Pt I: About Bull Trout
Note: Originally published in 2018 – some information may be outdated.
Bull Trout (Salvelinus Confluentus)
Did you know that the Bull Trout (above) is the provincial fish of Alberta, and that they are strictly catch and release throughout the province of Alberta? Could you identify it in real life? Did you know that despite C & R regulations, Bull Trout populations are still critically endangered, and just a mere shade of what they once were?
Unfortunately, there are too many people in this province that answer no to some or all the above questions. Case and point: In a 2004 census, only 50 % of licensed fisherman in Alberta could properly identify the Bull Trout. Yes, that was 14 years ago. And yes, it may have risen; but it is still a problem. I have had several personal experiences of people mistaking the Bull trout for Brooks, using bait, and seen people keeping them. For a long time, Bull Trout were regarded with indifference in Alberta, the species of least concern, off the public radar, until quite recently. Beginning with the implementation of C & R regulations on all Bull Trout 25 years ago, people slowly started to realize what a great sport fish the Bull Trout was, and what amazing opportunities we had here in Alberta. And now, with the fish media overload that is our social media pages, the word of Trophy Bull Trout fishing in our corner of the world is definitely out, and the fishing pressure on our Bulls is greater than ever. But do all these hopeful fisherman going out for Monster Bull Trout Glory know that they are still highly endangered? Very susceptible to human and environmental impacts? Already facing local extinction in many places across the province? And just because so many large trout are being caught, and the fish seem numerous upon first impression, does not necessarily mean these populations are healthy, or destined for longevity. But the reality is there is not enough resources being deployed to properly monitor Bull Trout populations, and the data we are using to inform decisions is based off of outdated data.
That is how the ideas of this series are structured. The legit numerical data of the past vs. the uncertainty of what we presently dealing with; and what that might mean for Bull Trout Conservation going forward.
In compiling this series, three primary sources were used. Most of the statistics and info contained are from the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development ‘2012-2018 Bull Trout Conservation management plan‘ (here-on referred to as SRD report). That report bases most of its inferences on population estimates and numerical data from 2005. There is more recent data available for the Upper Oldman system, taken from Bull Trout Population Assessment in the Upper Oldman River Drainage, 2009 (Upper Oldman Report), as well as quotes and figures taken from Lorne Fitch’s aforementioned Two Fish, One Fish, No fish , which uses many of the same outdated sources. Data from 2005 was only 10 years removed from the implementation of C & R regulations in Alberta. 14 years of C & R fishing have elapsed since then, which means things have likely changed significantly in that time; but is that change for the better, or for the worse?
My simple answer to that question is both. I believe there is likely many populations that have made significant improvements in range and size, and may not be as threatened as they were 14 years ago. There are many rivers that show many signs of improvement, and likely have benefited greatly from a larger sample size of C & R regulations. On the contrary, there is likely a handful of populations that were just barely hanging on 14 years ago, that are now all but gone, or locally extinct (extirpated). The populations that live in Small creeks (Resident) fall primarily into this category. In 2005, there were dozens of Resident populations with less than 50 mature fish left (50 is considered the minimum viable population size). They were tetering on the edge; where any negative external factor had the potential to knock them out. Where they have hung on, and where they have perished I don’t know. All I know is that many of these streams our among my personal favorites, and some of the finest trout water around. So lets not miss our chance to preserve these excellent Bull Trout fisheries with resident populations.
I do not intend for this to be a doomsday report, where I scare you with scary statistics and threaten the imminent extinction of Bull Trout. But the fact is, Bull Trout are threatened across the continent, and the populations in Alberta/ BC are some healthiest populations remaining. We have a little slice of Bull Trout heaven here that is all but gone almost everywhere else in the world. And we must be cognizant as a community about protecting this resource, and doing our part, and together ensure Alberta offers anglers from around the world a chance at trophy Bull Trout for generations to come.
So keep reading. I believe there is takeaways to be had from this post for all types of anglers, and the more you know the better.
We will begin by learning about the Bull Trout, their life cycle, and different types of populations.
