Photo Brian Round.
Native Brook Trout populations are indicators of good water quality and Trout Unlimited’s recent sample found young trout in several of the local feeder creeks.
It is hard to imagine the sought after Brook Trout as a common city dweller.
Many are surprised to learn that this elusive fish has found refuge in some of the remaining greenspaces in southern Ontario. The Brook Trout is Ontario’s only native stream trout. The others you may be familiar with – Brown and Rainbow Trout – were introduced many years ago.
Our native Brook Trout prefers cold water environments, and is known in the environmental industry as an indicator of good water quality. Historically, you would find Brook Trout in nearly every river system in Ontario. Sadly, populations have been declining since the late 1800’s, and the source of the decline has been attributed to decreased water quality, largely associated with urban sprawl.
As human development continues to encroach on greenspace across southern Ontario, many populations of Brook Trout are becoming isolated within urban river systems, at times being found in backyards and roadside ditches. As a sensitive species, these remaining populations are threatened by the indirect impacts of urbanization, such as increasing water temperatures, fertilizers and herbicides, sedimentation, and road salts. Whether you are a Brook Trout enthusiast or not, we all have a stake in the reduction of these pollutants. The same water that shelters the urban Brook Trout is our source of drinking water here in Millbrook.
Within our watershed, there is hope for the urban Brook Trout, and there are things that we can all do to help protect this species and the quality of our drinking water. The fact that this fish has persisted in Baxter Creek and in our downtown core tells us that it is possible to preserve good water quality in urban settings. Recent sampling conducted by Trout Unlimited Millbrook found young trout in several of the all of the small feeder creeks that we sampled – a good sign for our local populations! While federal, provincial, and municipal policies and regulations are a step towards the protection of water quality and remaining Brook Trout populations, there are plenty of opportunities for individuals to make a difference for both the water and the fish that live in it.
You can take steps to protect water quality in our area, and to protect our local trout populations. For example, if you are a property owner that borders a waterbody, protecting natural buffers by shorelines will make a big difference. If you are looking for other ways to get involved, consider participating in a public stream restoration project through the Trout Unlimited Millbrook Chapter, and if you are an angler, use ethical fishing practices. These simple actions could be the difference between the protection or loss of our urban Brook Trout population.
For more information on how you can make a difference in your community streams, please contact Trout Unlimited Chapter Millbrook (troutunlimitedmillbrook@gmail.com) or check out our Facebook page. If you would like to better understand what lives in your section of the creek, please contact us.
By Trout Unlimited Millbrook
