Finishing up on Farm

It's a wrap! Today marks the completion of our Farm Brook habitat suitability index assessments

It took a lot of wading, measuring, calculating, and note taking but our field crew has made it unscathed! Once entered and compiled, the data will give us a clear picture of which sections may need remedial work and which sections are thriving!

We would like to thank Will Daniels and all the members of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association for training and guiding us through their habitat assessment protocols.

Free water monitoring equipment loans

The Cape Breton Equipment Hub is here! In collaboration with @atlwaternetwork we’re proud to start offering free water quality monitoring equipment loans.

Ready to get started? Contact Jillian at cheticampriversalmon@gmail.com!

The CRSA welcomes anglers to try out its new accessible fishing platform at Petit Lac

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA) is happy to announce that Petit Lac in Grand Etang is the location of one of Nova Scotia’s newest barrier free fishing sites. Developing a site where anyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy recreational fishing has long been a vision of the CRSA. And finally, after years of careful planning, securing funds, and developing the site, this vision has become a reality.

Entrance signage and view of the CRSA’s new barrier-free fishing platform at Petit Lac in Grand Etang.

To achieve the goal of creating a safe and accessible site, the CRSA installed lowered railings to make casting easier from a seated position and put in a graveled entryway and parking lot that have been leveled for comfortable access by wheelchairs and mobility vehicles. Designated parking is also available to those using vehicles with mobility ramps and lifts.

CRSA Vice President Gilles Hache working on installing the railings at the fishing platform.

Jamie Dunn of Marion Bridge was one of the visiting anglers to try out the fishing platform earlier this spring.

All anglers are welcome to use the site at Petit Lac, however users are reminded that priority access should be given to those with accessibility issues as this is the intended purpose of the fishing platform. The CRSA will also be monitoring and maintaining the site and asks that anglers respect that the fishing platform is a volunteer run project and do their part to help keep the site a clean and well-maintained environment for locals and visitors alike.

CRSA student crew installing parking lines at the site.

While the CRSA had the vision, developing the barrier free fishing platform at Petit Lac would not have been possible without the generous support of the project’s funders. Specifically, the CRSA would like to acknowledge and thank Cabela's Outdoor Fund (contribution of $5000), the Municipality of the County of Inverness (also a $5000 contribution), the Nova Scotia Community Access-ability Program (contribution of $7500), and the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal for granting permission to use the site. Thanks also to Gilles Hache, CRSA Vice President, for leading the work on the platform, and to adjacent landowners Johnny Power, Marcel and Annette Lelievre, and Aurel and Pauline Lelievre for their help and support throughout the project.

For locations of other barrier free fishing sites across the province, visit Nova Scotia Fisheries & Aquaculture’s online map of accessible locations at https://novascotia.ca/fish/sportfishing/site-mapping-tool/.

Salmon Ceremony with the Unima'ki Institute of Natural Resources

It was an honour to be a part of UINR's Salmon Ceremony yesterday on the banks of the beautiful Cheticamp River. Thank you to UINR and Dan Paul for helping us to deepen our understanding of Salmon and the concept of Netukulimk.

Photo Credit : Nadine LeFort, UINR

The CRSA is back in full swing in 2021!

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association is jumping back into fieldwork this week, excited to be back on the river and getting started on both new projects as well as continuing activities from 2020. To bring everyone up to speed on plans for this year, as well as review accomplishments from last year, the CRSA is also sharing another spring newsletter. Give it a browse below and please reach out with questions, feedback, and any other comments. We will be looking forward to hearing from you - and hopefully seeing some of you out on the river!

Another busy summer of data collection on the Cheticamp River

With the temperatures dropping and leaves turning vibrant fall colours, the hot dry summer of 2020 may be starting to feel like a distant memory. But not for the Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA). Warm water was a real concern this year, and much of the CRSA’s work in 2020 has focused on studying and addressing issues related to warm water on the Cheticamp River.

While the CRSA has been studying summer water temperatures on the Cheticamp since 2017, this summer they welcomed some extra help and expertise to the river. In addition to working with Cape Breton Highlands National Park (CBHNP) to collect water temperature at key locations along the Cheticamp River, the CRSA also partnered this year with researchers from Dalhousie University. And the partnership with Dalhousie has allowed the CRSA and CBHNP to take their water temperature study into an exciting new direction.

