Exploits River creel census

ERMA will conduct a creel census on the main stem of the Exploits River for the 2020 summer Atlantic salmon angling seasons. In the last 10 years there has been a steady decline in the Atlantic salmon populations returning to the Exploits River. 1985 marks the last time an angling creel census was conducted on this river. The principal objective of this project is to establish a current data baseline for Atlantic salmon angling on the main stem of the Exploits River. This will be done by quantifying rod days, harvest rates, collecting demographic information of anglers and biological data through the physical sampling of angled fish.

Data gathered through this project will also enhance DFO’s summer recreational fishery Atlantic Salmon Licence Stub program for the greater Exploits watershed area, which is an important tool in stock assessment to determine status of salmon populations.

Contact: Kim Thompson, 709 489 7350, executivedirector@erma.ca