Leonard Nicholas views Atlantic salmon from a unique perspective compared to many New Brunswickers — he regards them as family or ancestors. “They’ve been here just as long as we have,” explained Nicholas, who serves as the fishery strategy director for Tobique First Nation, emphasizing their shared history. The Tobique River, Nicholas’s home, is a tributary of the Wolastoq, also known as the St. John River, which once teemed with tens of thousands of salmon in the 1980s. However, today, only a few hundred salmon return annually to the river’s Mactaquac Dam, as reported by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Despite the challenges faced by the salmon population, the Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility by DFO has played a crucial role in sustaining it. UNB biologist Tommi Linnansaari likened the situation to keeping a patient alive but not healthy, indicating the delicate balance of the salmon population. The facility has been instrumental in assisting salmon by transporting them past hydroelectric dams and nurturing juvenile salmon for reproduction upstream.
Unfortunately, the upcoming closure of the facility in the fall poses a significant threat to the salmon’s future in the Wolastoq region, also known as outer Bay of Fundy salmon. This abrupt decision has left Nicholas and his team scrambling to devise alternative plans for the salmon’s conservation efforts. While the Canadian Rivers Institute at UNB has stepped in to support by relocating smolts below the Mactaquac Dam, the uncertainty looms over the fate of the salmon population.
The challenges faced by the Wolastoq salmon have raised concerns about their endangered status. Despite scientific assessments highlighting the population’s decline and attributing it to various factors such as dams, invasive species, pollution, and climate change, the federal government has yet to classify the species as endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The complex decision-making process involving socio-economic factors and political considerations has stalled the official recognition of the salmon’s endangered status.
Efforts to address these concerns have reached Ottawa, with representatives from First Nations communities like Kingsclear advocating for continued support from DFO to safeguard the outer Bay of Fundy salmon. The ongoing discussions underscore the importance of preserving the cultural and spiritual significance of wild Atlantic salmon to the Wolastoqey. As the fate of the salmon population hangs in the balance, collaborative efforts among stakeholders remain pivotal in ensuring the conservation and protection of these iconic species.
