About the Project
The Town of Fort Erie and the Department of Fisheries & Oceans have reached an innovative agreement to conduct a two-year study of our grass pickerel populations. Partners in this study include the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, the Friends of Fort Erie’s Creeks and the Bert Miller Nature Club. Our Club’s role is to provide in-kind support consisting of field volunteers. Nick Mandrak, who spoke to our Club a couple years ago on invasive species of Asian carp, is over-seeing the study.
About the Grass Pickerel
The Grass Pickerel is a subspecies of the Redfin Pickerel and looks much like a smaller version of the other members of its Pike family. It is usually less than 300 mm, but can be up to 381 mm in length and weigh 397 grams. This smaller species of pickerel lives in several creeks in Fort Erie, including a section of Beaver Creek where the Town of Fort Erie would like to increase the rate of flow. Since the grass pickerel is listed as a species of special concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada drainage cannot be done without being certain this population would not be harmed.
There are several locations in Ontario and Quebec where this species occurs, but many populations have been extirpated due to degradation and destruction of wetlands.
Please consider volunteering your time with field work.