Conserving Salmon and Identifying Thermal Barriers and Refuges in the Belleisle Watershed

The purpose of Conserving Salmon and Identifying Thermal Barriers and Refuges in the Belleisle Watershed is to identify, assess, and map thermal barriers and thermal refuges that influence fish passage within the Belleisle watershed. The project will also implement salmonid tagging and population assessments to evaluate abundance, distribution, and migration patterns. These activities will generate data required to measure the effectiveness of restoration efforts, understand the impacts of thermal barriers, and support long-term conservation planning for Atlantic salmon and other salmonids. The project will produce a comprehensive, shareable database of thermal barriers and refuges to guide and prioritize future habitat restoration initiatives. Field surveys and tagging will further provide essential biological information, including migratory behavior, growth and mortality rates, and habitat use, to inform ongoing recovery efforts for Atlantic salmon, a species at risk.