A team of three graduate research students from Dalhousie’s Groundwater Lab (part of Dal’s Centre for Water Resource Studies) spent a week this summer flying high over the Cheticamp River, using a drone to collect valuable new water temperature data. By equipping their drone with a thermal imaging camera capable of distinguishing relative temperatures, the researchers were looking to identify sources of cool water inputs (like groundwater seeps and springs).

Team of researchers from Dalhousie University (from left to right - Connor Acton, Jason Karis-Allen, and Kathryn Smith) worked alongside the CRSA and Jillian Baker (far right), CRSA’s Project Manager

Dalhousie researchers (Kathryn Smith and Connor Acton) working with one of CRSA’s summer field technicians (Keats Doucette, centre) to assemble the drone equipped with thermal imaging camera

Drone in the air collecting data above Fence Pool on the Cheticamp River

Locating sources of cool water is becoming increasingly important for anyone involved in the conservation of cold-water species like Atlantic salmon. With climate change projected to exacerbate the trend of increasing summer water temperatures, groups like the CRSA are looking into options for helping to mitigate elevated summer temperatures.

In the case of the CRSA, the plan is to use the results of the thermal mapping work when making recommendations for future habitat enhancement or restoration work on the Cheticamp River. For example, recommendations could include carrying out tree planting along the riverbanks to increase shade or using rock structures to divert flow into focused areas to encourage the development of cool water resting places (thermal refugia).

View of some of the thermal imagery captured by the camera on Dal’s drone

At this stage, the researchers from Dalhousie are back in their labs, working on the start of a thermal map of the lower Cheticamp River. And the CRSA is also transitioning from data collection and fieldwork to office work, including data analysis, report writing, and working with Parks Canada on a conservation plan for the Cheticamp River. Once completed, the conservation plan, including the results of the thermal mapping work and recommendations for thermal management options for the river, will be made publicly available.

In addition to the main partnership with Cape Breton Highlands National Park and Dalhousie University, other organisations that are making important contributions to the project are the Nova Scotia Salmon Association, the Atlantic Water Network, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and the local office of Department of Fisheries and Oceans.  The CRSA’s work is also funded by the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream Program, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Sue and Graham Smith, the RBC, and the Tag! You’re It! Program run by Big Spruce Brewery and the Ocean Tracking Network.

Things may be different this summer, but not less busy!

It is so cliché, but really, where does the time go?

This summer seems to be absolutely racing by, probably in part due to how busy we have been here at the Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA). Thankfully, we still have two weeks left with our summer work crew, and we plan to keep the momentum going here in Cheticamp.

The CRSA’s work this summer has been split between several projects. Top of the list has been continuing with data collection and site assessments on the Cheticamp River - the results of which will be incorporated into an Atlantic salmon conservation plan for the Cheticamp River. This document is already a work in progress, with the CRSA having began development of the plan last year.

CRSA President Rene Aucoin (left) and Project Manager Jillian Baker (right), meet with project consultant Charles MacInnis (middle) to assess conditions on the Cheticamp River.

CRSA student crew working alongside staff with Cape Breton Hgihlands National Park on data collection on the Cheticamp River.

The CRSA is hoping that the finished document will be an important piece of stakeholder input for Cape Breton Highlands National Park that will help guide future management decisions and conservation work involving with Cheticamp River. The plan will include new baseline data for the Cheticamp River, including results of habitat mapping work and extensive habitat assessments, findings from a four-year water temperature investigation on the Cheticamp River and preliminary thermal maps for the lower Cheticamp River, as well as recommendations for future restoration and monitoring activities, as well as other conservation measures.

CRSA’s summer crew taking elevation measurements as part of data collection on the Cheticamp River.

CRSA student crew leader, Matthew Fraser, helps install water temperature loggers on the Cheticamp River as part of the CRSA’s ongoing investigation into summer water temperatures.

In addition to the work on the Cheticamp River, the CRSA has also been spending considerable amount of time focused on Farm Brook, a smaller watercourse just south of Cheticamp. The CRSA began work this summer on developing a subwatershed fish habitat restoration plan for Farm Brook. This has meant a lot more data collection, including taking channel measurements, collecting data on a variety of water quality parameters, and mapping out key features, habitat issues, sites of completed or ongoing restoration work, adjacent land-use practices and development, etc.

The CRSA is also undertaking a combination of instream and riparian restoration on Farm Brook this year. The CRSA’s student work crew has already planted 250 native tree seedlings along the banks of watercourse, with the bulk of the seedlings planted along a stretch near the mouth of the brook that was impacted by a massive debris blockage. The student crew has also installed a digger log – an instream structure that mimics a naturally fallen tree and is designed to help with development and maintenance of important pool habitat. Finally, the CRSA is planning work to address a rock berm on Farm Brook that is restricting the brook’s ability to access its floodplain and is contributing to channel instability and impacted habitat downstream of the berm. Check back for more updates on this as the restoration work involving the berm will be featured in a later post.   

