Spearfishing used to rid Clear Lake of invasive fish

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This article was published 22/07/2022 (1412 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WASAGAMING — Voices ring out across Clear Lake. Excitement fills the air as a figure emerges from the water, brandishing an olive and brown striped smallmouth bass stuck on the end of a spear.

History is being made thanks to a collaboration between Riding Mountain and the Coalition of First Nations with Interests in Riding Mountain National Park to deal with invasive, aggressive smallmouth bass that threaten native species. The bass feed on crayfish and small fish, taking away resources from native species such as pickerel.

Riding Mountain staff and members of Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation conducted collaborative fisheries work on Clear Lake in June 2021. They gathered information about the bass invasion and monitored the health of the fish population.

One of the methods the group used was electrofishing, which momentarily stuns fish in the water so they can be scooped up into a net. Researchers can collect measurements and other data from the fish. The fish can be returned to the water unharmed. Parks Canada uses this method to track fish to native to Clear Lake, while attempting to permanently remove and euthanize smallmouth bass.

Using that method, 354 smallmouth bass, mostly juveniles, were removed from Clear Lake last year.

The spearfishing program was created to tackle the issue of adult smallmouth bass. They guard their nests from predators by staying in one place. This makes them good candidates for spearfishing, which has been used to control invasive fish in oceans but rarely tried in freshwater ecosystems, which tend to be murky.

Clear Lake’s transparency means it’s possible to use spearfishing successfully.

Michele Nicholson, lead ecologist with the park, said the spearfishing program is eliminating smallmouth bass and providing research to see if the method is sustainable.

“We think it could be good for reducing nest success,” Nicholson said.

Participants received spearfishing training in June and began practising the technique this month. The program will last from four to six weeks, Nicholson said.

“We’re focusing on trying to take adult male smallmouth bass off of nests to reduce their reproductive success.”

Alex Prudhomme is a master’s student in science at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. He conducted research in the park last summer and came back this year for the spearfishing program.

Prudhomme said he wants to find a practical solution for the problem of invasive smallmouth bass species. He has been closely involved in the spearfishing project, looking at the length of time needed, difficulty of the initiative, and the success rate.

Prudhomme is also looking at the diet of smallmouth bass. He said examining the stomach contents of the fish is very helpful in his research.

“From that information, we can see how the invasive bass diet compares to that of the native fish in the lake.”

It allow him to discover how much food supply is being taken away from native fish by smallmouth bass.

The best part, he said, has been working with the team.

“I wanted to do something that involved … not being stuck in a lab.”

First Nations that live near Clear Lake are supportive. Larger smallmouth bass that are caught are given to them.

“They’ve had four people from the community participate in the course, and they’ve been taking an active part in it. The response I’ve gotten in my interactions with people is that they’re really excited about the project and really supportive of the work we do together.”

John Sportak, a member of Keeseekoowenin, said his family has lived there for generations. He has worked with Nicholson and Riding Mountain for many years.

“Whenever they asked me to do something, I did it right away and tried to be active and participating,” Sportak said. “It’s a very good thing that they’re doing, involving Parks Canada and involving us to work together.”

Sportak, who has been assisting in the spearfishing project, said it’s important smallmouth bass be dealt with successfully.

“This lake is very important to the Keeseekoowenin people… it’s very important that the lake stays healthy, with lots of fish. I don’t want to see (native species) go extinct.”

— Brandon Sun