Manitoulin Streams stocks 10,000 brook trout into Norton’s Creek
MANITOWANING—The annual Manitoulin Streams eyed-egg brook trout restocking efforts on Manitoulin got many helping hands to fill Scotty boxes with 10,000 brook trout eggs as Mrs. Hagman’s Grade 4/5 classes came to the Assiginack Arena to assist.
“These students were really eager and had great questions about the whole stocking process and wanted to help improve the brook trout population in the creek,” said Manitoulin Streams program manager Seija Deschenes. “They thought it was neat that they could see the two eyes of the brook trout in the egg and one student noticed that they could see its spine.”
Ms. Deschenes added that the students were “really excited about being able to go down to the creek to see the Scotty boxes being installed.”
“These students were really eager and had great questions about the whole stocking process and wanted to help improve the brook trout population in the creek,” said Ms. Deschene. “They thought it was neat that they could see the two eyes of the brook trout in the egg and one student noticed that they could see its spine.”
In addition to the students, Little Current Fish and Game Club members and other local volunteers came out, noted Ms. Deschene. “We had over 40 people participate in the brook trout stocking event.”
“A huge thank you to Leslie Fields and Jackie White who helped prepare and hand out hotdogs, juice, hot chocolate and cookies to the students and Leslie made a huge pot of chili for volunteers that came out to help out,” said Ms. Deschenes.
The trout stocking effort has a storied past. “Manitoulin Streams started working with Bob and Jean Hutton on restoring Norton’s Creek in 2008,” explained Ms. Deschenes. “We installed cedar rail fencing to restrict livestock from accessing the creek. We then worked with the stewardship rangers to improve the in-stream habitat adding weeping weirs to hold back water and create a type of step pool system so the fish could make it up the creek. Spawning gravel was placed in the creek and native trees and shrubs were planted along the creek to help restore the riparian vegetation.”
She related how Manitoulin Streams has worked with Laurentian University and College Boreal over the years conducting stream assessments to determine if there have been improvements to the health of the creek. “We are happy to say we are seeing great improvements as the number of invertebrates have increased and we are seeing lots of mayflies and caddisflies which are indicators of good water quality,” she reported. “Last year College Boreal found spawning brook trout in the creek which is a great indicator that natural recruitment is starting to occur. Nathan Hovingh also was able to video record an adult brook trout in Norton’s Creek in Bidwell this year as well which was very exciting.”
“Manitoulin Streams loves hosting this community event every year and would like to thank Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Hills Lake Hatchery in Englehart,” said Ms. Deschenes. “They have been invaluable to this community event by conducting the egg collection, rearing and transporting the eggs to make sure they arrive safely. They have been an amazing partner in this community adventure.”
