The Gespe’gewaq Mi’gmaq Resource Council (GMRC) is conducting research on the impacts of climate change on Atlantic salmon.  GMRC deployed two real time monitor temperature stations downstream from the Matapedia and Restigouche Rivers. The real time monitoring stations will relay information every twenty minutes about the air, and river temperature. This information will be sent to the GMRC website.

In the context of climate change, Atlantic salmon in rivers are more and more vulnerable to heat stress.  Last year the maximum temperature reached in our data set was 28 degrees Celsius.  Once temperatures reach 23 degrees it becomes very stressful for Atlantic salmon.

Atlantic salmon are vulnerable to high water temperatures because there is lower dissolved oxygen in the water. We are seeing more extremes, more floods and seeing droughts that have been lower than they have ever been on record.  These fluctuations are also affecting the water temperature.

We would like to acknowledge our partners in enabling this effort: Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF), Restigouche River Watershed Management Council (RRWMC), Listuguj Fisheries, local camp managers, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS).