Speckled Dace Population Abundance Survey in West Kettle River

A 2015 survey estimated the total Speckled Dace population in the West Kettle River at 8,978 fish, with only 1,014 adults. The data originates from night-time pole seining surveys conducted over four days in October to enumerate this endangered freshwater fish. It was collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to inform critical habitat designation under the Species at Risk Act.

Use Cases

• Analyze the estimated population abundance of 8,978 fish for minimum viable population modeling.
• Compare the adult population count of 1,014 fish against total abundance to assess population structure.
• Use survey data from the West Kettle River to validate proposed critical habitat boundaries.
• Apply geospatial analysis to the habitat survey data for conservation planning in the Kettle Valley.

Strengths

• Provides a specific population estimate of 8,978 Speckled Dace with a confidence interval (6,143-11,814).
• Contains a distinct count of 1,014 adult fish, enabling demographic analysis.
• Data is focused on a single, well-defined survey period from October 19-22, 2015.
• Produced by the authoritative government agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, for species at risk.

Limitations

• Survey data is from a single, short time period in 2015, limiting longitudinal analysis.
• Population estimates are for one of three known rivers, not the species' entire Canadian range.
• The dataset's row count, column structure, and sample size are unspecified.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Night-time pole seining surveys conducted from October 19-22, 2015.

Time Range

October 19-22, 2015

Freshness

The metadata was last updated in March 2026, but the underlying survey data is from 2015.

Geography

West Kettle River, Kettle Valley, British Columbia, Canada