fishes of toronto - a guide to their remarkable world (2012)

8/19/2019 Fishes of Toronto - A Guide to Their Remarkable World (2012)

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FISHES OF TORONTOA GUIDE TO THEIR REMARKABLE WORLD

• City of Toronto Biodiversity Series •



Cover photo: Jon Clayton

Trout in the Humber River – A migrating Brown Trout attempts to jump a weir nearthe Old Mill Bridge, just north of Bloor Street. Between late September and earlyNovember migrating trouts and salmons can be seen at any of the weirs in theHumber River upstream of Bloor Street. These weirs are barriers to fish migrationand were modified (notched) to enable at least the larger jumping fishes tomigrate upstream to their spawning grounds. The removal of these migrationbarriers is a significant component of efforts associated with the restoration of thepreviously extirpated (locally extinct) native Atlantic Salmon.

Northern Pikeillustration: Charles Weiss

City of Toronto © 2012

ISBN 978-1-895739-63-3

Imagine a Toronto with flourishing natural habitats and anurban environment made safe for a great diversity of wildlifespecies. Envision a city whose residents treasure their daily encounterswith the remarkable and inspiring world of nature, and the variety of

plants and animals who share this world. Take pride in a Toronto thataspires to be a world leader in the development of urban initiativesthat will be critical to the preservation of our flora and fauna.



1TABLE OF CONTENTSWelcome from Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Need for Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Yesterday’s Habitats of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Brief History of Lake Ontario Fishes and Fish Habitat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Today’s Habitats of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Aquatic Ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Fish Anatomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Fishes of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Toronto’s (un)Official Fish: Atlantic Salmon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Coldwater Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Coolwater Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Warmwater Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Endangered Species: American Eel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Intentionally Introduced Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Checklist of Coldwater Fishes of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Checklist of Coolwater Fishes of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Checklist of Warmwater Fishes of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Spawning Calendar – Toronto and Southern Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Exceptional Sport Fishing Locations in Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Threats to Fishes of Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Invasive Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Urbanization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Fish-Friendly Policies in Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Toronto and Region Remedial Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 The Wet Weather Flow Master Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Stream Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Fish Migration Barrier Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Waterfront and Wetlands Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63How You Can Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Fishing Regulations in the Toronto Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Select Fishes and Fishing Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

1“Indeed, in its need for variety and acceptance of randomness, a flourishingnatural ecosystem is more like a city than like a plantation. Perhaps it will bethe city that reawakens our understanding and appreciation of nature, in allits teeming, unpredictable complexity.” – Jane Jacobs

Atlantic Salmon illustration: Charles Weiss



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Need for ActionTwo centuries of pollution and poor environmental stewardship havedramatically changed Lake Ontario and its tributaries (streams). Manyurban watercourses have been buried in pipes or their forested riparianzones (vegetated banks and floodplain) have been decimated. Waterpollution and traditional development methods continue to be seriousthreats to habitat and the fishes in our waters. The new Toronto GreenStandard, encompassing many of the City’s environmentally friendlyinitiatives, is one step in the right direction toward improving boththe water quality and the natural ecology of our watersheds (area ofland where surface water from rain or melting snow flows towards astream, lake, or other waterbody). But we must all do our part to reducepollution, be it from our vehicles, industry, or our homes. It’s not toolate, and it is the sincere hope of the City of Toronto and its partners thatthis informative booklet will help residents and visitors appreciate thewonders living in our waters and do everything they can to protect thefishes of Toronto for current and future generations to enjoy.

City of Toronto Biodiversity SeriesFishes of Toronto is part of the Biodiversity Series developed by the Cityof Toronto in honour of the Year of Biodiversity 2010. A number of thenon-human residents of Toronto will be profiled in the Series. It is hopedthat despite severe biodiversity loss due to massive urbanization, pollution,invasive species, habitat loss and climate change, the Biodiversity Serieswill help to re-connect people with the natural world, and raise awarenessof the seriousness that biodiversity loss represents and how it affects themdirectly. The Series will inform residents and visitors of opportunities toappreciate the variety of species inhabiting Toronto and how to help reducebiodiversity loss by making informed individual decisions.

Welcome!To encourage the celebration of all life on earth, the United Nationsdeclared 2010 to be the Year of Biodiversity. We congratulate theCity of Toronto for honouring this special year with this BiodiversitySeries celebrating the flora and fauna of our city. Each booklet within

the series – written by dedicated volunteers, both amateurs andprofessionals – offers Torontonians a comprehensive look at a majorgroup of flora and fauna within our city.

We hope that this Biodiversity Series will achieve its main goal: tocultivate a sense of stewardship in Toronto area residents. If each ofus becomes aware of the rich variety of life forms, their beauty andtheir critical roles within the varied ecosystems of Toronto, we willsurely be inspired to protect this natural heritage. After all, our ownhealth and ultimately our very survival is linked to the species andnatural spaces that share the planet with us. Without plants, there

would be no oxygen; without the life of the soil, there would be noplants; without unpolluted fresh water, we would die.

While there are many organizations actively engaged in protectingour city’s flora and fauna, the support of ordinary citizens is critical tothe conservation of our natural habitats. We hope you’ll take a walkin one of our parks and open spaces, lower your blood pressure, lookaround you, and enjoy thediversity of trees, animals,fishes, birds, flowers, and even

fungi that flourish among us.

With best wishes,Margaret Atwood andGraeme Gibson

January 2011



Paul Kane (1810-1871),Fishing by Torch Light , circa 1848-1856Native American Menominees spearfishing at night on Lake Michigan’sFox River in Wisconsin during the late 1840s. Light given off by the ironframe torches (light-jacks) attracted the fish. Painted in Toronto.Royal Ontario Museum Collection 912.1.10 ROM2005_5138_1

IntroductionTwo hundred years ago Toronto’s streams were clear and cold and full ofBrook Trout. Lake Ontario was pristine and teeming with Lake Trout andAtlantic Salmon. The Toronto Islands were a large sandy spit protecting ahuge wetland where Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and Walleye thrived.And the now rare Lake Sturgeon and American Eel were common.After the arrival of Europeans, a host of changes resulted in the destructionor deterioration of fish habitat. A total of 15 exotic fish species were eitherintentionally introduced for food and recreation, or invaded throughnavigational canals or the ballasts of ocean-going ships. Today,populations of most native fishes have declined dramaticallyand 10 species have disappeared entirely.

Although severely stressed, fish habitat still remains in Toronto, and effoare being made to improve and restore some of the lost habitat. Of theoriginal native species, 67 have survived. When the introduced andinvasive species are added, Toronto’s watercourses and adjacent LakeOntario contain a total of 82 established fish species.Unlike terrestrial plants and wildlife, fishes tend to be forgotten because are not easily observed. Yet a rich diversity of fishes in our waters is anindicator of good water quality, which is so essential to our existence. Thbook highlights that diversity and provides information on how and wherangle or observe our fishes. We tell you what is being done to help themthrive, and how you can help conserve and protect our fishes and thewaters in which they live.



4Yesterday’s Habitats of Toronto

From 1850-1910 stonehooking (the removal of gravel and rocks fromthe lake bottom for use in construction) was a major force in changingphysical conditions and shoreline processes. During this time period,one million cubic metres of aggregate were removed from TorontoHarbour alone – enough to cover the entire waterfront from EtobicokeCreek to the Rouge River with a layer one metre thick and extending25 metres offshore. Stonehooking destroyed large amounts of valuable

Historically, the Toronto waterfront was a rich mosaic of aquaticand terrestrial habitats, including bluffs and beaches, cobble reefs,estuaries and bays with productive marshes, wooded shorelines, andmeadows. Rivers and creeks supplied clear, cool water and providedhabitats for river-spawning fishes such as Atlantic Salmon. Nutrient-rich estuaries supported wetlands teeming with wildlife. Narrowsandy peninsulas (spits) provided protection from winds and waveaction. Sheltered stretches of shoreline were lined with lush standsof wetland vegetation. Much of nearshore Lake Ontario was covered

with sand, gravel, and stone.

European settlement of the Toronto watersheds in the late 1700s and

early 1800s resulted in profound changes to physical conditions inthe rivers and creeks, which in turn affected waterfront habitats, as

well as fishes and other wildlife.

These changes began with extensive clearing of the dense forest coverthat originally blanketed the uplands. As the forests were removed,and the land altered by grading, water and sediment runoff to thecreeks and rivers increased, resulting in excessive flooding and bankerosion downstream. Productive fish habitat in estuaries and wetlandsat the mouths of streams were choked by sediments. Numeroussawmills and gristmills were built along the banks of the streams.The mills discharged wastewater directly into the watercourses,resulting in water pollution and burying of fish spawning grounds.The millponds increased water temperatures, trapped sediments andaltered flow patterns. The mill dams also created barriers to fishesmoving upstream. The Atlantic Salmon that were once plentiful inthis area declined rapidly, with the last recorded catch in TorontoHarbour occurring in 1874.

Plan of York, Toronto Harbour in 1818, Ashbridge’s Marsh on rightcredit: Surveyed and drawn by Lieutenant George Phillpotts, Royal Engineer



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aquatic habitat, and the shoreline was exposed to accelerated erosion

from waves and currents.Other early shoreline alterations included weed removal, filling inof wetlands and small streams, hardening (using concrete, metal,and boulders) of the shoreline, and channelization of watercourses.

A map of Toronto Harbour in 1818 (see previous page) shows earlyshoreline modifications in the form of docks, jetties and filling ofsmall creeks. By 1913, further alterations included navigable channelssuch as the Western and Eastern Gaps and the Keating Channel (at

Fishing in the Don River, circa 1908 © City of Toronto Archives, fonds 1244, item 8159

“All men are equal before fish.” – Herbert Hoover

Map showing Toronto’s shoreline, 1913credit: Ontario Department of Lands Forests & Mines - Bureau of Mines

the mouth of the Don River). During the industrial period from

1900-1960, extensive lakefilling transformed the lakefront. The huge Ashbridge’s Marsh, approximately 8 km2, one of the largest wetlandsin Eastern Canada, was drained and filled between 1912 and 1920 tocreate the Port Industrial District (the land currently around Cherryand Commissioners Streets). Other lakefilling sites included most ofthe central waterfront south of Front Street, portions of the TorontoIslands including the airport, the Leslie Street Spit, Ontario Place,and Sunnyside and Woodbine Beaches.



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1600s Prominent aboriginal fisheries for AtlanticSalmon (e.g., Credit River, Mississauga)

1615 Étienne Brûlé becomes the first European to visitthe land that eventually became Toronto whileon a mission to build alliances with nativepeoples

1656 Jesuits capture Atlantic Salmon, catfish, andeels on the Oswego River (near Oswego, NewYork)

1670 Large numbers of Atlantic Salmon observedspawning in the Humber River

1700s Beaver trapping was widespread. The trappingof beaver (and loss of their dams) was the firstmajor ecological change of trout and salmonhabitats by humans

1749 Lake Ontario described as “very transparent; at18 feet, the bottom can be seen as if one saw itthrough polished glass”

1750 Fort Toronto (Fort Rouillé) was built by theFrench near the mouth of the Humber River

1792 Observer reports “Lake Ontario and all riversthat fall into it, abound with excellent salmonand many different kinds of sea fish whichcome up the St. Lawrence”

1793 English ships enter Toronto Bay (TorontoHarbour) and begin the British era of settlementand control

1793 Atlantic Salmon noted in the Don River1793 Large flocks of passenger pigeons were still

prominent around Castle Frank (Don River)1793 Sawmill on the Humber River1795 Grist and sawmills on the Don River1796 Red trout (likely Brook Trout) were caught

through holes in the ice on the Don River1796 Bears, wolves, deer, and bald eagles are

observed around York (Toronto)1798 York (Toronto) newspaper, announcing a farm

sale, extolled the property “above all, it affordsan excellent salmon fishery, large enough tosupport a number of families…”

1864 Suggestion that certain salmon streams in Ontarioshould be set apart specifically and solely fornatural propagation purposes, with the Moira(near Belleville) and Credit Rivers being

recommended1866 Conservationist and fish culture pioneer SamuelWilmot created the first Canadian hatchery forAtlantic Salmon on Wilmot Creek, nearNewcastle.

1870s Common Carp introduced into USA side of LakeOntario

1870 Seth Green, the “Father of Fish Culture in NorthAmerica”, introduces American Shad fry

1870 Oakville (16 Mile) Creek, Highland Creek, RougeRiver, Duffins Creek, Bowmanville Creek set asidefor natural and artificial propagation of salmons

1873 Alewife reported in abundance1874 Rainbow Trout introduced to New York State sideof the Lake1874 68,000 juvenile Chinook Salmon released into

Wilmot Creek (taken from the Sacramento River,California)

1875 Wilmot states that “shoals of herring do not, asformerly, come so near the shore because thegravel, which composed the bottom almost to theshore, has gradually become covered with sand”

1878 Brief increase in Atlantic Salmon population untiltheir ultimate crash in the 1890s

1880s Resident Brook Trout were gone from lowerportions of Lake Ontario tributaries and scarce inthe upper portions by 1890

1880s Northern Pike populations increased1880 Common Carp introduced into Ontario1880 75-80% of forests in southern Ontario cleared for

farming and urban uses1881 Samuel Wilmot notes broad environmental change

on land through removal of trees, cultivation ofland, runoff from farms, construction of dams, andthe addition of industrial and human sewage.Wilmot gives up trying to rehabilitate LakeOntario’s Atlantic Salmon, lamenting that “I cannotdisguise from myself that the time is gone by

1800s The quantity of Lake Whitefish and otherspecies taken in nets was described as“immense.” Whitefish were used as fertilizer,and small Lake Whitefish, Cisco, and Lake

Sturgeon were “destroyed as nuisances”.1807 First fishing regulation for the preservation ofsalmons, forbids the use of commercial fishingequipment in or at the mouth of any river in theHome (Toronto, York, Peel, Halton) andNewcastle (Durham and Northumberland)districts. A provision states “nothing in this Actshall be constructed to prevent persons at anytime from taking salmon with a spear or hookand line”.

1810 1807 regulation was revoked; new regulationsimposed a closed season from October 25 to January 1, along with fishing within 100 yardsof a dam and netting at river mouths in the

Home District1810 Salmons… “swarmed the rivers so thickly thatthey were thrown out with a shovel and evenwith the hand”.

1815 Stone hooking started along Lake Ontarioshoreline/nearshore environments.

1824 At least 13 mills existed on the Humber Riverand its tributaries.

1825 Erie Canal construction begins connecting LakeOntario to the Hudson River.

1835 Record of Sea Lamprey in Duffins Creek (nearAjax)

1846 Evidence to suggest that salmon stocks wereconsiderably less abundant than formerly

1846 60 mills on the Humber River and its tributaries1850s 87 mills on the Credit River1851 Record of Sea Lamprey parasitizing Atlantic

Salmon1860s Lake Trout begin to decline.1860s Cultivation of the land reached its peak in the

Lake watershed.1860 90 mills on the Humber River and its tributaries1864 50 mills on the Don River and its tributaries

Brief History of Lake Ontario Fishes and Fish Habitat



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forever for the growth of salmon and speckledtrout (Brook Trout) in the frontier streams ofOntario”

1882 Chinook Salmon stocking abandoned1884 Passenger pigeons functionally extinct1890s Freshwater mussels harvested for button industry1890 Lake Trout considered essentially gone from Lake

Ontario1890 Alewife considered the most abundant fish in the

lake1898 Atlantic Salmon extirpated from Lake Ontario

1900s Beaver populations were scarce1900s Bronte Creek (Halton Region near Burlington/

Oakville) watershed reduced to 4% forest coverthrough deforestation from roughly 100% cover a

century before1900s Credit River watershed reduced to 3-5% forestcover through deforestation

1916 Chinook stocking reinstated; 100,000 ChinookSalmon from the Fraser River (British Columbia)were stocked

1918 Ontario Department of Game and Fisheriesintroduces policy designed to establish wild-reproducing, self-sustaining populations ofRainbow Trout in the Great Lakes

1919 Numerous reports of returning adult ChinookSalmon, and reports of successful wild spawningin the Credit River and Twelve Mile Creek (Bronte

Creek)1922 Rainbow Trout stocked into Bronte Creek and theHumber River

1929 Ontario introduces Brown Trout into tributaries ofLake Ontario

1931 Rainbow Smelt first reported in Lake Ontario1933 Chinook Salmon stocking considered a failure;

lack of self-sustaining permanent populations1940 Beaver populations begin to recover1940s Reforestation projects begin in southern Ontario

(e.g., Ganaraska Forest)

Ice Fishing at the Toronto Islands, circa 1910

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Fishing at High Park’sGrenadier Pond, circa 1939

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1940s Abundant Rainbow Trout populationsestablished in Canadian tributaries of LakeOntario

1940s Contamination from dioxins and similarchemicals were high enough to eliminateall natural reproduction in Lake Trout.

1944 Atlantic Salmon stocked into Duffins Creek until1947

1947 Confirmed spawning of Rainbow Trout inDuffin’s Creek

1948 White Perch found to have invaded.1969 Coho Salmon introduced.1971 Large increase in the numbers of Chinook

Salmon stocked1972 USEPA Clean Waters Act passed1972 Canada/USA Great Lakes Water Quality

Agreement1987 Toronto & Region designated as one of

43 Areas of Concern (AOC) in the Great Lakesby the International Joint Commission, initiatingthe first stage of the area’s Remedial ActionPlan (RAP)

1988 Zebra Mussel invaded1990s Large numbers of wild juvenile Chinook

and Coho Salmon discovered on north shoretributaries

1998 Round Goby invaded

2003 City of Toronto adopted the Wet Weather FlowMaster Plan (WWFMP) to improve the qualityof the City’s surface waters

2005 August 19, a massive 100-year storm hits theToronto area, dropping over 150 mmof rain in under 2 hours, causing severedamage to many urban streams

2006 Full-scale Atlantic Salmon restoration begins in Lake Ontario streams

2011 Atlantic Salmon restoration on the HumberRiver begins with the stocking of 100,000 fry



8Today’s Habitats of Toronto

Within the City of Toronto there are six watersheds (from west toeast: Etobicoke Creek, Mimico Creek, Humber River, Don River,Highland Creek, Rouge River) totaling over 320 km of streams,and including the Toronto Islands, there is approximately 150 kmof Lake Ontario shoreline. These surface waters currently providehabitat for fishes and have all been subject to varying degrees ofurbanization with subsequent negative impacts to fish habitat.

The Highland Creek watershed (entirely contained within the City) isthe most developed watershed in Toronto with over 85% urbanization.The other watercourses have lower percentages of urbanization becausetheir watersheds also include the rural areas north of Toronto. Theextent of development has left little in terms of riparian vegetation alongmany segments of Toronto’s rivers and creeks. This has an adverseeffect on fish habitat by limiting cover, reducing shade and causing

warming, and increasing erosion. Large sections of the streams havebeen channelized which results in these reaches being essentially void ofaquatic life. There are also numerous in-stream barriers which restrictboth jumping and non-jumping fish movement and migration toupstream habitat.

