Abundance and Distribution of Arctic Grayling in the Upper Little ...

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LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1. Appendix 2. Appendix 3. Appendix 4. Appendix 5. Date, location and channel information for sites on the Little Smoky River, Alberta, 2007.................................................................................... 17 Fork length‐total length relationship for Arctic grayling from the Little Smoky River, Alberta, 2007....................................................................... 19 Maximum, minimum and seasonal mean water temperature at nine locations in the Little Smoky River study area, 2007. ........................... 20 Historical and 2007 water discharge measured at Water Survey of Canada hydrometric station No. 07GG002 on the Little Smoky River at the Town of Little Smoky...................................................................... 21 Size‐structured capture‐mark‐recapture data for population estimates conducted in the Little Smoky River study area, 2007.......................... 22 vii
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background The Little Smoky River contains one of Alberta’s southern Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) populations and provides angling opportunities for large Arctic grayling (> 40 cm total length; TL). Historically, access to the mid‐to‐upper reaches of the Little Smoky River was limited, but improved greatly when the Amoco‐Bigstone road was constructed in 1976. Recognizing the potential for over‐exploitation of the fishery, Alberta Fish and Wildlife Division (Alberta Forestry, Lands and Wildlife) conducted Arctic grayling surveys in the Little Smoky River in 1987 and 1988 (Sterling and Hunt 1989). Based on results of these surveys, a catch‐and‐release angling regulation was implemented in 1989 for Arctic grayling in the 187 km of river upstream of the road bridge near Grizzly (an abandoned rail siding; Figure 1). Additional regulation changes included an open angling season of 16 June ‐ 31 August, a bag limit of two Arctic grayling greater than 30 cm TL downstream of the bridge near Grizzly, and a bait ban upstream of the confluence with Tony Creek. In 1993 ‐ 1994, radio telemetry (Stanislawski 1997) indicated that Arctic grayling were migrating downstream of Grizzly bridge to overwinter. Thus, the catch‐and‐release angling area was extended an additional 30 km downstream to the Pass Creek rail bridge. To further conserve Arctic grayling stocks in the Little Smoky River, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development recently proposed that the catch‐and‐release boundary be moved downstream an additional 23.5 km to the confluence of Tony Creek (George Sterling, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, pers. comm.). Currently, Arctic grayling in Alberta are listed as “Sensitive” (Alberta Sustainable Resource Development 2005). This designation implies that populations are sensitive to human and natural disturbances and require management to prevent them from becoming at risk of extirpation. Of the Arctic grayling populations in Alberta, those near the southern extent of their range have experienced the greatest population declines (Alberta Sustainable Resource Development 2005). Habitat fragmentation (through road and culvert construction), increased water temperature (from both land use and climate change), and angling pressure may be contributing to declines. To date, however, no comprehensive Arctic grayling status assessment has been conducted in the Little Smoky River. Alberta Conservation Association began a study in the 1
Page 1 and 2: Abundance and Distribution of Arcti
Page 3 and 4: Abundance and Distribution of Arcti
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY During summer 200
Page 7 and 8: TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Page 9: LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Table 2. Ar
Page 13 and 14: whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni),
Page 15 and 16: 3.2. Population modeling We used th
Page 17 and 18: Smoky River at the Town of Little S
Page 19 and 20: efficiency of large fish was 2.4 ti
Page 21 and 22: Fish abundance per 2 km 800 700 600
Page 23 and 24: 4.4. Summary Legal‐sized fish in
Page 25 and 26: Department of Biological Sciences,
Page 27 and 28: 6.0 APPENDICES Appendix 1. Date, lo
Page 29 and 30: Appendix 2. Fork length‐total len
Page 31 and 32: Appendix 4. Historical and 2007 wat
Page 33 and 34: CONSERVATION REPORT SERIES

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