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Distribution and Abundance of Juvenile Salmonids and Other Fish Species in the Courtenay River Estuary and Baynes Sound, 2001

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Distribution and Abundance of Juvenile Salmonids and Other Fish Species in the Courtenay River Estuary and Baynes Sound, 2001 Distribution and Abundance of Juvenile Salmonids and Other Fish Species in the Courtenay River Estuary and Baynes Sound, 2001 S. L. Hamilton, B. A. Bravender, C. Beggs, and B. Munro Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Branch, Pacific Region Pacific Biological Station Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 6N7 2008 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2806 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Technical reports contain scientific and technical information that contributes to existing knowledge but which is not normally appropriate for primary literature. Technical reports are directed primarily toward a worldwide audience and have an international distribution. No restriction is placed on subject matter and the series reflects the broad interests and policies of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, namely, fisheries and aquatic sciences. Technical reports may be cited as full publications. The correct citation appears above the abstract of each report. Each report is abstracted in Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts and indexed in the Department’s annual index to scientific and technical publications. Numbers 1-456 in this series were issued as Technical Reports of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada. Numbers 457-714 were issued as Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Marine Service, Research and Development Directorate Technical Reports. Numbers 715-924 were issued as Department of Fisheries and the Environment, Fisheries and Marine Service Technical Reports. The current series name was changed with report number 925. Technical reports are produced regionally but are numbered nationally. Requests for individual reports will be filled by the establishment listed on the front cover and title page. Out-of-stock reports will be supplied for a fee by commercial agents. Rapport technique canadien des sciences halieutiques et aquatiques Les rapports techniques contiennent des renseignements scientifiques et techniques qui constituent une contribution aux connaissances actuelles, mais qui ne sont pas normalement appropriés pour la publication dans un journal scientifique. Les rapports techniques sont destinés essentiellement à un public international et ils sont distribués à cet échelon. Il n’y a aucune restriction quant au sujet; de fait, la série reflète la vaste gamme des intérêts et des politiques du ministère des Pêches et des Océans, c’est-à-dire les sciences halieutiques et aquatiques. Les rapports techniques peuvent être cités comme des publications complètes. Le titre exact paraît au-dessus du résumé de chaque rapport. Les rapports techniques sont résumés dans la revue Résumés des sceiences aquatiques et halieutiques, et ils sont classés dans l’index annual des publication scientifiques et techniques du Ministère. Les numéros 1à 456 de cette série ont été publiés à titre de rapports techniques de l’Office des recherches sur les pêcheries du Canada. Les numéros 457 à 714 sont parus à titre de rapports techniques de la Direction générale de la recherche et du développement, Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère de l’Environnement. Les numéros 715 à 924 ont été publiés à titre de rapports techniques du Service des pêches et de la mer, ministère des Pêches et de l’Environnement. Le nom actuel de la série a été établi lors de la parution du numéro 925. Les rapports techniques sont produits à l’échelon régional, mais numérotés à l’échelon national. Les demandes de rapports seront satisfaites par l’établissement auteur dont le nom figure sur la couverture et la page du titre. Les rapports épuisés seront fournis contre rétribution par des agents commerciaux. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2806 2008 DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF JUVENILE SALMONIDS AND OTHER FISH SPECIES IN THE COURTENAY RIVER ESTUARY AND BAYNES SOUND, 2001 by S. L. Hamilton, B. A. Bravender, C. Beggs, and B. Munro1 Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Branch, Pacific Region Pacific Biological Station Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 6N7 ___________________________ 1Fisheries and Oceans Canada Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement Branch Puntledge River Hatchery Courtenay, B.C. V9N 5N3 ii © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2008 Cat. No. FS 97-6/2806E ISSN 0706-6457 Correct citation for this publication: Hamilton, S. L., Bravender, B. A., Beggs, C., and Munro, B. 2008. Distribution and abundance of juvenile salmonids and other fish species in the Courtenay River estuary and Baynes Sound, 2001. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2806: xxvii + 213 p. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES……..