Salmon conservation groups and an Indigenous water protector express concern over the closure of federal biodiversity facilities in the Maritimes, warning of dire consequences for endangered salmon. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced the discontinuation of its Atlantic Salmon Live Gene Bank program in Mactaquac, N.B., and Coldbrook, N.S. These gene banks support at-risk Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon populations through breeding and release efforts.
Nikki-Marie Lloyd, a former Indigenous liaison at the Coldbrook facility, emphasized the critical role of these facilities in preserving the salmon population. Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon has been endangered since 2003. Despite DFO’s commitment to the National Atlantic Salmon Strategy, concerns remain about the impact of the closures on salmon recovery efforts.
Conservationists, including Amy Weston from the Nova Scotia Salmon Association and Deirdre Green from the Atlantic Salmon Federation, warn that without the gene banks, the salmon population faces extinction. Recent population estimates indicate a drastic decline in adult salmon returning to their habitats, with the gene banks playing a vital role in sustaining the population.
Both Green and Lloyd advocate for the continuation of the live gene bank facilities, suggesting that alternative organizations or First Nations could take over the operations. The fate of the Inner Bay of Fundy salmon population hangs in the balance as stakeholders call for urgent action to safeguard these endangered species.
