Another fish species has been found in Junction Creek, with a fish study uncovering a mottled sculpin last month.
This species tends to prefer cold, well-oxygenated waters which are relatively healthy and unpolluted, Junction Creek Stewardship Committee program co-ordinator Devin Kennis-Nadon said.
“That gives us some valuable insight as to how Junction Creek is recovering,” he said, noting that this is one of a handful of species which serve as something of a canary in the coal mine, meaning that if they’re alive and present, the creek is relatively healthy.
“That gives us some valuable insight as to how Junction Creek is recovering,” he added.
This is the 19th species of fish observed in the upper reaches of Junction Creek since the committee’s 2019 fish assessment.
The fish was discovered as part of Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol training last month, which saw water stewards break up into groups to undertake fish studies along Junction Creek in the New Sudbury neighbourhood near the Twin Forks Playground.
The group to discover the mottled sculpin included representatives from various consulting companies and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
It was discovered using an electro-fishing technique.
“Rather than minnow trapping or netting, we were using electrofishing backpacks, which give the fish a gentle shock that stuns them temporarily, allowing team members to catch them in a net and put them in a bucket with creek water in it so they can be revived,” Kennis-Nadon explained.
They identified the species — one mottled sculpin was observed — and then it was placed back into the creek.
In a Facebook post issued by the committee this week, they shared some facts about the newly identified fish species:
- Master of Camouflage: Their mottled coloring helps them blend into rocky stream beds and hide from predators
- No Swim Bladder: Mottled sculpins can't float like most fish. Instead, they stay on the streambed, moving skillfully between rocks and crevices
- Bottom Dweller: They spend their time on the creek bed, hiding under rocks and feeding on small invertebrates and insects
- Cold Water Lover: They thrive in cold, oxygen-rich streams and creeks, often found in northern streams or at higher elevations
- Ecosystem Indicator: Mottled sculpins depend on clean, cool, well-oxygenated water. Their presence is a strong sign of stream health
For more on the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee, click here.
The following fish species had been previously documented to have been in Junction Creek, in order from most common: Creek chub, northern redbelly dace, common shiner, yellow perch, brook stickleback, flathead minnow, brassy minnow, white sucker, central mudminnow, iowa darter, pearl dace, brown bullhead, pumpkin seed, blacknose shiner, finescale dace, brook trout, log perch, golden shiner.
The city also has an inventory of which fish species can be found in local lakes, which can be found by clicking here.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.