Through the development of watershed-based Fisheries ManagementPlans, Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA), in conjunction withits partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the public,protect and enhance aquatic habitat in each of the watershedsthroughout Toronto. The fisheries management plans for the Don andHumber Rivers identified in-stream barriers as one of the limitations tothe health of the aquatic community. Many barrier removal projectshave been completed, and migrating salmonids, such as Chinook

Salmon and Rainbow Trout, are now found as far as 20-30 kmupstream of Lake Ontario.

Even though there is little in Toronto that has not been impacted byurbanization, there are still many locations where there are thrivingfish populations (see Exceptional Sport Fishing Locations in Toronto,pages 44-46). The City’s watercourses still offer productive habitat forfishes and other aquatic life. Many of the fishes found in the Lake usethese habitats for various stages of their life cycles. The Rouge River,Fishing Highland Creek

photo: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water



9“The two best times to fish is when it’s rainin’ and when it ain’t.” – Patrick F. McManus

Aquatic vegetation planting and shoreline restoration at Tommy Thompson Parkphoto: TRCA

Toronto Islands – exceptional fish habitat and recreational opportunitiesphoto: TRCA

being the least urbanized watershed in Toronto, has a fish communitythat includes even sensitive species such as Redside Dace, Brook Trout,

American Brook Lamprey, Mottled Sculpin, and Rainbow Darter. Alsolightly developed, the Toronto Islands provide a refuge of relativelyundisturbed fish habitat and support fishes such as the rare AmericanEel. Within the Islands, there are areas that have been restored orconstructed to provide excellent aquatic habitat. Many other areas ofthe Lake Ontario waterfront have also been restored/improved and nowprovide excellent fish habitat. Examples include Colonel Samuel SmithPark, Humber Bay Park, sites within the Inner Harbour, TommyThompson Park, and numerous points along the Eastern Beaches andScarborough Bluffs.

The good news is that there continues to be numerous ongoing andplanned initiatives to help the fish community of Toronto thrive. Thefuture looks great for the fishes of Toronto.

Claire Crowly holding a Chinook Salmon caught in theKeating Channel at the mouth of the Don River duringTRCA monitoringphoto: TRCA



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Ponds and Small LakesThese aquatic ecosystems tend to be shallowerand warmer than larger systems. Due to theirrelatively small volume, ponds and lakes can beinfluenced quickly and dramatically by adjacentland use, and runoff events from the surroundingwatershed. Ponds and small lakes generally hosta relatively simple fish community, which may in-

clude minnows, sunfishes (Bluegill, Pumpkinseed,Largemouth Bass), and Northern Pike. Unless thepond or small lake is connected to another water-

body, fishes living in small ponds and lakes arepermanent residents. Ponds and small lakes areoften warm in the summer and covered by ice inthe winter, further influencing which species willlive there. In the Toronto area, Grenadier Pond inHigh Park is an example of this type ofecosystem.

Rivers and CreeksThese ecosystems are characterized by movingwater. They tend to be cooler and shallower, com-

pared to other aquatic ecosystems in the Torontoarea. Many fish species spend their entire lives instreams; but other fishes migrate in and out ofstreams during specific periods in their lives, forexample, during spawning. In the Toronto area,White Sucker, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, andChinook Salmon are conspicuous stream-dwellersfor at least part of the year. The streams are oftenice-free and accessible to fishes all year; however,seasonally fluctuating water levels and man-madebarriers can limit fish movement. Within Toronto,there are many smaller streams (creeks andbrooks) and three large watercourses: theHumber, Don, and Rouge rivers.

Highland Creek at Kingston Roadphoto: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

Pond in High Parkphoto: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

Walleyeillustrations: Charles Weiss

Aquatic Ecosystems

Aquatic ecosystems are complex systemsmade up of many interacting components(fishes, plants, insects, zooplankton, nutrients,rocks, soil). Although water is central toaquatic ecosystems, the water’s edge does notstrictly define the boundaries of an aquaticecosystem. Activities taking place in the

watershed, such as construction and land-use,influence ecosystem health.

The aquatic ecosystems in the Toronto areacan be broadly characterized into several

types, including: ponds and small lakes, riversand creeks, wetlands, and Lake Ontario (bothnearshore and offshore). The physical andchemical properties of these aquatic featuresdetermine what kind of habitat is available,and in turn, the type and abundance oforganisms that live there.



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WetlandsWetlands are shallow, productive, warmwater areas often located aroundthe margins of streams and lakes. They are usually defined by an abun-

dance of cattails, water lilies, and submerged aquatic vegetation.Wetlands are dynamic, growing and receding seasonally. They play an im-

portant role in controlling and regulating water runoff (thereby reducingerosion), filtering and cleansing water, as well as providing important habi-

tat for plants and animals. Many fish species, including minnows, sunfishes,and juvenile sport fishes live in and around wetlands, and use them asfeeding and nursery areas. Because of their location, wetlands are fre-

quently areas prized for development. Careful planning and managementmust be done to prevent degradation of these sensitive areas. The City ofToronto has six “Provincially Significant Wetlands”, including the LowerHumber River Wetland Complex, the East Don Valley Wetland Complexand the Rouge River Marshes Wetland Complex.

Lake OntarioLake Ontario is the 14th largest lake in the world, and is part of theLaurentian Great Lakes, which collectively contain one-fifth of the worlfresh water. Although Lake Ontario has a small surface area, relative to tother Great Lakes, an average depth of 86 m (283 ft) is second only toLake Superior. Toronto is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario’sWestern Basin. Salmonids such as Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, LakeTrout and Rainbow Trout are found in this part of the lake. These speciescontribute to a prized offshore sport fishery in the Toronto area, as well aalong the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The nearshore areas of LakeOntario adjacent to Toronto are much shallower and warmer, providinghabitat for species such as sunfishes, Northern Pike, Brown Bullhead, anChannel Catfish. Nearshore habitats are popular angling destinations, wiAshbridge’s Bay, Toronto Islands, and Bluffer’s Park offering people thechance to catch fishes relatively close to shore.

Rouge River marshes just upstream of the river’s mouth at Lake Ontariophoto: TRCA

Lake Ontario at Bluffer’s Beach Park – Toronto staff collecting samples for theBeaches’ Water Quality Monitoring Programphoto: Toronto Water

“Everyone should believe in something; I believe I’ll go fishing.” – Henry David Thoreau



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Internal

Fish Anatomy

All fishes have fins used for manoeuvring, stabilizing,propulsion, and braking. Fins vary greatly in structure, size,and number of rays between species. Some fishes such astrouts and salmons have a small fleshy adipose fin on theback behind the main dorsal fin.

The mouth of a fish varies from tiny to very large and canbe oriented downward, straight ahead, or upward. Somefishes have one or more fleshy whiskers (barbels) aroundtheir mouth, which are covered in taste sensors. Teethmay be found not only on the jaws, but on the roof of themouth, the tongue, or in the throat. The skin of a fish is

usually covered with scales varying greatly in size amongspecies and can be smooth (cycloid) as in trouts, rough(ctenoid) as in sunfishes, or bony (ganoid) as in gars. Fishessuch as catfishes and lampreys have no scales.

Fishes breathe by extracting dissolved oxygen from waterusing gills (similar to how our lungs extract oxygen fromthe air). These gills are located on bony arches, and usuallyhave bony projections called gill rakers. In some fishes, thegill rakers act to filter out and trap prey and food particles.Buoyancy is usually controlled using a gas-filled sac calleda swimbladder, where gases can be added or removed fromthe blood with changes in depth.

Along the side of a fish, there is usually a lateral l ine, anarrow tube full of sensors, that detect changes in waterpressure resulting from other organisms moving throughthe water. This is useful for schooling, prey detection, andpredator avoidance.

dorsal fin (spiny rayed)

operculum (gill cover)dorsal fin (soft rayed)

lateral line

pectoral fin

eye

nares (nostrils)

mouth

pelvic fin

swimbladder

kidneyspine

brainolfactory

bulb

gills

gill rakers

heartliver

spleenanus

urinary bladder muscle tissuestomach

gall bladder testis

intestine

anal fin

caudal fin (tail)

caudal peduncle

External

Pumpkinseedillustrations: Charles Weiss



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Toronto’s best known fish in 1800 is today the most forgotten.Considered the greatest freshwater population of the species in the

world when European settlers arrived in Ontario, Lake Ontario’s Atlantic Salmon population had disappeared by 1898, when the lastconfirmed native salmon was caught off the Scarborough shoreline.The original population was present in such a high abundance that it

was a primary food source for both Aboriginals and settlers before theestablishment of farms; property values were enhanced by the presenceof Atlantic Salmon, and towns were named after salmon.

Atlantic Salmon arrived in Lake Ontario 12,000 years ago from the Atlantic Ocean as the last ice age came to an end and the ice sheets thatonce covered Ontario slowly moved northward. The Atlantic Salmon,like most other salmonid species, lays its eggs in cold, freshwaterstreams, where the eggs hatch and the juvenile fishes migrate out to thesaltwater of the ocean. However, because they already live part of theirlives in fresh water, these types of fishes can adapt to living entirelyin fresh water, using the lake as if it were an ocean. Although someindividuals may have migrated through the St. Lawrence River to the

Atlantic Ocean, historical evidence suggests the Lake Ontario AtlanticSalmon adapted to living its entire life in fresh water.

Toronto’s (un)Official Fish: Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)

Fishes of Toronto

~“The Atlantic Salmon was one of the first Canadian fishes in the Great Lakesregion to disappear as a result of man’s careless use of natural resources. It wasto be the first of many. In Lake Ontario the erection of mill dams on streamsdenied it access to spawning grounds. It was also the first to suffer from DDTsprays (in New Brunswick), hydro-electric dam construction, domestic pollution,and a thousand and one other indignities thrust upon the environment by man.”– Scott and Crossman, Freshwater Fishes of Canada , 1973.

Atlantic Salmon photo: Montreal Biodome

Unfortunately, their reliance on rivers as part of their reproductive cycle was central to their extirpation (local extinction) from Lake Ontario asEuropean settlement progressed through the 19th century. As southernOntario changed from forest to towns and farmlands, significantchanges occurred that were detrimental to Atlantic Salmon. As trees

were cut down, stream temperatures and erosion increased, eliminatingthe cold water and rocky river bottoms needed for spawning andnursery habitat. Pollutants and other materials were also dumpedindiscriminately into the streams.

The Atlantic Salmon was also unable to access any remaining goodhabitat as the need for water power resulted in mill dams being built onalmost all tributaries running into Lake Ontario. Toronto’s HumberRiver for example, still had over 110 barriers to fish passage on it in the1990s. The Atlantic Salmon is a fantastic jumper, its scientific nameSalmo salar translates as the “leaping salmon,” but taller dams and therepeated need to jump meant they could not reach spawning areas.



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The final factor behind the loss of Atlantic Salmon from Lake Ontario was the sustenance fishery, which caught Atlantic Salmon during theirspawning runs. Historic records tell of hundreds and thousands of fishbeing taken in a single night, caught using nets and spears.

Lake Ontario water quality and habitat improvements over thepast 30 to 40 years have been so successful that Atlantic Salmonrestoration was considered feasible by 2006. That year, a partnership

was formed between the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources,corporate sponsors, and Ontario Federation of Anglers and Huntersto initiate a full restoration program for Atlantic Salmon. Workingin five-year phases, best-bet streams will be targeted as new home

streams with the goal of returning a self-sustaining population to LakeOntario. Restoration efforts are focused on four program areas: FishProduction and Stocking; Habitat and Water Quality Enhancement/Protection; Research and Assessment; and Education and Outreach.

Through early 2011, over 3.5 million Atlantic Salmon have beenreleased, more than 110 habitat projects completed, thousands of

Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program – Each fall, adult Atlantic Salmon, housed in a provincial hatchery, produce millions of eggs thatare raised into juvenile fish and released into the wild to restore this species to Lake Ontario.From left to right: eggs, alevin (sac fry), parr (spring fingerling), parr (yearling).

students helped raise fish in their schools, and the adult AtlanticSalmon is returning to Ontario’s streams and spawning. Recently,stocking of the Humber River of large numbers of young AtlanticSalmon started, adding it to the list of rivers targeted for restoration ofthis signature species.

Adult Atlantic Salmon photo: John Kendell

photo: OFAHphoto: MNR photo: MNRphoto: MNR

Atlantic Salmon – quick biological facts• spawn in cool and clear water streams, October through November• females deposit 500 to 1600 eggs/kg of body weight• reach sexual maturity at 2-4 kg and can grow to over 10 kg• build redds – shallow nesting depressions “excavated” in clean gravel

where eggs are laid and then covered back over after fertilization• do NOT die after spawning and may live for more than 10 years• imprint on the stream where hatched and return as adults to spawn

after spending 1-3 yrs in the Lake; may return to spawn numerous times• can jump over 3 m and reach swimming speeds of up to 30 km/h• only distantly related to Pacific salmons; closely related to Brown Trout

“If wishes were fishes we’d all cast nets.” – Frank Herbert



15

• the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon is a permanent freshwaterresident, spending its adult life in the Lake, instead ofmigrating to the ocean

• adults turn dark bronze and migrate up the streams in thefall to spawn

• spawning females lay approximately 2000 to 8000Eggs (5 to 7 mm in diameter)

• eggs hatch late winter/early spring, about 3 months afterfertilization

• newly hatched Alevin (1 to 3 cm) remain buried in thegravel nest (redd) and feed off their yolk-sacs for 1 to 3months

• emerge from their redd as free swimmingFry (3 to 8 cm)and begin foraging for food

• enter theParr stage (6 to 20 cm) at about 3 to 6 monthsand develop large dark vertical parr marks on the sides oftheir body

• remain in the stream until 1 to 3 years of age, feedingon aquatic invertebrates (insects and their larvae) andterrestrial insects that fall into the stream or live on thesurface

• when ready to swim downstream to Lake Ontario, theychange from dark to bright silver and lose their parrmarkings, becomingSmolts (14 to 25 cm)

• grow and mature in the Lake for 1 to 3 more years (40 to100 cm) until ready to spawn

• Adults feed on invertebrates (insects, crayfishes), Cisco, Alewife,

Rainbow Smelt, shiners, and sometimes sculpins and Round Goby• usually return to their native streams, migrating to the headwaters tospawn at about 3 to 5 years old

• individuals that spawn after only one year in the Lake are calledGrilse • of the eggs laid, only about 20% (400-1600) hatch, typically only 5%

(100-400) reach Lake Ontario as Smolts, and on average only 0.25%(5-20) actually reach spawning age

• while migrating they typically forage very little until after spawning• unlike Pacific salmons, most Atlantic Salmon do NOT die after spawning

and return to the Lake

• returning adults resume feeding and change back to a silver colour• a small percentage of Atlantic Salmon survive several spawning runs• wild Atlantic Salmon can live up to 20 years, but have a typical

maximum age of 9 to 11 years• the adult Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon is typically 3 to 10 kg• record catches in Europe have been over 35 kg and 150+ cm; but in

Lake Ontario the historic population record is just over 20 kg• the largest recorded Atlantic Salmon caught from the newly restored

(post 1980) Lake Ontario population is 11 kg

illustration: Judy Pennanen, Atlantic Salmon Federation

Typical Atlantic Salmon Spawning and Life Cycle Facts



16ColdwaterFishesColdwater fishes aregenerally found wherethe water temperaturedoes not exceed 19°C.

This includes coldspring-fed streams andthe deep waters of lakeswhere the temperaturestays cold in thesummertime. Many ofthem are small-scaled,smooth-skinned, andstreamlined fishes thatswim continuously. Manymigrate great distancesfrom their feedinggrounds in lakes to theheadwaters of coldwaterstreams where theyspawn in the fall, winter,or early spring in waterthat is usually below10°C. Coldwater fishesinclude all of the trouts,salmons, and whitefishesalong with their smallerprey species such as the

Alewife, Rainbow Smelt,sculpins, sticklebacks,and Trout-perch. Alsoincluded are lampreys,such as the Sea Lamprey,which is a devastatingpredator of coldwaterfishes. Most of thelarge coldwater fishesare valuable game andcommercial fishes.

Burbot

Rainbow Smelt

Alewife

Lake Chub

Threespine Stickleback

American Brook Lamprey

Slimy Sculpin

Trout-perch

Sea Lamprey



17

Brook Trout

Cisco

Brown Trout

Lake Trout

Lake Whitefish

Chinook Salmon

Rainbow Trout

Round Whitefish

Coho Salmon

“One fish. Two fish. Red fish. Blue fish. Black fish. Blue fish. Old fish. New fish. This one has a little star. This one has a little car. Say!What a lot of fish there are.” – Dr. Seuss



“Scattered Alewife and Chinook Salmon” illustration: Charles Weiss



19Featured Coldwater Fish:Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii) The Mottled Sculpin is a small fish (maximum size is about 15 cm)

with large eyes located near the top of its head. It has relatively largefins, and lacks scales. The Mottled Sculpin is widespread in easternCanada from Labrador to Manitoba with isolated populations insouthern parts of British Columbia and Alberta. It inhabits cold,clear water in both streams and lakes and is often found over gravelriffles (turbulent shallow water) and along rocky shores. This bottomdwelling fish eats mainly aquatic insect larvae and, to a lesser extent,small fishes and crustaceans. Contrary to fishing folklore, the MottledSculpin is not considered to be a significant predator of trout eggs,but in fact is a common food source of many predatory fish species,

including Lake Trout, Brook Trout, and Northern Pike. They areoccasionally used as bait by anglers, but are not a preferred bait species.The Mottled Sculpin’s average life span is 4 to 6 years, and sexual

Mottled Sculpinphoto: Bruce Gebhardt

maturity is reached once they are approximately two years old. Thefemales produce anywhere from a couple dozen to a few hundredeggs. The males select and protect the nest for up to 2 months, untilthe fry disperse about 2 weeks after hatching. Their nests couldhave many hundreds of fertilized eggs as the larger males may mate

with ten or more females each year. The invasive Round Goby is acompetitive threat to Mottled Sculpin populations where they co-exist. The goby bears a superficial resemblance to sculpins; however,the Round Goby possesses a distinctive fused pelvic fin (looks likea suction cup) and has scales. Throughout its range the MottledSculpin is not typically a threatened or endangered species, but they

are known to be very sensitive to certain pollutants, such as heavymetals. As such, they are considered by many to be an indicatorspecies for water quality conditions in streams.



