Miminegash River’s Atlantic Salmon Conservation Project

Description: The publication ‘A renewed Conservation Strategy for Atlantic Salmon in PEI’ (Guignion.2019) describes “In the late 1960s, the Miminegash River was lined with elm, cedar and ash and the stream bottom was composed of a mixture of gravel and cobble. It was not unusual to catch salmon parr when fly fishing for brook trout (Daryl Guignion pers comm). In the years since, Atlantic salmon populations seem to have waned as no salmon were found in 2001-02 during intensive graduate research in a number of PEI streams (Gormley 2003). In 2018, a few salmon parr were being angled in the Miminegash River and it was added to the list of rivers being surveyed in late autumn. It did not take long to verify that Atlantic salmon had indeed returned to the Miminegash River. In an electrofishing survey of a 200-metre stretch of good salmon habitat, eight 1+ salmon parr were netted, along with 33 brook trout. No barrier nets were used. The Miminegash River is now the only south-draining river in West Prince to have Atlantic salmon. It is recommended that the river be assessed to identify the extent of suitable habitat for salmon and any limiting factors that need to be addressed. The group should continue to remove blockages and ensure that salmon have access into and out of the river as needed.”

The Miminegash River is a 4th Order river system with 70.1% forest cover, 20.5% agriculture, 4.9% development, 4.4% wetland and 0.1% sand dune. More information must be gathered on the Miminegash to determine limiting factors to Salmon habitat. In recent years anchor ice, and frazzle ice have been observed in Salmon spawning riffles, as well as water temperatures of minus -1-degree Celsius.

In 2024, Roseville Miminegash Watersheds Inc. (RMWI) will monitor environmental flows, temperatures, and changes to the river’s profile at certain sites, which will have been determined with the support of provincial and non-governmental ecologist, biologists, and technicians.

There have been reports of salmon being caught in Eel nets, as well as by anglers. Biologists and researchers  have all collected information on Atlantic Salmon in the Miminegash river. RMWI will engage with these members in the community to acquire the information they gathered, for the purpose of including valuable and reliable scientific data in our watershed management plan to support future planning.

The return of Atlantic salmon to the Miminegash River indicates important habitat that needs conservation and monitoring. RMWI plans to complete a Watershed Management Plan, detailing goals for salmonid stewardship on the Miminegash river, over the next 3 years.

In 2024, the following activities will initiate Atlantic Salmon habitat conservation, education and monitoring efforts on Miminegash River in PEI.

• Headwater riparian restoration and enhancement (tree/shrub planting)
• Conversations with local private landowners and/or governments
• River and Riparian Health Assessment on entire system to identify and map any issues.
• Culvert and river crossing inventory; fish passage monitoring.
• Habitat Monitoring sites installed and data collected often (2 depth loggers, 10 temp loggers, 10 pH sampling sites, 10 Rapid Geomorphic Assessment sites, 10 river profile/cross section sites)
• ID/Map invasive species and beaver activity
• Progress Report on Watershed Management Plan for Miminegash River, detailing an Atlantic Salmon Habitat Stewardship Plan.
• Public educational events (Local Booths, Community Presentations, Electrofishing Demonstration, installing signage at angling sites), conversation with local private landowners
• Coordinating removal (and/or repair) of barriers for fish passage
• Outreach to local stakeholders to converse on Atlantic Salmon Conservation (i.e. Eel fishermen, anglers, hunters/trappers)
• Other information gathering for Watershed Management Plan.