The St. Mary’s River Association (SMRA) Got a $7,500 Shot in the Arm!

"The St. Mary’s River Association (SMRA) in Sherbrooke, NS got a $7,500 shot in the arm recently from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF). The Association is using the funds to identify culverts that interrupt spawning migration and develop a restoration plan for remediation of the river.




Stephen Chase, left, Executive Director of the ASCF, visited the project recently and presented a commemorative cheque to Megan Myer, center, and Dr. Sean Mitchell, right, of the SMRA."

This press release went on to explain:

Poorly placed or non-maintained culverts can interrupt wild Atlantic salmon spawning migrations, restrict access to ideal habitat and food sources, and increase the chance of predation. Previous work in other parts of Nova Scotia indicate that 50-60% of existing culverts are barriers to fish migration.

The St. Mary’s River Association is using its ASCF funding to assess this problem by: evaluating and quantifying culverts as barriers to passage for upstream migratory Atlantic salmon in tributaries of the St. Mary’s River; evaluating and quantifying culverts as barriers to passage for upstream migratory Atlantic salmon in tributaries of the river; evaluating the extent and quality of habitat lost due to impassable culverts; prioritizing culverts for restoration; and developing a restoration plan for culvert remediation.

Contact: Sean C. Mitchell, PhD, Executive Director

Phone: 902-522-2099

E-mail: smitchel@stfx.ca