20CoolwaterFishesCoolwater fishes aregenerally found wherethe water temperatureis between 19°C and

25°C. Compared to cold-water fishes, they occurin the warmer parts ofcold spring-fed streamsand in the shallowerparts of lakes. Many ofour coolwater fishes aresmall-bodied minnowsand darters, but a fewgrow larger, including,Northern Pike, YellowPerch, and Walleye. Mostcoolwater fishes are non-migratory, moving onlyshort distances to theirspawning grounds. Theyspawn in the spring orearly summer, usuallyin water that is above10°C but may be as highas 25°C. A few under-take longer migrationsto spawning grounds,

including the LakeSturgeon and AmericanEel. The most widespreadand abundant fishesin Toronto’s streams,Blacknose Dace, LongnoseDace, Creek Chub, andWhite Sucker, are all spe-cies tolerant to the poorwater quality typical ofurban watercourses. Northern Redbelly Dace

Golden Shiner

Common Shiner

Blacknose Dace

Redside Dace

Hornyhead Chub

Creek Chub

Blacknose Shiner

Spottail Shiner

Longnose Dace

Emerald Shiner

Brassy Minnow



21

White Sucker

Walleye

Johnny Darter

Round Goby

Rock Bass

Yellow Perch

Logperch

Central Mudminnow

Smallmouth Bass

Brook Stickleback

Rainbow Darter

Iowa Darter



“Sundown on the Lake” Walleye feeding on Yellow Perch

illustration: Charles Weiss



23Featured Coolwater Fish:Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) The Lake Sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in Ontario, capable ofreaching lengths of almost 3 m (9 ft) and weighing over 100 kg (220

lbs). It is a unique member of Lake Ontario’s fish community for avariety of reasons: its skeleton is made of cartilage (like a shark) andnot bone, it has large bony shields or “scutes” rather than scales, andit uses a combination of sensory pores and barbels to locate its food,

which it sucks up from muddy stream and lake beds using a vacuum-like mouth. Females are larger at maturity and live longer than males.Large females have been reported to live for more than 150 years,compared to a maximum age of approximately 50-60 years for males.Sturgeon do not become sexually mature until 8-14 years of age, and

spawn at intervals of 4-8 years after that. Its life history traits (slowgrowth rates, late maturity and low reproductive rates) has made theLake Sturgeon especially vulnerable to exploitation.

Although originally considered worthless by European settlers,sturgeon were fished intensively from 1860-1900 for their eggs(caviar) and their flesh, which was considered a delicacy whenprepared by smoking. Historical documents suggest that sturgeonspawned in the Don River prior to their population declining inthe 1840s. Subsequent habitat degradation from damming rivers,dredging, and water pollution further reduced numbers and they have

been at a low abundance in the Lake Ontario system for over a century.In an effort to slow the population’s rate of decline, recreational and

commercial fisheries for Lake Sturgeon was closed in Lake Ontarioand its watershed in 1984. Warming waters due to climate change andpoisoning from eating contaminated Zebra Mussel and Quagga Musselmay further impact the future of these remarkable fish.

Sturgeon populations still exist in Lake Ontario and there are signs ofsmall increases in the populationsin the lower Niagara River andupper St. Lawrence River. LakeSturgeon are currently listed as“Threatened” under the OntarioEndangered Species Act.

Lake Sturgeonillustration: Charles Weiss

Lake Sturgeonphotos: Gregory Lashbrook



Northern Pike caught in May of 2010 by Mike Puusa, an avid angler who enjoysthe excellent fishing that can be found around the Toronto Islands. photo: Mike Correa



Featured Coolwater Fish:Northern Pike (Esox lucius)

While many of Toronto’s fish species are found elsewhere in easternCanada and North America, few are found throughout both Canadaand the rest of the northern hemisphere. The Northern Pike,however, is very widespread. It ranges from Alaska to Missouri,Europe to Siberia and is one of the most well known freshwaterspecies in the world.

A long, narrow fish with a ferocious-looking grin, the Northern Pikeis a coolwater predator and a popular sport fish. They spawn in Apriland May, and require vegetated areas in bays, marshes, and streams in

which to scatter their eggs. They often spawn in water less than

20 cm deep, and the young fish need similar habitat, which leavesthem vulnerable to changes in water level. Older juvenile and adult

Northern Pikephoto: Nature’s Images Inc.

pike live in generally similar, but somewhat deeper, habitat – slow-moving rivers or weedy areas of lakes. Young pike grow quickly. Oncethey are 50 mm or longer, they feed mainly on other fishes, frogs, andcrayfishes. Larger Northern Pike will occasionally eat ducks and mice!

Female Northern Pike in Toronto reach maturity between 2 and 4years of age, with males maturing earlier. While they can live for morethan 20 years, a more typical lifespan is 10-12 years. The largestrecorded Northern Pike caught in Ontario weighed just over 19 kg(42 lbs).

For exceptional fishing locations in Toronto, see pages 44-46.

25



26

Sand Shiner

Fathead Minnow

Bluntnose Minnow

Bowfin

Spotfin Shiner

Goldfish

Central Stoneroller

Freshwater Drum

Brook Silverside

Rosyface Shiner

Common Carp

Longnose Gar

WarmwaterFishesWarmwater fishes aregenerally found wherethe maximum watertemperature often

exceeds 25°C. Theyare found in the moredownstream and slowersections of streams andin the shallowest wa-ters of lakes. They areoften more deep-bodied,rough-scaled, and lessstream-lined fishes thatmove slowly or sit stillin the water when theyare not pouncing ontheir prey. They includea range of both smalland large fishes, thecatfishes, the sunfishes,and the temperatebasses. They spawn inlate spring or summer,usually in water thatis warmer than 15°Cand often above 20°C.Popular warmwater sport

fish species include theLargemouth Bass (page28), sunfishes, and thenon-native CommonCarp (page 34).



27

Pumpkinseed

Black Crappie

Tadpole Madtom

Brown Bullhead

White Bass

Bluegill

Northern Hog Sucker

Channel Catfish

White Perch

Green Sunfish

Shorthead Redhorse

Stonecat



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lily pads along with other aquatic plants, man-made structures (docks,pilings), logs, stumps and downed trees or a combination of any of

these features.The Largemouth Bass is regarded as a premier gamefish, not necessarilyfor its taste (many anglers prefer to live release those they catch), butfor its strong fighting skills and willingness to hit artificial lures. Someof the more effective baits that work well in and around Torontoinclude plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and topwater lures.

Due to an excellent forage base of baitfishes, frogs, and crayfishes,Largemouth Bass from nearshore areas of Lake Ontario, and even

within some city ponds, can reach over 2.5 kg (5-6 lbs) in size. InToronto, there are many opportunities for the shore and boat anglerto fish for this battling predator. For exceptional fishing locations inToronto, see pages 44-46.

Featured Warmwater Fish:Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Largemouth Bass and its cousin the Smallmouth Bass both live inToronto waters and are similar in appearance. The Largemouth Bass is

usually green to olive in colour and has a series of broken up blackblotches along the side forming a horizontal line (in Smallmouth Bassthese markings form several vertical lines). The Largemouth Bass alsohas a deep notch between the spiny (front) and soft (rear) rayedportions of the dorsal fin. However, the mouth is the main featuredistinguishing it from the Smallmouth Bass. The upper jaw of adultLargemouth Bass extends backwards past the eye; in Smallmouth Bassthe upper jaw does not extend backwards beyond the eye.

Spawning takes place when water temperatures reach between 16°Cand 23°C, which occurs in May in most Toronto waters, but can be aslate as the end of June in Lake Ontario due to cool water upwellingsfrom the main lake basin. It prefers sheltered shorelines or bays withsand and gravel bottoms and aquatic vegetation. Like other membersof the sunfish family, the male Largemouth Bass is a single parent.The male will coax a ready female over a nest where she will deposither eggs for the male to fertilize. She then leaves to recuperate indeeper water, leaving the male to guard their young on his own forseveral weeks. In and around Toronto, this fascinating ritual typicallytakes place during the closed fishing season and anglers cannot targetbass (even for catch and release) until the season opens, when mostbass have finished spawning.

The Largemouth Bass is adaptable and can thrive in a variety ofaquatic conditions. The ideal Largemouth Bass habitat providesprotection and is found in shallow water (30 cm to 4 m deep).Extensive nearshore Largemouth habitat exists in Toronto including

Juvenile Largemouth Bassphoto: Erling Holm



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Like all sunfishes, the Bluegill is a nest builder– the male builds a nest in shallow waters,

often within a colony of many nests. Asingle female can deposit more than50,000 eggs. The male then guards theeggs and fry against predators.

The Bluegill’s mouth lacks sharp teethand is quite small; its food sources

include bite-sized aquatic insects andother small invertebrates. Young Bluegill

will stay in heavy weeds to avoid predators. An interesting characteristic of Bluegill,

especially larger ones, is that they can often beseen in large schools feeding heavily on tiny drifting

zooplankton a few feet below the surface away from the securityof deep weed growth.

The Bluegill is a fun and exciting fish to catch and are especiallysuited to the variety of shore fishing opportunities Toronto has tooffer. They are prolific breeders and their populations are stable or

even increasing throughout the city. Bluegill can be caught with avariety of live and artificial baits ranging from earthworms hookedbelow a float to small plastic or biodegradable grubs on a small jighead. Casting thin, 2.5 - 5 cm hard lures (crankbait) on light line canbe especially effective when Bluegill are active. Fly fishers can have alot of fun fishing for cruising Bluegill using nymph patterns, a varietyof floating flies and especially poppers. The Bluegill is also quite tasty!For exceptional fishing locations in Toronto, see pages 44-46.

Featured Warmwater Fish:Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) Sunfishes are popular warmwater speciesthroughout Toronto’s urban fisheries. There

are two types of sunfishes that are mostlikely to be caught by anglers in watersranging from ponds and reservoirs toslow moving rivers and even nearshoreareas of Lake Ontario. In manycases, these waters primarily containPumpkinseed, but in recent years itappears that the Bluegill is becomingmore plentiful.

Like most sunfishes, the Bluegill is a relativelyshort and deep-bodied fish. Bluegill average 12-18cm (5-7 in.) around Toronto, but Bluegill in the rangeof 20-25 cm are not uncommon. In most cases, the Bluegill islight to dark olive, but larger, older fish may have a purplish tinge.Cheeks and gill covers are often bluish, and the “ear flap” located

just behind the eye is entirely black, without a pale edge or red spot.

Pumpkinseed can closely resemble Bluegill, but the easiest way to

distinguish the Pumpkinseed is by looking for its bright orangespot at the tip of the ear flap. Secondly, the soft (back) portion ofthe dorsal fin on the Bluegill has a dark blotch; the Pumpkinseed’ssoft dorsal fin has many smaller brown spots. During pre-spawnconditions in the spring or early summer, the breeding male Bluegillis marked by bright blue and orange colours. Females and youngerBluegill are less colourful and are often marked by dark vertical barson their olive backs (see page 27).

Bluegillphoto: Erling Holm



American Eelphoto: Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources

The home range of the eel includes the entire eastern seaboard of North America and its freshwater tributaries which spans the jurisdictions of

19 states, six provinces, and two federal governments. As a result, thehistorical management of American Eel has not been well coordinated,and the population has declined due to impacts from harvesting, waterquality, and in-stream barriers (dams) during the course of their longmigration.

Endangered Species:American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)

Many people are unaware that Ontario has a native eel that lives inLake Ontario and its tributaries. Other Ontario fishes which may be

confused with eels, such as lampreys and Burbot, bear only a superficialresemblance to the American Eel, and are not closely related. AmericanEel have a complex life cycle. All American Eel are part of a singlebreeding population that spawns in only one place in the world – theSargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean (a large shoreless “sea” off theeast coast of the United States surrounding Bermuda). From there,young eels drift with ocean currents and then migrate inland intostreams and lakes. This journey may take many yearsto complete, with some eels travelling as far as 6,000 km.

After reaching these freshwater bodies, they feedand mature for 10 to 25 years beforemigrating back to the SargassoSea to spawn. The formerly abundant American Eel has a long

history as a food and commercial product forresidents of the upper St. Lawrence River andLake Ontario. Eels were a highly valued fishresource for Aboriginal people, particularly theSt. Lawrence Iroquois, who depended upon themas winter and travelling food.

30



31

American Eel Lifecycleillustration: Rob Slapkauskas

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the American Eel was one of thetop three species, in commercial value, to the Lake Ontario fishery.Over recent decades, the number of young American Eel entering the

upper St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario has declined dramatically.For example, the average number of eels migrating up the St. LawrenceRiver near Cornwall decreased from over one million per year inthe 1980s to roughly 12,000 per year since 2000. The American Eelappears to be in decline throughout its global range, but the declinehas been most severe in the St. Lawrence River system.

The American Eel is classified as “Endangered” under the OntarioEndangered Species Act, and efforts are being made to help restoreeel abundance in Ontario. The commercial and sport fisheries for thisspecies were closed in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Ontario Power

Generation has developed an “Action Plan” for the restoration ofeels in Lake Ontario. This plan includes the stocking of juvenile eels(captured in the Canadian Maritime Provinces) into Lake Ontario. In

addition, a pilot project has been developed to capture large eels abovethe hydro dams and transport them to below these migration barriers.It has been estimated that up to 40% of the eels that leave LakeOntario are killed as they pass through hydro turbines during theirmigration towards the spawning grounds.

An eel ladder was installed in 1974 at the R.H. Saunders HydroelectricDam near Cornwall, Ontario, to help young eels climb over the damas they migrate into Ontario from the Sargasso Sea. By counting thenumber of eels that pass through the ladder, biologists are able tomonitor changes in the size of local eel populations over time.

The American Eel has a snake-like body and a dorsal fin that extendfrom half-way down the length of its back to the underside of its body. maturity, the American Eel ranges from 75 - 100 cm in length and weigh1 - 3 kg. The American Eel is a fish species that is often confused with parasitic Sea Lamprey.

American Eelphoto: Nature’s Images



32Intentionally Introduced Species

Many people are aware of exotic species such as Zebra Mussel and Round Goby(see pages 47 and 50) that have found their way into the Great Lakes via ballasttanks of ships making trans-Atlantic voyages and other indirect pathways. Many

are not aware that several fish species have been intentionally introduced to LakeOntario by government agencies. Some of the species that were introduced havebeen in Lake Ontario for so long that many people think of them as native. Notevery introduced species is mentioned here, but the following include those thatcontinue to play a significant role in the Lake Ontario ecosystem and bring socio-economic benefits through recreational angling.

Rainbow Trout and Brown TroutThe Rainbow Trout (native to western North America) is also known as

“steelhead” in its migratory form. They were first introduced to Lake Ontario bythe province in 1922 and became established by the early 1950s. Unlike mostsalmonids, Rainbow Trout migrate up streams to spawn primarily in the spring,although fall runs are known to occur as well. These migrations support animportant fishery popular with avid “steelheaders”.

The Brown Trout, native to Europe, was introduced into Lake Ontario in 1883by the United States and later by Ontario. While some are similar to RainbowTrout, living in streams as young fish and in Lake Ontario as adults, others remainpermanent residents in their home stream. The Brown Trout’s spawning runoccurs in October and November. While they do not have the same dedicatedangler-following as Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout play an important role in LakeOntario’s open-water and in-stream sport fisheries.

Both Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout have become naturalized, but annualstocking is still done in the Lake Ontario watershed to support these popularfisheries. Approximately 400,000 Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout are stockedannually in Lake Ontario.

Rainbow Trout in the Humber River photo: Jon Clayton

Bob Izumi and his daughter, Kristin, proudly display a Rainbow Troutcaught in Lake Ontario just offshore of Toronto while filming anepisode of Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing Showphoto: Izumi Outdoors



33

Pacific salmonsSeveral species of Pacific salmons have been sporadically stocked inLake Ontario since the late 19th century, but it wasn’t until the late1960s and early 1970s that fishery managers began focusing theirstocking efforts primarily on Coho Salmon and Chinook Salmon.These two salmons are native to the Pacific coast of North Americaand its rivers. They were introduced into Lake Ontario followingtheir successful introduction into Lake Michigan. The governmentsof New York State and Ontario introduced these fishes for tworeasons: to help control populations of non-native Alewife andRainbow Smelt and to create an exceptional recreational fishery.

Chinook Salmon migrating up the Humber Riverphoto: Jon Clayton

The historic loss of both native Atlantic Salmon and Lake Trout leftLake Ontario without any open-water top predators, a key part of theecosystem. The introduced salmons filled this important niche.

Today, the Chinook Salmon fishery in Lake Ontario (both Americanand Canadian waters) generates hundreds of millions of dollars forlocal economies. Salmons and trouts account for approximatelythree quarters of the recreational fishery in the Canadian waters ofLake Ontario. This fishery also engaged people in caring for theLake Ontario environment, leading to strong public support forpollution and phosphorous controls, the Great Lakes Water Quality

Agreement, and local stream restoration efforts.

The Chinook Salmon is the largest of the Pacific salmons, withindividuals in Lake Ontario reaching lengths over one metre, and

weighing more than 20 kg. The Ontario record Chinook Salmon was 21.04 kg (46.38 lbs) caught in 2000. As of 2011, Ontariohas an annual stocking target of 540,000 Chinook Salmon springfingerlings, and local clubs still stock small numbers of Coho Salmonfall fingerlings. Some natural reproduction does occur, and an Ontario-New York study is underway to determine the extent that naturalreproduction contributes to the Lake Ontario population. Pacific

salmons are famous for their long spawning migration from theocean into freshwater tributaries. For the populations living in LakeOntario, the lake serves as their ocean, and they migrate a much shorterdistance up several streams in the fall to spawn. However, local fisheriesmanagement plans limit the amount of river habitat Pacific salmonshave access to for reproduction. This habitat is reserved for nativespecies and the two other introduced salmonids: Rainbow Trout andBrown Trout.

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.” – Henry David Thoreau



34

Common Carp(Cyprinus carpio)

The Common Carp was one of the first introduced fishes in the

Toronto area. Introduced to Lake Ontario in the 1870s, they wereoriginally brought to North America from Europe as early as 1830.The Common Carp was raised in ponds to offer fishing opportunitiesand control weed growth. Carp uproot and consume large amounts ofunderwater vegetation – resulting in turbid (muddy) water. Its feedinghabits, combined with a spawning ritual that stirs up bottom sediments,suffocates the eggs of native fishes such as Largemouth Bass. As a result,carp have disrupted the nearshore aquatic ecosystems of much of theToronto waterfront and inland waters. Carp are a popular food fishin some cultures, and many anglers enjoy fishing for this large fish.

Around Toronto it is not uncommon to catch carp that are up to 18kg (40 lbs). As bottom feeders, Common Carp require different fishingtechniques, tackle, and bait.

