[NatureNS] smelt runs

Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:42:56 -0300
From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644

Hi Gerald
Not sure whether the names have changed since I took my fish biology 30+ 
years ago, but Gaspereau- Alosa pseudoharengus. Note Shad is Alosa 
sapidissima and  Atlantic herring is Clupea harengus harengus. All are in 
the herring family-ClUPEIdae. I never noticed till now that my undergrad 
university is in that name.

American smelt is Osmerus mordax. This is somewhat more related to the 
trout-salmon as they are in the same suborder. When we were kids in PEI we 
used to be able to spring dip-net smelts out of small tributaries of the 
Pisquid River.  They are delicious and one of my favoutite fish.

River John in Pictou Co. often has a smelt dinner, but I don't see it posted 
on their web-site so it may have already happened with smelts fished through 
the ice. I do note there is a maple festival in near-by West Branch in late 
April.

 Runs of Gaspereau, smelts, Silversides, eels etc. provide lots of food for 
large rafts of ducks, cormorants and gulls in Pictou Harbour. We have quite 
a large number of Bald Eagle nests in the harbour area as well and returning 
Osprey in the summer. There is a very dynamic system in operation here and 
one that likely has changed immensely since construction of the Pictou 
Causeway and the  ashy Power Plant in Trenton.
cheers
ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gerald Ruderman" <naturens@zdoit.airpost.net>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] smelt runs


> James King wrote:
> . . . .
>> The smelt used to run around mid- to late-April once the snow had gone
>> and immediately after the gaspereau had their own run at the beginning
>> of April. All this was a long time ago and I don't know if it's still
>> done. But if so, it would be an experience to remember; and a feed of
>> fresh smelt are hard to beat.
>
> I thought gaspereau were smelt. Can someone tell me the genus and
> species of the gaspereau and smelt?
>
> Thanks 

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