Atlantic Salmon Conservation Plan for Port Marnum Brook Watershed

The proposed project is to develop a baseline of information for the Port Marnum Watershed, a schedule river, located near mining development. Exploratory mining activities began taking place in 2022, with two study areas being explored for rare earth minerals. One area is located withing the watershed boundaries and the other not far outside of the watershed near the town of St. Lewis.

As mandated, an ecological baseline report was conducted for this development, however it was limited to the proposed area, excluding the majority of surrounding watershed. The objective of this project is to define the current habitat conditions which are being used by Atlantic salmon and identify threats to this culturally important species and area. Tasks will include: field surveys to identify locations of priority habitats and barriers to fish passage, and habitat assessments of those areas. This information will be used for an “Atlantic Salmon Conservation Plan”.

Information from this project will contribute to the overall development of baseline information for Atlantic salmon in southern Labrador, as a culturally and biologically significant species to the people of NunatuKavut and a management priority for the NCC’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Data gathered from tasks outlined in this submission will add to an existing inventory of information about Atlantic salmon, including existing traditional knowledge, baseline data from other salmon rivers in the territory, and scientific research from other monitoring initiatives by NCC. This information is crucial for NCC’s ongoing management framework which will guide habitat and population monitoring, resource management and conservation, and help NCC identify where restoration and rehabilitation activities need to be focused in order to protect Atlantic salmon.

Project Contact:

Kristen Milbury

kmilbury@nunatukavut.ca