Kelt tagging on the Cheticamp River

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA) joined with Dalhousie University, Cape Breton Highlands National Park (CBHNP), and the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) in a project to tag kelt salmon on the Cheticamp River. The research project, led by Dalhousie University Masters student Natalie Koopman and Drs. Robert Lennox and Glenn Crossin, will use acoustic telemetry to help assess the effectiveness of CBHNP’s Atlantic salmon recovery project on Clyburn Brook.

Dr. Robert Lennox with Dalhousie University releases one of the salmon tagged in December on the Cheticamp.

CBHNP is four years into a project that focuses on the use of smolt-to-adult supplementation – a process that in this case involves catching wild smolt from the Clyburn, raising them at Dalhousie University’s Aquatron laboratory, a land-based freshwater facility, and then returning the adult fish to their native river. By increasing the number of spawners, Parks Canada’s goal is to restore a self-sustaining population of Atlantic salmon in Ingonish’s Clyburn Brook.  The project team will use the Cheticamp River wild salmon as a sort of control group and compare their behavior to those of the Clyburn.

Sarah Penney with CBHNP and CRSA’s President Rene Aucoin net a salmon above the Cabot Trail bridge.

While 242 salmon have been released as part of the Clyburn program, little is known about their survival, behavior, and reproductive effort so this fall 30 were implanted with acoustic transmitters prior to leaving the Dalhousie University Aquatron. This research project is using acoustic telemetry to help fill in these knowledge gaps. The research team also installed a series of acoustic receivers on both the Clyburn and the Cheticamp to monitor the tagged fish. The Cheticamp River tagging occurred between December 7th and 10th.

Despite the wintery weather, the December kelt tagging was considered a success.

This tagging project was a first for the CRSA and an opportunity to collaborate and learn more about post-spawning behaviour and the migration of fish on the Cheticamp. Despite a slow start to the fishing – partially due to the weather and a lack of previous experience with kelt fishing on the Cheticamp – volunteer anglers captured a total of 17 salmon which were then tagged by the Dalhousie and Ocean Tracking Network team. This was considered a big success and plans are already being discussed for continued collaboration – and additional tagging – in the future.

Work on Farm Brook included new instream structures and signage to help protect important spawning habitat

Atlantic salmon and brook trout are expected to benefit from recent changes on Farm Brook, thanks to efforts initiated by the Cheticamp River Salmon Association. The CRSA’s most recent accomplishments on Farm Brook include the installation of a variety of new instream structures as well as signage to educate off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail users about potential impacts to sensitive habitat.

CRSA’s field crew – technician Spencer Camus (left) and crew supervisor Tobias Gow (right) – work on installing a digger log on Farm Brook.

The CRSA has been involved in a variety of activities in recent years to improve habitat and better conserve the native fish populations on Farm Brook – a watercourse in Point Cross, south of Cheticamp. Past work has included the development of a fish habitat restoration planning document, completion of a multi-year bank stabilization project, and the removal of a major blockage of large woody debris near the mouth of the watercourse to restore fish passage.

This year, the CRSA’s field crew was busy installing instream structures designed to improve habitat – a continuation of work initiated last summer. The structures installed by the CRSA this year consist of digger logs and rock sills – structures that are designed to encourage the development of pools and support a watercourse’s natural pool-riffle pattern. While the CRSA has considerable experience installing digger logs, the rock sills on Farm Brook are the first examples of this type of instream structure that the CRSA has built by hand.

One of the rock sills installed by the CRSA’s field crew on Farm Brook this summer.

The CRSA also partnered with Cheticamp’s Highland ATV Club to take additional measures to protect important spawning habitat on Farm Brook this summer. After identifying a location where trail users were routinely driving through Farm Brook on their ATVs and other off-highway vehicles, the CRSA reached out to the Claude Bourgeois, President of the Highland ATV Club, to discuss potential remedies.

With help from Claude, the CRSA installed two signs at locations where OHVs are being driven through Farm Brook. The new signage is meant to raise awareness of the CRSA’s habitat restoration work on the brook, as well as let OHV users know that operating these vehicles in watercourses can result in negative impacts to important habitat. Many OHV users may also be unaware that the Off-Highway Vehicles Act in Nova Scotia prohibits the operation of OHVs in watercourses, as well as other sensitive habitats including wetlands, sand dunes, and coastal barrens. The CRSA will also discuss ways to work with the Highland ATV Club to ensure that bridges on Farm Brook and other local watercourses are in good condition as a way to further encourage OHV users to use these crossings.

