Shae Denny expresses astonishment at the global recognition of local conservation efforts in Cape Breton. Being an aquatic programs manager at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, Denny finds the acknowledgment highly significant, emphasizing the longstanding role of the Mi’kmaw community as land stewards.
The United Nations recently commended a collaborative initiative spanning seven years, involving scientists, Indigenous groups, and local volunteers, aimed at restoring the Atlantic salmon population in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This project, known as Respectful Returns and initiated in 2010 by Parks Canada, focuses on ecosystem restoration across various national parks, covering extensive land and waterways.
Denny, a member of the Eskasoni First Nation, highlighted the Mi’kmaq community’s early recognition of declining salmon stocks in Cape Breton dating back to the 1950s. This led to the establishment of a salmon advisory committee in partnership with Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and local river associations, reflecting a collaborative approach to conservation and management.
The restoration efforts in Cape Breton Highlands National Park commenced in 2019 following a drastic decline in salmon populations over the years. Park ecologist Sarah Penney revealed that the number of adult salmon returning from their ocean migration had dramatically reduced from around 75 in the 1980s to just 10 in the 1990s and early 2000s due to premature deaths of young salmon before they could survive in the open sea.
To reverse this trend, Parks Canada and its partners began capturing juvenile salmon from the Chéticamp River and Clyburn Brook annually, raising them in captivity until they were ready for release into their natural habitat. This hands-on intervention proved successful, with the salmon population meeting the conservation benchmark of 75 for the first time in three decades.
While Parks Canada officially received the prestigious World Restoration Flagship designation from the UN in December, an event was held on July 16 to honor four key groups in Cape Breton for their contributions to the project. These groups included the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and local salmon associations on the Chéticamp and Margaree rivers. Bill Haley, vice-president of the Margaree Salmon Association, highlighted the importance of these partnerships in achieving such significant conservation milestones.
Being recognized alongside global conservation initiatives like major reforestation projects in Papua New Guinea is a significant achievement for Haley and his group. The collaborative efforts in Cape Breton exemplify the impactful outcomes that can be achieved through collective action and shared responsibility in conservation endeavors.