Success Story of a Salmon Stream's Rehabilitation

Thought you might find this success story of a Salmon stream's rehabilitation of interest.


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It is a report from the Sackville Rivers Association , now in their twentieth year.
Summary of Fisheries and Oceans involvement in the Sackville Rivers Association (SRA) from the early 1980s

• Early 80s- DFO assesses fish populations in the Sackville River
  
• 1986- DFO begins stocking Atlantic Salmon into the Sackville to recover their populations
  
• 1988
  SRA formed (Shane O’Neil - founding Secretary Treasurer)
  DFO supports river clean ups hosted by SRA
  
• 1990- Fish ladder built at the falls at Hefler’s Mill in collaboration with SRA, DFO, and National Gypsum and dedicated to Donny Cox, a DFO Assessment Biologist
  
• 1991- DFO Science assesses fish populations (lead by DFO Science)
  
• 1992-1996 - DFO runs a counting fence along the river at the DND Rifle Range to assess returning salmon adults
  
• 1997- present
  SRA operates a trap at the fish ladder with technical assistance from DFO
  Atlantic Salmon captured at the fish ladder incorporated into the department’s stock enhancement program
  DFO supports students’ and interns’ activities on the river in collaboration with SRA (technical and in-kind assistance)
  
• 1990s and into the 2000s
  About 315,000 Atlantic Salmon smolt and 320,000 parr have been released to restore salmon populations to this river after it was determined the population in the river was extirpated; largely supported with DFO funds and / or in-kind technical support
  Various in stream habitat improvements restore approximately 62,000 m2 of river habitat (Shayne’s Pool established in 2006 to celebrate the tireless work of Shayne McQuaid, Stewardship Coordinator, DFO Oceans, Habitat and Species at Risk Branch to restore the Sackville River)
  Education initiatives in the community and to schools such as River Rangers and Fish Friends are led by the SRA with DFO contributing in-kind and technical assistance and ASF help in the early stages (625 students annually from 25 HRM schools, Grades 4-6).
  
• 2001- DFO agrees to SRA request that the department continue stocking with the use of unfed salmon fry from the Coldbrook hatchery and SRA operates the trap at the fish ladder and collects brood fish
  
• 2003- Some unfed fry stocked for the first time
  
• 2004- DFO stocks salmon smolt to the river because of fish kill (effort funded by industry)
  
• 2007- DFO assists SRA in development of their Ecosystem Plan
  
• 2008, ongoing- DFO has been instrumental in directing fish habitat compensation funds to the Sackville River Ecosystem Plan to support further habitat restoration efforts on the watershed
  
  High points:
  # salmon released - 635,000
  area of river restored to date - 62,000 m2
  # children touched by educational programs - 625 annually since 1990, 11,250 in total
  

Into the future:
Ecosystem Planning (SRA planning initiative to assure sustainable development of Sackville River watershed resulting from collaboration with DFO, other governmental organizations and non-governmental agencies, developers and the community)

Overall result:
Exponential increase in stewardship, care and recovery of the Sackville River since the ‘80s initiated and sustained by SRA receives ongoing support from DFO
SRA is a textbook example of community-based stewardship for Canada’s aquatic resources.