What are Minnows?
Minnows are very ecologically important across The Land Between. They are a great food source for other fish, birds and various wildlife, and act as the base for the food web.
It is important to monitor minnows in aquatic environments as certain species can indicate the quality of the water. Some minnow species are more tolerant of pollution and lower-quality water, while other species require clean and high-quality water to survive.
In this way, and just like macrophytes, minnows are an “indicator species” because they indicate to us the quality of some aspect of their ecosystem.
About Marvellous Minnows
Marvellous Minnows is an interactive and engaging way to learn about the minnows in your lake. Through this program, you will sample and monitor minnows after you’ve learned how to identify the different kinds of species and techniques for data collection.
Marvellous Minnows is completely self-guided, but please note that an Ontario Fishing License is required for minnow trapping! If you carry this licence, you can take part in Marvellous Minnow programming at any time. If you do not carry this licence - don’t worry! A handful of times each year, the Ontario government permits residents without a licence to fish as part of their Ontario Family Fishing Days. These fishing days typically occur on Family Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the July long weekend, but please be sure to check the government’s website to confirm dates.