CRSA’s student crew working on installing digger log on Farm Brook.

Riparian planting work underway on Farm Brook.

The CRSA has been able to tackle these and other projects this summer thanks to funding and support from a variety of partners and funders. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream Program, and Susan and Graham Smith have provided funding to cover the CRSA’s project costs. Clean Foundation, Service Canada’s Canada Summer Jobs Program, and the National Trust for Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Young Canada Works Program all helped cover costs of employing CRSA’s student work crew. In-kind contributions have been generously made by Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the Atlantic Water Network, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (the conservation unit in Cheticamp), and Dalhousie University.

Our work so far...

Its been a busy Spring and Summer season for us so far, now with the whole field crew onboard we’re out in full force! During the month of June and early August we complete our initial surveying of Aucoin brook, using a combination of aerial photography and good old fashioned ground work we compiled over 80 sites of interest, most of which will require our attention in some way. For the remainder of this month we will be collecting data on Farm brook as well as continuing our river profiling work on the Cheticamp River that we began last year. The Cheticamp River profiling is a joint effort with our Parks Canada partners which provides us with crucial information that we use to design remedial projects on the Cheticamp River and its tributaries.

Over the course of the summer you may see our crew collecting garbage and carrying out clean up operations around the Gypsum Mine lake and trail, as well as removing blockages and beaver dams in the area. Feel free to say hello, and remember, its every visitors responsibility to pack out what they pack in! we encourage anyone who enjoys our beautiful natural resources to ensure that they stay pristine for future visitors.

We’re looking forward to seeing you out on the rivers! stay tuned to our social media for future updates and info on our work!

Brochure on riparian ecosystems

Riparian ecosystems play a crucial role in preserving the health and wellbeing of fish species in our waterways, their diverse forms of flora and fauna interact with one another to create a delicate but thriving balance of life. Education and proper stewardship practices can help landowners to work with their land rather than against it when developing near riparian habitat. We encourage everyone to read this brochure made by our former employee Kayla Blackwood, it’s a well-written resource that contains information on the importance of preserving these ecosystems.

If you’re a land owner and you’re unsure about how to manage or develop near your riparian habitat we encourage you to reach out to us any time through our social media or contact page, we would be happy to provide you with the resources and information to make informed decisions that will help both you and your property in the future.

Spring 2020 Newsletter

Happy Spring/Summer work season!

We’ve kicked off our busy season with some brook surveying and temperature logger installation, all of which you can read more about in our newsletter below and on our official facebook page!

Please enjoy our spring newsletter and feel free to send us a message on our social media with any questions you may have regarding our work. We look forward to engaging with our community members and fellow anglers throughout the summer!

Trying our hand at counting redds on the Cheticamp River

Note: The following article was originally published October 31, 2019.

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association has been interested in adding redd counts to our regular monitoring activities for years, and after hosting a training/practice session yesterday here in Cheticamp we are definitely one step closer to this goal.

Participants in yesterday’s redd count making their way up the Cheticamp River. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

The CRSA had Charles MacInnis (Habitat consultant and former DFO habitat coordinator) join us yesterday to lead the session held at Cape Breton Highlands National Park (CBHNP). Given that Charles is both familiar with the Cheticamp River (Charles was the lead consultant on the 5-year restoration project undertaken by the CRSA and CBHNP on the lower Cheticamp River) and has years of experience conducting redd counts, we seemed to be the perfect fit for leading the training/practice session.

Charles pointing out a large salmon redd to Jillian and Archie. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

And he didn’t disappoint. Charles shared his knowledge of where to look for redds and how to identify them, explained the protocol he follows when organizing and conducting a count, and also discussed some of the reasons to conduct a redd count (including to gather information on spatial and temporal distribution of spawning and help evaluate the effectiveness of habitat restoration projects). While the inclass portion of the day was informative, undoubtedly most participants in yesterday’s session would agree that the learning that took place and the experience gained in the river were the most valuable.

Charles sharing info with the group. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

In addition to Charles, another eight people participated in the practice redd count and training session: Rene Aucoin (President, CRSA), Jillian Baker (Project Manager, CRSA), Jimmie Pedersen (Director, CRSA - as well as popular fishing guide and photographer), Archie Doucette and Angie Rickets (Enivronmental impact assessment, CBHNP), Sarah Penney and Jenna MacEachern (Atlantic Salmon Recovery Project, CBHNP), and Keith Christmas (Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources).

