Distribution and Habitat Use of Sensitive Fish Species along the Mackenzie River Valley
Principal Investigator: Mochnacz, Neil (6)
Licence Number: 14052
Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Licensed Year(s): 2006
Issued: Aug 08, 2006
Project Team: Laura Rempel (partner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Pete Cott (assistant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Briar Young (assistant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Ernie Watson (assistant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Don Cobb (assistant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Marc Lange (assistant, Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Project Description: The Mackenzie Gas Pipeline will cross more than 600 tributaries of the Mackenzie River, ranging from small (< 1 m) vegetated swales to large rivers. All construction methods, with the exception of trenchless drilling, will disturb the bed and banks of the rivers they cross. Fish habitat use and distribution has not been studied in sufficient detail. Fish will be captured and identified for species and sex, enumerated and measured for length. Most of the fish will be live-released after sampling; however, 20 - 50 fish from each site may be euthanized to gain biological information. Habitat measurements will be taken from at least two streams from each area (Sahtu and Deh Cho) during the program. Electrofishing, angling, and gillnets will be used. The results of this study will be shared with interested parties through reports and presentations. Fieldwork will be carried out from August 8 to September 29, 2006 at the following locations: Canyon Creek (65.22609530 126.5237349); Hodgson Creek (63.23055000 123.4894500); Jungle Ridge Creek (65.05985205 126.0535751); Smith Creek (63.16983000 123.3390900); Steep Creek (64.18485000 124.3793600); Kelly Lake (65.3062 125.8693); Bandy Lake (65.2644 126.4862); Dal Lake (63.1233 126.5074); O'Grady Lake (63.0021 129.0056); and Carlson Lake (62.4384 123.8166). Community organizations in the Sahtu and Deh Cho regions will be notified before any additional sampling occurs at 4-6 streams and 3-4 lakes from the following list: Chick Creek (65.84930218 128.1366628); Elliot Creek (65.53032780 127.6160864); Francis Creek (65.20421330 126.4570789); Little Smith Creek (64.43058000 124.7677700); Prohibition Creek (65.15038846 126.3057465); Saline River (64.29902000 24.4709500); White Sand Creek (63.5392 123.71674); Vermillion Creek(65.09426375 126.1351737); Florence Lake (65.1543 128.1466); Baton Lake (65.3090 125.3360); Brackett Lake (65.2140 125.3570); Mahony Lake (65.4995 125.3710); Doris Lake (65.1726 128.2835); Mirror Lake (64.8499 126.9079); Twentyfive Mile (65.0786 127.0568); Avalanche Lake (62.4067 127.2409); Twin Fish Lake (64.3063 123.6491); Sim Lake (63.4866 124.86); Wrigley Lake (63.8481126.1994); Jones Lake (62.9811 129.1965); Natla Lake (63.0534 128.4082); and Divide Lake (63.0278 128.1757).