Bull Trout
Bull Trout are a native species to all of Alberta’s freshwater streams, and used to be the most widespread of all fish in Alberta, historically occupying every freshwater system from the Castle all the way north to the Athabasca, and as far East as cities like Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. Bull Trout live in cold, mountain streams, usually in the most inviting, deep pools. Bull Trout grow very large, often in excess of 30”. And Bull Trout are voracious eaters, devouring any meal they can clamp their jaws around. This made them easy to catch in the days of old, when catch and release was not a thing.
- Bull Trout Spawn in the Fall, usually late August – Early October, dependent on weather and stream temperatures. Bull Trout use small tributary streams to spawn and rear as juveniles.
- Bull Trout usually reach spawning maturity around 4-7 years old. They can live for a very long time, sometimes upwards of 20 years.
- Bull Trout can be identified by the lack of black markings on their fins, their pale greyish/green color, and the white slash on their fins.
There are 3 types of Bull Trout Populations in Alberta: Stream Resident, Fluvial, and Adfluvial (live in lakes). We are going to focus on the first 2, Stream Resident, and Fluvial.
Stream Resident Bulls are Bull Trout that permanently reside in small tributary streams and creeks. They spawn and rear as juveniles in the same stream and typically do not grow as large. Typically, these fish make small migratory movements that are typically restricted to one stream. Stream resident bull trout can mature at 12″ or less, often living in smaller creeks and reaches above impassable barriers.
Fluvial Bull Trout are populations that occupy larger tributaries of major rivers or major rivers (think Highwood River, Sheep River, Oldman), and migrate to smaller tributaries as the summer progresses to spawn. Young fry and parr will live and mature in the natal stream for 2-4 years before emigrating towards more productive mainstem habitats, at which point they typically adopt a mainly piscivorous feeding strategy (i.e., they eat other fish). These individuals can migrate long distances, often in excess of over 250 km. Fluvial Bull Trout grow much larger than Stream Resident Bull Trout, and for this reason, they are primarily what is targeted in sport fisheries. Almost all major river systems in Alberta contain Fluvial Bull Trout Populations.
Adfluvial Bull Trout are those that live in lakes. They are not the focus of this report – most adfluvial bull trout in Alberta dwell in reservoirs created by dams. Lake dwelling Bulls can grow to monstrous porportions and do offer excellent angling opportunities. They spend most of their time in the lake/reservoir, however, they do move into river channels and feeder streams to spawn in the late summer/fall. They face similar challenges and are still C & R only.
Understanding the different types of populations can help us catch fish, by knowing where there might be a resident Bull population or whether it is just juveniles, or to understand whether fluvial populations might be likely to be in the main stem of the river or in the tributaries, based on the time of the year. Knowing fluvial Bull Trout only move into tributary streams to spawn means most smaller creeks will not have many Big Bull Trout outside of spawning season.
Ideally, these populations are co-existing in the same streams/watershed, while still having a small amount of genetic interaction between them. This slight interaction helps both types of populations avoid local extiction (by disease, natural disaster, weather). If something happens that affects one population, it will be able to recover by drawing from the other, and vice versa. Essentially, extinction of one population means bad news for any other populations in that river system. In 2005 Alberta had 11 populations of bull trout considered to be extirpated, or locally extinct, and that number has likely risen.
Hopefully that differentiates and makes clear what is meant by a ‘Resident’ Bull Trout, and a ‘Fluvial’ Bull Trout, as these terms will be widely used throughout the rest of the series.
In genearal, migratroy Bull Trout tend to be favoured by anglers, and understanding the timing of migratory movements and staging areas is key to catching them. However, the staging behaviour shwon by Bull Trout also make them vulnerable to angling. So if you know a good Bull Trout spot, be careful who you tell. These river migratory Bull Trout face threats that are complex and difficult to solve – however, it is clear that in order to thrive, Bull Trout need realtively pristine watershed conditions and intact headwaters. These populations are susceptible to large scale land usage and environmental degradation, and these are threats that will surely carry into the future. All of the threats are discussed in part 2 of the series, Threats Facing Bull Trout
That concludes part 1, head to part 2 to continue reading about the Threats facing Bull Trout in Alberta….
Resources:
2012-2018 Bull Trout Conservation Management Plan
Bull Trout Population Assessment in the Upper Oldman River Drainage, 2009
Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish: Alberta’s Fish Crisis – Lorne Fitch