Common Carp photo: TRCA

Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax)The Rainbow Smelt was originally from the Atlantic coast and eastern

waters of North America, and was first noted in Lake Ontario in1931. Rainbow Smelt most likely came from New York’s inland

waters, where they were intentionally introduced in 1917.

A small (up to 27 cm), silvery fish, they live in schools in the ocean orlakes as adults, and spawn in streams or along the shore of lakes in thespring (March-May). When spawning, they can be legally fished for

with nets (see the regulations for details) and are a valued food fish.They are voracious predators of larval fishes, but a prey fish for mosttrout and salmon species.

“If today were a fish I’d throw it back.” – Bertrand Russell

Rainbow Smelt photo: Kazutoshi Hiyeda



36

Kiyi illustration: Karen Klitz, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

Lake Trout illustration: Charles Weiss

Brown Trout illustration: Charles Weiss

Trouts and Salmons Atlantic Salmon N, I, XP Mounts of Atlantic Salmon taken from Samuel Wilmot’s hatchery in the late 1800s are stored at the Royal Ontario Museum. DNA from

these mounts is being analysed in order to select the best stock to use for reintroduction to Lake Ontario. See page 13. Brook Trout N The Brook Trout can be recognized by pale yellow spots on the body, pale wavy lines on the back, and lower fins with white leading

edges followed by a black stripe. This prized sport fish prefers coldwater streams where temperatures usually do not exceed 17°C. Brown Trout I The Brown Trout, introduced from Europe, tolerates warmer temperatures than the Brook Trout. Individuals in streams are brown with

prominent dark and orange spots, whereas individuals from Lake Ontario are silvery. See page 32.Chinook Salmon I Chinook Salmon, the largest of the salmons, has been stocked in Lake Ontario since the 1960s, primarily to reduce the large Alewife

population. Recent studies suggest a large portion of Lake Ontario Chinook Salmon are from naturalized populations. See page 33. Coho Salmon I Similar to the Chinook Salmon, it has paler gums and its black spots are restricted to the upper lobe of the tail fin. Sexually mature adults

have a light pink or rose belly. The Conook is a hybrid with Chinook which grows much larger and is occasionally caught in Lake OntariLake Trout N Lake Trout restoration efforts began in earnest during the 1970s. Today there is some natural reproduction; however, the population in

Lake Ontario is currently sustained by stocking hatchery reared fish.Rainbow Trout I The Rainbow Trout gets its name from its pinkish lateral stripe. It is more closely related to Pacific salmons than to other trouts. Rainbo

Trout populations are maintained in Lake Ontario by a combination of stocking and natural reproduction. See page 32.

WhitefishesCisco N Sometimes also referred to as Lake Herring, the Cisco is the most common and widespread cisco species. It is generally found inshallower waters than the deepwater ciscoes (Bloater, Kiyi, and Shortnose Cisco).

Bloater N, XP The smallest of the deepwater ciscoes, gets its name from becoming bloated when pulled up from deep water. Ciscoes are whitefisheswith terminal mouths (point forward), unlike Lake and Round Whitefishes which have subterminal mouths (point downward).

Kiyi N, XP Like all ciscoes in the Great Lakes, the demise of the Kiyi in Lake Ontario is generally linked to overfishing, population /reproductivefailure (due in part to historically poor water quality), and predation of larval ciscoes by the non-native Rainbow Smelt and Alewife.Eventually the flourishing Alewife populations also competed with the Kiyi for both food sources and breeding territories. During the1920s, Kiyi made up more than half of all ciscoes caught in gill nets, but by 1942 it had almost disappeared. The Kiyi was last seenin Lake Ontario in 1964. Although the Kiyi is still extant in Lake Superior, the populations in Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Ontario havebeen extirpated (become locally extinct).

Lake Whitefish N The population of Lake Whitefish crashed coincident with the collapse of its favoured food,Diporeia hoyi . This small shrimp-likeamphipod declined abruptly following the invasion of Zebra Mussel and Quagga Mussel into Lake Ontario.

Round Whitefish N The smaller Round Whitefish is less well known than the Lake Whitefish, but has been recently captured in Lake Ontario around theToronto area. In comparison to the better known Lake Whitefish, it is sleeker and more round in cross-section.

Shortnose Cisco N, XP The Shortnose Cisco lived in lakes Ontario, Huron and Michigan. It disappeared from Lake Ontario in1964 and was last seen in LakeHuron in 1985. Classified by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada as Endangered, it may actually be Extinct.

Checklist of Coldwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status Comments

Fish Status: (N) Native (I) Introduced or Invasive (XP) ExtirpatedFish Statistics: (Average Ontario Length, Record Ontario Length, Maximum Age)

(46.0 cm, 88.9 cm, 13 yrs)

(28.0 cm, 80.0 cm, 7 yrs)

(41.0 cm, 96.5 cm, 38 yrs)

(88.0 cm, 119.4 cm, 9 yrs)

(48.0 cm, 107.0 cm, 5 yrs)

(44.5 cm, 130.9 cm, 50 yrs)

(53.0 cm, 99.9 cm, 11 yrs)

(25.0 cm, 59.7 cm, 11 yrs)

(23.0 cm, 39.5 cm, 10 yrs)

(25.0 cm, 32.5 cm, 10 yrs)

(38.0 cm, 74.9 cm, 50 yrs)

(25.0 cm, 54.2 cm, 20 yrs)

(25.0 cm, <36 cm, 8 yrs)



37Checklist of Coolwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status CommentsFreshwater Eels

American Eel N The American Eel is occasionally caught in Toronto Harbour, but the population has drastically declined. Efforts in Ontario arerestore populations, and more American Eels are showing up in our area. See page 30.

GobiesRound Goby I Because of its abundance, the Round Goby has become one of the best known fishes in the Great Lakes. It threatens to reduce t

biodiversity of native bottom-dwelling fishes such as sculpins and darters in both Lake Ontario and Toronto streams. See page Herrings

Gizzard Shad N, I The Gizzard Shad is a large freshwater herring that can be found in Lake Ontario and the slow sections of rivers such as the Huand Rouge rivers. Like other herrings, it can be recognized by its saw-toothed belly. It’s not clear if this species is native or inv

LampreysSilver Lamprey N, XP The Silver Lamprey was recorded in Toronto Harbour in 1858 but has not been seen since. This native parasitic lamprey is not

destructive as the larger Sea Lamprey and has been negatively affected by Sea Lamprey control measures. Minnows

Blacknose Dace N The Blacknose Dace is one of Toronto’s four most common and tolerant species of fishes that occur in small to medium streamthree are Creek Chub, Longnose Dace, and White Sucker. These four species can tolerate the degraded conditions in urban stre

Blacknose Shiner N The Blacknose Shiner is found in clear, shallow lakes and quiet areas of streams with many aquatic plants. It has been declininmany areas of southern Ontario.

Brassy Minnow N The Brassy Minnow gets its name from its body colour. This uncommon species is frequently confused with the much hardier Minnow, which is similar in appearance.

Common Shiner N A large shiner, this is our most common stream shiner and can be seen spawning in shallow streams in May over nests often buCreek Chub. It is most common in streams, but can also be found in lakes.

Creek Chub N The Creek Chub is one of the most abundant and widespread fishes in Toronto’s streams. The male, sometimes over 25 cm in lbuilds a nest of pebbles, which he moves one by one with his large mouth. Males battle for possession of a nest (a depression ingravel that is kept clear of silt), chasing each other away. Surprisingly, he will allow males and females of other species such asCommon Shiner and the Redside Dace to spawn in his nest.

Emerald Shiner N The Emerald Shiner is most common in lakes, but during the spring will move into lower sections of streams where it spawns. at this time that tens of thousands are caught for use as bait. Because it is so abundant in Lake Ontario, it is often used as food beating birds such as gulls and terns as well as larger predatory fishes.

Golden Shiner N The Golden Shiner is common in both the shallow waters of lakes and ponds, and in the pools of streams where there are usualof aquatic plants. Large adults become golden in colour.

Hornyhead Chub N Like many other minnows, the male Hornyhead Chub develops nuptial tubercles (sharp horns) on his head, which are used in bother males during mating season.

Longnose Dace N The Longnose Dace is tolerant of high temperatures, low oxygen levels, and high turbidity, and therefore does well in urban wIt is found in the very fast-flowing water of streams, as well as the wave-swept shallows of Lake Ontario. Its inferior mouth (a located on the underside of the fish’s head) is reminicscent of a sucker.

Northern Pearl Dace N The Northern Pearl Dace is very rare in Toronto streams, only found in Etobicoke Creek and the Don River, where it is has notrecorded since 1966 despite numerous scientific surveys.

Fish Status: (N) Native (I) Introduced or Invasive (XP) ExtirpatedFish Statistics: (Average Ontario Length, Record Ontario Length, Maximum A

(90.0 cm, 120.0 cm, 43 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 24.4 cm, 4 yrs)

(25.0 cm, 50.4 cm, 14 yrs)

(25.5 cm, 30.6 cm, 8 yrs)

(8.0 cm, 10.0 cm, 3 yrs)

(6.5 cm, 9.5 cm, 8 yrs)

(6.5 cm, 9.6 cm, 3 yrs)

(9.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 4 yrs)

(10.0 cm, 29.4 cm, 10+ yrs)

(7.5 cm, 12.4 cm, 4 yrs)

(10.0 cm, 23.0 cm, 5 yrs)

(9.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 4 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 15.2 cm, 5 yrs)

(9.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 10+ yrs)



38Checklist of Coolwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status CommentsMinnows (cont’d)

Northern Redbelly Dace N The Northern Redbelly Dace is one of Toronto’s most colourful minnows. Some individuals have bright red or bright yellow bellies. Thare much more common up north where they are easily captured in minnow traps.

Redside Dace N The majority of the Canadian range of the Redside Dace is in the Greater Toronto Area. The introduction of predators such as NorthernPike may also be threatening the Redside Dace in other parts of its range where urbanization is not a threat. See page 55.

River Chub N This uncommon chub is occasionally found in Etobicoke Creek and the Humber River. Like other chubs, the male is larger than the femand builds a nest of pebbles that is used for spawning and rearing of young.

Spottail Shiner N A common and widespread shiner, the Spottail Shiner is characterized by a large black spot at the base of its tail fin. Like the EmeraldShiner, it is more commonly found in lakes than streams.

Striped Shiner I The Striped Shiner was captured once in the Humber River where it was probably introduced by man. It is very similar in appearance tothe Common Shiner and once was considered the same species.

MudminnowsCentral Mudminnow N This small fish is not a minnow, but is closely related to the pikes. Like members of the pike family, it lurks in cover, waiting to ambush

prey. It is currently classified as a separate family, but recent studies indicate that it should be classified in the pike family. Perches

Blackside Darter N, I Darters are small fishes that dart about on the bottom. The Blackside Darter is a recent arrival to Toronto streams, first discovered in theHumber River in 1992. The adult is characterized by very large black blotches on the side.Fantail Darter N This darter is named after its fan-shaped tail. The spawning male develops small white knobs on his dorsal fin. These knobs are thought

mimic eggs and are used to trick the female into thinking that there are already eggs laid in his nest. When spawning, a female is morelikely to enter a nest that already has eggs in it.

Iowa Darter N This darter is uncommon in Toronto. The spawning male is brightly coloured, his body and fins having blue and red stripes and bars. Inthe spring, the Iowa Darter migrates into shallow water preferring to spawn among underwater roots and vegetation.

Johnny Darter N The Johnny Darter is the most common and widespread darter in the Toronto area, found in a variety of stream and lake habitats. It ischaractrerized by X, W, and Y-shaped black markings on the body.

Least Darter N, XP Once recorded in Grenadier Pond sometime between 1910-1930, this darter has not been seen since. As its name suggests, it isCanada’s smallest vertebrate. Ontario and World record size being 4.2 cm in length.

Logperch N Toronto’s largest darter is the Logperch. This common darter has a long snout, which it uses to turn over pebbles as it searches for aquatinvertebrate prey. It is distinguished by numerous narrow dark bars which are sometimes formed into a tear drop.

Rainbow Darter N The Rainbow Darter is common in Toronto streams. Although juveniles and females are rather drab brown, the male is perhaps Canadamost colourful fish.

Sauger N, XP The Sauger was last recorded in Toronto Harbour in 1913, but has not been seen since. The Sauger is similar to the Walleye, but differsin having a spotted dorsal fin and in lacking a white tip on the lower lobe of the caudal fin.

Tessellated Darter N The Tessellated Darter is very similar to, and extremely difficult to separate from, the Johnny Darter. In Toronto, it is usually only foundLake Ontario and the lower sections of streams.

Walleye N Frequently referred to as pickerel; the official common name for this fish is Walleye. It has large eyes that are very sensitive to light. Thishighly predatory species is making a comeback in the Toronto Harbour and Lakefront, an indication that the fish habitat has improved.

Yellow Perch N The Yellow Perch is a widespread common species that is a valuable commercial and sport fish. It is easily recognized by its six or seveprominent dark bars on the body.


(5.5 cm, 8.0 cm, 7 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 10.7 cm, 4 yrs)(10.0 cm, 23.9 cm, 5 yrs)

(7.0 cm, 14.2 cm, 5 yrs)

(8.0 cm, 23.8 cm, 4 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 14.0 cm, 9 yrs)

(6.0 cm, 9.9 cm, 4 yrs)

(5.0 cm, 8.2 cm, 4 yrs)

(5.0 cm, 7.2 cm, 3 yrs)

(5.0 cm, 7.2 cm, 4 yrs)

(2.5 cm, 4.2 cm, 2 yrs)

(9.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 3 yrs)(5.5 cm, 7.9 cm, 3 yrs)

(33.0 cm, 58.4 cm, 7 yrs)

(5.5 cm, 8.1 cm, 4 yrs)

(42.0 cm, 92.7 cm, 29 yrs)

(18.0 cm, 38.4 cm, 11 yrs)



39

PikesNorthern Pike N Northern Pike has been scarce in the Toronto area for many years, but it is making a successful comeback primarily because th

Ontario habitat has improved. See page 25. Sticklebacks

Brook Stickleback N The Brook Stickleback is a common species that becomes very abundant in habitats where few other fishes can survive. Like obacks, the male lures the female into a tubular nest. After the eggs are laid, he chases the female away and guards the eggs and

SturgeonsLake Sturgeon N The Lake Sturgeon is very vulnerable to exploitation and its harvest in Lake Ontario declined abruptly around 1900. It was las

Toronto in 1927. See page 23. Suckers

Shorthead Redhorse N Redhorses are suckers often with red fins and a horse-like face. Toronto is home to the most common of six species known in OShorthead Redhorse is named for its relatively small head.

Quillback N The Quillback is a type of carpsucker. Its body and fins are similar to a carp, but it has a ventral (downward) sucking mouth wifleshy lips like a sucker. The front of the dorsal fin has an elongated fin ray similar to a quill. It is very rare in the Toronto area Ontario.

White Sucker N The White Sucker is very abundant and widespread occurring in a variety habitats from pristine trout streams to degraded urbaLarge schools of this fish, which can grow to over 50 cm and 2 kgs, can be seen spawning in Toronto streams from April to earSunfishes

Rock Bass N The Rock Bass is often found over rocky bottoms. It is easily recognized by the numerous black spots on its body arranged in reand its six anal spines. Except for both the Black Crappie and White Crappie, all other Ontario sunfishes have only three anal sp

Smallmouth Bass N True basses, such as White Bass, have two separate dorsal fins and a relatively shallow body. The Smallmouth Bass is actuallythat looks like a bass. In addition to its shallow body, it has a deeply notched dorsal fin that could be mistaken for two fins.

TopminnowsBanded Killifish N Often confused with minnows, this little fish can be distinguished from them by its rounded (vs. forked) tail and the prominent

body. It can also be confused with the Central Mudminnow, but has a smaller mouth. It feeds primarily near the surface of the winvertebrates such as mosquito larvae.

Checklist of Coolwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status Comments

Northern Pikeillustration: Charles Weiss

White Suckerillustration: Charles Weiss

Fish Status: (N) Native (I) Introduced or Invasive (XP) ExtirpatedFish Statistics: (Average Ontario Length, Record Ontario Length, Maximum A

(61.0 cm, 134.6 cm, 30 yrs)

(5.0 cm, 8.7 cm, 3 yrs)

(117.0 cm, 223.5 cm, 154 yrs)

(41.0 cm, 61.5 cm, 20 yrs)

(31.5 cm, 62.0 cm, 11 yrs)

(41.0 cm, 58.9 cm, 12 yrs)

(20.0 cm, 29.2 cm, 10 yrs)

(30.0 cm, 61.0 cm, 26 yrs)

(7.0 cm, 9.9 cm, 3 yrs)



40

BowfinsBowfin N The primitive Bowfin is a predatory fish that can be found in Grenadier Pond and in the waters around Toronto Islands. It can be

distinguished by a large bony (gular) plate on the underside of its head and by a very long dorsal fin, which runs from its mid-back allthe way to the base of the tail. The Bowfin has a short anal fin, unlike the non-native snakehead fishes with which it’s often confused.

DrumsFreshwater Drum N Like other drums and croakers, the Freshwater Drum is named after the loud drumming sound produced by the male by flexing muscles

against its swim bladder. He probably makes this sound to attract the female during the early summer spawning season. The FreshwaterDrum can be found in shallow waters of the Toronto Islands and Tommy Thompson Park.

GarsLongnose Gar N The Longnose Gar can tolerate very warm water with low oxygen because of its ability to breathe air. The jaws of this predatory fish ar

armed with sharp needle-like teeth, which it uses to catch small fishes. Once a fish is captured, the Longnose Gar swallows it head first.Minnows

Bluntnose Minnow N The Bluntnose Minnow is a very common fish found in a wide variety of quiet or slow-moving waters. Part of its success may be due tothe great care that the male exerts in building a nest and caring for his offspring.

Central Stoneroller I The Central Stoneroller was first seen in the Rouge River in 1984, and its population probably resulted from a bait bucket introduction.

Sometimes called a “stream cow”, i t does well in small to medium streams that have high nutrients and abundant algae attached to rockThe stoneroller scrapes off the algae with its cartilaginous lower lip.Common Carp I In addition to the normally scaled Common Carp (see page 34), another variety, the Mirror Carp, is occasionally encountered. Mirror

Carp have several enlarged scales and patches of naked skin. Domesticated varieties resembling Goldfish are called Koi. See page 49. Fathead Minnow N The Fathead Minnow is widespread throughout the City’s streams and ponds and in shallow inshore areas of Lake Ontario. It often does

well in poor quality water where there is little or no competition from other fishes.Goldfish I Like the native Fathead Minnow, the introduced Goldfish often does well in poor quality water where there is little or no competition fr

other fishes. Goldfish occasionally hybridize with Common Carp. See page 49. Grass Carp I Two individuals of this Asian carp, one from Grenadier Pond and the other from the mouth of the Don River, have been captured in

Toronto. Grass Carp have been introduced to some areas in the U.S. for weed control. To prevent reproduction in nature, before release,the eggs are shocked with a rapid change in temperature or pressure to produce sterile fish with three sets of chromosomes.

