Moving the weakest links upstream: assessing passage of rainbow smelt and alewife at two Prince Edward Island fishways

Dams can be problematic for fishes, particularly those that migrate. In order to help fish move around dams, fisheries managers may construct fishways (aka “fish ladders”). However, these structures do not always function properly, often because they were built only to pass trout and salmon and are thus inappropriate for other species. This project aims to assess the ability of migratory rainbow smelt to use a newly constructed, “fish friendly” fishway at MacLean’s Pond on the Vernon River, PEI. We will also assess alewife passage (sometimes called “gaspereau”) at a fish ladder on Officer’s Pond, Winter River, PEI.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael R van den Heuvel

Student:

Partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada (NS)

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Natural Resources; Environmental Science and Technology; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

University of Prince Edward Island

Program: