A little less than a dozen nets have been used by the Department of Wildlife at Lake Boissonneault to catch fish. The samples were then sent to a lab in Sherbrooke to undergo a battery of tests.

It allows us to know if the species is very present, abundant or rare and we have to be carefulexplains the biologist of the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Jean-Sébastien Messier.

The pollutant content of the fish and their age, which can be determined from the bones, are also analyzed.

It allows us to examine them and read the growth rings. […] A growth ring corresponds to a year, just like a treeexplains the biologist.

The latter ensures that the Ministry tries to limit mortality as much as possible within the framework of this type of inventory.

” It really is a scientific necessity. Each fish is used for science to better know a body of water. »

Highly-anticipated results

The approach could eventually lead to the addition of safeguards for aquatic species. The Association des eaux et berges du lac Boissonneault, which normally carries out stocking of zander, is impatiently awaiting the results of the inventory.

Above all, we wanted to know whether the pike-perch that we release there can find a way to create a habitat there and breed in the lake.specifies the president of the association, Stéphane Larin.

The inventory is also a way to confirm whether the measures taken to protect the lake are bearing fruit.

We have nonetheless erected barriers to prevent contamination of the lake by invasive alien species, including our boat station ending its first season.he adds.

Jean-Sébastien Messier points out that the preliminary results for the three Estrie lakes analyzed are encouraging. However, the current national trend is not encouraging.

” In general, one observation we make is that the quality of lake habitat is deteriorating. »

The analyzes for the three Estrian lakes will continue this winter.

With information from Thomas Deshaies