Rosyface Shiner N The Rosyface Shiner is found in streams such as Etobicoke Creek, Humber River, Don River, Highland Creek, and Rouge River. It app

to have declined or been extirpated from many areas.Sand Shiner N The Sand Shiner is a small and poorly known shiner that was once more widespread in Toronto streams. Small populations still occur inthe Humber and Rouge rivers, but it has disappeared from Mimico Creek and Highland Creek.

Spotfin Shiner N The male Spotfin Shiner becomes bluish silver with white fin tips and courts the female by raising his dorsal fin and vibrating. Eggs arelaid in crevices where they are better protected from predation.

MooneyesMooneye N, XP The Mooneye was last seen in Toronto in 1913. It is more common in Lake Erie and migrates up the Grand River in early spring where

is sought after by fly fisherman.New World Silversides

Brook Silverside N The Brook Silverside is capable of leaping out of the water to catch flying insects near the water’s surface. It is a short-lived species,dying shortly after spawning at typically only one year old.

Checklist of Warmwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status Comments


(54.0 cm, 83.5 cm, 12 yrs)

(48.0 cm, 88.9 cm, 10 yrs)

(76.0 cm, 129.5 cm, 36 yrs)

(6.5 cm, 10.1 cm, 5 yrs)

(10.0 cm, 15.0 cm, 5 yrs)

(37.0 cm, 99.1 cm, 20 yrs)

(5.0 cm, 10.0 cm, 6 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 10.8 cm, 2 yrs)

(19.0 cm, 39.9 cm, 30 yrs)

(<90 cm, 125 cm, 11 yrs)

(6.5 cm, 8.7 cm, 3 yrs)(6.5 cm, 8.5 cm, 3 yrs)

(7.5 cm, 11.5 cm, 5 yrs)

(28.0 cm, 40.0 cm, 10 yrs)



41

North American CatfishesBlack Bullhead N The Black Bullhead was documented in Toronto in 1927, but has not been recorded since. Black Bullhead and Brown Bullhead

difficult to distinguish and it is possible that the fish was misidentified.Brown Bullhead N The Brown Bullhead is Toronto’s most common catfish. The eight fleshy “whiskers” or barbels around the head of the bullhea

with taste buds that allow it to taste its food before it eats it.Channel Catfish N Canada’s largest catfish, this species is sometimes sought by anglers. It is the only catfish in Toronto with a forked tail. This ta

more streamlined body adapt it for life in swifter waters. Its species name,punctatus, refers to the scattered dark spots on the body.Stonecat N The largest madtom in Canada. Madtoms are small catfishes that have their adipose fin fused to their tail fin. It is usually found

stones in fast-flowing segments of streams throughout Toronto. Its fin spines can deliver a painful venomous sting if handled cTadpole Madtom N The Tadpole Madtom resembles a tadpole. Like most madtoms, its spines are venomous and, when it stabs, can cause pain sim

bee sting for up to two hours.Pikes

Muskellunge N, XP The Muskellunge began to decline in the Toronto Harbour and area in the 1840s from commercial and subsistence fishing. By stocks had collapsed and have never recovered.

Suckers

Northern Hog Sucker N The Northern Hog Sucker is a small sucker with its eyes located high on, and behind the middle of, the head. The snout is longsimilar in appearance to a pig.Sunfishes

Black Crappie N The Black Crappie is sometimes angled for because it can grow to over a kilogram in weight and its flesh is sweet-tasting. It coin schools in the spring and begins spawning when the water temperature reaches 13°C. Like other sunfishes, the male scours odepression in the bottom, which is used for spawning.

Bluegill N A reproducingparental male matures at age 7 and builds/defends a nest against intruders. Asneaker male may mature at 1 year andattempts to fertilize the eggs of a female already mating with aparental male. Asatellite male can mature at 3 years and mimics thecolouration and movement of a female to gain access to the nest and fertilize the eggs laid in the nest of aparental male. See page 29.

Green Sunfish I The Green Sunfish is a recent arrival to Toronto. It was first discovered in the lower Humber River in 1993 and is slowly exparange farther upstream and into other streams.

Largemouth Bass N The species name of the Largemouth Bass, a popular sport fish, issalmoides, which means trout-like. Like trouts and salmons, this fish haa large mouth and a streamlined, moderately deep body. See page 28.

Pumpkinseed N The Pumpkinseed is Toronto’s most common sunfish and often the first fish caught by young anglers. It can be distinguished frBluegill by having a red spot or bar on its ear flap.

Temperate Basses White Bass N The White Bass is very similar in appearance to the White Perch. It has more prominent stripes on the body and more than 10 s

rays (versus 10 or fewer in White Perch). It sometimes hybridizes with White Perch. Hybrids produced with the Striped Bass, cWipers, are cultured, and occasionally caught in Lake Ontario, probably from unauthorized releases.

White Perch I The White Perch first appeared in Lake Ontario around 1950, likely gaining access to the lake through the Oswego and Erie Caconnect the Hudson River with Lake Ontario. It has slowly been colonizing the upper Great Lakes and in 2003 was discoveredSuperior around Thunder Bay.

Checklist of Warmwater Fishes of Toronto Common Name Status Comments

Fish Status: (N) Native (I) Introduced or Invasive (XP) ExtirpatedFish Statistics: (Average Ontario Length, Record Ontario Length, Maximum Ag

(15.5 cm, 26.0 cm, 10 yrs)

(28.0 cm, 44.6 cm, 12 yrs)(44.5 cm, 88.9 cm, 16 yrs)

(17.5 cm, 26.7 cm, 7 yrs)

(7.0 cm, 11.7 cm, 3 yrs)

(96.5 cm, 147.3 cm, 30 yrs)

(19.0 cm, 37.0 cm, 11 yrs)

(21.5 cm, 43.2 cm, 15 yrs)

(19.0 cm, 28.2 cm, 11 yrs)

(9.0 cm, 13.8 cm, 5 yrs)

(18.0 cm, 25.4 cm, 10 yrs)(30.0 cm, 55.9 cm, 23 yrs)

(28.0 cm, 48.5 cm, 9 yrs)

(15.5 cm, 29.0 cm, 7 yrs)



42

Common Name Common Name JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DECPerches (cont’d)

Bown Fantail Darter

BurbotIowa Darter

Johnny Darter

Freshwater DrumLeast DarterLogperch

American EelRainbow DarterTessellated Darter

Longnose GarWalleyeYellow Perch

Round Goby Northern Pike

AlewifeGizzard Shad

Mottled SculpinSlimy Sculpin

American Brook LampreySea Lamprey

Rainbow Smelt

Silver Lamprey Northern Hog Sucker

Blacknose Dace

Quillback

Blacknose Shiner Shorthead RedhorseBluntnose Minnow

White Sucker

Brassy MinnowCentral Stoneroller

Black Crappie

Common CarpBluegill

Common ShinerGreen Sunsh

Creek ChubLargemouth Bass

Emerald ShinerRock Bass

Fathead MinnowPumpkinseed

GoldshSmallmouth Bass

Golden ShinerHornyhead Chub

Brook Stickleback

Lake ChubNinespine Stickleback

Longnose DaceThreespine Stickleback

Northern Pearl DaceNorthern Redbelly Dace

Lake Sturgeon

Redside Dace

River Chub

White Bass

Rosyface Shiner White PerchSand ShinerSpotn Shiner

Banded Killish

Spottail ShinerStriped Shiner

Trout-perch

MudminnowsCentral Mudminnow

Atlantic SalmonBrook Trout

Brook SilversideBrown TroutChinook Salmon

Brown BullheadCoho Salmon

Not as commonChannel CatshLake Trout

StonecatTadpole Madtom

Rainbow Trout

CiscoLake WhiteshRound Whitesh

Temperate Basses

Topminnows

Trout-perches

Trouts & Salmons

Drums

Suckers

Sunshes

Sticklebacks

Sturgeons

Smelts

Gars

Gobies

Herrings

Lampreys

Bowns

Cods

New World Silversides

Whiteshes

spawns in Sargasso Sea

Pikes

Freshwater eels

Minnows

North American Catshes

Sculpins

PerchesBlackside Darter

Spawning Calendar – Toronto and Southern OntarioSpawning is a time when fishes congregate and are most vulnerable to capture or disruption. It is also the time when they should not be disturbed until after they havespawned and their young are independent. Many species spawn in shallow streams or near the lakeshore, so this provides a good time to observe them in the wild. Mostfish species leave their eggs unprotected. To prevent egg predation, some fishes bury them in the stream or lake bed, or deposit them over rocks and gravel where manythe eggs fall into gaps and are protected. Other species deposit their eggs over vegetation, where the eggs adhere to aquatic plants until they hatch. Some, like sunfishescatfishes, and several minnow species, are nest builders and the male will protect the eggs and fry from predators until they are ready to leave the safety of the nest.



43

Safe Consumption of Ontario Sport FishTheGuide to Eating OntarioSport Fish provides informationon the safe consumption ofsport fishes (meals per month)from over 1,850 lakes andrivers in Ontario, with separaterecommendations for boththe general and sensitivepopulation (women of child-bearing age and children under15 years of age). Fish samplesare collected by the Ministryof Natural Resources (MNR),the Ministry of the Environment(MOE) and other partners. Fishtissue is analyzed for a varietyof contaminants, includingmercury, PCBs, mirex, DDT, anddioxins/furans at the MOE laboratory in Toronto. Consumption advisoriesare calculated based on health protection guidelines provided by HealthCanada. Copies of the Guide are available at select government officesand retail outlets. It is also available at www.ontario.ca/fishguide,or by calling 416-327-6816 or 1-800-820-2716.For fishes caught in the Toronto waterfront area, the 2011-2012Guide lists many species as safe to consume, including Northern Pike,Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, and Brown Bullhead. Grenadier Pond,the Humber River and Marsh, Eglinton Flats Pond, and the Rouge Riverand Marsh are but a few of the other Toronto locations the Guideindicates as having many different sizes and species of fishes that aresafe for eating. Always remember to refer to the most recentGuide toEating Ontario Sport Fish before deciding to fry up your catch.

Toronto Waterfront Fish Community Monitoring photo: TRCA

Cindy Hignett, a TRCA fisheries technician, holds a Walleye caught inthe lower Don River in the summer of 2010. A long-term fish communmonitoring program for the Toronto waterfront was launched by TRCA 1989; Toronto was designated as one of the 43 Areas of Concern withinthe Great Lakes in the mid 1980s (see page 54). Fishes are collected

using various types of nets and electrical shocking (electrofishing). Thspecimens caught are identified, counted, weighed, and measuredbefore being released. This intensive monitoring program has trackedchanges in the structure, population dynamics, growth rates, contaminanloads, reproductive capability, and reproductive success of the Torontowaterfront fish community. Fishes are sensitive to a wide array oenvironmental stressors, and the long-term assessment of communitcharacteristics provides valuable information on the ecological healthof the Toronto waterfront.

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’snot the same man.” – Heraclitus



44Exceptional Sport Fishing Locations in Toronto

Over the last 15 years, fish communities residing along the Toronto waterfront haveincreased in both diversity and abundance. Waterfront park development projects,shoreline rehabilitation work, and management techniques with an ecosystem basedapproach are thought to be the catalysts. Today there are numerous Toronto waterfront

parks, walking trails, and naturally occurring habitat features that have created greatfishing opportunities for both the avid shore and boat angler, as well as nature viewingenthusiasts. In this section we offer details on some of the City’s most productive areasto fish. Fishing tips are provided by Mike Correa, an Environmental Technician withTRCA and an accomplished tournament angler. Unless otherwise noted, all of the fishinglocations are near public parking and are also accessible by public transit.

1 COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK At the start of Kipling Ave., south of Lake Shore Blvd. You can find Freshwater

Drum, Largemouth Bass, White Sucker, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch,and Walleye. TRCA has carried out fisheries monitoring work at this location since1985 and has observed an increase in the Walleye populations within the boat basin.

Fishing Tips: Fishing the inside boat basin is your best bet. Look for Largemouth Bassclose to sporadic weed patches. Anglers can cast for Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout,and Rainbow Trout at the mouth of the boat basin, as well as directly out into thelake. Northern Pike are always present, especially early in the season.

2 HUMBER BAY PARK At the foot of Parklawn Road just off Lake Shore Blvd. This waterfront park offers

angling access from its east and west peninsulas and in the boat basin at the mouthof Mimico Creek. Fish for Smallmouth Bass, Freshwater Drum, Common Carp, WhiteSucker, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. The western bay hasa big, sporadic weedbed that holds Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. The easternbay has easier access with weed lines spread out from shore. There is also potential

for large Walleye. In the fall, Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Troutaction can be good depending on water temperatures. Fishing Tips: Look for panfish(small edible fishes that usually fit in a fry pan) in shallow water around the smallislands. Northern Pike and bass reside on the deeper drop-offs or weed lines aroundthe islands, south shore, creek mouth, and off the eastern point.

3 EGLINTON FLATS POND Located on the south side of Eglinton Avenue West, just east of Jane Street and west

of Weston Rd. TRCA recently completed substantial enhancements of a large portionof shoreline and in-water habitat. The restoration works included irregular shorelineprofiles, log/stump placement, and boulders for shoreline stabilization and fish

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habitat. In addition, viewing areas/“fishing nodes” were incorporated into theoverall Enhancement Plan, making Eglinton Flats easily accessible to shorelineanglers. The pond is great for fishing with kids who may catch Largemouth Bass,



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4 LOWER HUMBER RIVER Visit Etienne Brulé Park to fish above Bloor Street. For fishing downstream of Bloor, access

King’s Mill Park. To fish near the mouth of the Humber, go to Sir Casimir Gzowski Park, justwest of Toronto’s Sunnyside Beaches. Common species include: Rainbow Trout both in the

spring and fall; Brown Trout and Chinook Salmon in early autumn; resident populations ofLargemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Common Carp, White Sucker, Yellow Perch,and even a few Black Crappie and Walleye. The weirs north of Bloor Street offer exciting viewsof jumping salmons and trouts as they migrate up the Humber River in the fall months. FishingTips: Anglers cannot fish within 25 m (75 ft) of any dam . Work upstream or downstreamfrom Bloor St. for warmwater species in spring and summer. Fish deep pools for SmallmouthBass when the season opens.

5 GRENADIER POND Right in the heart of Toronto’s famed High Park. Shoreline fishing access exists on both the

east and south sides of the pond. The pond contains Brown Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bluegill,Pumpkinseed, Common Carp (including Koi and giant Goldfish), Largemouth Bass, and even a

few Northern Pike. Many young city anglers get hooked on fishing after spending summers atthis big pond. Thanks to some terrific habitat restoration work by TRCA and the City, anglerscan target sunken wood, fallen trees, and weed edges that hold many fishes. High Park alsohas nature trails, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a playground, and a small zoo. Fishing Tips: There are some really nice Largemouth Bass here. Fortunately, more people are realizing howimportant it is to live release these fish – which helps keep the population healthy for all toenjoy.

6 TORONTO ISLANDS Unless you have your own boat, the Islands are ferry access only; with the terminal at the

foot of Bay Street. The Islands are a great destination to combine angling and family funwith walking paths, an amusement park, and four world class lifeguarded beaches. The Islands

have numerous Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Brown Bullhead, Bowfin,Freshwater Drum, Walleye, and big Common Carp. A real bonus is the plentiful and oversizedNorthern Pike and Largemouth Bass. Through routine fisheries monitoring, TRCA has alsoobserved a rise in Walleye presence throughout the many waterways adding to the anglingopportunities within this fishing hotspot. On the open lake side, you occasionally catch BrownTrout, Rainbow Trout, and Chinook Salmon. Shore fishing is great at Centre Island’s boathousewhere you can borrow a rod and reel, buy a license, and get some free fishing advice. TheIsland’s waterways, bays, and lagoons hold many fishes for those fishing from shore, andanglers in boats can try the many deep water points. Fishing Tips: The bass fishing is so good,professional anglers fish the Islands during local tournaments. Look for Largemouth Bassaround sunken trees or weed edges.

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Black Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, and evenNorthern Pike. As with most small urban ponds, catch and releasefishing becomes an important tool to help sustain these fisheries.Fishing Tips: Black Crappie can be a little trickier to catch than most ofthe other fishes found in the pond. Begin by clipping a small bobberonto your line. Instead of live bait, try a pink or white plastic minitube jig inserted into a small jig head. Crappie look up to feed, so atrick that really pays off is to place the tube jig only 30 cm or so fromthe bobber. Fishing close to the surface, in the shallow water near theshore, results in a fun visual experience for kids.

“The finest gift you can give to any fisherman is to put a good fish back, and who knows if the fish that you caught isn’t someone else’s gift to you?” – Lee Wulff



467 LESLIE STREET SPIT/TOMMY THOMPSON PARK (TTP)

This active lakefill spit at the foot of Leslie Street was started in 1950 and nowextends 5 km out into the lake. TTP is accessible by transit, and there is parkingnear the front gate. TRCA operates a free shuttle van between the park gatesand the pedestrian bridge (about 3 km inside the park). It is open weekends andmost holidays during the day (check for hours before visiting). Shoreline anglerscan catch Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, White Bass,Yellow Perch, Common Carp, White Sucker, Freshwater Drum, Black Crappie, andincreasing numbers of Walleye. Fishing Tips: There is untapped potential for boatanglers to ply the outer harbour and the west side of the spit for these fishes aswell as Brown Trout and Chinook Salmon. In addition, May and June can offersome phenomenal Northern Pike action within the embayments.

8 ASHBRIDGE’S BAY PARK At the foot of Coxwell Avenue, south of Lake Shore Blvd., there is shoreline

fishing for late-summer and fall Brown Trout and Chinook Salmon. HugeCommon Carp are always present. Yellow Perch action is sporadic, but there are

jumbos along weed edges. The outer and inner basins produce Northern Pike,Largemouth Bass, Freshwater Drum, and the occasional Walleye. Brown Bullheadand Pumpkinseed in the shallow warmer parts of the bay can keep childrenentertained. The current lakefill park extends into relatively deep water, andoutside rocky points can be productive fish habitat. The Inner Boat Basin canbe fantastic angling for Brown Trout in the fall. Fishing Tips: Use caution whenfishing from the steep rubble shorelines as footing can be tricky!

