Cooperative Fisheries Inventory Program 2000 - Summary Report for the Marten and Sawridge Creek Drainages

Author(s)

Leanne Osokin

Summary

The Slave Lake areas Co-operative Fisheries Inventory Program (CFIP) is a product of the collaborative effort of the Alberta Conservation Association (ACA), Alberta Environment, Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd. (Slave Lake Division), and Slave Lake Pulp. The purpose of this program is to sample pre-selected drainages for baseline fish population and fish habitat data. This was the first formal fisheries data collection effort for these two FMAs. This season's effort was unique in that the inventory sites were pre-selected according to criteria established with the funding partners. This protocol was established so the data assembly could be implemented into a 'predictive model' format.


The Sawridge and Marten Creek watersheds were established as the priority drainages. Sampling began on May 15 and concluded on August 30. In total, 31 and 30 inventory sites were sampled on Sawridge and Marten Creeks respectively. Of these, 5 permanent sample plots were established on both drainages for future fisheries assessments. Sampling results indicated that 35% of the sites completed on Sawridge Creek contained fish, 52% were barren of fish, and 13% were sampled for habitat only (intermittent creeks). Sites completed on Marten Creek included 47% with fish, 43% contained no fish, and 10% were sampled for habitat only.


The data collected from this CFIP effort was entered into the Provincial Fisheries database - Fisheries Management Information System (FMIS). Program deliverables for the funding partners include GIS products in the form of maps and digital inventory data, a catalogue of the stream site reports as well as a summary report. These data can be implemented as a resource management tool in the timber harvest planning process.

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