Broken Brooks – Culvert Remediation and Equipping Recreational Waterway Users to Restore Fish Passage in SE NB

The PWA will continue to conduct culvert assessments, collecting data on culvert passability and barriers to fish passage in the Petitcodiac watershed to expand inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic salmon recovery efforts. The PWA uses this data to prioritize sites for remediation and restore access to habitat. This year, the goal is to restore access to an estimated 20 km of upstream habitat through installation of five outflow chutes constructed by New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) metal fabrication students and by High End Welding Services. Outflow chutes will be installed at culvert sites assessed as barriers to fish passage. This will also include the repair of a deteriorated culvert in Memramcook that is currently assessed as a barrier to fish passage. The culvert will be repaired by adding a metal sheet over the holes in the culvert with bolts and installation of an outflow chute to restore flow and subsequent fish passage. The PWA will also begin monitoring of remediated structures for effectiveness based on fish populations at sites through seine fishing pre and post chute installation.
The PWA will also remove debris from five barriers to restore access to an estimated 2 km of upstream habitat. The PWA will continue outreach and education efforts by promoting the importance of fish passage and our Citizen Science Rapid Assessment Protocol to fish and game clubs and similar outdoors organizations. By networking with these clubs, we hope to gain volunteers who already spend substantial time near watercourses, and consequently, act as our eyes in the field who can collect data on sites at a higher rate than what our field team can accomplish alone. This will enable us to better prioritize barrier sites for remediation. Furthermore, the PWA will begin participating in the Fish Friends Program in collaboration with a local school class. This program consists of offering educational presentations to youth and hatching fish eggs in collaboration with them. A fish tank will be installed in our office or a local school where the kids will be able to visit to observe their development either in person and/or by webcam. Education about fish biology and conservation will be highlighted by raising salmonid fish and releasing them in the watershed in collaboration with the kids