Off-roaders pay the price for destroying Carbondale River fish habitat

On December 18, 2012, John Fehr and Kevin Locke pleaded guilty in Pincher Creek Provincial Court to damaging fish habitat and were ordered to pay $1,800 each. The majority of the fines will go to Trout Unlimited to help with conservation efforts. Fehr and Locke admitted to taking their jeeps off designated trails in the Castle Special Management Forest Land Use Zone and into the Carbondale River on the evening of August 10, 2012.

Fish and Wildlife Officer Andrew Gustavson was patrolling the area at the time and witnessed the two jeeps attempt to climb the steep riverbank repeatedly, which resulted in both vehicles spinning their tires. One had to be freed with a winch, and both drove about 175 yards downstream before exiting the river. Officer Gustavson was able to stop the vehicles at this time.


Fish and Wildlife Officer Andrew Gustavson a few kilometres upstream of where the offence took place.

In-stream activity is prohibited in Carbondale River from September 1 to August 15 to keep incubating cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bull trout and mountain whitefish safe. All of these species have been found in the exact area the jeeps were driving through. Studies also show that spawning grounds for bull trout are a mere five kilometers upstream, so spawning and young bull trout were likely inhabiting the bottom of the riverbed.

Without conservation efforts, bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout could be at risk of extinction in Alberta. Fewer than 5,000 adult westslope cutthroat trout remain in Alberta. These fish species are the focus of significant conservation efforts in Alberta, but individuals driving in important waterbodies and destroying fish habitat undermine these efforts.