Fish swim into a sorting basket...

then opened..

.

...For sorting, measuring and tagging.

The Cootes Paradise fishway is designed to prevent adult carp from entering the marsh. Other fish species, during their spring and fall migrations, are moved into the marsh by Royal Botanical Gardens staff.

...which is lifted

...and emptied into a walled and waterfilled table

Why a Fishway?

• Evidence shows carp have an adverse affect on water quality and marsh vegetation
• Monitoring has shown carp leave the marsh in the fall to overwinter in the harbour and return in the spring to breed and feed
• The fishway is designed to reduce the number of carp, but not completely eliminate them from the marsh
• Eventually, as the marsh fish community changes to include desirable species like those shown above, carp numbers should be naturally controlled by predation.
• This temporary intervention will continue until the marsh recovers

Carp