Eutsuk Lake Rainbow Trout: Biology, Population Significance and Fishery Management
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Eutsuk Lake Rainbow Trout: Biology, Population Significance and Fishery Management prepared by: Joseph S. De Gisi Box 2518 Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 for: BC Parks Skeena District Box 5000 Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 December 2002 Eutsuk Lake Rainbow Trout Table of Contents List of Figures.....................................................................................................................iii List of Tables ......................................................................................................................iii List of Appendices..............................................................................................................iv 1. Introduction..................................................................................................1 1.1. Document Organization ..........................................................................................2 1.2. Concepts and Definitions.........................................................................................2 2. Sources and Methods ...................................................................................5 2.1. Occurrence of the Large Lake Piscivore Ecotype ..................................................5 2.2. Life History of British Columbia Piscivorous Rainbow Trout ..............................5 2.2.1. Eutsuk Lake Fish Population and Habitat Datasets.............................................5 2.2.1.1. Lake Survey 1982.........................................................................................5 2.2.1.2. Angling Guides 1982....................................................................................6 2.2.1.3. MELP Tagging 1986 ....................................................................................6 2.2.1.4. Anglers 1994 ................................................................................................6 2.2.1.5. Hatfield Consultants 1997.............................................................................6 2.2.1.6. Keeley 1999 .................................................................................................7 2.2.1.7. Miscellaneous Fish Data...............................................................................7 2.3. Habitats Of Importance to Eutsuk Rainbow Trout ...............................................7 2.3.1. Eutsuk Lake Physiochemistry ............................................................................7 2.3.1.1. Comparable Physiochemical Data.................................................................7 2.3.2. Adjacent Stream Habitat ....................................................................................8 2.4. Management of Piscivorous Rainbow Trout in British Columbia ........................8 2.5. Post-Release Angling Mortality of Salmonids ........................................................8 3. Results and Discussion .................................................................................9 3.1. What is the relative rarity of this ecotype in the province? ...................................9 3.2. How do the characteristics of Eutsuk Lake piscivorous rainbow trout, and fish production environment of Eutsuk Lake, compare to other occurrences of this ecotype?.................................................................................. 12 3.2.1. Life History ..................................................................................................... 12 3.2.2. Fish Production Environment........................................................................... 13 3.3. Are there known habitats located within or adjacent to the park which may require focused management?............................................................ 21 3.3.1. Stream Habitats Adjacent to the Eutsuk Basin.................................................. 21 3.3.1.1. Eutsuk River (Eutsuk Lake Outlet).............................................................. 21 3.3.1.2. Eutsuk Lake Tributaries .............................................................................. 25 3.3.1.2.1. Fifth-Order Tributaries ......................................................................... 25 3.3.1.2.2. Fourth-Order Tributaries ...................................................................... 26 i Eutsuk Lake Rainbow Trout 3.3.1.2.3. Third- and Lower-Order Tributaries ..................................................... 26 3.3.1.3. Potential Impacts to Streams in the Eutsuk Lake Drainage .......................... 29 3.3.2. Eutsuk Lake Physiochemistry .......................................................................... 30 3.3.3. Nechako Reservoir........................................................................................... 30 3.4. How are sport fisheries exploiting other populations of this ecotype managed in British Columbia? ............................................................................. 32 3.4.1. Monitoring....................................................................................................... 32 3.4.2. Method and Harvest Regulation ....................................................................... 32 3.5. Is post-release mortality an important consideration in regulating angling on Eutsuk Lake?....................................................................................... 36 3.5.1. Experimental Time Frame................................................................................ 36 3.5.2. Experimental Evidence About Post-Release Mortality...................................... 37 3.5.3. Other Considerations........................................................................................ 38 3.5.4. Summary ......................................................................................................... 39 3.6. Based on available information, is it possible to confidently evaluate whether the current management of Eutsuk Lake rainbow trout angling will provide long term sustainability of both population abundance and size of angled trout?..................................................................... 40 3.6.1. Visitor Use Statistics........................................................................................ 40 3.6.2. Volunteer Creel Cards...................................................................................... 41 3.6.3. Angling Guide Reports .................................................................................... 42 3.6.4. Fishery Totals .................................................................................................. 42 3.6.5. Summary ......................................................................................................... 43 3.7. If available information is insufficient, what supplementary data should be sought to allow management of the population? ................................. 49 3.8. In the absence of supplementary data, what would be a prudent approach to management of the rainbow trout fishery?...................................... 49 4. References...................................................................................................50 ii Eutsuk Lake Rainbow Trout List of Figures Figure 1. Mean length at age for Eutsuk Lake rainbow trout.............................................. 16 Figure 2. Limnological characteristics of lakes supporting the pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout ecotype .................................................................................................. 19 Figure 3. Upstream view of Eutsuk River .......................................................................... 22 Figure 4. Aerial downstream view of Redfern Rapids........................................................ 23 Figure 5. Aerial upstream/lateral view of Redfern Rapids.................................................. 23 Figure 6. Downstream view of Redfern Rapids from river left bank .................................. 24 Figure 7. Downstream view of Redfern Rapids from center of river. ................................. 24 Figure 8. Aerial upstream view of Tesla Creek showing its confluence with glacially-silty Chezko River......................................................................................... 28 Figure 9. Aerial upstream view of Chezko River rapids roughly 0.7 channel km downstream of the Tesla Creek confluence. ................................................................. 28 List of Tables Table 1. North American lakes which reportedly support indigenous populations of the pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout ecotype.............................................................. 11 Table 2. Life history characteristics of North American indigenous populations of the pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout ecotype.............................................................. 14 Table 3. Length at age for piscivorous and non-piscivorous rainbow trout ......................... 15 Table 4. Fish community characteristics of lakes which appear to support indigenous populations of the pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout ecotype....................................... 17 Table 5. Water chemistry parameters for North American lakes which likely support indigenous populations of the pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout ecotype..................... 18 Table 6. Third- and lower-order tributaries to Eutsuk Lake which have received fish sampling attention. ...................................................................................................... 27 Table 7. Management of pelagic piscivorous rainbow trout populations............................