N.B. Angling Association says invasive fish retention strategy is region specific

New Brunswick’s new rule on invasive fish is causing some confusion.

Twenty-four hours after the New Brunswick government unveiled new guidelines for fishers in an attempt to help eliminate invasive fish species in waterways, one angling association says there is some confusion around the message.

On Wednesday, Natural Resources Minister John Herron revealed a new rule requiring anglers to keep five specific invasive fish species in certain areas of the province.

The fish anglers are being told to keep include:

• black crappie
• chain pickerel
• largemouth bass
• smallmouth bass
• muskellunge

But Sarah Blenis of the Hammond River Angling Association says while the measure is welcomed, the initial government news release did not emphasize the retention and kill order for invasive fish varies region to region.

“It’s caused a lot of confusion out of the gate,” Blenis says. “People are thinking that these five fish species that it’s meant to be retain and killing throughout the province of New Brunswick and all waterways, and that’s not what’s happening.”

A separate link on the government’s initial press release will take you to another online government page that outlines what fish are considered invasive in what parts of the province.

Black crappie is considered an invasive fish in all eight recreational fishery areas (RFAs) in the province.

The other four species are considered invasive in the Restigouche, Chaleur, Miramichi, and Southeast RFAs in New Brunswick, but then things start to vary. Chain pickerel, largemouth bass and muskellunge are also considered an invasive species in the Inner Bay of Fundy RFA.

Largemouth bass are all to be retained in the Upper Saint John River, while muskellunge are also to be killed if caught in the southwest RFA.

“If everyone’s under the impression that all smallmouth bass and the lower Saint John River watershed are intended for retaining and killing, we’re going to do some really big damage to our recreational fisheries,” says Blenis. “These are really important for our economic tourism and for the overall ecological value of the lower Wolastoq (Saint John River).”

Blenis says it is also important for the province to outline boundaries to the RFAs, so people have a better idea of if they can release their fish, which may to may not be considered invasive depending on the part of the river they are in.

The need for more public knowledge on the change is also front of mind for Neville Crabbe, who is the vice-president of communications for the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

He says the change is only effective if people know about it.

“I think it’s important for the province to consider posting signage at areas like boat launches, popular fishing spots and other places to spread the message far and wide,” says Carbbe. “Because people only know what they know and people who fish have habits.”

Crabbe says there are always outliers who won’t follow the rules but says anglers for the most part are conservationists and will be happy to protect their waterways.

He also points out how smallmouth bass have had a big impact on the salmon and trout populations in the Miramichi, and hopes the change will help people realize the importance of killing and reporting invasive species.

If one does catch one of the five fish in an RFA where they are deemed invasive, officials say it should be quickly and humanely euthanized. A swift heavy blow on the head just behind the eyes is one method, or one could also use a sharp object to spike the fish’s brain.

As for what to do with the dead fish, anglers can either keep it for themselves to eat or return it frozen to a local Department of Natural Resources office.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.