May 2006

An alarming news release arrived in my Inbox. The headline read: “New Data Shows Brook Trout Imperiled Throughout Entire Eastern Range: Massachusetts Brook Trout Populations Threatened by Dams and Roads.”

Troubling.

We’re not talking here about the stocked hatchery brookies anglers have been catching in small streams this spring. No. We’re talking about the native “squaretails” we all grew up with; those steel-blue, brilliantly spotted freshwater fish that, as fingerlings, breaded lightly with corn flour, are a cast-iron delight dating back to colonial times. A salmonid of the char family, Eastern brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are regarded by many as North America’s most beautiful freshwater fish. Count me among them.

I grew up catching native squaretails, big and small, in local waters I would never identify in print; and although I haven’t fished those waters in a generation, I believe they’re still there, beautiful and tasty as ever. However, that assumption may not be accurate given recent findings by Trout Unlimited and a coalition of state and federal agencies that collaborated on the recent report, “Eastern Brook Trout: Status and Threats.” Researchers found that “brook trout survive in less than half of their original range in Massachusetts.”

“Brook trout are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to water quality,” said Gary Berti, Trout Unlimited’s Eastern brook brout campaign coordinator. “The presence of brook trout in a watershed indicates that water quality is excellent. Declining brook trout populations can provide an early warning that the health of an entire stream, lake or river is at risk.”

The brookie havens I know well are probably still producing the gorgeous native fish, albeit fewer than during my boyhood days when I vividly recall watching trophy brookies spawn each fall at a secluded old mill site in the woods. I assume that they’re still there because the site is located within the remaining “few patches of relatively strong Massachusetts brook trout habitat” pinpointed in the press release. That region includes the Berkshire and Taconic mountains, portions of the Hoosic, Deerfield and Westfield watersheds, and several Connecticut River tributaries. Otherwise, according to the release, brook trout have been eliminated from seven percent of their historical Massachusetts habitat and are greatly reduced in another 28 percent of habitat that once supported them.

“While these results are sobering, we are already pursuing many opportunities for conservation of remaining high-quality habitat as well as restoration of impaired streams,” said MassWildlife aquatic biologist Todd Richards. “Our collective challenge is to protect the best remaining habitat and restore the rest.”

While there is no denying the looming threat, the outlook is far from hopeless, according to Warren Winders, brook trout coordinator for TU’s Massachusetts Council.

“Brookies are quick to respond to habitat improvements,” he explained.  “We have already seen the results of our work with state and federal partners on Quashnet River and Red Brook. By scaling up these programs throughout the state and region, we will see wild brook trout returning to our streams.  And that’s great news for all of us who love to fish locally with our families and friends.”

Winders’ assessment represents the first stage of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture’s collaborative efforts to restore habitat. The venture was initiated in 2002 as a pilot program of the National Fish Habitat Initiative. Participants include fish and wildlife agencies from 17 states, federal partners, conservation organizations and academic institutions. The results of this assessment will be used to develop state-by-state strategies for brook trout conservation and recovery.

The full report, as well as state-specific data and maps, is available at www.brookie.org. Print it out, chew on it a while and see if you get the same rotten taste I did.