Validation of the use of a new spawning habitat by Atlantic salmon on Jacques-Cartier River after the failure of Donnacona dam.

In 2014, the Donnacona dam located at the mouth of Jacques-Cartier River collapsed following the spring freshet. This dam which was built in 1913 was an unsurmountable barrier for Atlantic salmon for a long time. Also, since 1981, every year, spawners are taken to spawning areas above the dams and the natural barrier of Déry gurge. After the dam failure in 2014, several spawners were able to reach spawning areas in the downstream section of the river, the access of which had been limited for 100 years!

The goal of this project is to determine if there was natural reproduction of Atlantic salmon in this stretch of the river (see attached map). An electro-fishing inventory of ten previously identified sites will enable us to count parrs 0+ and identify the presence of potential competitive species.

Contact: Antoine Bourke, 418-875-1120, info@cbjc.org