Fish of Alberta

Debbie Feisst is the reference/Internet resources librarian in the
Information Services Division of the Edmonton Public Library.

Aimed at naturalists, students, and anglers, this wonderful field guide
is written by experienced scientists. Ecologist Amanda Joynt has worked
as a field assistant with the Canadian Wildlife Service and mapped
vegetation in Tuktut Nogait National Park, 170 kilometres north of the
Arctic Circle. Michael Sullivan, Alberta’s fisheries science
specialist, has done extensive research on fish stock depletion and the
management of fish populations.

Luxuriously illustrated by Western Canadian nature artist Ian Sheldon,
the book looks at 54 established fish species in Alberta. The beefy
introduction is full of tips on identifying fish species and interesting
information on the life cycle of a fish, how fish breathe and what they
eat, spawning times, the best places for fish watching, and fish
photography, among other topics.

The individual descriptions of the fish species make up the bulk of the
book. Each description includes information on feeding, spawning, length
and weight, and is accompanied by a full-colour illustration. There are
tips on identifying the fish and a range map of the fish’s natural
Alberta habitat. A comparison chart is provided as an appendix and a
brief glossary defines terms used throughout the book. A species
checklist and an index to scientific and common names are also provided.

This well-organized and easy-to-use guide is recommended for both
public and academic libraries.