Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration in the Watersheds of St. Peter’s Bay, PEI

Description: This project involves habitat restoration, enhancement, and water quality monitoring on Morell River, Bristol Creek and St. Peter’s River. The main project objectives are to maintain unimpeded access to headwater habitats, improve spawning areas, increase the amount of juvenile-rearing habitat, and preserve good water quality.

The Morell River Management Cooperative (MRMC) will achieve these project objectives through restoration techniques, including the installation of brush mats, strategic cutting of windfalls to create pinch points and fish cover, raking embedded spawning sites, and removing beaver dams. Water quality monitoring will be completed using temperature data loggers, dissolved oxygen loggers, a satellite temperature station, and thermal drone flights.

In 2023, MRMC made good progress in reopening access to the areas severely impacted by Hurricane Fiona. With this project, they will continue to open blocked portions of the river further into the headwaters so that their staff can complete important enhancement work, and so that Atlantic salmon can migrate freely within the watersheds of St. Peter’s Bay.

In addition to habitat restoration and enhancement work, MRMC will assist the Abegweit Biodiversity Enhancement Hatchery and the Province of PEI with Atlantic salmon fry releases, broodstock collection, and spawning to rebuild salmon stocks on the Morell River.