This spring if you happen to be fishing or canoeing in the Middle River in Victoria County you might encounter a strange looking contraption floating on the water. Resembling a giant funnel on its side, it’s a smolt wheel, also known by the technical term–”rotary screw trap”.

The smolt wheel belongs to UINR, Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, which is working on a research project with partners CEPI Salmon Task Team, CBU’s Bras d’Or Institute and the Fisheries guardians in Wagmatcook and Waycobah, to contribute to our knowledge on why salmon are on the decline in Cape Breton.

The wheel collects young salmon smolt, safely directing them into a tank where they are counted. Smolt are young salmon that migrate each spring from the rivers where they were born and grew up in, to the ocean where they become adults. Every day technicians monitor the collection and once sampled, the smolt are set free to continue their journey.

The wheel will be in the river for several weeks, from the beginning of the migration until the run is over. The purpose of the project is to estimate the number of smolt in Middle River and to collect biological information about the salmon population in Cape Breton rivers.

Lisa Young, UINR’s Executive Director explains “This research project is just one of our initiatives at UINR to help address the serious decline in plamu (Atlantic Salmon) in our rivers. We recently held a two-day workshop that brought together Mi’kmaq and non-native fishers to gather traditional knowledge and first-hand experience from the people who fish our rivers and have observed the changes. Paired with this scientific study, we will be a step closer to understanding the situation we are facing and what tools will need to be developed to address the salmon’s decline.”

Funding for this project has come from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation.

lisa@uinr.ca

Shrimp A Science Advisory meeting was be held in mid-December and all indications are that a 10% reduction in Total Allowable Catch (TAC) will be requested for 2011. Advice from science evaluation and industry will determine the 2011 overall TAC. Science recommended a 10% reduction and the shrimp fishing communities of Unama’ki encouraged industry representatives to follow that advice.

Snow Crab Area 23/24 biomass has peaked and indications for the 2011 TAC will not be known until the spring Science meeting. All Unama’ki communities caught their quotas last year. Not all non-native license holders caught their quota because some license holders went over, so the overall TAC was reached and the fishery was shut down for the year. Industry recommended the fishery start on April 1 for 2011. DFO will review this request. Science recommends a slight decrease or maintaining status quo this year. Industry will make recommendations which will be considered by DFO prior to the beginning of the season.

Area 19’s 2010 quota was caught within two weeks. Indications are that a 10–15% increase will be supported by science and this advice will be reviewed and a management meeting in early March will determine what the TAC will be, based on the science and industry recommendations.

Indications are that the prices for snow crab will be higher than the last few years in the Southern Gulf and Maritimes Region.

Scallops The spring survey will determine the TAC for the 2011 scallop quota. The interim quotas for SPA 1A is 100 tonnes, SPA 1B is 100 tonnes, SPA 3 is 50 tonnes and 140 tonnes for SPA4 .

Lobster All areas enjoyed a slight increase in catch in 2010 but unfortunately, prices remained low. Prices are starting to slowly rise. Combined with increased operational costs, this did not result in a very profitable year for most areas.

Herring Any information on herring in the Bras d’Or Lakes would be appreciated, so that we can pass the information along to DFO for future research and studies on whether herring are coming back to numbers once seen in the Lakes.

Mackerel An unusual trend continued this year with mackerel not coming close to the Cape Breton shores. Many attribute this to warm waters close to shore changing the mackerel’s migration habits. It has been five years since commercial quantities have been available for fishermen.

Groundfish Area 5ZE (Georges Bank) experienced a cut in quotas this year because of the reduction in cod numbers.Cod is a major bycatch and when fishing for other species, such as haddock, bycatch is inevitable. Precautions are taken to reduce bycatch and increase cod numbers.

hubert@uinr.ca

We are looking for ideas from youth, Elders and everyone in between.Share your views on how to protect the Bras d’Or Lakes and the rivers and streams in the Wagmatcook community.

Drop in Wednesday March 30, 2011 anytime from 2 to 7 pm at the Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre.

Food and beverages provided.

