For a second consecutive year the Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Center conducted a walleye tagging project in the Pickerel River at the request of Henvey Inlet First Nation.
Walleye is a culturally important fish for the First Nation and the community is concerned about the health of the population in the river.
Fisheries Intern Josh Hardy is shown here holding a walleye for the camera.
This was an interesting experience for A/OFRC Aboriginal Inland Habitat Technician Charles Hardy and Fisheries Intern Josh Hardy. Charles' home community of Biinjitiwaabik Anishinaabek Zaaging and Josh's community of Red Rock First Nation are in the Superior Region. Working in a region far south of their home region offered a chance to see many species rarely seen in their waters.
Netting began soon after the ice was out, running from April 21st to May 7th, where the water temperatures ranged from 5 – 10 degrees Celsius. Two trapnets were set and lifted every day, and the fish were sampled and released. Fish species that were captured include: walleye, redhorse suckers, channel catfish, white sucker, northern pike, muskellunge, black crappie, white crappie, rock bass, brown bullhead, lake whitefish, bowfin, and largemouth bass. This spring a total of 12 walleye were tagged, where as in 2008 a total of 16 walleye were tagged.
Results of this project are being compiled and when completed, the final results will be summarized in a report and discussed with representatives of Henvey Inlet First Nation.
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