CRSA’s field crew poses with Highland ATV Club President Claude Bourgeois by one of the new signs installed on Farm Brook. Left to right: Jillian Baker, Tobias Gow, Claude Bourgeois, and Spencer Camus.

The CRSA’s work on Farm Brook is part of the organization’s broader 2023 project focused on addressing key habitat restoration needs in the Cheticamp River watershed and surrounding area. The CRSA’s activities this year are funded through a variety of well-established and new partnerships, including the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream Program, the Foundation for the Conservation of Atlantic Salmon, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund – a new provincial grant program administered by the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities. 

Cheticamp and Margaree Salmon Associations will be working together as part of new Wild Salmon Watersheds conservation program

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA) and the Margaree Salmon Association (MSA) are celebrating the launch of an ambitious new conservation program. The CRSA and MSA are excited to have more opportunities for collaboration moving forward as they partner in the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s new Wild Salmon Watersheds (WSW) program.

An official launch event for the Cheticamp-Margaree Wild Salmon Watersheds partnership was held on August 23rd in the Cheticamp campground at Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This event was organised by the ASF with help from its local partners – the CRSA and MSA – as a way of raising awareness of the new Wild Salmon Watersheds program and celebrating the start of increased collaboration and a commitment of additional resources to help conserve Atlantic salmon in the Cheticamp and Margaree watersheds.

Official cake cutting as part of the Cheticamp-Margaree Wild Salmon Watersheds launch event. Pictured from left to right: President of the MSA Paul McNeil, with the ASF’s Executive Director of Regional Programs Nathan Wilbur, and CRSA President Rene Aucoin.

Local baker Tracy McLellan made a lovely - and tasty! - cake to help celebrate the launch of the new program.

The Cheticamp and Margaree watersheds were chosen to participate in this new ASF-led program because of their healthy populations of Atlantic salmon and the existence of well-established local conservation groups (both the CRSA and MSA have been around for over 40 years). Instead of focusing resources on watersheds with more threatened populations of salmon, the ASF chose to increase support for groups working in watersheds with relatively healthy populations of Atlantic salmon. ASF’s goal is to provide groups like the CRSA and MSA with more funding and access to additional resources – including specialized equipment and expertise – to be able to better manage these healthier populations of Atlantic salmon and prevent further declines over the long-term.

Kris Hunter – ASF’s Regional Director for Wild Salmon Watersheds – sharing information on the new Atlantic salmon conservation program. 

MSA President Paul McNeil and CRSA President Rene Aucoin also addressed the crowd as part of the event.

Both the CRSA and MSA welcome the increased support and see ASF’s new program as a way to help move their organizations away from short-term planning and focusing on restoration activities that are often reactive in nature. The CRSA and MSA are hoping that their involvement in the WSW program will make it easier to engage in more long-term monitoring, in-depth watershed-level planning, and efforts to build resiliency to climate change. Other important long-term partners, including the Nova Scotia Salmon Association and Parks Canada, will also continue to provide support and other resources to help reach these goals as well.

A good crowd turned out at the Cheticamp campground in Cape Breton Highlands National Park for the launching of the Wild Salmon Watersheds program.

While the Cheticamp and Margaree associations were chosen to participate in the start-up phase of the Wild Salmon Watersheds program – along with groups working on the Nepisiguit River in New Brunswick and the Terra Nova River in Newfoundland and Labrador, ASF hopes to grow the program and eventually establish a much larger network of Wild Salmon Watersheds across Eastern Atlantic Canada.

2023 newsletter

We have been having a fun and productive field season here in Cheticamp and it’s about time we filled everyone in on some of what we have been up to!

A good place to start is with our 2023 newsletter! In it, we provide a funding update, recap of last year’s activities, an overview of what we have been up to so far this summer, as well as some information on what else we have planned for 2023. Happy reading!

Upcoming workshop! Introductory fly casting workshop in Cheticamp July 28th!

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association is excited to be putting on another introductory fly casting workshop this summer! The workshop will be taking place on Friday, July 28th from 9am - 12pm at the fire hall in St. Joseph du Moine. No experience is required, and equipment will be provided.

