52 State of Maine's Environment: Maine Water Conference Session

Tuesday, 24 March 2009
10:20 AM - 12:00 PM

CURRENT STATUS OF NATIVE/WILD BROOK TROUT IN NEW ENGLAND FRESHWATERS

Paper number: 52-5
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

According to the EBT-Joint Venture (2005), brook trout were once plentiful in North America's aquatic habitats from Georgia to Newfoundland (Canada), and as far west as Ohio. We surveyed state fishery biologists in New England to determine their current status within large rivers, wadeable streams, coastal streams, and lakes/ponds. Brook trout appear to have declined from larger rivers, and primarily persist in several larger Maine rivers. Brook trout are still found in hundreds of smaller wadeable streams in all six New England states, ranging from 15 (CT) to 75 (NH) percent of surveyed streams (average 39%: 50% VT, 30-36% ME, MA, RI). Anadromous (salter) brook trout in coastal streams are less common, occurring in only 5 streams in Massachusetts, 10 streams in Rhode Island, and 65 (historical) streams in Maine. With the exception of

less than a dozen Vermont lakes, wild brook trout still persist in 706 Maine lakes/ponds (10% of surveyed waters). The presence of native brook trout in numerous Maine's lakes, and their overall absence in New England lakes, is a topic for further investigation. Brook trout declines within New England aquatic habitats are due to a combination of logging, land use change, development, warmer water temperatures and the deleterious effects of introduced fish species.

Our many thanks to timely brook trout survey questionnaire responses from David Neils and Matt Carpenter (NH), Rich Kirn and Rich Langdon (VT), Mike Humphreys and Neal Hagstrom (CT), Alan Libby (RI), Todd Richards (MA).