Fish Movement in the Welland River Watershed
Starting in 2001 Biotactic, with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) and Niagara Restoration Council, has monitored the diversity and relative abundance of fishes in the Welland River and Oswego Creek using various active sampling techniques, radio-telemetry and a long-term publicly assisted mark-recapture study.
In 2011 Biotactic conducted a study on fish populations in Frenchman's Creek, Drapers Creek and Coyle Creek to assess changes in species distribution and diversity after the removal and/or remediation of fish barriers. In addition, we found a stinkpot turtle, which is a species at risk, last found in the region since 1979!
In 2012, Biotactic continued sampling efforts with the NPCA to monitor fish movement in the Welland River and it's tributaries. We have adapted standardized methods of seining and determined trap nets are not the best sampling technique in the lower Welland River due to flow reversal and water velocity.
On November 5th 2014, Biotactic and the NPCA conducted a qualitative fish sampling survey using a seine net in the Welland River Watershed for “Take Our Kids to Work Day”. The main objective was to engage and educate youth with hands-on sampling techniques and fish identification, with emphasis on species at risk and their importance.
Seining and tagging emaciated walleye from the Welland River, near the Port Davidson weir in 2007
Seining, tagging and describing the fish community in the Welland River in 2009
Seining for esocids (Northern pike, muskellunge and grass pickerel) and centrarchids in the Welland River and Oswego Creek in 2010
2011
2012
2014