Check out our poster for more info on this upcoming event!

Learn to Fish events at the barrier-free fishing platform at Petit Lac

The barrier-free fishing platform at Petit Lac in Grand Étang was put to good use lately, used by the Cheticamp River Salmon Association (CRSA) as the location for two free community fishing events.

On Wednesday June 21st, the CRSA partnered with staff with Fish Nova Scotia – a long-term program of the provincial government aimed at promoting sportfishing in Nova Scotia – to host Learn to Fish events for the local community. Learn to Fish events are free community events that provide opportunities for participants to learn how to set up fishing tackle, practice basic casting techniques, learn proper handling for catch-and-release fishing, and receive information about both native and invasive fish in Nova Scotia.

Participants in the Learn to Fish event learning about different species of fish that live in the local lakes.

CRSA President Rene Aucoin helps participants with their gear as part of the Learn to Fish event at Petit Lac.

The events at Petit Lac included an afternoon session for The Green Door in Cheticamp, as well as an evening program that was open to the public. Sportfish Development Officer Sabrina Wolthers led both sessions, with help from her summer staff Alyssa Fitt. President of the Cheticamp River Salmon Association, Rene Aucoin, along with Jillian Baker, the CRSA’s Project Manager, and Tobias Gow, the CRSA’s Field Crew Supervisor, were also present to help.

Sportfish Development Officer Sabrina Wolthers helps Dwayne Saunders get ready to fish.

A happy group from The Green Door before an afternoon of fishing at the barrier-free site at Petit Lac.

Although fishing was slow, everyone reported having a wonderful time at Petit Lac – the location of one of Nova Scotia’s newest barrier-free fishing sites. The CRSA and Fish Nova Scotia are also keen to build on the success of these events and will be looking to work together again next year to hold additional Learn to Fish events in the community.

Summary of Work (July 25th - August 5th)

The last couple of weeks have been busy for the Cheticamp River Salmon Association’s summer work crew, but we finally have some office time and we’re eager to share a little update.

One of the tasks assigned the CRSA student crew was surveying a stretch of the Cheticamp River below the Cabot Trail bridge. In particular, the CRSA’s crew surveyed the top couple hundred metres of the right channel split just downstream of the bridge. This is a location where the CRSA is hoping to carry out instream work to maintain and improve fish passage during periods of low flow and elevated water temperatures.

The crew checked depths, widths, and took elevations at seven sites starting at the top of the right channel split, with a distance of 25 meters between sites. The depths and channel widths were obtained with a measuring tape and a meter stick, and an automatic laser level, tripod, and staff were used for elevations. Spencer held the staff while Aaron looked used the laser level to record the elevation data.

Spencer holding the leveling staff for Aaron to get elevations with the laser level.

Nick Macinnis with the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream Program also visited Cheticamp last week to meet with the CRSA. As part of his visit, Nick used a drone to obtain aerial photos and video of both completed and future worksites on a couple of the CRSA’s priority watercourses.

In addition to the drone work, Nick also spent some time on Farm Brook, helping the CRSA to layout a plan for installing a series of digger logs in the lower section of the brook. The CRSA plans to install these structures later this summer to help enhance and create pools on Farm Brook, as well as to develop a proper pool/riffle sequence.

The CRSA is able to complete the planning work involving the Cheticamp River and the instream work on Farm Brook this year thanks in big part to continued support from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation and the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream Program. By each contributing $12,000 to the CRSA’s 2022 projects, the ASCF and AAS Program have enabled the CRSA to push forward with its important habitat restoration, monitoring, and watershed planning work.

Nick holding the measuring tape for the measurements for a digger log on Farm Brook.

Spencer and Nick getting the drone set up to fly across Farm Brook.

One of the aerial photographs Nick captured of the lower Cheticamp River.

In addition to work on the rivers, the Cheticamp River Salmon Association also recently hosted its annual fly casting workshops. On Wednesday July 27th, CRSA’s President Rene Aucoin and Master Casting Instructor Lewis Hinks led an introductory casting workshop. The CRSA’s student crew joined six other participants for a fun day of learning to cast, set up and care for fly fishing equipment, tie knots, and even tie flies. The workshops even included a target competition involving pylons and hoops for participants to practice their newly acquired skills.