For more information please contact

Angela Morris 379-2369 angela@uinr.ca

or Shelley Denny 379-2022 shelley.denny@uinr.ca

Gathering roots of Ki’wesusk

Plants have always been an important part of Mi’kmaq tradition, not just for food but as cures and prevention for many common ailments. Today it is not unusual to see Mi’kmaq Elders picking sweetgrass for ceremonies and other plants as cures for everything from stomach cramps to relieving the symptoms of the common cold. UINR recognizes the importance of plants to our culture and are working on a project to improve our knowledge and understanding of where these important plants are located and how abundant they are. We are using a combination of modern science and traditional knowledge to develop a database that will be used as a conservation management tool. Working with Parks Canada and NewPage, we are mapping existing and new information in a Geographic Information Database (GIS) that will  contribute to the conservation of our cultural and ecological heritage.

We have been meeting with knowledgeable Elders to determine what species are important, where they are found and what type of habitat they are usually found in. Using this knowledge, we then investigate botanical literature on local distribution, habitat requirements and if they are endangered. Elders also provided the Mi’kmaq names of the plants they gather.

UINR has hired botanist Catherine Sneddon to conduct a field investigation throughout Unama’ki to confirm the presence of medicinal plants and their abundance in the areas we identified this year. The next step will be to develop a list of the locations that will require special protection or other efforts to preserve threatened species. Another meeting of Elders will be held to present our research results and to review our recommended management plans to protect the plants.

The information that will be released to our funding partners and that will be made public will be determined by the Elders and knowledge holders. UINR retains all control over the content of the project. This is a very important project for us at UINR. It recognizes the continuing importance of plants in our culture and ensures that they will be protected for future generations.

lisa@uinr.ca

The workshop will focus on gathering traditional knowledge from Elders and other resource users in the community. The workshop on March 7 takes place from 6:00–9:00 pm with dinner followed by presentations and discussion. The second day will focus on participants sharing traditional knowledge.

Lisa Young, UINR’s Executive Director, explains, “We believe that it is important to bring everyone together to improve the understanding between cultures and to illustrate that we all have the same goals–the protection and improvement of salmon habitat in our rivers. A traditional talking circle will end the workshop, giving the participants an opportunity to express their opinions and contribute to the education process.”

The workshop will introduce a new CSI document: “Stewardship Framework for the Monitoring, Assessment and Enhancement of Plamu/Atlantic Salmon Populations and Their Habitat in Unama’ki/Cape Breton.” It outlines a five-year plan to address CSI’s stewardship goals.

Plamu/salmon are important in the history and culture of both Mi’kmaq and non-native peoples and everyone shares a concern on the species’ declining populations. Fisheries and Oceans Canada identified 44 rivers that currently support or have been known in the past to support plamu/ salmon populations. Other rivers that drain into the ocean could potentially support populations.

Scientific and anecdotal reports indicate that most plamu/salmon populations here are in decline or are at low population size.

Of the six rivers in Cape Breton that are regularly assessed, only three are above or near to their spawning requirement. All harvest of plamu/salmon in eastern Cape Breton have been closed and recreational retention fisheries are only allowed in some rivers in western Cape Breton.

The future of the resource is uncertain, especially in the face of continuing environmental pressure from land use practices and water management.

Lisa continues, “A stewardship strategy must recognize the treaty and aboriginal rights of the Mi’kmaq as well as the economic importance of the recreational fishery. Our strategy focuses on sustainability: how to conserve or enhance salmon populations while meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainability is particularly important given that all planning and recovery initiatives will require the support and participation of community groups and the general public of Cape Breton Island.”

Consideration of watershed characteristics and the impacts of human activities on reproduction, survival and growth in aquatic environments is an important component in conservation or recovery initiatives.

Direction is provided on two aspects of habitat conservation: its protection and its restoration.

The strategy gives direction on where groups can access information to assist in their activities, including measuring the quality of the existing habitat, and ways in which habitat protection and restoration activities can be determined and prioritized.

Lisa concludes, “Our ultimate goal is to provide direction and support to community groups who want to conserve, rebuild or restore salmon populations in Unama’ki/Cape Breton rivers for the benefit of everyone.”

lisa@uinr.ca

Proposal Writing and Fundraising would be of interest to anyone who writes funding applications for both environmental and non-environmental projects. If you need money for a project and need to know more about what funders want from you, this workshop focuses on funding programs available from government and private sources. Through this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to prepare effective proposals to increase your chances of getting the funding you need, from cleaning a stream so salmon will return to increasing biodiversity by growing traditional plants. The workshop will clarify what you need to make your project happen, what your project will cost and what help you can reasonably expect to receive.

Proposal Writing and Fundraising will be held Wednesday, March 23 from 9:00–3:30 at Membertou Trade and Convention Centre. Lunch will be provided and mileage will be covered. There will be no accommodations or honourariums paid for this event.