Group shot of participants in the training/practice redd count (from left to right): Archie Doucette, Sarah Penney, Jillian Baker, Angie Ricketts, Keith Christmas, Jenna MacEachern, Charles MacInnis, and Rene Aucoin. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

Charles and the group covered an approximately one kilometer section of the Cheticamp River during the field portion of the training (spanning above and below the Faribault Brook tributary). Despite the weather not being as nice as originally forecasted (it ended up being overcast and cool instead of warm and sunny), Charles was able to help the group find redds belonging to the different salmonids in the Cheticamp River (Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and brook trout). In addition to learning how to distinguish between the different redds (it turns out that this is something that will take a lot of pratice and experience to feel confident with), participants also got to pratice laying out a sample reach (section of river to be surveyed) and filling in data sheets with information on the redds located. The group ended up being able to identify and record information on a total of 25 redds during the pratice count.

Sarah helping to measure a 100m section of the river to survey. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

Given that yesterday’s training/practice count was held relatively early on in the spawning season, the CRSA hopes to follow-up with at least two more redd counts on the Cheticamp River. Stay tuned for results on these future counts!

Rene and Jillian taking a look at some of the data collected during the practice count. Photo credit: Jimmie Pedersen.

The CRSA is able to extend its season and continue with data collection thanks to the generous funding and support from its many partners, funders, and volunteers, including the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s NSLC Adopt-a-Stream Program, the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Sage Environmental Program, Dalhousie University, the Atlantic Water Network, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Looking back over the summer and transitioning to fall

As fall weather starts to settle in, the Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA) is gearing up to transition with the seasons, already thinking ahead to the fall and preparing for the next phase of fieldwork.

The CRSA continued to work closely with partners at Cape Breton Highlands National Park (CBHNP) this year, with their efforts focused largely on data collection. The data collection consisted of a continuation of a water temperature study initiated in 2017, as well as extensive habitat assessments and surveying work.

The CRSA worked closely with partners at Cape Breton Highlands National Park to conduct habitat assessments on the Cheticampy River this summer

With our changing climate, it is increasingly important to gain a better understanding of water temperature. This is particularly needed as part of efforts to conserve species like the Atlantic salmon that are vulnerable to elevated water temperatures. For example, increased water temperatures can mean there is less habitat suitable for meeting the needs of Atlantic salmon at different stages in their life cycles, not to mention that warmer waters can cause negative physiological responses in the fish, including death.

Through collecting summer water temperature data along the Cheticamp River, the CRSA and CBHNP are hoping to be gain a better understanding of the temperature regime of the Cheticamp River, as well as identify locations prone to elevated water temperatures as well as sources of cold water. This information is important as it can help inform management decisions, including future climate change adaptation efforts. In addition, the water temperature data from the Cheticamp River will also be included in a centralized database managed by the RivTemp network, a partnership of universities, government agencies, and watershed groups dedicated to conserving Atlantic salmon in eastern Canada.  

Matt Fraser, CRSA’s Habitat Restoration Crew Leader this summer, helped install water temperature loggers on the Cheticamp River

In addition to the water temperature study, the CRSA and CBHNP also worked together to conduct habitat assessments throughout the lower Cheticamp River. These involved taking channel measurements (including width and depth), identifying substrate composition, collecting water quality information (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature), and using surveying equipment to measure elevation and create profiles of the riverbed. This information is useful as the Cheticamp River has undergone major changes in recent years (a large flood in 2015 had particularly drastic impacts) and this data will help provide a clearer picture of the habitat types and distribution on the lower Cheticamp River, as well as identify areas that may be candidates for restoration work or other management measures.

CRSA and Parks Canada staff working together to collect elevation data as part of habitat assessments on Cheticamp River

This year’s project follows right on the heels of a five-year instream habitat restoration project completed last year by the CRSA and CBHNP. This multi-year project focused on improving fish passage through unnaturally and critically overwidened sites on the lower Cheticamp River by installing instream structures designed to encourage the river to gradually narrow and deepen. While the river continues to respond and adjust to the instream work, this year’s data collection efforts help to fill in important knowledge gaps and will help inform future management plans for the Cheticamp River watershed.

