Corbett Brook, N'B' Fish Diversity Study

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Corbett Brook, N.B. Fish Diversity Study By
Aaron Mosier and Erin Foster

• Introduction
• Fish species composition is important in
  understanding stream health and dynamics1
• The objective was to estimate the number of
  fish species in Corbett Brook
• Methods
• One pool at each site was sampled by
  electrofishing (Fig 1) in August and October,
  2002
• Catch per unit effort was calculated (CPUE -
  of fish caught/seconds shocked)
• Figure 1 Map of Corbett Brook encatchment

Results
Table 1 Fish species diversity of Corbett Brook
in August and October 2002.
0.3
August
October
0.2
Catch per unit effort
0.1
0
Kimble (Tributary)
UNB Woodlot
Unipress
Wilsey Rd. S.
Wilsey Rd. N.
Site 1 3 4a
4 2a
Upstream
Downstream
Figure 1 CPUE of fish in Corbett Brook in August
and October 2002.
Note Number given is the maximum number of fish
found within any trial at that site

• Discussion and Conclusions
• Site 1 had the only cold water species (Brook
  Trout) suggesting a cool stream environment
  (Table 1)2
• Site 1 had the greatest CPUE (Fig.1) suggesting
  more fish in the area
• Kimble Drive had the greatest biomass but the
  lowest diversity (Fig.2). Creek chub has
  omnivorous food habits and can occupy warmer
  water than brook trout, which may be the reason
  for its success in the Kimble Drive tributary2
• Environmental conditions seem to decline from
  site 1 to site 5

30
20
g/m2 of fish
10
0
UNB Woodlot
Unipress
Wilsey Rd. S.
Kimble (Tributary)
4
2a
2
Site 1 3
4a 2a
1
4a
Upstream
Downstream
3
Figure 2 Fish biomass (g/m2) in Corbett Brook in
October 2002.
Legend Site 1 UNB Woodlot Site 2
Canterbury Drive (Tributary) Site 2a Kimble
Drive (Tributary) Site 3 Unipress Site 4a
NB Liquor Commission Site 4 Near Shell station
References 1. Karr, J.R. 1981. Fisheries
621-27 2. Scott, W.B and Crossman, E.J. 1998.
Freshwater fishes of Canada
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