Research Document 1998/37

Stock status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, Salmon Fishing Area 20, in 1997

By S.F. O'Neil, C.J. Harvie, and D.A. Longard

Abstract

Atlantic salmon returns, fishing activity and general stock status for rivers located on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Salmon Fishing Area (SFA) 20, are described. Anglers were not permitted to harvest fish in any river except for East River, Sheet Harbour. The other rivers were limited to hook-and-release angling. Angling catches were the lowest reported since detailed record keeping began in 1951. No First Nation catches were reported in the area in 1997. Estimated effort by anglers was also only a fraction of recent year values.

Rivers on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia can generally be divided into two categories, acid-stressed and non-acid-stressed. Water chemistry indicated that several streams have limited capacity to support Atlantic salmon populations. Only six of the twenty-six rivers in the area which were known to support runs of salmon are not seriously affected by the acidic precipitation. Salmon returns to the acid-stressed rivers have been declining. Returns of wild fish to the acidic Liscomb River in 1997 were the lowest since the fishway began operating in 1979. Juvenile salmon were found to be absent from most sites visited on the river in 1997. Similarly, young salmon were absent or numbers were very low on most sites on the acidified West River, Sheet Harbour. Greater numbers of parr were found on sites which had been treated with limestone gravel by the local river association.

The three principle non-acid rivers in the area, the Musquodoboit; St. Mary's; and Salmon River, Guysborough; account for the majority of the angler effort and catch. Juvenile salmon densities on those streams in 1997 were comparable to densities observed in the 1980s.

Estimates of spawning escapement to the St.Mary's River were 1,000 fish; returns to the Salmon River, Guysborough, were either 215 or 545 fish depending on the data sets used. All estimates were below requirements.

The number of large and small salmon returns to the non-acid impacted rivers of SFA 20 did not meet conservation levels in 1997 and are not expected to in 1998. Returns to the acid-stressed rivers were below requirements in 1997 and are expected to remain low for the foreseeable future. Some stocks in the area are in serious danger of extirpation.

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