St. Mary's river association

PROJECTS

Since 1979, The St. Mary's River Association has been involved with a large variety of agencies and groups on various projects. Here is a list of the principal projects we have been involved with over the past 28 years.

Salmon enhancement (1981-1982)

A streamside incubator and semi-natural rearing pond was used to enhance the survival of juvenile Atlantic salmon from the egg to parr stage. Approximately 50,000 eggs were incubated and juveniles reared and later release. As part of this program, the St. Mary's River Association collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to enforce fishery regulations and surveillance for poachers.

St. Mary's River Forestry/Wildlife Project (1984-1992)

This was a joint initiative of federal and provincial governments, Stora Forest Industries, Scott Maritimes Ltd., Canadian Institute of Forestry, and St. Mary's River Association. The objective of this project was to develop methods to manage forestry and wildlife together. Participating groups conducted joint studies and operational trials to develop practical and effective guidelines and procedures to be used in the planning and operations of forest management.

River Specific Atlantic Salmon Management Plan (1985-1994)

In 1985 the St. Mary's River Association proposed a river-specific Atlantic salmon management project as a pilot study for a river-specific approach to salmon management in Atlantic Canada. Such a management document was produced in 1988. The objective of this management plan was to "optimize Atlantic salmon from all segments of the St. Mary's River in order to provide all user groups with maximum benefits."

This program required research and monitoring to obtain the information to meet the objective, but the principle funding source was removed in 1994 and the project changed to become a community-based management plan renamed as the St. Mary's River Resource Management Model. This plan built on the objectives and information derived from the previous River Specific Atlantic Salmon Management Plan from 1988. The objective of the St. Mary's River Resource Management Model was "to develop a management plan for the St. Mary's River to achieve the maximum sustainable benefit from the fisheries resource, based upon information that is specific to the river, and upon a system of decision-making that is shared between members of the local community, user groups and government agencies".

Within this project the St. Mary's River Association collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, often carrying the costs, to conduct research and monitoring on Atlantic salmon of the river, in the context of river-specific management. The results of this 1985-1995 river management work was a management strategy, detailed fisheries management plan, and a blueprint for community-based management plan.

Dependency Survey (1988)

Hurley Fisheries Consulting was retained by St. Mary's River Association to conduct a survey of the uses by people of the St. Mary's River. The study was intended as an examination of the socio-economic relationships of residents and visitors to the river. The results provided baseline data for the development of a river-specific management plan for salmon stocks and so was part of the above River Specific Atlantic Salmon Management Plan.

Salmon enhancement (1989)

Members of the St. Mary's River Associated collected broodstock and participated in juvenile releases into the river of hatchery raised salmon.

Habitat restoration (1989-2008)

Riverbank stabilization of eroding banks has been conducted at various sites throughout the watershed for almost 20 years. This work has involved placement of large rock material using heavy machinery along stretches of eroding river-bank. Habitat restoration of smaller streams (particularly using digger logs) has been conducted since 1993 with increasing frequency in the last five years.

Barrier free access for handicapped angler to fish the St. Mary's River (1997)

Development of access to allow wheelchair-bound or other handicapped anglers the opportunity to fish for Atlantic salmon.

Liming project (1998)

Approximately 50 tonnes of limestone cobble were deposited at two location within the St. Mary's River in order to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of liming the river to increase the low pH of the stream water.

Abundance and ecology of wood turtles within the St. Mary's River watershed (2003-2007)

Participating with Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and St. Francis Xavier University, the St. Mary's River Association assisted in a five year study of the wood turtle, a provincial species-at-risk, within the watershed. This research was aimed at determining the population size of the turtles within the watershed and to determine basic ecology and behaviour of the local population.

Development of Watershed Project (2005-present)

Following up on management plans from 1988 and 1995, the Association has been working to update these plans and develop the infrastructure and funding to implement them.

Land acquisition (2007)

The St. Mary's River Association worked with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust to acquire land along the river channel for long-term protection and management.

In addition to these projects, the St. Mary's River Association has worked since their inception with federal and provincial fisheries agencies on management issues and required data collection for appropriate management. Management issues include determining annual fisheries regulations and required assessment research to determine conservation and allocation requirements. As part of the required data collection the Association has always been a principal player in the sampling of juvenile, smolt, and adult Atlantic salmon within the St. Mary's River.