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Goal: To investigate the expression of the sea-run life history strategy in a coastal brook trout populations

Objectives:

What is the range of movement patterns of brook trout in small coastal streams?

Does movement strategy impact survival and growth of individual brook trout?

The iconic brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) has suffered from the impacts of habitat degradation, competition with non-native species and population fragmentation throughout its range during recent decades. Small streams on the northeast Atlantic coast historically have represented important habitat for sea-run brook trout. In spite of being sought after by anglers, the current status and presence (or absence) of anadromous populations are largely unknown for most New England waters. Spurred on by the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, state and federal resource management agencies have become increasingly concerned over the presumed general trend of population declines for coastal brook trout. There is, however, a troubling lack of management programs currently in place that can evaluate and track the status of anadromous brook trout or to recommend management actions (i.e., harvesting levels and seasons, habitat protection and restoration, collaborative research and monitoring, etc.). Such information is needed to assure conservation of this life history form and the coastal fresh and marine systems on which it depends.

Stanley Brook, Bar Harbor, Maine

In 2006, we partnered with the National Park Service (Acadia National Park) and the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (UMaine-Orono) to initiate a pilot study in Stanley Brook (Bar Harbor, Maine). Since that time, we have established a sampling protocol wherein we sample via backpack electrofishing twice annually and have individually tagged (with 12mm PIT tags) several thousand brook trout in a 2km stretch of brook; starting at the brook/ocean confluence. Additionally, we have installed a pair of PIT tag antennas underneath a bridge located at approximately river km 440 (pictured left) and a pair of antennas at the brook/ocean confluence that work in fresh, brackish and seawater that will allow us to quantify fish movements between fresh- and seawater at various tidal stages. We have also conducted extensive portable antenna wand surveys to monitor instream movements of tagged trout that may be occurring between electrofishing surveys. In the spring of 2007, we deployed bi-directional fyke nets in the lower 40 meters of Stanley Brook, Hunters Brook and Little Harbor Stream (also located on Mount Desert Island) to intercept fish as they enter the estuarine environment. The use of electrofishing surveys and continuous monitoring with PIT tag antennas allows us examine size distributions of brook trout undertaking seaward movements and the consequences those movements have on growth and survival versus fish that remain in the brook.

Quashnet River, Falmouth, Massachusetts

In 2007 we partnered with the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife and Trout Unlimited to initiate a PIT tag study in this Cape Cod river to investigate the extent of marine use by tagged brook trout. A PIT tag antenna at the mouth of the river records movements into and from the estuary and frequent portable antenna surveys provide data for estimating movement and survival. Our role is study design, PIT tag tagging and antenna setup, and data analysis.

Red Brook, Wareham, Massachusetts

(2007-present, collaborators: Steve Hurley, State of Massachusetts; SE MA Trout Unlimited). This project is similar to the Quashnet River study and is also on Cape Cod. It is another sea-run brook trout stream, but with very different habitat compared with the Quashnet. As in the Quashnet, a PIT tag antenna at the mouth of the river records movements into and from the estuary and frequent portable antenna surveys provide data for estimating movement and survival.

For further information, contact Ben Letcher