The CRSA’s work this summer was possible thanks to not only a continued partnership with Parks Canada, but also funding and support from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s NSLC Adopt-a-Stream Program, and Sage Environmental Program. The Clean Foundation, Service Canada’s Canada Summer Jobs Program, and the Federal Government’s Young Canada Works Program also helped with funding for the CRSA’s student summer work crew – the hard-working young people that helped with much of the data collection.

Work may have wrapped up for the CRSA’s summer crew (the students have all returned to school), but the CRSA’s work is far from over. This fall is shaping up to be an especially busy one, with work to include more habitat assessments and surveying, retrieval of temperature loggers and data analysis, report writing, and a fall redd count (a redd is a nest where salmon lay their eggs).

Stay tuned for more project results and updates through the fall.

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2019 Student Crew Members

We’re very happy to welcome our 2019 student crew members to the CRSA team! Working with us this year is Aaron Krick who comes all the way from Ontario to enjoy Cape Bretons beautiful scenery and sport fishing scene, Keats Doucette, a Cheticamp native who is currently living in Manitoba but has joined us this summer to gain some hands on experience in the field of species and habitat conservation, and Marcus Larade, an avid outdoorsman and resident of Cheticamp. We’re looking forward to a safe, fun, and productive summer with our new student crew!

Youth Fishing Derby 2019

• Thank you to everyone who came out to our father's day youth fishing derby this past Sunday! Congratulations to all of our winners and participants! A very special thank you goes out to our local businesses for their generous prize donations and Robert Leblanc for providing us with a wonderful venue for this event.

Annual Kids Fishing Derby / Derby de Peche Annuel

Tag! You're it!

Join Big spruce Brewing Company along side the Ocean Tracking Network this summer in helping to conserve our aquatic species!

Big Spruce will be donating 50 cents to environmental initiatives across Nova Scotia for every can of their "Tag! You're It!" beer sold.

A great way to cool off and help in keeping our aquatic environments pristine this summer!

Please consider clicking the link below to nominate the Cheticamp River Salmon Association for funding through this initiative so we can continue our work in the conservation and responsible management of Atlantic salmon and native trout species!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHsJA92VHg4Gj9wVCUFn_q1ruEaJJdRvY702ynZIw1kswFWw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR0fk3S_jGlC3n1oOwfgnCz2XjECexp5RDdVAnopgrSckCNvIZXhHWec0BY

Parks Canada Salmon Run/La montée du saumon

Join Parks Canada and members of the Cheticamp River Salmon Associate this weekend at the Cheticamp Highlands National Park to celebrate the International Year of the Salmon!

“Here’s your chance to run or walk to help salmon conservation efforts in Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🏃‍♂🐟🏃‍♀🐟
In collaboration with Nova Scotia Trail Running, Chéticamp River Salmon Association, Margaree Salmon Association, Big Spruce Brewing, Live Life InTents and Ocean Tracking Network, we’re organizing two days of fun for the whole family!

Join us for the Salmon Run June 1-2, 2019 on the Salmon Pools and Acadian trails in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. There are options for all trail running and walking levels including two 9 km runs, a 5 km run/walk, a 2 km run/walk and a short circuit for 3-6 year olds.

All the event information can be found here:
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ns/cbreton/activ/speciales-special
_______________________________________

Saisissez votre chance de venir courir ou marcher pour aider les efforts de conservation du saumon dans le parc national des Hautes-Terres-du-Cap-Breton. 🏃‍♂🐟🏃‍♀🐟 En collaboration avec Nova Scotia Trail Running, Chéticamp River Salmon Association, Margaree Salmon Association, Big Spruce Brewing, Live Life InTents et Ocean Tracking Network, nous avons organisé deux journées de divertissement pour toute la famille!

Soyez des nôtres lors de « La montée du saumon », les 1er et 2 juin 2019, sur le sentier des Trous de saumons et le sentier l’Acadien, dans le Parc national des Hautes-Terres-du-Cap-Breton. Plusieurs options sont disponibles qui sont sûres de plaire aux participants de tous niveaux, allant de la marche à la course. Au programme : deux courses de 9 km, une marche/course de 5 km, une marche/course de 2 km et un circuit court pour les 3 à 6 ans.

Tous les renseignements ici :
https://www.pc.gc.ca/fr/pn-np/ns/cbreton/activ/speciales-special”

— https://www.facebook.com/events/2266527133612505/

International year of the salmon

“The International Year of the Salmon is a 5-year outreach and research initiative of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization, with a focal year in 2019. The year aims to raise public awareness, gather stakeholders, stimulate science and inspire action to protect salmon.”

