What's up with the Humber River?

I've been fishing the middle stretch of the Humber since I was a teen, i'm in my early 30s now, and I've noticed the caliber and fish diversity has gone down the past 15 yrs of fishing it...

We still get the Salmon and Trout runs, but in late spring, summer, it use to be a great warm water fishery with such a diversity of species from bass to various panfish, catfish, carp, various sucker, but now those species don't seem to come up anymore, or at least not nearly in the numbers or sizes they use to...

Have they built up fish barriers or bigger dams recently? Possibly to control the goby or lamprey or to improve trout habitat? I'm definitely a strong supporter of conservation and reducing the spread of invasive species, but is it really conservation when so many native species are inhibited of using the habitat in favor of one species, especially non native species such as rainbow trout and pacific salmon?

July 08 Canada's Rivers Day the DFO were conducting a sea lamprey testing to see if they can remove the old mill dam. The removal of that dam and a couple other obstacles might help. The Humber has had lower water levels as well the tree coverage along its shorelines have disappeared. This causes warmer water levels and less oxygen. The sewage treatment plant at the mouth of the Humber and the countless storm water runoffs into the river bring so much contaminants to the river. The extra water surges from the storm water runoff destroy the aquatic vegetation through erosion when we have big storms. The population that lives around the Humber River has grown exponentially and so has the pollution entering the waterway. More anglers removing more fish. Yes the loss of the fishery and its diversity is a crime.

http://www.trca.on.ca/dotAsset/25855.pdf

or google "Humber River Fisheries Management Plan"

THanks.. Very informative answer.. I knew it had something to do with the weirs.. Many lake fish can't get up them, which is a huge shame, because some stretches of the humber offer great habitat for Largies and smallies, rock bass, and plenty of bottom fish... As much as I love my rainbows and browns, they are still non-native species, and I find it a shame when the fisheries here in Ontario are biased in their conservation methods which seems to exclusively benefit these species.

Drop_Shot said:

THanks.. Very informative answer.. I knew it had something to do with the weirs.. Many lake fish can't get up them, which is a huge shame, because some stretches of the humber offer great habitat for Largies and smallies, rock bass, and plenty of bottom fish... As much as I love my rainbows and browns, they are still non-native species, and I find it a shame when the fisheries here in Ontario are biased in their conservation methods which seems to exclusively benefit these species.

Click to expand...

Carp are also non-natives

Christopher K said:

Carp are also non-natives

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Yah and these weirs seem to benefit the non-native trout and carp the most! lol.... I'd love it if they tore down a few of these weirs and give the Smallmouth a chance to swim further up the river.. Then I wouldn't have to drive all the way to the Grand for an outing!