Fisheries Management in Napu’saqnuk (St Mary’s) River and Alignment with Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Conservation Through an Ecologically Significant Area Case Study.

Abstract

There are escalating threats to freshwater ecosystems, including pollution, invasive species, land use changes, and climate change. Recognizing the importance of habitat protection in conserving freshwater biodiversity, this study focuses on Ecologically Significant Areas (ESAs) as a designated tool under the Fisheries Act in Canada. ESAs serve as proactive, project-based regulatory designations to safeguard sensitive, highly productive, and rare fish and fish habitats in intertidal and freshwater habitats. While ESAs do not directly regulate fishing activities, the study emphasizes the need to assess the alignment of existing fisheries management practices with the draft conservation and protection objectives (CPOs) of ESAs. Information was gathered from diverse sources, including expert knowledge, peer-reviewed papers, official government documents, grey literature, and websites. The project draws insights from the Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) conducted in 2013 by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for the Southern Upland Atlantic salmon population and the DFO's guidance on assessing threats and ecological impacts for species at risk published in 2014 was used a guide for conducting a threat assessment. Overall, the low-risk assessment of fishing in the St. Mary's River presents an opportunity for proactive regulation, ensuring the long-term health of Atlantic salmon populations.