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The Whycocomagh Eco-Centre is currently
offering a program to schools in Cape Breton and
surrounding areas titled, “Fisheries Focus”. This
very unique program is aimed at students from grades
six to nine and educates about the declining Salmon
and Trout populations in Nova Scotia. The goal of
the project is to fill students with key knowledge
on conservation and the importance of healthy fish
habitats. Students will also have the opportunity to
participate in an educational field trip to the
Margaree Fish Hatchery. Here they will see just how
crucial it is to conserve and replenish the trout
and salmon stocks in our province.
Fisheries Focus is a pilot project that has been
designed by CVRB (Comité de valorisation de la
rivière Beauport), an organization in Quebec that
promotes fish habitat awareness and fish
conservation. The Eco-Centre will also use resources
from Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the
Provincial Fish Hatcheries to carry out this
project.
The following information discusses the need for
this type of project and emphasizes why the
Eco-Centre has created this educational resource.
Need:
The Salmon and Trout populations of Nova Scotia’s
many rivers are facing a serious threat to their
habitat and thus their survival. The trout are
losing a battle against habitat loss and the salmon
are losing to acid rain (Scott, 2004) which is a
problem of the past for the rest of Canada. Local
fisherman and nature enthusiasts alike have noticed
the decline in salmon and trout populations and this
has been confirmed by studies in the rivers. A
report that studied the trout population of rivers
in Cape Breton stated that “In recent years Nova
Scotia anglers and their organizations have become
increasingly concerned about the status of trout
populations” (MacMillan & Crandlemere, 2005) and the
same report says that “Overexploitation (excessive
consumption of a renewable natural resource at a
rate that cannot be maintained due to a dwindling
reproductive population) and habitat loss are
believed to be responsible for declines in sea run
brook trout populations”. A report on salmon
populations stated that “fourteen rivers have lost
their population of Atlantic salmon and there is
evidence that water quality in rivers, where acidity
is a perennial problem, has deteriorated” (The
Atlantic Salmon Federation, 2000).
Cape Breton is primarily an untouched region of
Canada that consists of numerous government
protected parks and many residents are not aware of
the dangerous threats that can affect resident
animal populations, such as trout and salmon, in
such a wild environment. It is important to conserve
and protect the current fish stocks and to help
replenish stocks so in the future we have viable
trout and salmon populations in our rivers. The
salmon and trout angling industry is important to
the economy of many rural Cape Breton towns and
needs to be monitored to ensure numbers are healthy.
One report shows that “angling license sales have
declined dramatically with resulting loss of
outfitting operations and reduction in the number of
guides as people seek other sources of income”
(Scott, 2004). Organizations such as the Margaree
Fish Hatchery do their best to educate about salmon
and trout stock decline but primarily focus on
replenishment of fish stocks.
Cape Breton is in need of education and distribution
of information about this environmental problem.
There is a consensus that the fish stocks are an
important resource but little is being done to
educate about how to protect that resource.
The projects offered at the Whycocomagh Eco-Centre
focus largely on developing participants’ connection
to the natural world so as to internally motivate
individuals to make responsible choices that truly
respect our environment. It is such attitudes that
will lead to the long-term commitments required to
make the difference to our planet. Similarly, it is
the goal of this project to offer a project that
would educate members of the Cape Breton community
about the issue of fish population decline, while
inspiring the participants to take action and
long-term interests in improving their community’s
approach to fisheries conservation for the benefit
of the whole environment.
At the completion of this project the Whycocomagh
Eco-Centre
will achieve the following outcomes:
1. Provide an opportunity to educate students
of all ages and interests about the issues
surrounding local fish stocks.
2. Develop an ecological identity that will
inspire each participant to make long term
eco-commitments and to promote fisheries
conservation and protection in his/her community.
3. Promote student based teaching and
learning as higher grade levels interact with and
educate lower grade levels about the fish stocks and
the environmental issues facing their survival.
4. Utilization of online resources and
communication that will promote student self
learning and discovery.
5. Instill an interest and desire for Cape
Breton students and their families to make other
personal eco-commitments and participate in future
programs offered by the Whycocomagh Eco-Centre.
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Anyone interested in learning more about the
Fisheries Focus project
is encouraged
to contact the Eco-Centre.
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Resources:
»
Department of Natural Resources
»
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
»
Eco Action/Environment Canada
»
Margaree Fish Hatchery
Whycocomagh Eco-Centre in partnership with
Eco/Action/Environment Canada, CVRB. |