The workshop is offered to the five Unama’ki Mi’kmaq communities and organizations serving those communities. A maximum of five people from each community and organizations around Unama’ki will be accepted. To register: email Serena Paul at serena @uinr.ca by Monday, March 14. Please include your full name, a phone number where you can be reached and the name of your community

For more information please contact Angela Morris 379-2369 angela@uinr.ca or Shelley Denny 379-2022 shelley.denny@uinr.ca

Annie Johnson explains, “The Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR) is pleased to be presented the opportunity to work with our communities to address the important issue of erosion in Malagawatch. Working together with Wagmatcook First Nation, the Unama’ki Chiefs and Public Works and Government Services Canada, we are confident that the necessary work will be completed in the time we have allotted and we will be able to mitigate the serious erosion problems we are experiencing there.”

Wagmatcook is working with Dillon Consulting and Public Works on engineering and professional support for the project, expected to be underway within a month. In addition to overseeing the project, the five Unama’ki Chiefs will review the final tender/bid recommendations and award the contract to the successful bidder.

Annie explains, “UINR will continue to ensure that the site’s archaeological and historical evidence is secured and we will coordinate meetings between our partners to make sure that the project is completed respectfully and on schedule. We are working with the archaeologist at Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiations Office–Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative to ensure that the project is done properly.” Historical and archaeological evidence indicate that Malagawatch and the surrounding areas have been used and occupied by Mi’kmaq ancestors for thousands of years.

UINR and Environment Canada are presenting two free workshops at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre on January 26 and 27.

The first workshop on Proposal Writing and Fundraising would be of interest to anyone who writes funding applications for both environmental and non-environmental projects. If you need money for a project and need to know more about what funders want from you, this workshop focuses on funding programs available from government and private sources. Through this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to prepare effective proposals to increase your chances of getting the funding you need, from cleaning a stream so salmon will return to increasing biodiversity by growing traditional plants. The workshop will clarify what you need to make your project happen, what your project will cost and what help you can reasonably expect to receive.

Proposal Writing and Fundraising will be held Wednesday, January 26 from 9:00–3:30 at Membertou Trade and Convention Centre. Lunch will be provided and mileage will be covered. There will be no accommodations or honourariums paid for this event.

Our second workshop is Project WET, an experiential environmental education program with a focus on water. It is of particular interest to all educators and anyone who works with youth or does outreach related to water resources. The activities are designed for students in P-12 but can be used for a wider audience. This one-day hands-on, interactive workshop will introduce participants to Project WET, and train them in its delivery. By the end of the day you will be able to use the educators’ guide to deliver water education activities to various audiences. Participants will receive a free educators’ guide.

Project Wet will be held Thursday, January 27 from 9:00–3:30 at Membertou Trade and Convention Centre. Lunch will be provided and mileage will be covered. There will be no accommodations or honourariums paid for this event.

Workshops are offered to the five Unama’ki Mi’kmaq communities and organizations serving those communities. Maximum of five people from each community and organizations around Unama’ki. To register: email Serena Paul at serena @uinr.ca by Thursday, January 20. Be sure to indicate which workshop(s) you would like to attend. Please include your full name, a phone number where you can be reached and the name of your community.

UINR’s Annie Johnson explains, “Over the years erosion has threatened the ancient cemetery and shrine that has been used by the Mi’kmaq people for  hundreds of years.  The storms over the past couple of months have resulted in the bank eroding to such a degree that the stone shrine ‘s foundation has been undermined and is hanging over the bank.  The road leading to the cemetery is impassable.”

Shrine foundation now exposed

A Phase I environmental assessment is underway and UINR is developing a workplan to immediately address the problem.  “Two years ago we took initial measures in an attempt to preserve the site. We installed a blanket of geotextile over the bank to the shore and, up until recently, it stayed in place, protecting the bank. The geotextile protection was lost in the recent storms causing a dramatic increase in bank erosion.”

In 2009 UINR commissioned W.F. Baird & Associates Coastal Engineers Ltd. to develop a plan to mitigate the erosion. Their report determined that it was an emergency situation and public safety was a concern. The report provides several options to protect and preserve the site, including  grading the bank and protecting the shoreline with armour stone.

Annie explains, “We know that time is of the essence and we need to act quickly to ensure that the site is not lost. At the rate that the land is eroding, another major storm could result in significant damage.”

Erosion to cemetery road makes it impassable