Grayling get support
Habitat restoration project underway in Providence Creek
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, May 22, 2014
DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
A grayling spawning habitat near Fort Providence is being restored through the first project of its kind the Dehcho Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management (AAROM) program has undertaken.
George Low, Dehcho's Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management program co-ordinator, left, Amanda Simba, Ringo Elleze and Kyle Nault stand on the weir that is part of the Providence Creek arctic grayling habitat restoration project. - photo courtesy of Bruce Townsend
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The Dehcho program began the Providence Creek arctic grayling habitat restoration project last year. The creek, located near the Deh Cho Bridge on the south side of the Mackenzie River, used to be a spawning ground for grayling as well as pike.
In 1979, a weir project by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada counted approximately 200 grayling. That, however, changed when beavers moved into the creek, said George Low, who was a technician on the department count and is now the co-ordinator of the Dehcho program.
The beavers first built dams upstream of a timber bridge put in by the coast guard, and then started building downstream. The dams caused the riffles where the grayling like to spawn to silt over, said Low.
The project is designed to restore the spawning habitat and bring the number of grayling back up to previous levels so they can be caught in other areas.
"It's a really nice project." he said.
Low just suspects the grayling numbers are down, but work currently underway will provide the evidence. Last year, water levels were too high to put a weir in.
Instead, Low and two employees in the program spread approximately 20 cubic yards of 2.5 to 7.6 centimetre stone in
five different stretches of the stream to restore the riffles.
"It was a lot of work to spread 20 yards of gravel," said Low.
Two old beaver dams were also removed and one active one was left. Most of the beaver have left having consumed most of the food sources, said Low.
On May 9, workers put a weir in the creek. It is designed to catch the fish so they can be counted as they go upstream. Pike started arriving May 10 and grayling May 12.
Staff are now catching about 12 a day, he said.
Bruce Townshead is overseeing the project and working with Kyle Nault and local employees Amanda Simba and Ringo Elleze. In addition to being counted, approximately 30 per cent of the grayling are tagged. They are also weighed and measured for their length.
The restored riffles seem to be working. The fish have been observed spawning on the new stone.
"It's nice to see a good healthy run with a good spawning habitat," said Low.
Low hopes that some of the grayling from the creek will be harvested in other areas including the Fort Providence rapids. Each tag has a serial number and the address for the management program so they can be returned.
The four-year project is being funded primarily by the Department of Transportation. It is a type of no net loss project because it ensures that any habitat that may have been lost as a result of the Deh Cho Bridge is being offset, said Low.
Low plans to spread another 20 cubic yards of stone this fall. Less work will be done in the third and fourth years when the project will receive less funding. A weir may be put in next year to see how many of the tagged grayling return.
