plan supports the ongoing reintroduction of Atlantic salmon to Lake Ontario using the Credit River as one of the best opportunities for success. There is also a desire to stock isolated ponds with a variety of species for increased fishing opportunities in urban and rural areas of the watershed.
Enforcement – There is a need for additional resources and partnerships to enforce MNR’s fishing regulations and DFO’s habitat protection policies. MOE, CVC, and others can provide more cooperation and support.
Rehabilitation -There is a need to further develop and implement a fisheries rehabilitation strategy directed at factors limiting fish production, with consideration being given to the different physiographic stream types and species associations. Funding is available for landowners from CVC and for volunteer groups through MNR’s Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program. Partnerships with DFO, Trout Unlimited Canada, Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club, Credit River Anglers Association, Mississauga Bassmasters, and Ontario Streams have proven to be very effective.
Education – There is a need to increase fish watching and appreciation with interpretive materials and programs. Another suggestion is to publish a citizen’s guide to the CRFMP for advocates, volunteers, and the public to help appreciate and make a difference in water and fisheries management. Watershed on Wheels, Children’s Water Festival, Stream of Dreams and the Atlantic Salmon Classroom Hatchery Programs are excellent examples of available educational programs.
Monitoring – A report card style assessment was developed to measure progress on the above strategies and hold all accountable for the implementation of this plan (e.g. number of trees planted, stream rehabilitation projects, percentage of construction sites with proper sediment controls, baseflow index, number of publications). In addition, CVC publishes an annual Integrated Monitoring Program report that details trends in many biological, physical and chemical indicators.
An update to the CRFMP is scheduled to begin in 2012. Underway now is a CVC study relating to Lake Ontario and its nearshore water quality, fisheries and aquatic habitat.
