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A person might contest the natural beauty of walleye, but it cannot be argued that these fish species have long captured the hearts and minds of anglers, seasonal visitors and biologists.
Like many species, fish are highly selective and sensitive to the environment around them. They will leave the depths of Georgian Bay to spawn in very specific parts of a river, only when the temperature and water flow are to their exact liking. Inevitably, natural and man-made changes upstream will affect life downstream, sometimes altering the number of fish that choose to spawn in a historically active river, as well as the success of the fry (juvenile fish). |
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Between 2016 and 2018, the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council (EGBSC) conducted research to evaluate eight rivers that flow through the Parry Sound District into Georgian Bay, determining the quality of spawning, nursery and foraging habitat suitable for walleye, lake sturgeon and sucker species. These habitats were assessed from the mouth of the river up to the first barrier to fish or major spawning area, such as a waterfall or dam. The overall goal of the project was to determine which areas, if any, warranted restoration efforts to create more suitable habitat conditions. Of the eight rivers surveyed, the Shebeshekong River north of Parry Sound was deemed as needing habitat restoration.
The Shebeshekong River watershed is a relatively small catchment area, beginning at Shebeshekong Lake and meandering for 15 kilometres before reaching Georgian Bay. Historically, walleye and sucker species would swim from Georgian Bay, past two sets of rapids, to spawn at rapids farther upstream. |
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