9 BLUFFER’S PARK This park is hidden at the foot of Brimley Road. Boat launch ramps are available.

The park offers views of the spectacular Scarborough Bluffs and a beautiful beach.Common species include Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, Common Carp, NorthernPike, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Perch, andother panfish. Fishing Tips: Some of Toronto’s best summer trouts and salmonsaction occurs right here; that’s why several charter boat captains use this astheir home base. Shoreline anglers can catch fishes from rocky breakwalls insidethe west harbour and at the entrance to the east harbour. There’s a small bridgein the middle of the complex where they can fish too. Water temperatures canchange drastically here, due to wind direction, disrupting fish locations; so lookfor steady warm days without a strong wind pushing cold water into the area.

10 HIGHLAND CREEK Excellent angling opportunities occur in much of the lower portion of Highland

Creek. Or, to fish near the mouth of Highland Creek, access East Point Park andwalk east along the Chesterton Shores Trail to the creek mouth. Follow the trailnorth along the west side of Highland Creek for other great spots. This stream is asleeper for angling opportunities and many anglers overlook Highland Creek whenplanning their fishing trips in the Toronto area. There is a sizeable run of ChinookSalmon in the fall, and Rainbow Trout runs occur in both the spring and fall. Otherfishes you may encounter seasonally are White Sucker, Northern Pike, SmallmouthBass, and Common Carp. Fishing Tips: Fishing deep pools in the outside edge ofchannel bends are your best bet for both salmons and trouts.

11 LOWER ROUGE RIVER Rouge Beach Park is located at the end of Lawrence Ave. East and includes the

river mouth and adjoining marsh. Fish for Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass,Brown Bullhead, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, White Sucker, Northern Pike, ChinookSalmon, and numerous Common Carp. From the fall through to the spring RainbowTrout run upstream, especially after heavy rain or spring thaws. If fishing formigratory salmons or trouts near Hwy. 2 (Kingston Rd.) park outside the GlenRouge Campground. Fishing Tips: The marsh area at the mouth can be tops for carp.Try using kernels of cooked corn presented near the bottom on a single hook.

OFFSHORE FISHING –The offshore Lake Ontario fishing is also fantastic. You canlaunch your boat from many locations along the Toronto waterfront and go fishing forRainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, and three species of salmons – including thehuge Chinook Salmon that grow to over 20 kg. For those who don’t have access to aboat, there are many fishing guides and charter boat operators in the Toronto area.They are sure to provide customers with an enjoyable experience while fishing on theopen waters of Lake Ontario. For families, this is a great adventure where everyonecan participate and have lots to talk about. For the experienced angler, you’ll learn thelocal tricks and get in some great fresh water action. For business entertainment, youwill find that this adventure gives you a great way to build and maintain relationships.

The City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division partners with otheragencies and volunteer groups to hostFamily Fishing Events throughout the year. At the Toronto Islands, there is a popular Fishing Camp for kids inthe summer, and the public can also come here and borrow a rod and reelcourtesy of the OFAH Tackle Share Program. Contact PF&R at www.toronto.ca/parks or, if within the City, call 311 to inquire about existing and futurefishing related opportunities.Fishing the Humber River near Bloor Street




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Threats to Fishes of TorontoInvasive SpeciesInvading species are one of the greatest threats to the biodiversity ofOntario’s waters, wetlands, and woodlands. Originating from otherregions of the world, and in the absence of their natural predatorsor controls, invading species can have devastating effects on nativespecies, habitats, and ecosystems.

More than 185 non-indigenous animal species have becomeestablished in the Great Lakes aquatic enviroments. Invadingspecies, such as the Zebra Mussel and Round Goby, are extremelyadaptable and have high reproduction rates enabling them to flourish.Unchecked, these invaders will outcompete native fishes and other

wildlife and unbalance natural ecosystems.Invading species are introduced to Ontario waters through a varietyof pathways such as the construction of canals (see Sea Lamprey onpg. 35), ballast water from ships, aquarium and horticultural trades,live food fish trades, and unauthorized fish introductions or transfers.These species can be further spread into Ontario’s inland lakes byboaters and anglers. Leftover live baitfishes and unwanted aquariumfishes must never be released into local waterbodies.

Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)The Zebra Mussel, while not a fish, is one of the most well-knownof the Great Lakes invaders, its initial introduction being roughly 20years ago. The Zebra Mussel is from the Black Sea and Caspian Searegion and was carried in the ballast water of ocean going vessels to theGreat Lakes in 1988. Since that time, Zebra Mussel have spread to allof the Great Lakes, as well as a host of inland lakes in Ontario.

Zebra Musselsphoto: David Britton

Although it is a small creature (avg. 3 cm), its ecological impact canbe huge. The Zebra Mussel is a filter feeder, meaning it feeds onplankton and other organic material. Each Zebra Mussel can filter

about one litre of lake water per day. This may not seem like much,but when there are billions of Zebra Mussels in a lake, the amount oforganic material consumed is enormous. These large colonies of filterfeeding Zebra Mussel increase water clarity, enabling more sunlight topenetrate deeper in the lake resulting in increased growth of aquaticplants and algae, and forcing light sensitive fishes, such as Walleye,to find new habitat. As well, Zebra Mussel attach to native aquaticanimals like clams and crayfishes, often resulting in the death of theseanimals. In doing so, they have caused a decline or disappearance of

many native mussels in the Great Lakes region. People are affected byZebra Mussel because they wash up on beaches causing unpleasant



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odours, and their sharp shells cut the feet of swimmers and pets. TheZebra Mussel also firmly attaches to hard surfaces; this causes damageto items like boats, motors, and intake pipes; resulting in millions of

dollars in control costs. The Quagga Mussel is a similar invasive musselfrom the Ukraine/Black Sea region. It is slightly larger, paler in colour,and able to survive in deeper waters.

The best defense we have against Zebra Mussel and Quagga Mussel is toprevent their spread to new waterbodies (see page 70). Once they becomeestablished in a lake, there is no known way to eradicate them.

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

The Alewife is native to the east coast of North America, and was likelyintroduced to Lake Ontario in the late 1800s via the Erie Canal. Itsinvasion was likely successful due to the decline in top predators suchas Lake Trout and Atlantic Salmon. By the 1950s, the Alewife hadspread to all of the Great Lakes through connecting waterways andcanals. In its native range, the Alewife is a marine species that movesinto freshwater lakes and streams to spawn. In Ontario, the Alewifehas adapted to spend its entire lifecycle in fresh water and spawns innearshore areas.

Alewife have caused serious declines in native populations of YellowPerch, Cisco, and Emerald Shiner. They have become an importantprey item for many Great Lakes sport fishes. Unfortunately, manyof the large predatory fishes that feed on Alewife experience reducedreproductive success (egg and fry mortality) due to an enzyme presentin Alewife that destroys an essential amino acid (thiamin).

The Alewife (avg. 15 cm) is not well adapted to freshwater systems.The Alewife’s inability to adapt to rapid fluctuations in temperature,

Alewife Die-off photo: Elizabeth LaPorte, Michigan Sea Grant

Alewife illustration: Charles Weiss

resulted in large scale die offs in the past, often leaving recreationalbeaches littered with thousands of Alewife carcasses. In recent years,

Alewife populations have steadily declined in the Great Lakes dueto reduced nutrient levels, increased predation, and impacts frominvasive Zebra Mussel and Quagga Mussel. As a result, the annual die-offs that were once common are not seen as often today.



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Asian carps

Asian carps (Silver, Bighead, Black, and Grass Carp) have beenintroduced to North America from Asia. At the time of publication,

Asian carps are not established in the waters of Lake Ontario.Individual Grass Carp and Bighead Carp have been found in LakeOntario, but they are not believed to have come from breedingpopulations. The two main species of concern, the Bighead Carp andSilver Carp, escaped from aquaculture facilities in the southern UnitedStates when the facilities were flooded in the early 1990s. These carpsubsequently spread northward up the Mississippi, and Illinois Rivers,approaching Lake Michigan. Specialized electric barriers in theChicago Ship and Sanitary Canal are currently all that prevent thesefishes from entering Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes,and potentially causing an ecological disaster. Resource managers inthe United States are routinely monitoring the spread of these highlyinvasive fishes and investigating additional control strategies.

Certain species can reach lengths of over 1.2 m (4 ft) and weigh closeto 45 kgs (100 lbs). The Silver Carp is infamous for its ability to

Silver Carpphoto: Ted Lawrence, Great Lakes Fishery Commission

leap over 2 m (6 ft) out of the water when startled, often resulting inboaters being struck and injured. Researchers believe that if introducedto the Great Lakes they will be able to survive, reproduce, and spread.

Because of both their high reproductive rate and food consumption,it is believed Asian carps will seriously disrupt the Great Lakes’ecosystem, damaging the multi-billion dollar sport and commercialfisheries. Asian carps are a popular food fish sold in Ontario markets.The possession of live Asian carps was banned in Ontario during 2005to prevent release or escape.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Koi (Cyprinus carpio)Goldfish and Koi are popular ornamental aquarium and pondfishes, which are domesticated versions of wild carp species. Selectivebreeding has produced the characteristic colour patterns that wesee today. Goldfish and Koi will often revert to their more naturalancestral colour over time if released into natural waterbodies.Unfortunately, when Goldfish and Koi are released into lakes andstreams in Ontario they can establish reproducing populations, whichcan cause considerable ecological harm.

Goldfish being removedfrom a local pond.

photo: Ontario Streams

“You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. Theydon’t want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something.” – Mitch Hedberg

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Round Gobyphoto: David Copplestone

As with most invasive species, once Goldfish and Koi have beenintroduced into a suitable habitat, they are very difficult to control.

Water garden escapes, and aquarium releases are the main reasons for

the spread of Goldfish and Koi. Both Goldfish and Koi uproot andfeed on aquatic plants, degrading fish and other wildlife habitats in wetlands and nearshore areas. These species also carry Koi herpes virus– a virus now detected in Lake Ontario. Everyone should rememberthat it is illegal to release fishes into a natural waterbody. If you haveunwanted aquarium or water garden pets, they should be donated toa pet store, school, or a friend.

Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus)The Round Goby is a small fish (max. 25 cm) native to eastern Europethat invaded the Great Lakes in the early 1990s from the ballasts ofocean-going ships. First discovered in the St. Clair River in 1990, theyquickly spread throughout the Great Lakes system. By 1998 there wereestablished populations of Round Goby in all five Great Lakes, and

several connecting tributaries. They are now an established part of theLake Ontario ecosystem and have become prey for many predatory fishes.

In addition to the ones in the Great Lakes, there are two establishedinland populations, one in Rice Lake, near Peterborough, and asecond in Lake Simcoe. The spread of the Round Goby in the GreatLakes basin may have been aided by a number of factors including:ballast water transfers, bait bucket transfers, connecting waterwaysand canals, and an abundant food supply. The Round Goby is nowone of the most common fish in the lower Great Lakes, and hascaused significant damage to the Great Lakes ecosystem. The RoundGoby is a voracious consumer of Zebra Mussel and Quagga Mussel.Unfortunately, they also displace other bottom dwelling fishes and eatfish eggs and very small fishes. They reproduce many times per seasonand quickly increase their population size and are a nuisance to anglers

who repeatedly catch the aggressive goby. In an effort to prevent thespread of these fish to new locations, the Ontario government amendedthe fishing regulations in 2005, making it illegal to possess live RoundGoby, or use them as bait.

Invading Species Awareness Program In 1992, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and MNR

established the Invading Species Awareness Program in order to addressthe increasing threats posed by invading species in Ontario. The objectivesare to raise public awareness of both aquatic and terrestrial invasivespecies, encourage participation in preventing their spread, and facilitatemonitoring and tracking initiatives related to the spread of new invadersfound within Ontario through citizen reports to the Invading Species Hotlineand the Invading Species Watch program.For more information about the Invading Species Awareness Programcontact the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or visitwww.invadingspecies.com

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animal/pet feces), road salt, pesticides, and other toxic pollutants (suchas chemical run-off from industrial or commercial storage sites) all endup in the stormwater.

During heavy rainfall, the resulting high and fast flowing water causeserosion to the stream banks. Erosion, combined with the unnaturallyhigh levels of dirt and plant material (like leaves) washing off streets,building sites, and road works contributes to an excessive sedimentload – and a muddy (turbid) appearance that is detrimental to most ofthe plants, insects, and fishes living in the watercourse. The increasedsediment and erosion of our watercourses during runoff conditions alsoresults in the burying or destruction of fish habitat and spawning sites.

Sewers and Combined Sewer OverflowsThere are three types of sewers in the City of Toronto: Sanitary, Combined, and Storm.Most of the city is serviced by a separate sanitary sewer system that collects wastewaterfrom sources such as washrooms, kitchens, and commercial or industrial processes. Thissewage flows to one of Toronto’s four wastewater treatment plants where it is cleaned anddisinfected before being discharged to Lake Ontario or the Don River.Rainfall and snow melt flows to a catchbasin (grates on the roads and parking lots) andthen travels in the storm sewer system until eventually discharging untreated to the naturalenvironment.The combined sewer is a type found in some of the older parts of Toronto, including much

of the former municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, and southwestern Scarborough.When it rains in these areas, the combined sewer collects both the sanitary wastewaterand the stormwater. To protect the treatment plants from excessive flows the combinedsewer system was constructed with overflow points. During even moderate rainfall eventsthe sanitary/stormwater mixture overflows (Combined Sewer Overflow or CSO) directlyinto the rivers, larger creeks, and the Lake Ontario waterfront.This CSO discharge is a significant source of pollution containing bacteria, excess nutrients,metals, and harmful organic compounds. Eliminating CSO discharges is a major objectiveof Toronto’s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan (WWFMP). Combined Sewer Overflow Outfall – Taylor Massey Creek

photo: Toronto Water

Water quality, aquatic life, and fish habitat typically suffer negativeeffects due to increased development within the watershed of a streamor lake. In a natural setting, most rain and snow melt infiltrates into

the earth to replenish the groundwater or is taken up by vegetation.In Toronto, as in any modern city, we have changed the way watermoves. As so much of a city is paved or covered with buildings,most of the rain that falls cannot be absorbed into the ground. Thestormwater runs off the roofs, roads, and parking lots and enters thestorm sewer system before discharging untreated into rivers and lakes.

Unfortunately, this stormwater picks up pollutants as it flows acrossthese hard (impervious) surfaces. Oil, grease, dirt, bacteria (from

Urbanization

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Stormwater entering the streams after flowing overland typically has a highertemperature than the background spring or groundwater sources. Theelevated stream temperatures stress many resident fishes, frequently reducing

diversity, leaving only those more tolerant species. Heavy rainstorms causeraw sewage in combined sewers to overflow into surface waters, and force wastewater treatment plants to by-pass (only partially treat much of thesewage prior to discharge).

All this pollution degrades the water quality of our streams and LakeOntario, causing significant negative impacts to Toronto’s natural aquaticlife, including the fishes. But read on – the future is looking much better forour watercourses. There are many things you can do to improve stormwaterquality, and the City has already initiated a long term wet weather plan tohelp clean up our streams and the lake and improve and restore fish habitat.

What are current water quality conditions?Contrary to popular belief the quality of water in Toronto’s watercoursesand Lake Ontario is generally quite good. Along the waterfront and on theToronto Islands, the City has 11 official swimming beaches, eight of whichare considered world-class based partly on exceptional water quality (see page55). Since the mid-1980s intensive monitoring and enforcement by City staff

regarding wastewater discharges to the sanitary and storm sewers has signifi-cantly reduced dry weather pollution sources. Wet weather flow managementinitiatives have started to have a noticeably positive impact on water quality.

Still, water quality during, and for up to 48 hours after, a significant rainfallis frequently impaired due to the stormwater related issues discussed above.Bacteria, contaminated run-off, and suspended solids (mud, debris, etc.)continue to be a problem and are the target of the City’s Wet WeatherFlow Master Plan (WWFMP) (see page 57).

Sediment plume from the Humber River after heavy rainstorm photo: Toronto Water

Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant bypassingafter a large rain storm (stormwater collected by the combined sewersdramatically increases the flow entering the plant and forces a portion ofthe sewage to receive only partial treatment before being discharged)photo: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

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53Fish-Friendly Policies in Toronto

Protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural habitat in the Cityis of prime importance to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity.

Toronto’s Natural Heritage SystemThe City’s most significant natural heritage features and functions havebeen identified and mapped and are collectively referred to as a naturalheritage system. Toronto’s natural heritage system is a connectedsystem of natural features (such as forest, wetlands, meadow areas,stream valleys, and the shoreline of Lake Ontario) and functions (suchas riparian zones and floodplains) and includes lands that have thepotential to be restored (such as the lower Don River and mouth).

For a major city, Toronto has a relatively healthy system of naturalareas. This is primarily due to an extensive network of valleys andravines, combined with a few remnant natural tableland (above the

floodplain) areas such as High Park, and shoreline features such asmarshes at the mouths of the Humber and Rouge rivers, and wetlandsin the Toronto Islands, and at the Leslie Street Spit/Tommy ThompsonPark. Historically these areas exist either because: they were moredifficult to develop (valleys and ravines), by design (High Park, RougePark), or by habitat restoration/creation (Leslie Street Spit). The largestblocks of habitat, including rare productive forests, are found in theRouge River and Highland Creek watersheds in the east part of theCity. The total area of natural habitat across the city, and the extent

of numerous forest and meadow communities with a large diversity ofplants and animals, many being rare or threatened, is impressive for alarge urban area.

Protecting, restoring and enhancing natural areasToronto’s important natural areas are protected by a variety of policiesincluding the City’s Official Plan policies and land use designations

which restrict or prevent development within natural features andareas. The Ravine and Natural Features Protection bylaw also helpsto protect forested areas and valley slopes by regulating removal oftrees of any size and any changes to grade. The Official Plan policiesand municipal bylaws work together with provincial and federalregulations and TRCA policies which also regulate activities withinvalleys and wetlands and help protect natural areas. There are a widevariety of restoration and enhancement projects within natural areasacross Toronto including restoration and enhancement of ravine areasadjacent to development projects, achieved through the developmentapproval process.

Lower Humber River mouthestuary hooks constructed toprovide fish habitat for shelterand feeding.photo: TRCA

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eliminated or severely stressed by the urbanization taking place on,and around, them.

Many environmental challenges remain in the Toronto andRegion Area of Concern. The mitigation or removal of dams inthe watersheds is an important task associated with restoring andconnecting upstream habitat with the lake (see page 60). Theadoption of low-impact development practices, and measures toimprove the quality of water runoff from developed areas, are criticalto protecting the medium – water – in which fishes survive. And fishhabitat itself must be protected and restored throughout the region toensure humans and fishes continue to coexist to the benefit of bothspecies.(from Toronto and Region 2007 RAP Progress Report. For more information visitwww.torontorap.ca)

Toronto and Region Remedial Action PlanIn the mid-1980s, Toronto and Region was identified as one of 43locations around the Great Lakes where local environmental conditions

may be causing harm to the wider Great Lakes system. These locationsare referred to as Areas of Concern (AOCs) and are located in bothCanada and the United States. The clean-up, or remediation, of an

Area of Concern occurs through a mandated process called a Remedial Action Plan, or RAP. Many of the RAP Goals are similar to Toronto’s WWFMP Objectives (see page 57) and include habitat and waterquality improvements.

