Atlantic Salmon – Kouchibouguacis Watershed
(education, egg incubation, restoration and monitoring)

Salmon fishing is closed on Kouchibouguacis River since 1998; this represents a great disappointment to many local fishermen. A salmon restoration program initiated on the Kouchibouguacis River during the 1990’s has been evolving through the years. Atlantic salmon population enhancement including brood stock collection, rearing, fin clipping and stocking of salmon fry, electrofishing exercises, eggs incubator installation, fish population migratory monitoring are all important components of this program. Stocking some salmon habitat using egg incubation methods will help improve the egg survival ratio by protecting the eggs from predation, sediment deposits and other limiting factors. Conducting monitoring exercises (electrofishing, fishing efforts using box nets, habitat survey) will provide much needed updated data that will show results from the efforts made up to date and provide data on the current state of the fish population and on their current available habitat.

We have also been involved in different stewardship activities such as workshops, meetings, kiosk sessions, beech sweeps, and several activities and presentations related to the Fish Friends program. In-class presentations and field trips are offered to the students from the local schools.

This project will contribute to the return of salmon population in our watershed, the reopening of its sport fishing and add to the quality of life for people in our communities. We feel that this project has undoubtedly become part of the assemblage of success established in the past.

This project is funded by The Atlantic Salmon conservation Foundation and The New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Funds.