Brook Trout Spawning Behaviour in Algonquin Park (www.algonquinpark.on.ca)

Algonquin Park, in Ontario, Canada, is home to over 1,100 named lakes. Only about 200 of these lakes contain Brook Trout a fish species that is becoming increasingly rare in its historic range in eastern North America. Habitat destruction, pollution, and over harvesting has caused population declines, but Algonquin Park still serves as a stronghold for this fish species. The Algonquin Park area represents one of the highest concentration of naturally occurring Brook Trout lakes in the world.

Each November, brightly coloured Brook Trout, a close relative of the Arctic Char, congregate near spring seepage areas in order to compete for the best underwater breeding locations. Female trout excavate depressions known as "redds" where they deposit eggs in the gravel lake bottom. Inflowing ground water nourishes the Brook Trout eggs until they hatch in spring. The largest male Brook Trout can spend weeks patrolling the spawning area sparing with other males to exert their dominance in order to position themselves in a prime location to spawn with females.

In this video watch as a large hooked jawed male Brook Trout (wearing a blue research tag) spars with other males as he tends a female trout who appears ready to spawn in the deepest redd in the area.

Watch "The Natural Brook Trout Lakes of Algonquin Park" at    • The Natural Brook Trout Lakes of Algo...  

For more about Brook Trout research in Algonquin Park see http://www.sbaa.ca/projects.asp?cn=319

For more about Algonquin Park click http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca