Rubber ducky race waters blamed for fish deaths in Valley river
Jon Tattrie | CBC News | Posted: May 30, 2017 5:33 PM | Last Updated: May 30, 2017
Nova Scotia Power says water flow during charity race led to accidental kill, but others blame infrastructure
Scores of fish have turned up dead in Nova Scotia's Gaspereau River in the last few days, and a charity rubber ducky race and the area's hydro turbine are taking the blame.
Videos and photos shared by locals show dozens of dead gaspereau fish on the shore and floating down the Annapolis Valley river.
Nova Scotia Power's White Rock hydroelectricity generating station is located along the river and can change the water flow in the Gaspereau.
"We believe that the gaspereau were drawn into the turbine when we increased water flow through the White Rock hydroelectricity station Sunday afternoon in order to boost the flow through the White Rock Canal for the annual Apple Blossom charity rubber duck race," spokesperson David Rodenhiser said Tuesday.
Nova Scotia Power did not estimate how many fish have been killed. DFO said it is investigating, but declined to be interviewed.
DFO investigating deaths
For years, the power company has sped up water flow for a quick rubber duck race and then slowed it so the ducks didn't go into the turbine.
The race on Sunday raised money for charities and is part of the Apple Blossom festival, a long-running annual agricultural and heritage celebration in the Annapolis Valley.
Rodenhiser said the power company has had people investigating at the power station and river since Sunday to try to figure out why so many fish have died this year.
"They're working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to learn everything that we can about what happened and we'll work to adapt our procedures appropriately based on what we learn," he said.
One theory is that there are more fish in the river system this year, which could have increased die-off numbers.
Fisherman sees 'serious flaws' in infrastructure
Darren Porter, a fisherman and spokesperson for the Fundy United Federation of Fishermen, said the rubber ducky excuse doesn't hold water.
"They're just looking for a scapegoat with the rubber duckies," he told CBC News on Tuesday. "This isn't the first kill, this won't be the last kill, and we're going to be seeing much more of that this year."
He said he warned DFO and NSP earlier this year that such a thing could happen. "Their system is not adequate to pass this many fish. There are serious flaws in the infrastructure."
Porter argues that the louvers — sheets of metal hanging down to block fish from entering the turbine — aren't working and the bypasses regularly get blocked when unmonitored on evenings and weekends.
"The first line of defence is absolutely not working. The second line of defence is only partially working. The fish really don't have a lot of chance."
NSP has no 'licence to kill fish'
Porter wants to see the power company treated the same way as the fishermen who he said have helped rebuild the stock over the last two decades. Fishermen must track and record how many fish they kill.
"That's how the oceans are managed. We actually stopped fishing on certain days to bring these stocks back and it's extremely troubling to watch the power company wipe out 20 years of work," he said.
He thinks DFO should compel Nova Scotia Power to record their mortality rate.
"They don't have a licence to kill fish, so why are they getting away with it? If a child was out in the river and caught one more fish than his limit, he'd be charged," he said.