Significant improvements in sewage treatment, stormwatermanagement, pollutant regulation in sewers, and progressively tougherprovincial and federal regulations have led to dramatically reduceddischarges. Accordingly, the Toronto and Region RAP progress reportsshow a continuing positive trend in water quality resulting fromlower levels of pollutants such as heavy metals. The concentrations ofthese toxic chemicals (such as copper, zinc, and lead) have decreasedsignificantly over the last few decades, and now meet the provincialobjectives at most sampling stations under dry weather conditions.

Intensive urbanization and population growth within the Area of

Concern continues to pose its own challenges to environmentalconditions. Urban development activities result in decreased waterquality both locally and downstream. The losses of lakefront habitat,such as the historic conversion of the extensive Ashbridge’s Bay Marshinto the Portlands industrial area, are being slowed and even reversedby several aquatic habitat and wetland restoration initiatives. However,upstream in the watersheds, important habitats such as wetlands andmany streams remain disconnected from Lake Ontario, or are being

Reporting Spills!You should immediately report all spills or illegal discharges to theenvironment or sewer system.- The Ontario Ministry of the Environment SPILLS ACTION CENTREcan be reached at 1-800-268-6060

- 311 Information: Toronto offers both customer service and 24/7 spillreporting. Report all spills witnessed within the City of Toronto to

311 and a Toronto Spill Responder will be dispatched immediately- For spills that are an immediate threat to human health, call 911

Brook Troutillustration: Charles Weiss

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Toronto’s Wonderful BeachesThe City of Toronto is very proud of the fact that 8 of its 11 Lake Ontariobeaches are recognized as meeting Blue Flag standards. Blue Flag is aninternationally recognized eco-label awarded to beaches that achievehigh standards in 29 criteria including water quality, environmentaleducation, environmental management, safety, and services.During the summer, water quality testing is performed 7 days per week(Ontario standards require only once per week). If the water quality isnot acceptable for swimming (E. coli bacteria more than 100 counts per100 ml of water), signs are posted recommending visitors do not swim.The decision to post signs is based on the previous day’s test results andcurrent beach conditions (waves, weather, water clarity).E. coli bacteria levels are an indicator of water quality. This bacterium isfound in wildlife and human waste and can cause ear, nose, and throatinfections, rashes, and other health issues.Most beach postings against swimming occur after significant rain stormsthat cause bacteria to be washed into the lake, either from animalsor through combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges. Water fowl(ducks, geese, swans) and seabirds (gulls, cormorants, terns) are majorcontributors to bacteria levels along the waterfront – DO NOT FEED thebirds. It is usually advisable to wait at least 24 hours after a large stormbefore swimming in any urban waters.Of significant note is that many of Toronto’s Blue Flag beaches are rarelyposted, even after large storms – the water quality being extremely goodall year round. This is great news for the fishes of Toronto; just as peoplerequire unpolluted water for recreation, fish require clean waters forsurvival.For more information on Toronto’s Beach water quality testing visit:

www.toronto.ca/parks/beaches or www.toronto.ca/health/beaches

“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be ashortage of fishing poles.” – Doug Larson

Redside Dace with the larger, less colourful Common Shiner in a Toronto stream photo: Dave Lawrie, TRCA

Redside Dace – The Redside Dace has been designated as “Endangered”under Ontario’s Endangered Species Act. Urbanization is considered tobe a major threat to Redside Dace as it requires cool, clear streams

with well-vegetated banks. Urbanization often leads to increasedtemperatures and increased sedimentation in streams and removalof vegetation along stream banks. The strong erosive forces of flashfloods, typical of urban areas, changes the habitat from deep, narrowquiet pools, preferred by Redside Dace, into inhospitable wide shallowriffle areas. The City, TRCA, Ontario Streams, and MNR are working trestore and protect stream habitat with the hope that the Redside Dacemay make a comeback.

Cherry Beachphoto: Toronto Water

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Reducing Road Salt Salt entering the environment due to road de-icing operations creates a serious risk to plants andanimals. Fishes and other aquatic organisms are particularly at risk if harmful salt concentrations

increase in their lake and stream ecosystems or impact the quality of the life sustaining groundwaterinputs to surface waters.The City of Toronto has a Salt Management Plan covering the use of salt applied to roads for safetypurposes in winter conditions. Equipment upgrades, staff training, and improved use of weatherforecasting information are major components of the Plan. The result is a significant reduction inthe amount of salt used on City roads and sidewalks.A recent innovation involves the mixing of salt with water to create a brine solution that is appliedto roads as a liquid or used to pre-wet rock salt as it is spread on the roadway. The City’s use ofbrine returns the roadway to normal driving conditions more quickly and helps each applicationlast longer than rock salt alone. It is better for the environment because less salt is required for the

same degree of safety. Another advantage is that the brine typically stays on the road as opposedto rock salt which has a tendency to bounce or migrate off the road surface and enter the stormsewers or ditches that direct run-off flow to the streams and Lake Ontario.

De-icing truck spraysbrine on the roads

photo: Toronto Transportation

Working to improve and protect fishhabitat – what are the City of Torontoand its partners doing?

There are many agencies, organizations,and levels of government involved in bothimproving and protecting the water qualityand aquatic environments within the Torontoarea. The City of Toronto and the OntarioMinistry of the Environment are responsiblefor enforcing water quality regulations andresponding to spill events. Both EnvironmentCanada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada

enforce legislation and federal acts designedto protect fishes, fish habitat, and the aquaticenvironment. The Ontario Ministry of NaturalResources is responsible for managing ourfishes and other wildlife resources as it worksto promote healthy, sustainable ecosystemsand conserve biodiversity. Toronto and RegionConservation works to protect and restore thehealth of the environment along Toronto’s

Lake Ontario waterfront and within each watershed in the Toronto region. All of theabove government agencies work alongsideor partner with environmental organizations,educational groups, corporations, and grassroots community groups to increase awarenessand achieve a greener, cleaner, healthierenvironment.

“No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish.” – John Ruskin

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Protecting water quality and aquatic habitats –The Wet Weather Flow Master PlanThe City of Toronto’s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan (WWFMP)

is a long-term, multi-billion dollar initiative launched in 2003. WWFMP projects are successfully improving the water quality andaquatic habitat in the City’s streams and waterfront by reducingand collecting contaminated stormwater run-off. Combined seweroverflows are being intercepted and stored in massive undergroundtanks before treatment at wastewater plants. Sewer-Use By-LawOfficers investigate and eliminate illegal discharges and crossconnections (sanitary connections to the storm sewer). Numerousstream restoration projects are underway to reduce destructive erosion

and improve aquatic habitat, and stormwater ponds are being built tocollect and naturally treat wet weather flows. These ponds also helpcontrol the volume and velocity of stormwater entering the streams,

which reduces the erosion and flushing of fish habitats, and provideaquatic and terrestrial habitat within the stream valleys once naturaland planted vegetation takes hold.

The WWFMP has 13 key objectives; including many that have adirect effect on fishes and fish habitat:

• Achieve healthier aquatic communities that include warmwater andcoldwater fisheries as appropriate;• Reduce fish consumption advisories due to local wet weather

pollution sources;• Reduce erosion impacts on stream and riparian (forested stream

banks) habitats;• Re-establish a natural hydrologic cycle (movement of rainwater)

based on maximizing permeability and minimizing runoff;

Stormwater ManagementWetland in High Park

photo: Vicky Shi, Toronto Water

• Protect, re-establish, rehabilitate, and/or restore natural featuressuch as wetlands and streams;

• Virtual elimination of toxic contaminants in groundwater and

surface waters through pollution prevention at their source;• Achieve federal, provincial, and municipal water and sediment

quality objectives and guidelines in area watercourses and along the waterfront;

• Eliminate discharges of sanitary sewage to the natural environmentfrom such sources as combined sewer overflows (CSO) and

wastewater treatment plant by-passes;• Contribute to eliminating objectionable deposits, nuisance algae

growth, unnatural colour, turbidity, and odour in order to improve

the aesthetics of area surface waters.For more information on the WWFMP visit:www.toronto.ca/water/protecting_quality/wwfmmp/index.htm

www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/archived/wwfmmp_archive/index.htm

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Stream restorationThe City of Toronto, MNR, Ontario Streams, and TRCA continueto be involved in numerous projects to restore or create aquatic

habitat in Toronto’s streams.Stream restoration projects are designed to return watercourses to amore natural condition. Restoration projects also attempt to reduce

Humber Creek, 2002, pre-restoration (these three photos showthe same location; note the willow tree on the right side)

photo: Toronto Water

Humber Creek, 2007, post-restoration with properly gradedbanks that have erosion protection and new plantingsphoto: Toronto Water

Humber Creek, 2010, productive fish habitat withextensive riparian vegetation for cover and shadephoto: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

the amount of bank erosion along a watercourse in order to improvedownstream water quality, and reduce the loss or burial of fish habitat.During a restoration, in-stream structures (riffles, pools, boulders),

substrate (stream bed materials), and cover (logs, woody debris,vegetation) are utilized to provide a variety of habitat for theprotection, foraging, and reproduction of fishes and other aquatic life

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Stream Restoration in East Highland Creek south of Ellesmere Road Equipment is removing fine solids collected in a stilling basin. Theriffles, pools, and basin are designed to slow the flow during stormsand thus reduce the erosive forces of high fast flowing water (thatcan fill the entire channel during big storms).photo: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

(insects, amphibians, plants, etc.). Large rocks(armourstone, boulders) are placed along thestream banks to prevent erosion. Trees and other

vegetation are also planted at the stream edges(riparian zone) to reduce erosion, supply shade tokeep water temperatures low, and provide shelterand food for fishes and other wildlife.

A good example of a stream restoration projectcan be seen in Humber Creek (see previouspage), a small tributary of the Humber River thatruns between Islington Ave. and Scarlett Road,south of Dixon Road. The creek was typical of aseverely degraded urban watercourse and in2002, a 900 m section near the start of the creekin Alex Marchetti Park was restored to providestable banks and enhanced aquatic habitat. Theriparian shrubs and trees that were planted aspart of the restoration have been so successfulthat within only a few years the creek is difficultto see for all this beneficial bank vegetation.

Another major project is the ongoing restoration oflarge segments of East Highland Creek in the areasouth of Ellesmere Road near and withinMorningside Park. A massive rainstorm event in

August of 2005 damaged huge sections ofHighland Creek and the City of Torontocontinues to work on restoring these reaches.

stilling basinwith large rocks

shallow riffles withlow flow channels

armourstone walls

deeper pools

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Humber River weir upstream of Eglinton Avenue West. Note the Denil Fishway (a type of fish “ladder”) that wasconstructed to allow both jumping and non-jumping fishes to migrate upstream of the weir (inset shows a side view of theweir and the entrance to the fishway). photos: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

Fish migration barrier removal The City of Toronto, MNR, and TRCAare involved with the removal of in-

stream barriers to fish migration. Barrierexamples are bridge structures, culverts,dams, log or debris jams, and weirs.Culverts (large pipes under roads at astream crossings) with a vertical dropon the downstream side are referredto as “perched” culverts and are verycommon. Typically an abrupt changein the slope or elevation of the stream

surface is what acts as the barrier to fishesand aquatic invertebrates, preventingthem from accessing upstream habitat.Even salmonids can be blocked by lowbarriers because the pool immediatelydownstream of the barrier must be atleast as deep as the barrier is high forthem to reach an adequate jumpingspeed. Many barriers also cause upstream

ponding that can result in excessivelyhigh water temperatures that are harmfulto coldwater fish species. Other barriersmay cause habitat fragmentation,interrupt sediment transport down theriver, and/or prevent fish movementaway from stressful conditions such asspills to the river.

“There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.” – Steven Wright

Denil Fishway

Fishway entrance

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A Chinook Salmon, in the East Don River upstream of York Mills Rounsuccessfully attempts to migrate beyond an impassible barrier (highphoto: Ken Sproule

Humber River weir with notch in the centre of thestructure to assist with upstream fish migrationphoto: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

However, strategic barriers can also be used for fish management bypreventing undesirable invasive fish species such as Sea Lamprey (seepg. 35) or Round Goby from migrating into “unaffected” reaches, or

separating introduced migratory species (e.g. Pacific salmons) fromresident native fish communities (e.g. Brook Trout). Sea Lampreyillustration: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

notch

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With the removal or modification of undesirablebarriers, or the construction of a bypass or fish ladder,new healthy diverse upstream aquatic communities can

develop, and migrating fishes can access the clear, coolheadwaters they require for spawning.

In the Humber River, between Bloor Street and theSt. Phillips Road bridge, there are eight weirs that havebeen notched. The notching lowers the height of the

weir, allowing some jumping species to move up pastthese structures. Also on the Humber, in Raymore Park

just north of Eglinton Avenue West, TRCA and theMNR have constructed a fishway that allows virtuallyall fish species to migrate upstream of the weir (see page60). In the Spring of 2000, these barrier mitigationefforts and others farther upstream resulted in thesuccessful migration of Rainbow Trout from LakeOntario to spawning sites in the headwaters of the EastHumber River.

In the Don River, TRCA recently constructed rockyramps at various weirs that help fishes navigate over some

of these weir structures. Rocks and boulders are usedto form a type of stepped or terraced path from belowthe weir up to the lip of the weir. The flow-monitoring

weir just downstream of the Pottery Road bridge is anexcellent example of a rocky ramp design that now allowsmigrating White Sucker and Chinook Salmon to moveup from Lake Ontario, past the weir, and into tributariesof the upper Don River. Don River weir and rocky ramp at Todmorden Mills (downstream of Pottery Road)


“Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat fora lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb

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Waterfront and wetlands restorationIn recent years considerable work has started on the process ofrestoring natural habitats and improving water quality along or near

the Lake Ontario waterfront, and aquatic ecosystems have begun toshow signs of recovery.

The restoration of coastal wetlands is a priority as these wetlandsprovide reproductive habitat for top predators such as Walleye andNorthern Pike. Coastal wetlands have been, and are being, created

Humber Bay Park aquatic habitat andcarp exclusion gate near the mouth ofMimico Creek.photos: TRCA

Leslie Street Spit/Tommy Thompson Park showingembayments and “cells” that are sheltered from Lake

Ontario, providing refuge for juvenile fishes.photo: TRCA

at various points along the Toronto shoreline. Excellent examplesof these restoration projects can be seen at Humber Bay Park andin the embayments at Tommy Thompson Park. Wetland creation

often includes measures for excluding the introduced Common Carp, which destroys aquatic vegetation that is essential food and shelterfor native fishes. The successful exclusion of Common Carp allowsnative aquatic plants to flourish, including softstem bulrush, cattail,arrowhead, water lily, dogwoods, and willows.

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Tommy Thompson Park – This series of photos illustrates the changes in habitat in Embayment ‘A’ (farthest SW protected bay) at Tommy Thompson before, during, immediately after, and one year after enhancements were installed by Toronto and Region Conservation. While the shoreline in the bpicture appears green, it is severely lacking in aquatic habitat. The vegetation community is composed predominantly of Willow, a terrestrial specieonly a few Cattails. During construction sand was added to push the shoreline farther into the embayment, providing space for the creation of backlagoons, which creates a warm water refuge for fishes when the water in the open embayment is too cold and provides spawning grounds in the springsummer. The land between the new shoreline and the backwater lagoons is covered with piles of wood and boulders to provide habitat for perching bbasking amphibians and small mammals. One year after construction, the new shoreline is covered with vegetation including aquatic species in the wand wildflowers and shrubs on land. It is a healthy ecosystem that provides habitats for fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

1 - TTP Embayment A - before construction, Summer 2009photo: TRCA

3 - TTP Embayment A - immediately after construction, October 2009photo: TRCA

2 - TTP Embayment A - during construction, September 2009photo: TRCA

4 - TTP Embayment A - one year after construction, August 2010photo: Ann Gray

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Central waterfront – The central waterfront of Toronto has also been the siteof numerous restoration projects, both on the land and in the water. For example,within the Inner Harbour over 4000 m2 of new aquatic habitat was createdin conjunction with the construction of the three new pedestrian walkwayWave Decks at the Spadina, Simcoe, and Rees slips. To create aquatichabitat under the Wave Decks, a variety of different measures were used;boulders, gravel, tree root balls, and large logs were placed on the lake bedto provide an environment for fishes to reproduce, live, and grow.The Spadina Wave Deck is adjacent to the Spadina Quay Wetland. Thisunique open water marsh habitat, built in 1996 on the site of a formerparking lot, offers protection from the harsh wave environment of theInner Harbour. The sheltered wetland environment is now fostering thedevelopment of extensive aquatic plant communities and an emerging fishpopulation. The Northern Pike is known to use this high quality wetland

for spawning. To promote the establishment of a healthy fish communitynumerous underwater features, such as log cribs, were installed to act asboth cover and ambush points for the pike to prey on smaller fishes.

Spadina Wave Deck fish habitat and the Spadina Quay WetlandNorthern Pike habitat (on the left) with its entrance gatephoto: Rod Anderton, Toronto Water

Spadina Wave Deck – constructing and installing root wads to provide cover

photo: TRCA

Spadina Quay Wetland entranceLongnose Garillustration: Charles Weiss

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Planting aquatic vegetation in the Humber Bay Park wetlandsphoto: TRCA

Largemouth Bass habitat restoration in Grenadier Pond, High Parkphoto: TRCA

Aquatic Habitat Toronto– Aquatic Habitat Toronto (AHT) is a partnership betweenagencies with an interest in healthy, sustainable aquatic ecosystems. AHTimplements the Toronto Waterfront Aquatic Habitat Restoration Strategy conservrestoring, and creating aquatic habitat that was historically degraded, and overseescientific research along the Toronto waterfront. The work is an important stepaddressing the environmental challenges that factor into Toronto’s listing as an Aof Concern. AHT partners represent three levels of government and include Fisheand Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural ResourceToronto and Region Conservation, Waterfront Toronto, and the City of TorontFor more information visit www.aquatichabitat.ca

Largemouth Bassillustration: Charles Weiss

“Log-tangle” (logsplaced together underthe water) offeringcover and protection

Spawning-shoals (pondbed raised using graveland rocks) providingincreased nesting grounds



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How You Can HelpThere are many actions you can take to improve and protect fishesand fish habitat. Below are listed a selection of ways that individualscan improve water quality, reduce the impact of stormwater flows,and protect native aquatic life.

