Shae Denny expresses astonishment at the global recognition of local conservation efforts in Cape Breton. Denny, an aquatic programs manager with the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, emphasized the significance of the acknowledgment, stating that the Indigenous community has been caretakers of the land since time immemorial.
The United Nations recently commended a collaborative initiative involving scientists, Indigenous groups, and volunteers for their seven-year endeavor to restore the Atlantic salmon population in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This project, known as Respectful Returns and launched in 2010 by Parks Canada, aims to rejuvenate rivers and streams nationwide through partnerships with Indigenous and local communities. Over 65,000 hectares of land and 228 kilometers of waterways across seven national parks have been restored under this program.
Denny, a member of Eskasoni First Nation, highlighted that the Mi’kmaq community identified the decline in salmon stocks in Cape Breton back in the 1950s, leading to collaborative efforts with various organizations to address the issue. According to Denny, unity among stakeholders is crucial for effective conservation and management practices.
The restoration initiative in Cape Breton Highlands National Park began in 2019 after witnessing a significant decline in the salmon population over the years. Park ecologist Sarah Penney revealed that salmon counts in the 1980s averaged around 75 adults annually but drastically dropped to about 10 in the 1990s and 2000s due to high mortality rates among young salmon before reaching maturity in the ocean.
To reverse this trend, Parks Canada and its partners initiated a strategy of capturing juvenile salmon from the Chéticamp River and Clyburn Brook, raising them in captivity, and then releasing them back into the wild. This hands-on approach proved successful as the salmon count met the conservation benchmark of 75 for the first time in three decades.
Although Parks Canada received the World Restoration Flagship distinction from the UN in December, they recently held a ceremony on July 16 to honor four key groups in Cape Breton for their contributions to the project. Bill Haley, vice-president of the Margaree Salmon Association, highlighted their role in constructing a smolt wheel on the Chéticamp River to monitor migrating fish counts.
Haley expressed pride in being recognized alongside global conservation projects like major reforestation initiatives in Papua New Guinea. He emphasized the significance of this accolade as a testament to the impactful work being done on a global scale.