Rene and Lewis introducing the fly casting workshop.

Spencer and Aaron fly casting.

Rene showing workshop participants how to make a fly with feathers.

Rene teaching a workshop participant how to use the vice to tie a fly.

After practicing fly casting, Spencer and Aaron were back to the river. This time, the crew headed up the Cheticamp River to install the final temperature logger of the summer. This final logger was installed at a cold-water source at Third Pool.

Aaron and Spencer arriving at Third Pool.

Third Pool of Cheticamp River.

In addition to the work on the Cheticamp River, Aaron and Spencer have been spending a considerable amount of time this summer on Aucoin Brook. Recently, the crew has been systematically walking sections of the brook, recording information on everything from instream structures and blockages, to bank erosion and other habitat issues. The information that is being collected is being used to update a fish habitat restoration plan for the Aucoin Brook subwatershed.

One of the beaver dams that Spencer and Aaron came across on Aucoin Brook.

The CRSA crew also took some time this past week to carry out maintenance at the barrier-free fishing platform at Petit Lac. Specifically, Spencer and Aaron cleared out some vegetation that was causing the parking lot to feel overgrown, and also re-installed one of the lines to mark an accessible parking space at the fishing platform.

Before taking out vegetation.

After taking out vegetation.

Every year, the CRSA also provides assistance to the Gulf Aquarium and Marine Station Cooperative (GAMS) with their Community Aquatic Monitoring Program (CAMP) work. CAMP was developed as a way to involve community groups in monitoring the health of estuaries and bays in their local watersheds. Here in Cheticamp, GAMS has been involved with CAMP for 12 years. The monitoring work involves using a 30 meter seine net to collect aquatic species at specified sites. The specimens that are collected are then identified and counted, with all the data recorded as part of the long-term monitoring work.

Using the seine net to gather fish, shrimp, and crabs.

Local families joined the CRSA and GAMS at the first monitoring site to help with counting fish and separating the invasive green crabs from the rest of the specimens.

Spencer and Abdul from GAMS helping Gretchen to identify and count fish.

Summary of Work (July 18th - 22nd)

Last week involved a fair bit of office work due to the weather, however the Cheticamp River Salmon Association’s work crew was also able to get some important fieldwork done, including checking all the water temperature loggers and continuing with habitat assessments on Aucoin Brook.

Aaron walking along the side of the Cheticamp River to check the CRSA’s temperature loggers.

The CRSA also met with the Margaree Salmon Association’s summer student Leah Burns and the MSA’s new coordinator Aaron Allen. The two organizations shared some of their plans for the rest of the field season and discussed some potential opportunities for collaboration.

Later in the week, the CRSA had a site visit with consultant Charles MacInnis. Charles is working with the CRSA on their instream projects involving the Cheticamp River. One of the projects that the CRSA has hired Charles to assist with involves installing instream structures to improve fish passage where the channel splits downstream of the Cabot Trail bridge. Charles visited the site last week to see how the river is changing through this section and to determine whether the current proposed layout of structures may need to be tweaked slightly.

Rene and Charles looking at the changes to the river downstream of the Cabot Trail bridge

Charles is also working with the CRSA to make recommendations for potential instream work to help enhance and/or create coldwater habitat in locations on the lower river where the CRSA has identified coldwater sources.

Charles pointing out a site for potential coldwater habitat enhancement work on the Cheticamp River.

To finish off the week, Spencer and Jillian did a major clean up at the Gypsum Mine.

Gypsum Mine lookoff view.

Summary of Work (July 11th - 15th)

The CRSA’s work crew participated in a training day last week put on by the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt-a-Stream program. This full day session helped the crew understand the proper way to install a digger logger and the benefits of installing these structures.

Amy Weston provided an introduction to the Adopt-a-Stream habitat restoration field day training.

The CRSA crew with the logger they installed during the Adopt-a-Stream training.

Spencer and Aaron hammering rebar into the logger to keep it in place.

On Wednesday the crew joined staff with Cape Breton Highlands National Park to snorkel some of the upper pools on the Cheticamp River. This was the first time in decades that snorkeling has been done to attempt to count salmon and trout on the Cheticamp. In addition to the CRSA crew and CBHNP staff, two Earth Keepers with the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources also participated in the snorkeling.

