Salmon Parr spotted in upper Peverill’s Brook, June 14, 2024 “Toward the end of their first year, young salmon develop characteristic dark bars along their side with red spots distributed in between them and are referred to as parr. These markings help fish blend into their environment to avoid predators”- Source: Atlantic salmon… a remarkable life cycle (Fisheries and Oceans Canada). Photo extracted from GoPro Video taken by Karen Mckendry.
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Sandy Lake enthusiast and EAC’s Wilderness Outreach Coordinator Karen McKendry was curious about the state of upper Peverills Brook where it begins at the bottom of Sandy Lake, and in particular, whether she could she any evidence of Atlantic Salmon there.
Comments Karen” I was concerned that statements made in the recent Land Suitability Analysis for the Sandy Lake area downplay the fact that there are currently salmon coming into Sandy Lake from the Sackville River – not just historically. The Sandy Lake – Sackville River Regional Park Coalition has multiple instances in recent years where reliable sources have observed salmon in the lake or Peverill’s Brook. ”
Map showing location (red bubble) of the observations. PB= Peverill’s Brook.
Paddling into upper Peverills Brook on June 14th of this year, Karen spotted some small fish in the shallows and put her G0-Pro camera into the water, capturing a short video and a still photo of a small fish with distinct vertical bars.
Karen showed her footage to Walter Regan, who has led efforts to re-establish salmon in the Sackville River Watershed. “Yup, that’s a one-year old” he said. “It developed from eggs laid by an adult which then moved into Sandy Lake where it could reside in the cooler, deeper waters during the hot days of summer.” Continue reading
