East River, Chester Elver Abundance Study

Field Reports

* Note – Full Reports are not available through BCAF. For more information regarding particular Elver Reports, contact Yvonne Carey at atlanticelver@yahoo.ca

2008 Report Abstract: The Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (BCAF) was contracted by the Atlantic Canadian elver license holders to implement an abundance study of American eel elvers. The resulting elver productivity study began on May 1st, 2008, on the East River in Chester, Nova Scotia and will continue for 3 consecutive years. This project was a continuation of research previously conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in the late 1990’s (Table 3). A total of four Irish style elver traps were set up below the falls at the East River, with the falls serving as a natural obstacle for the elvers in their run. Traps were operational between May 1st and June 15th, but there were still elvers migrating up the East River after the 2008 season study ended. The elver count over the entire study was 452,990. Thermographs monitored water temperature above the falls and in the estuary. Biological sampling was conducted three days a week to record elver size, relative condition, and pigmentation stage.

2009 Report Abstract: The Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation (BCAF) was contracted by the Atlantic Canadian elver license holders to implement an abundance study of American eel elvers. The resulting elver productivity study began on May 1st, 2008, on the East River in Chester, Nova Scotia and will continue for 3 consecutive years. This project was a continuation of research previously conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in the late 1990’s (Table 2). A total of four elver traps were set-up below the falls at the East River, with the falls serving as a natural obstacle for the elvers in their run. Traps for the 2009 season were operational between May 1st and July 15th. The elver count over the entire study was 509,175. Thermographs monitored water temperature above the falls and in the estuary. Biological sampling was conducted three days a week to record elver size, relative condition, and pigmentation stage.