A fish that has been on Canada's "at-risk" list for over 30 years has been discovered in a London-area creek.
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) announced on Tuesday the Black Redhorse has reappeared in Fish Creek. Conservation authority staff made what is described as an "exciting find" last summer. It is the first time in more than two decades the sucker species of fish has been found in the sub-watershed.
"This is a small victory, signaling that the creek remains habitable to one of our country’s most at-risk species," the conservation authority said.
It went on to state that the reappearance of the Black Redhorse in the creek also signals proactive measures implemented locally to support the species' recovery have been successful.
Through a federal habitat stewardship program for aquatic species at risk, the conservation authority has received more than $220,000 since 2019 to plant riparian buffers, install erosion control measures, and conduct monitoring surveys. Additional funding to continue this work has been committed until 2025.
The Black Redhorse is a threatened fish under the Species at Risk Act, a designation it first received in Canada in 1988. According to the conservation authority the species, which prefers moderate sized, cool, clear, fast-flowing streams, has faced many threats including pollution, climate change, severe weather, invasive species, biological resource use, human intrusion, and natural systems modifications.
The Thames River and the Grand River were previously identified as having the healthiest of the remaining Black Redhorse populations in Canada. Biologists believe those populations could play a pivotal role in future conservation strategies, including translocations or artificial propagation to bolster the species.
