An innovative partnership between academia, First Nations, industry and government has led to the release of more than 500 wild Atlantic salmon into rivers in Fundy National Park.
Biologist Alex Parker says the Atlantic salmon were born in park rivers and were later raised to adulthood at a site operated by Cooke Aquaculture.
Parker says a helicopter was used to transport the fish into some remote areas of the park where teams on the ground released them into rivers.
“We have reason to think that the majority of these fish will stay in the river and spawn. By having that many fish in the river, they will make a lot of offspring which will stay in the river for a few years,” he notes..
Parker says all of the Atlantic salmon released were tagged and thanks to a partnership with UNB, researchers will be able to monitor the fish.
The salmon population in the inner Bay of Fundy almost dwindled to extinction in the early 2000’s but efforts like this one are helping to increase numbers.