…….………………………………………………………… ix LIST OF FIGURES……..……………………………………….…………………… xi ABSTRACT….…………………………………………………….…...………….....xxvi RÉSUMÉ…………….…………….….……………………………….……..………xxvii 1.0 INTRODUCTION………..………………………………………………………... 1 1.1. Study location…..……………..…..………………...….………….………….. 1 1.2. Watershed and enhancement……..….…………….…….….……………….1 1.2.1. Courtenay River…..…..……….…..…...…….….……..…………………1 1.2.2. Puntledge River………..……….......…………..…………………………2 1.2.3. Tsolum River…..………...………………….....……………….………... 2 1.2.4. Browns River………….………………….……………….…..……...……3 1.2.5. Headquarters Creek….……….………….....…………........……………3 1.2.6. Millard and Piercy creeks……………………….........…………...……. 3 1.2.7. Morrison and Arden creeks…………………………………………...… 4 1.2.8. Trent River……………..………………...……...……..…….………...….4 1.2.9. Roy Creek………………..…………..…………………..…….…………..4 1.2.10. Mallard Creek…………………………………………..……....…………4 1.2.11. Brooklyn Creek……….……………...………………..……..…………...4 1.2.12. Bonner Creek…………………..….……………………..…..…………...5 1.2.13. Tsable River…………..……..……………...…………..….……....……..5 1.2.14. Hart/Washer Creek………..………………..…...……..…….…….…….5 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont’d) Page 1.2.15. Dove Creek and Hydro Tributary…..………………..…….…………...5 1.2.16. Perseverance Creek…..………………..……..………..…..……….…..6 1.2.17. Baynes Sound………………………..….………………..…..…….…....6 1.2.18. Estuary ……………………..….………...…………………...…...……...8 1.3. Salmonid populations…...................…………….…………………………....8 1.3.1. Puntledge River……………....………………………..……..…...………8 1.3.2. Tsolum River………………...……..…………………...…..…………...12 . 1.3.3. Courtenay River…….……………………………………..…...….….....13 1.3.4. Browns River…………….………..…………………….….........….…...14 1.3.5. Headquarters Creek…………..………..…………………....…..….…..14 1.3.6. Millard and Piercy creeks……….…….……………...…..……..…..….14 1.3.7. Morrison and Arden creeks………..……….………..………...….……15 1.3.8. Trent River………….……….………………….…...…...……...….……15 1.3.9. Roy Creek……….…………..………….………………….………..……15 1.3.10. Brooklyn Creek……….……….……..…………..…....………..……....16 1.3.11. Bonner Creek……………………….…………….………..……..……..16 1.3.12. Tsable River………………..………………………………..…….…….16 1.3.13. Hart/Washer Creek…………….…………………………...…….…….16 1.3.14. Dove Creek and Hydro Tributary…………….…………………......…16 1.3.15. Perseverance Creek……………..…………...…...………..……..…...16 1.3.16. Baynes Sound………..….………..………………………..……..…….17 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont’d) Page 1.4. Previous studies Courtenay River estuary…….………….………………..17 1.5. Current project……….…..…………….………………………………………17 2.0. METHODS………………..………………………………………..……………..17 2.1. Field program.…………..………………………..………….……….…...…...17 2.1.1. Site locations and descriptions…...…….……….…….……….…….…..17 2.1.2. Habitat types……..………………… ..……………………..…………….18 2.1.3. Gear and sampling schedule…………………………..………...….…..18 2.1.4. Fish catches….………………...…………….…….…………..…...….…19 2.1.5. Physical data….…….……………………..……………….……...……...20 2.2. Data analysis……..….………………………………………………..….……20 3.0. RESULTS…..……………..……………………………………………….……..21 3.1. Water properties………..………...…………………….……....……...…….21 3.1.1. ANOVAs of salinities………....….……………….………………...…….21 3.1.2. Salinities by zone……………………………..…...………....….............21 3.1.3. ANOVAs of temperatures……..…...………………......….…………….22 3.1.4. Temperatures by salinity region.….…...………….…………………….22 3.1.5. Dissolved oxygen levels by salinity region…………………..…….…...24 3.2. Juvenile salmonid catches by gear type………………..….……...…….…25 3.2.1. Beach seines, purse seines, mini purse seines, Gee traps and pole seines combined .…………………………...……..25 3.2.2. Beach seines……………………...……….……………………..……….26 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont’d) Page 3.2.3. Purse seines……………………………….……………..………..….…..26 3.2.4. Mini purse seines…...……………..………….……...……………..........26 3.2.5. Gee traps………….…..…………..……………….………….…………...26 3.2.6. Pole seines……………..……….………….…………….………..….......26 3.3. Juvenile salmonid catches, CPUE ± 1SE and percent of total catch by salinity zone and site……….….…….....………..….…....27 3.4. Juvenile salmonid catches, CPUE ± 1SE and percent of total catch by date and gear type…………….……………………....….29 3.4.1. Beach seines……………..….………..……………………………..…....29 3.4.2. Purse seines…………………..…….…………..…………….……..……30 3.5. Lengths, weights and condition factors for salmonids for all areas combined………………...………………..……….30 3.6. Lengths, weights and condition factors for salmonids by salinity region……...………………………...….…………....31 3.7. Lengths, weights and condition factors for salmonids captured in the Gee traps…...………….........……....….….….34 3.8. ANOVA analysis of lengths, weights and condition factors by species and salinity region…….….………...……………….….34 3.9. Lengths of chinook, coho and chum in the nine salinity zones…….…………………...…..……………….…………….34 3.10. Weights of chinook, coho and chum in the nine salinity zones………..…………………...….…..…………....….…….35 3.11. Condition factors of chinook, coho and chum in the nine salinity zones……………...………..…….….…….…….36 3.12. ANOVA analysis of lengths and weights for coho captured in the Gee traps….………………..…..……….………......36
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