It was a fun and adventurous day for the crew and everyone who joined in. The snorkelers all saw fish, too, and are planning to return for a second attempt at snorkeling this week.

The participants of the snorkel outing walking alongside the river on the way back from Second Pool.

The crew getting their snorkeling equipment ready before attempting the first swim at Second Pool.

Aaron snorkeling in Second Pool.

Throughout the week, Spencer, Aaron and Raven were also working on conducting habitat assessments on Aucoin Brook. The CRSA is collecting this data to include in, and help inform, the habitat restoration plan for Aucoin Brook that they are in the process of updating. The CRSA’s crew have already completed at least a dozen sites and they will continue going through more all summer to collect more data.

Spencer using the YSI to collect data as part of a habitat assessment on Aucoin Brook.

Summary of work (June 27th - July 8th)

The Cheticamp River Salmon Association was happy to welcome two new students to its work crew this summer, Spencer Camus and Raven MacKinnon. Spencer and Raven will be joining Aaron Krick who has returned for his 4th summer with the CRSA, this year as Crew Supervisor.

Spencer and Raven helping to plant trees during their first week of work.

Raven completed Grade 11 in Sydney this year and is working her first summer job. While Raven has been hired by the Vélo Club Chéticamp to work at the Gypsum Mine trail and lake site, Raven will also be regularly helping Spencer and Aaron with CRSA activities.

Spencer finished off 10th grade this year at NDA School and will be working full time with us throughout the summer. Spencer is from Cheticamp so he is familiar with most places around here. He is getting along with the crew quite well and is happy to be working with us. He will be working with Aaron for most projects.

The first week of work consisted of a mix of orientation activities, health and safety training, and some tree planting.

CRSA Crew Supervisor Aaron working hard at planting some maple seedlings.

Aaron and Spencer planting trees along the section of Farm Brook where the CRSA completed bank stabilization work in 2021.

This second week we started off by doing a quick cleanup at the Gypsum Mine before completing the installation of temperature loggers in the Cheticamp River. The loggers record water temperatures every hour, providing the CRSA with important information about river temperatures over the summer months. We also did some tree planting at Farm Brook around and downstream of one of the CRSA’s work sites from last year.

Spencer helping to install a water temperature logger above Fence Pool on the Cheticamp River.

Faribault Brook, one of the tributaries of the Cheticamp River, where the CRSA has installed a water temperature logger.

Midweek the crew also started conducting habitat assessments at Aucoin Brook. We also did a scan along the river, and everything seemed to be in good shape. We walked the upper section of the brook and cleared some blockages and marked some places that need some work.

Spencer and CRSA Project Manager Jillian with some of the trees that were planted along Farm Brook.

2022 Summer Newsletter

This is the newsletter from the CRSA for 2022. Feel free to read it for more information about past work and plans for this year.

2022 fishing derby

The CRSA hosted its annual fishing derbies this weekend (after being cancelled due to COVID the past 2 years). Similar events occured province-wide for the NS sportfishing weekend, where anyone could fish for the weekend without a fishing license. This made it the perfect opportunity for families to try fishing, and the youth derby was a big success, with upwards of 30-40 kids coming out for a beautiful morning of fishing. Prizes donated by local businesses were awarded to those with the biggest trout, as Tommy LeBlanc took home first place with a 3lb 11oz trout, while Shelby Deveau and Julien Poirier placed second and third, respectively.

Tommy LeBlanc and his first place catch

Shelby Deveau (second place)

Julien Poirier (third place)

We would like to thank the generous local businesses that donated prizes for the event, including Cheticamp Co-op, LeBlanc’s General Store, Wabo’s Pizza, Mr. Chicken, the Bargain Shop, Cheticamp Boat Builders, and Acadian Credit Union for food and drinks, as well as Robert LeBlanc who hosted the derby at his pond. We look forward to seeing everyone again for next years derby!

On Sunday, the CRSA also hosted the Petic Lac derby, as it was stocked by the Margaree Fish Hatchery the week prior, and the CRSA was on site Sunday with a hotdog BBQ for the anglers at the accessible fishing wharf. Many hotdogs were consumed and some trout were caught!

Some participants at Robert’s pond

Announcement of winners

Prizes donated by local businesses

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!