Volunteer redd survey of the Nashwaak River and tributaries

The Nashwaak River is an index river for the Outer Bay of Fundy (OBoF) designable unit of wild Atlantic salmon, which has been listed as endangered by COSEWIC since 2010. Currently, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and local first nations partners monitor the Nashwaak’s Atlantic salmon stock with a counting fence and smolt wheel. This data informs the government and public on the state of the population and provides crucial information for the management and conservation of this vulnerable species.
This project seeks to build off the successes in the 2024 season redd survey. In 2024, NWAI volunteers successfully identified 24 Atlantic salmon redds, numerous test reds, lamprey nests, and trout redds. These data are important to NWAI as it provides more precise mappable areas for salmon habitat and spawning activity. These data will lead us to focus our work with Aquatic connectivity by restoring habitat access.
For 2025, as it is NWAI’s 30th Anniversary, we are proposing to increase the days we offer the redd survey as part of our annual celebration as the redd survey is our largest event for Atlantic salmon public outreach. We aim to have several trained, volunteer-led teams surveying various pre-selected tributaries in the watershed. Tributaries will be selected based on best available population data, local and historical knowledge of salmon spawning locations in our watershed, and water levels in the fall. NWAI will partner with the Maritime College of Forest Technology again in 2025 as part of their annual curriculum and will continue a volunteer-led redd survey as well. This partnership will allow NWAI to survey more sections of the watershed in 2025 over the course of 2-6 days.