Here are some easy things …• Stoop and scoop animal waste.

• Check your car for leaks of fuel, oil, brake, transmission and otherharmful fluids. Fix the leaks! Use a drop cloth if you do-it-yourself.

• Reduce usage of your car: ride your bike, take transit, or car pool.

• Eliminate or at least reduce your use of fertilizers and pesticides,and follow application guidelines! (Ontario banned the use ofcosmetic pesticides in 2009.)

• Grasscycle! Leave grass clippings on your lawn when you mow(mulch). They’ll help your lawn absorb more rain and returnnutrients to the soil. This will allow you to cut back on lawn

watering, and fertilizing, which frequently contribute to pollutedstormwater runoff adding excessive nutrients into surface waters.

• Don’t dump toxic substances into the sewer system.ONLY rain orclean water is allowed in the catchbasins on your road.

• Drop-off harmful products such as oil, household cleaners, paint,pesticides, batteries, and prescription medicines at the City ofToronto’s Household Hazardous Waste Depots (call 311 for detailsplus hours and locations).

• Try to limit your use of any hazardous product. Buy only as muchas you need and use it all up. If you do end up with leftovers,consider sharing them with a neighbour or donating them to a localcommunity organization. Better still, why not use environmentallysafe alternatives for home and laundry cleaning products andgardening/lawn maintenance.

• Don’t use soap to wash your car in the driveway. Soap is notallowed to be discharged to the road or catchbasins. If you can,

wash your car over a surface that will allow water to soak into theearth, or use a commercial car wash.

• Don’t discharge your chlorinated swimming pool water orbackwash to the catchbasin. Saltwater disinfection pool water mustbe discharged to the sanitary sewer or stay on your property.

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• Use a broom to sweep garbage and soil off driveways,sidewalks and patios – don’t use your hose to wash thematerial to the road and catchbasin. By doing this you’re

helping reduce pollution picked up in stormwater runoff.• Get involved in community watercourse restoration or

watershed management projects or the Yellow Fish RoadProgram.

… and some things that need a little extra effort:• Disconnect your home’s eavestrough downspouts from

the sewer. Catch the stormwater in a rain barrel and useit to water your lawn and gardens, or redirect the flow to

a spot where it can soak into the earth and replenish thegroundwater. Visit www.toronto.ca/water/protecting_quality/downspout.htm

• Consider using gravel, well-spaced interlocking bricks,grass or other groundcover instead of impervious(waterproof) surfaces such as pavement or concrete.

• Use landscaping that promotes the filtering of rainwaterinto the ground or consider xeriscaping, a school oflandscape design that promotes water conservation.

• Help keep stormwater on your property and allow it tosoak into the earth and replenish groundwater. You cando this by changing the drainage slope of your lawn, bychanging the grading or landscaping to stop stormwaterrunoff.

• Plant trees and shrubs on your property to retain water.

Yellow Fish RoadTM Program (Toronto and Region Conservation)The Yellow Fish RoadTM program is a free half-day,curriculum-linked, action-oriented experience that getsparticipants involved in community outreach. Developed byTrout Unlimited Canada, the Yellow Fish RoadTM Programoffers a PowerPoint presentation, an in-class demonstrationand an interactive model helping participants understandhow storm drains are linked directly to local water bodieswithout any purification/treatment. Once educated,participants mark local storm drains with yellow fishsymbols and distribute educational leaflets to homes in thearea, helping to raise awareness of storm water pollution.This program runs from the beginning of April until the end of October, and is ideafor schools (grades 2-12 inclusive), Guides and Scouts, and corporate and specialinterest groups.

www.trca.on.ca/school-programs/facilities-and-programs/watershed-on-wheels

www.yellowfishroad.org

Painting a Yellow Fishbeside a catchbasin photos: TRCA

“FISH: an animal that grows the fastest between the time it’s caught and the time the fisherman describes it to his friends.” – anonymous

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• If you’re thinking of adding a bathroom to your home, make sureto connect new plumbing fixtures to your home’s sanitary drain(NOT the storm sewer).

• Rooftop gardens can help reduce stormwater runoff. This is a greatapproach for Toronto businesses or building owners who lackproperty for other stormwater management techniques. Visit

www.toronto.ca/greenroofs

Preventing invasive species• Inspect your boat, motor, trailer, and boating equipment such as

anchors and fishing gear, centerboards, rollers, and axles. Remove

Removing aquatic plants from a fishing boat and trailer before leaving the sitein order to not transport invasive plant species to another watershed.

photo: David Copplestone

Learn how to identify invasive species. Call the province-wide InvadingSpecies Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 to report new sightings, or visitwww.invadingspecies.com for more information.

any mussels and other animals and plants that are visible beforeleaving any waterbody.

• Drain water from the motor, live well, bilge and transom wells while

on land immediately before leaving the waterbody.• Wash and/or dry your boat, tackle, downriggers, trailer, and other

boating equipment to kill harmful species that were not visible at theboat launch. Some aquatic species can survive more than two weeksout of water. Therefore, it is important to:- rinse your boat and equipment that normally gets wet with hot

tap water (greater than 50°C); or- spray your boat and trailer with high pressure water (250 psi); or- dry your boat and equipment in the sun for at least 5 days before

transporting them to another body of water.• Crayfishes can only be used for bait in the waterbody in which they

were caught and they cannot be transported over land. This willhelp prevent the spread of non-native and invasive species like theRusty Crayfish.

• DO NOT dump your bait. It is illegal to release live bait into ornear any surface waters.

• Never release or flush unwanted aquarium pets, plants, or water into

natural waters, drainage ditches or sewers.• Return or donate unwanted aquarium fishes, reptiles, snails and

plants to a pet store or a school.

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Brown Trout caught in Ashbridges Bay by TRCA Fish CommunityMonitoring Program staff photo: TRCA

Northern Pike released after being caught along the Toronto waterfrontphoto: TRCA

Catch and ReleaseIt has been said that catch and release is the single greatest personal contribution thatan angler can make towards the sport fishery. Selective harvest is practised today byconservation minded anglers who occasionally keep a few fishes, but carefully releasemost they catch. Sport fishes that are caught and released benefit both the species andthe fishery for future generations of anglers.Catch and Release Tips- Land fishes quickly by using the correct rod and reel for the species you are fishing- Keep fishes in the water as much as possible- Wet your hands before handling a fish to avoid excessive loss of the fish’s protective

slime coating- Do not touch gills; they are very easily damaged- Use rubberized or fish-friendly landing nets to protect the fish from abrasion- Never use abrasive/grippy gloves that both injure and strip slime- When holding, keep the body of large fishes supported in a horizontal position- Remove hooks quickly; have pliers handy to cut the hook or help pull it outFor some species like trouts and even small panfishes, barbless hooks (barbs canbe pinched down with pliers) help make catch and release quicker and easier for you and the fish. See the web resources at the end of this book for more Catch andRelease tips.

Facts about Bait - The use of live bait is permitted in most Ontario waterbodies – but always refer to

the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations to confirm if any restrictions apply tothe location or waterbody you plan to fish- Only a limited number of species may be used as bait (example: Yellow Perch

cannot be used as bait anywhere in Ontario) – check the regulations to be sure yourbait is allowed

- Salamanders cannot be captured, imported, or used as bait in Ontario- It is illegal to release any live bait or dump the contents of a bait bucket into any

waterbody or within 30 m of a waterbody

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Hooked-On-Fishing, Alyssa Mcdonald proudly displays her first Bluegill sunfishwith Wil Wegman of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The MNR andlocal angling associations coordinate numerous youth fishing events every year,including two Licence-Free Family Fishing periods. Visit the MNR website (see WebReferences) for more information on fishing with children and other fishing events.photo: Melanie Quinn, MNR Aurora District

Fishing Regulations in the Toronto Area

Ontario is an angler’s paradise. There areover 250,000 lakes in the province andcountless kilometres of rivers and creeks. The

Toronto area offers anglers many differenttypes of fishing experiences close to home.

Most people between 18 and 64 years of ageneed to purchase a fishing licence in order tofish in the Toronto area or anywhere in theprovince. There are some exceptions, such asfor disabled Ontario and Canadian residents.Licences can be purchased at Service Ontariooutlets or from hundreds of authorized

licence issuers around the province.

In order to manage Ontario’s fisheries,the Ministry of Natural Resources hasdivided the province into 20 Fisheries Management Zones. Fishingregulations help manage for healthy fish populations – there arevarious open and closed seasons, catch and possession limits, and insome cases, size restrictions for the fishes you may catch. Each zonehas specific fishing regulations that anglers must follow. Inland watersin the City of Toronto fall within Zone 16, while Lake Ontario watersfall within Zone 20.

To view a summary of Ontario’s fishing regulations, visit www.ontario.ca/fishing. You can also pick up a hard copy when youbuy your licence. If you plan to fish near the boundary of a zone,you can review the zone maps provided online to determine theboundary between Lake Ontario and various stream mouths and bays.

To report resources abuse and fishing violations, call the TIPS-MNRline at 1-877-847-7667.

This Fishes of Toronto booklet and the ROM’s Field Guide toFreshwater Fishes of Ontario will help you become familiar with thenumerous fishes that swim in our local waters.

Royal Ontario Museum’sField Guide

73“D ’ ll fi h i h h l k b i l l d ’ ll h h h



Conclusion

Eels that swim to the Sargasso Sea to reproduce andthen die, their offspring spending years making itback to Lake Ontario. A fish that can grow up to3 m long and live more than a century. The returnof a species once so abundant you could have goneto Mimico Creek, or the Don and Humber Rivers,and “walked across a stream dry shod on theirbacks”. The trophy-sized bass, pike, salmons, andtrouts that you can catch while having Toronto’sskyscrapers and CN Tower in the background. Theminnows and sunfishes you see teeming in a localpond or the salmons jumping by the hundreds atthe Old Mill dam on the Humber River.

All of these are amazing anecdotes about thefascinating fishes that this book has tried tohighlight. We hope Fishes of Toronto will be just astarting point to your connection with Toronto’sfish community. If this book can spark a desire tolearn more about our local fish species or to openthe door to create your own “Fishing in Toronto”stories, then we’ll be happy. However… ifFishes

of Toronto can become the gateway to create morelifelong stewards who are determined to conserveour fishes, their habitats, and fishing opportunitiesfor future generations… then we would have alldone our jobs that much better.

Remember, the future of our fishes is in yourhands!

Mike Correa, of TRCA, displays two Smallmouth Bass caught on the open coast side of the Toronto Isladuring ‘Nearshore Community Index Netting’; a fish sampling program run in conjunction with the MN photo: TRCA

“Don’t tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where theyknow the fish.” – Mark Twain



“Crayfish Slammer” – Smallmouth Bassillustration: Charles Weiss

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Select Fishes and Fishing Resources

Freshwater Drumillustration: Charles Weiss

Agencies and organizationsOntario Ministry of Natural Resources - www.mnr.gov.on.caNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) -www.dec.ny.gov

Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) – www.trca.on.caOntario Federation of Anglers and Hunters - www.ofah.orgGreat Lakes Fishery Commission – www.glfc.orgRoyal Ontario Museum – www.rom.on.caThe International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) - www.iaglr.orgOntario Streams - www.ontariostreams.on.caCity of Toronto, Toronto Water - www.toronto.ca/waterAmerican Fisheries Society - www.fisheries.org/afsFisheries and Oceans Canada - www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/index-eng.htmThe North American Native Fishes Association - www.nanfa.org/default.shtmlLake Ontario Waterkeeper - www.waterkeeper.caConservation Ontario - www.conservation-ontario.on.caOntario Ministry of the Environment - www.ene.gov.on.ca

Fisheries research and management journalsAmerican Fisheries Society Journals - http://afsjournals.orgCanadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences -www.nrcresearchpress.com/journal/cjfas Journal of Great Lakes Research - www.iaglr.org/jglr/journal.php

BOOKSBecker, G.C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison,Wisconsin. xii + 1052 pp. (available online at: http://seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/becker.htm)Coad, B.W. with H. Waszczuk and I. Labignan. 1995. Encyclopedia of Canadianfishes. Museum of Nature, Ottawa and Canadian Sportfishing Productions,Waterdown, Ontario. viii+928 pp.Holm, E., N. Mandrak, and M. Burridge. 2009, 2010. The ROM field guide tofreshwater fishes of Ontario. Royal Ontario Museum Science Publication. Toronto,Ontario. 462 pp.Hubbs, C.L., K.F. Lagler, and G.R. Smith. 2004. Fishes of the Great Lakes region,revised edition. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan. xvii + 276 pp.Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt PublishingCompany, New York, New York xix + 663 pp.Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res.Board Can. 184. [1998 Reprint] Galt House Publications Ltd., Oakville, Ontario. xx+ 966 pp.

WEBSITESIdentificationFishBase - www.fishbase.orgOntario Freshwater Fishes Life History Database - www.fishdb.caWiscFish - University of Wisconsin, Center for Limnology, Wisconsin Department ofNatural Resources, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant - www.wiscfish.org

American Eel illustration: Charles Weiss

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OTHER WEB RESOURCESCommittee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO):www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Species/2ColumnSubPage/244543.htmlCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC):www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct5/index_e.cfmUrban Fishing Sites in the Toronto Area - www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165643.htmlPaddle the Don - www.paddlethedon.caLake Ontario Charter Boat Association -www.lakeontariocharterboatassociation.comOntario Fishing Regulations Summary 2011 - www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/ Business/LetsFish/Publication/STEL02_163615.htmlGo Fish in Ontario - www.gofishinontario.com/index.aspx?language=enThe 2011-2012 Guide to Eating Ontario Sport Fish -www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/water/fishguide/index.phpAquatic Habitat Toronto - www.aquatichabitat.ca, download the Toronto WaterfrontAquatic Habitat Restoration Strategy and The Fish Communities of The TorontoWaterfront: Summary and Assessment 1989 - 2005)Toronto Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan - information of Lake OntarioEvenings, Toronto RAP targets, www.torontorap.caLake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program - www.bringbackthesalmon.caGreat Ontario Salmon Derby - www.greatontariosalmonderby.caOntario Sportfishing Guides Association -www.ontariofishcharters.ca/ontariocent.html www.ontariofishcharters.ca/ontariowest.html

Ontario Chinese Anglers Association - www.ocaa.smartanglers.comMetro East Anglers - www.metroeastanglers.comMNR Fish Culture - www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165904.html

Ontario Family Fishing Weekend - www.familyfishingweekend.comMNR Kids’ Fish Art Contest - www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/KidsFish/index.htmlOntario Fishing Net - www.ontariofishing.netInvading Species Awareness Program - www.invadingspecies.comMNR Youth Fishing - www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165419.htmlTackle Share Program - www.tackleshare.comCatch and Release Fishing -www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_166032.html www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/factsheet/stdprod_068934.pdf

CHECKLIST SOURCESBuchanan, I. 1989. Fish community and aquatic habitat of the Toronto waterfront1989. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Maple District. Prepared for TorontoRemedial Action Plan.ROM fish collection recordsStrus, R. H. 1994. Metro Toronto Waterfront Fish Communities: Summary andAssessment 1989-1993. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Greater TorontoArea District. Prepared for Metro Toronto Remedial Action Plan.Whillans, T. H. 1979. Historic transformations of fish communities in three GreatLakes Bays. J. Great Lakes Research 5(2):195-215.

Brown Bullheadillustration: Charles Weiss

Rock Bassillustration: Charles Weiss

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AcknowledgementsContributing AuthorsFishes of Toronto was developed by a group of dedicated and conscientiousprofessionals; without whose commitment this informative guide would not havebeen possible. The City of Toronto would like to thank the Fishes of Toronto WorkingGroup (pictured below, from left to right): Rod Anderton, Pat Viggiani, Erling Holm,Mike Correa, Wil Wegman, Meg St. John, Chris Robinson, Colin Lake, Kelly Snow.Absent: Charles Weiss.

We would like to also thank the following people for their assistance: Mary Burridge,Andrea Chreston, David Copplestone, Becky Cudmore, Marc Gaden, AntoniaGuidotti, Harold Harvey, Nick Mandrak, Brian Morrison, Bruce Morrison,Christine Tu, Jane Weninger.

PartnersAquatic Habitat Toronto: www.aquatichabitat.caGreat Lakes Fishery Commission: www.glfc.orgMinistry of Natural Resources: www.mnr.gov.on.caOntario Federation of Anglers and Hunters: www.ofah.org

Royal Ontario Museum: www.rom.on.caToronto and Region Conservation: www.trca.on.ca

Illustrations byKaren Klitz, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Judy Pennanen (Atlantic Salmon Federation), Rob Slapkauskas.

Contributing ArtistCharles Weiss – Charles Weiss is a Toronto-basedOntario born artist and writer. He has tried to paintunderwater scenes as accurately as possible. He hasalways felt passionately about nature and wildlife,

especially freshwater fishes. These subjects appear ina lot of his artwork. His styles range from realistic toeditorial cartoons. www.charlesweissart.com

PhotographersRod Anderton, Blaise Barrett, David Britton, Randy Brown, Nicki Butala, W. H.Carrick, Jon Clayton, Brian Coad, George Coker, David Copplestone, Mike CorreAlan Dextrase, Emily Funnell, Bruce Gebhardt, Ann Gray, Great Lakes FisheryCommission (GLFC), Glenn Guthrie, Kazutoshi Hiyeda, Erling Holm, Izumi OutdE.R. Keeley, John Kendell, Marc Lange, Elizabeth LaPorte, Gregory Lashbrook, TLawrence, Dave Lawrie, John MacGregor, Rob MacGregor, Montreal Biodome,Nature’s Images, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Ontario Streams, Melanie Quinn, Mont Richardson, RoyalAlberta Museum, Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Konrad Schmidt, Vicki Shi, KeSproule, Toronto and Region Conservation, Toronto Transportation Services, ToroWater, Paul Vecsei, Doug Watkinson, Wil Wegman.

Financial ContributorsThe Working Group and the City of Toronto would like to thank the followingfor their generous financial support:- Toronto Field Naturalists: www.torontofieldnaturalists.org- The Schad Foundation- MacFeeters Family Fund at the Toronto Community Foundation - Ministry of Natural Resources: www.ontario.ca/speciesatrisk - Conservation Foundation of Greater Toronto: www.trca.on.ca/foundation - Toronto and Region Conservation’s Paddle the Don Fund: www.paddlethedon.ca- Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Zone G: www.ofah.org/zonegALL ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK ARE USED WITH PERMISSION AND ARE

COPYRIGHT OF THE ARTIST/PHOTOGRAPHER UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.Booklet designed by City of Toronto Information Production, City Clerk’s Office (2011)

Back cover: “Northern Pike Chasing Yellow Perch” © Charles Weiss

fishes of toronto - a guide to their remarkable world (2012)

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