Shae Denny expressed astonishment at the global acknowledgment of local conservation efforts in Cape Breton. Denny, an aquatic programs manager at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources representing Cape Breton’s Mi’kmaw community, highlighted the significance of this recognition. The United Nations recently honored a collaborative initiative involving scientists, Indigenous groups, and volunteers that focused on restoring the Atlantic salmon population in Cape Breton Highlands National Park over seven years.
The UN designated a Parks Canada project, Respectful Returns, as a World Restoration Flagship, recognizing it as one of the most promising large-scale ecosystem restoration endeavors globally. Launched in 2010, Respectful Returns is a partnership between Parks Canada, Indigenous communities, and local groups aimed at revitalizing rivers and streams across various national parks. The initiative has successfully rehabilitated over 65,000 hectares of land and 228 kilometers of waterways in seven national parks to date.
Denny, a member of the Eskasoni First Nation, emphasized that the Mi’kmaq community identified the decline in salmon stocks in Cape Breton as far back as the 1950s. This led to the establishment of a salmon advisory committee comprising Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and local river associations. Denny underscored the importance of collaboration in driving positive change, fostering a comprehensive approach to conservation and management.
The restoration program in Cape Breton Highlands National Park commenced in 2019 following a significant decline in the salmon population. Park ecologist Sarah Penney noted that in the 1980s, around 75 adult salmon returned from their ocean migration annually. However, by the 1990s and early 2000s, this number dropped to about 10 due to the premature deaths of young salmon before they could survive in the open sea. To reverse this trend, Parks Canada and its partners began capturing juvenile salmon from the Chéticamp River and Clyburn Brook each spring, nurturing them in captivity until they were ready to be released into the wild.
This hands-on intervention proved successful, with the number of spawning salmon meeting the conservation target of 75 for the first time in three decades. According to Penney, the project reached a critical threshold a couple of years ago, indicating the potential for self-sustaining salmon populations in the river during spawning season.
While Parks Canada officially received the flagship recognition in December, the agency recently honored four key groups in Cape Breton at an event on July 16. These groups included the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and local salmon associations along the Chéticamp and Margaree rivers. Bill Haley, vice-president of the Margaree Salmon Association, highlighted the construction of a smolt wheel on the Chéticamp River by their group to capture and tally migrating fish.
Haley expressed pride in being acknowledged alongside global initiatives such as significant reforestation projects in Papua New Guinea, emphasizing the prestigious nature of this award. The collaborative efforts of these groups underscored the importance of partnerships in achieving conservation milestones and recognizing the vital contributions of all involved parties.