fisheries & aquaculture department
TRANSCRIPT
Fisheries & Aquaculture Department
www.viu.ca/fisheries
About usWhat do we do ProgramsGraduates
Presentation Overview
Chase River Salmon Enhancement Hatchery White Sturgeon CultureInternational Centre for Sturgeon StudiesAnadromous Cutthroat Trout ProjectNile Creek Enhancement Society
ProfessorsProfessors TechnologistsTechnologists
Chris Foote – Fisheries Ecology
Don Furnell – Fish Culture Mark Noyon - Engineering Duane Barker – Fish Health,
Marine Ecology Stefanie Duff – Invertebrate
Ecology
Frank Dalziel – Chase River Hatchery
Gord Edmondson – Sturgeon culture and facilities
Anne McCarthy - Lab
Who we are?
What do we do?
Have a hand in conserving, managing, and enhancing marine and freshwater aquatic resources
Cultivate and harvest fish, shellfish or marine plants for the replenishment of wild stocks or for commercial sale
Emphasis on teaching and learning to prepare students for employment
Facilities – On Campus
Training Programs
Technical Diploma 2 years
Bachelor of Science 2.5 – 3 years
Short Courses Natural Resources
Extension Program
Combination of practical hands-on field experience and academic course work
Graduates
Our graduates work all over BC and many contribute directly to recreational fisheries
Fisheries & Aquaculture Department
The really exciting stuff!
Salmon Escapement EstimatesChase River
Salmon Enhancement
Program Hatchery
Urban stream
Students collect escapement data
Produce a year-end population estimate for coho
Chase River Salmon
Enhancement Program Hatchery
Enhancement Culture
Federally funded (SEP)
Coho hatchery
Managed by Frank and staffed with Fish/Aqua students
Egg incubation, adult holding, and juv. rearing facilities
Chase River Salmon
Enhancement Program Hatchery
- Last May, 10,000 coho fry released into the Nanaimo River (brood from there)
Stock Enhancement
White Sturgeon Culture
White sturgeon research for over 20 years
Only academic institution in Canada to have captive white sturgeon broodstock
Oldest fish is approx 37 years old and weighs 170 lbs!
We have over 75 fish on campus ranging from juveniles to adults
Our goal: aid in conserving & restoring endangered sturgeon populations worldwide.
Sturgeon are “living fossils” – they have been around for 200 million years
White Sturgeon Culture
Broodstock spawned in captivity every summer
Students employed as hatchery technicians over the summer
Very hands on approach to learning!
White Sturgeon Culture
International Centre for
Sturgeon Studies
To be constructed at VIU North America
High quality & innovative research:
- sturgeon biology
- management
- hatchery technology for enhancement /restoration and commercial purposes
Research will aid in conserving and restoring endangered sturgeon populations worldwide.
Not just for sturgeon research!
-Recreational fisheries
Coastal Cutthroat
Trout Project
o Began in 2005
o Field sampling: min 1/week April – October
o 2 Fish/Aqua students + Frank
o Sample areas: tidal waters near the Englishman River and Nile Creek estuary
o Undergone extensive habitat rehab
Overview
Coastal Cutthroat
Trout Project
o Least known about cutthroat biology & ecology
o Species of management concern
o FFSBC stock some high priority areas
o No test fishing yet stocking occurs
o Hatchery managers need info on stock fish performance
Why study cutthroat?
Coastal Cutthroat
Trout Project
Sampling data recorded…
Approximate capture location
Length and weight
Time of capture Stage of tide Scale External parasite
load Hook scars,
location, bleeding
Note presence of other species and use by recreational anglers
Obvious presence of prey species
# anglers
Coastal Cutthroat
Trout Project
Info will be used by…
Measure growth of stocked fish
Calculate catch per unit effort (CPUE)
Assess status & distribution of wild populations in the area
Develop detailed sea-run cutthroat revitalization strategy for each stream
Vancouver Island University faculty & students
Ministry of Environment Biologists
to…
Coastal Cutthroat
Trout Project
This project would not be possible without financial donations from many sponsors and friends of sea-run cutthroat trout:
ISLAND WATERS FLY FISHERS
PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION & LIVING RIVERS, GEORGIA BASIN
NANAIMO FISH & GAME PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
COWICHAN FLY FISHERS
CASTAWAYS FLY FISHERS
CHEMANIUS ROD & GUN CLUB
LADYSMITH SPORTSMAN’S CLUB
PARKSVILLE-QUALICUM FISH & GAME ASSOCIATION
FRENCH CREEK FISHING FESTIVAL
MALASPINA RESEARCH FUND & BAMFIELD FELLOWSHIP & WORK-O
TROUT UNLIMITED CANADA
HAIG BROWN FLY FISHING ASSOCIATION
NILE CREEK ENHANCEMENT SOCIETY
JANUARY-MARCH 2008: STUDENTS HELPED ALL VOLUNTEERS TAKING ENVIRONMENTALS, MEASURING FISH AND FEEDING
PINKS IN NET PENS
STUDENTS BACK AT VIU LAB CONDUCTED FISH HEALTH ASSESSMENTS OF THE PINKS
CURRENTLY: STUDENTS ACTIVELY SURVEYING THAMES CREEK TO EVENTUALLY MAP THE SYSTEM
THIS SUMMER STUDENTS ASSESS THE FIRST RETURN OF PINKS FROM THE NET PENS (1.5 YRS. AGO): MORE FISHING!
Nile Creek Enhancement
Society
VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITYNILE CREEK ENHANCEMENT SOCIETY
TROUT UNLIMITED CANADA
Salmon Enhancement Partnerships
HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT5 SMALL CREEKS IN THE QUALICUM BAY AREA(2 KM SOUTH OF THE MOUTH OF BIG QUALICUM – BOWSWER)
REFERRED TO AS CUTTHROAT FACTORIES
INCLUDE EEL GRASS AND KELP ENHANCEMENT
This is what it is all about…
Training the present & future stewards of our precious fisheries resources
Fisheries & Aquaculture Department
Thank you all for your time
Any questions?