Environmental Trends 2002

Fish

Conservation Risk to Bull Trout in British Columbia

conservation risks to bull trout

Definitions for classifications are:

  • conservation risk – population is known to be in decline (data available) and threats are identified;
  • presumed conservation risk – current threats are believed to be significantly affecting the population and/or population is considered to be at risk;
  • conservation risk unknown – no presence/absence information; risk unknown – Bull Trout known to be present, but no information is available on population status or threats;
  • presumed healthy – viable for at least twenty years if no new threats are added to watershed and either real data showing populations are healthy or absence of significant threats and known occurrence in watershed;
  • no historical presence – Bull Trout are known to be historically absent from the watershed group.
SOURCE: BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection 2002. NOTES: Conservation risk data are based on expert opinion, as few data were available. This map delineates 246 watershed groupings, as described in the British Columbia Watershed Atlas.

What is the status of Bull Trout?

  • Bull Trout is used as an indicator because it is widely distributed in British Columbia and known to be sensitive to habitat changes, therefore its status may be representative of the health of the watershed.

  • Bull Trout are the only fish identified under the Forest Practices Code as "Identified Wildlife" requiring special management considerations. In British Columbia, Bull Trout are classified as Special Concern, and stringent fishing regulations are in place.

  • Few records have been collected on Bull Trout population trends. This indicator shows the opinion of regional experts on the conservation risk to Bull Trout populations in British Columbia.

  • Bull Trout populations in 34% of the watershed groups with known occurrences are considered to have a conservation risk.

  • Forty-three percent of watershed groups with known Bull Trout populations are presumed healthy and experts are uncertain of the status of Bull Trout in 22% of the watershed groups.

  • The main threat to Bull Trout is resource development (such as forestry and hydro-electric generation) that alters habitat at the watershed level. Road access also opens the area to over fishing and poaching.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].

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