— http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/wild-salmon-saumon-sauvage/index-eng.html

2019 is the International Year of the Salmon and we here at the Cheticamp River Salmon Association couldn’t be happier to be playing a crucial part in the rehabilitation and conservation of Cheticamp’s local salmon population. Check in regularly to our facebook and news pages to stay up to date on our latest projects and events!

Fly Casting Workshop

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association is partnering with Master

Fly Casting Instructor, Lewis Hinks, to offer an introductory fly

casting workshop in Cape Breton.

This workshop includes the basics of fly fishing, with instruction and

hands-on learning experiences with tying fish knots, techniques for

casting, and opportunities to practice hooking and releasing live fish.

Call or email for registration or more information:

902-224-5854 or cheticampriversalmon@gmail.com

Cheticamp River restoration project wraps up after 5 years

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association and its Parks Canada partners completed their fifth and final year of instream work on the Cheticamp River in August. This year’s work has brought the total number of instream structures installed over the years to 70. The majority of these structures - mostly rock retarding bars (or groynes) and deflectors - were installed in sections of the lower river where the channel had become critically overwidened.

Archie Doucette (left, Parks Canada) and Charles MacInnis (project consultant in charge of restoration design and construction of instream structures) oversee work at the Faribault Brook site.

Catherine Thompson, CRSA’s Crew Supervisor for its student habitat restoration work crew, was on site to help with traffic control during this year’s instream work on the Cheticamp River.

The 2018 instream work focused on three sites on the lower Cheticamp River: Faribault Brook (work took place on the Cheticamp River, above the confluence with Faribault Brook), Below Fence Pool, and at Petit Cap. Fish passage at these sites was not only limited by overwidened channels, but also split thalwegs, mid channel diagonal bars, and excess bedload deposition.

These three sites had all been worked on in previous years of the Cheticamp River project, but revisiting them was important in order to address changes to the river that occurred as a result of a major flood three years ago (August, 2015). By adding an additional five instream structures (2 rock retarding bars, 2 deflectors, and a sill) and carrying out maintenance to some of the previously installed structures (4 rock retarding bars and a deflector), the restoration team is hoping to improve fish passage in some cases, as well as maintain the benefits achieved during the first few years of the project.

Charles MacInnis overseeing maintenance work to a deflector below Fence Pool.

The uppermost structure installed as part of the Cheticamp River restoration project (view looking downstream). This rock deflector was installed in August, 2018 above Faribault Brook.

Seeing this project through to completion has been a major achievement for the Cheticamp River Salmon Association, and the timing was crucial. Human impacts (including past logging - pre the formation of Cape Breton Highlands National Park) had resulted in the channel becoming drastically over-widened in places along the lower river. In low water conditions, these wide, shallow areas were creating significant problems for migrating salmon. And low water conditions – once uncommon during the spring salmon run – have become a regular occurrence. The current trend of warmer winters and drier springs combined with less rainfall, contributes to lower water levels and higher water temperatures during the salmon migration. Without intervention, these human induced environmental conditions would continue to impact Atlantic salmon and other migrating fish, and the Cheticamp River’s important spring salmon run and the recreational fishery that it supports would eventually be lost.

While the Cheticamp River restoration project wouldn’t have been possible without the support and collaboration from Parks Canada (Cape Breton Highlands National Park), a dedicated group of project partners who have supported the project since its start back in 2014 are also to thank for its success. These project contributors and funders include the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s NSLC Adopt-a-Stream Program, the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, Sage Environmental Program, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Other funders who contributed to one or more years of the project include DFO’s Recreational Fisheries Partnership Program, Nova Scotia Power Inc., and Service Canada’s Canada Summer Jobs Program.  

Allyson Heustis with the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (left) and Jillian Baker, CRSA’s Project Manager, during a site visit this summer.

Archie Doucette (Parks Canada), Rene Aucoin (CRSA President), and Charles MacInnis (Project consultant) (left to right) pose with signage from the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s NSLC Adopt-a-Stream Program, one of the funders of the Cheticamp River restoration project.

While it won’t be building structures in the Cheticamp River again any time soon, the CRSA has no intention of sitting idle. The Association is already partnering with Parks Canada on a water temperature study of the river and the Cheticamp reservoir, and this fall the CRSA is proposing its first official salmon redd count (redds are fish spawning nests) on the Cheticamp River.  Volunteers will be needed, and a training session will be held later this fall. More information on this will be made available in the coming weeks.