Warm water temperature causing stress in Atlantic salmon: DFO
(Two Atlantic Salmon swimming. Courtesy: Fisheries & Oceans Canada)
A heat wave has closed salmon pools on two New Brunswick rivers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) closed the pools on Tuesday because of the high water temperature.
Salmon pools on the Nepisiguit River from the dam at Grand Falls downstream to the mouth of the river are closed to angling for all species.
On the Miramichi River, 27 salmon fishing pools have been closed to angling of all species, as well.
The closures are triggered when the water temperature reaches established thresholds.
The department said in a release that because Atlantic salmon is a cold water species, it can experience temperature-related stress or exhaustion when the minimum water temperature stays above 20°C, which can cause death.
DFO will issue a notice when conditions have improved enough to reopen angling in the affected rivers.
This article, written by Gail Harding, was originally published for CBC News
