Mikmaw Conservation Group

Attention Salt Marsh Stewards! Applications for Clean Coasts Restore Brule Shore event are closing this Wednesday, September 16th, 2020! There are limited spots available, so apply today at: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx In addition to gaining invaluable experience in the field of coastal restoration, selected applicants will be compensated for their time. With your help, we can restore drainage to the Brule Shore salt marsh system, allow vegetation to... regrow, and prevent an existing pool from growing larger! Welalin in advance for your interest. We look forward to reviewing your application, and will notify you of our decision by the end of this week Please review the poster below for more details and email [email protected] with any questions or concerns

Share your animal telemetry data questions and problems with a group of peers from around the globe at OTNs weekly study hall. Email [email protected] for the participation link.

The Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) team here at the Confederacy of Mainland Mikmaq have been working hard in the field this summer! We are working in three major watersheds: the St. Croix, Stewiacke and the Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Our dynamic team is working to conserve habitat for important Species-at-Risk and species of cultural significance to the Mikmaw people. These species include the Atlantic Salmon (Plamu), American Eel (Katew) and... Brook Floater (Jipujijey Nkatalaw). This project is funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans through the Canadas Nature Initiative which was launched in May 2018 and will provide, Canada wide, $55 million over 5 years to support projects that help to recover aquatic species at risk. This fund was designed to address and target two priority marine threats and seven freshwater priority places. The objective of the fund is to slow the decline of aquatic species at risk and enable a leap forward in species recovery through the injection of targeted funding for recovery activities that address priority threats and places. The St. Croix watershed team is made up of Project Lead, Alyssa Palmer-Dixon and Jr. Field Technician, Laura Moore! They are focusing on addressing barriers, habitat quality, and threats to Atlantic salmon and American eel. If you have any questions or knowledge of the St. Croix Watershed, please reach out to either Alyssa or Laura at [email protected] or [email protected] The Stewiacke watershed team is made up of Project Lead, Alana Ransome and our summer student Desiree Roberts from the Clean Foundation. They are focusing on Atlantic salmon and Brook floater - a freshwater mussel. They will be creating watershed management plans to protect these important species. If you have any questions or knowledge of the Stewiacke Watershed, please reach out to Alana at [email protected] The Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence Watershed team is made up of Project lead Jillian Saulnier and our Clean Foundation summer students Dakota Francis. They will be focusing on Atlantic salmon, American eel and Brook floater in 6 major rivers to create watershed management plans to protect these important species. If you have any questions or knowledge of the Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence Watershed, please reach out to Jillian at [email protected]

There is still time for you to submit your idea for the name of our new Search and Rescue Vessel! The contest is open until September 21st. Click the link to fill out our short survey: https://visa460756.typeform.com/to/OWKQkxrv

Clean Coasts is looking to recruit a small team of participants to restore a salt marsh. If you have an interest in environmental stewardship, are keen on working outdoors and getting dirty and would like to gain experience working alongside coastal restoration experts, you are welcome to apply! Background on Brule Shore Salt Marsh: Clean Coasts is working to restore a salt marsh along Brule Shore in Tatamagouche (Taqamijujk). The salt marsh was converted to agricultural lan...d decades ago and has become degraded because of an old earthen dyke blocking tidal flow and holding water on the surface, causing the marsh to drown and vegetation to die. The shallow depth of the standing water on the marsh surface results in poor fish habitat and ideal breeding habitat for mosquito larvae, contributing to the mosquito problem in the area. Restoration Plan: With the help of selected participants, Clean Coasts will restore drainage to the system, allow vegetation to regrow and prevent an existing pool from growing larger. The plan is to dig shallow, strategically placed channels (also known as runnels) into the ground, which will allow the marsh to drain and revegetate. This innovative technique is successfully practiced by salt marsh restoration experts in Nova Scotia and the United States! How can you get involved? If you are keen to apply, please fill out this application form and review the attached poster for further information. To honour the time and effort that selected individuals will offer our team, participants will receive both an honorarium and a compensation for mileage to and from the site. In addition to a monetary incentive, participants will have the opportunity to build skills and knowledge in salt marsh ecology and restoration and to train under experts in the field. The restoration day will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 9am-1pm at our restoration site at Brule Shore. Please note that selected applicants will be expected to conduct manual labour (i.e. digging, lifting and carrying peat), must arrange for their own transportation to the event and will have to be available for an online orientation day before the event. Welalin/Thank you, in advance, for your interest and we look forward to reviewing your application! We will notify you of our decision shortly. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. Application Form https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx

Habitat Suitability Index Assessments (HSIs) A Habitat Suitability Index (HIS) Assessment is used to identify and assess elements of a stream and its habitat to understand the various factors that are influencing its health. Using the Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) Adopt-A-Streams Nova Scotia Fish Habitat Suitability manual, MCG employees were trained to conduct HSI surveys throughout the Stewiacke Watershed. A habitat assessment consists of multiple steps, in...cluding collecting water quality data, taking measurements of stream widths and water depths, determining substrate types, riparian areas, and identifying benthic macroinvertebrates. This information helps to identify areas of suitable and non-suitable habitat for fish species such as Atlantic salmon and Brook trout, which hold cultural and historical significance to the Mikmaw people. The MCG can use this data to assist our communities in prioritizing which areas of the watershed will require future remediation work, which will help to improve the overall quality of habitat for aquatic species for generations to come. Featured in the pictures above are summer students from MCGs Culverts Project completing HSI assessments to determine the amount of suitable habitat upstream of migration barriers in the Stewiacke watershed. Thank you to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and NSSAs Adopt-A-Stream program for the continued support in funding this project. If you are interested in the work being conducted by the culverts project in the Stewiacke watershed, please contact [email protected] to learn how to get involved.

Job opportunity!

This fall, well be diving beneath the surface of the Shubenacadie River to take a closer look at one of our study species, Punamu (Atlantic tomcod)! With guida...nce from Ocean Tracking Network ROV pilot/technician, Mike Roberts, the Mikmaw Conservation Group will be deploying OTNs baited remote underwater video (BRUV) system. These surveys will complement current monitoring efforts and provide insight into the spawning behaviour of tomcod and their journey from brackish to freshwater. Check back later this year to see what we find! See more

This field season, staff have been out in the field collecting water samples using the eDNA backpack sampler! eDNA is environmental DNA. This type of DNA is expelled from species in the environment such as their mucus, feces, skin, etc. When a water sample is collected, it is filtered through the backpack. Then, the filter is removed and sent off for genetic testing. You can use eDNA as a way to determine the presence/absence of a particular species, without needing to see... or directly sample them. We are looking to determine the presence/absence of Chain Pickerel at barriers to fish passage, so we were taking samples both upstream and downstream of culverts selected for remediation. This project is funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada Habitat Stewardship Program. #mikmawconservationgroup #conservationwork #invasivespecies #novascotia #knowyourinvasives #chainpickerel See more

Today is a monumental day in Canadian history - the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, in partnership with the Government of Canada, has announced th...e designation of the former Shubenacadie Residential School and the former Portage La Prairie Residential School in Manitoba as National Historic Sites. From 1930-1967, over 1000 Mikmaw and Wolastoqiyik students attended the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School. Although the building is gone, the designation of this site will forever stand as a testament to the impact of the experiences of the Survivors, their families and communities, and will preserve a part of Canadian history that should never be forgotten. This designation is a significant step forward in recognizing this dark and terrible time in our history and will give us all the opportunity to learn from the past through truth-telling. By honouring, acknowledging, supporting and remembering the experiences of our Survivors and descendants, together, we will continue our collective journey of healing. In 2019, our very own Tim Bernard, Executive Director of the Mikmawey Debert Cultural Centre and Mikmaw Co-chair of the Tripartite Culture and Heritage Working Committee, made the nomination for this designation. Along with Dorene Bernard and Jeff and Cathy of FPS productions, we have put together this short film honouring the history of this site and the importance of this designation.

Click the link to fill out our short survey and submit a boat name! : https://visa460756.typeform.com/to/OWKQkxrv

The MCGs Stewiacke Species-at-Risk Project Lead, Alana Ransome and her summer student, Desiree Roberts have been busy over the last month doing eDNA sampling for brook floater (Jipujijey Nkatalaw) and habitat assessments for Atlantic salmon (Plamu) within the Stewiacke watershed. When species interact in their environment they will leave behind traces of their DNA, which we refer to as environmental DNA (eDNA). We take water samples and use specialized equipment to extr...act the DNA that can support detection of important species, such as brook floater. This year we are building upon our sampling from last year in hopes that our partners at Cape Breton University will be able to detect brook floater at locations where we have visually discovered them. In addition, the habitat assessments for Atlantic salmon include using a habitat suitability index as a tool to determine habitat suitability for salmon at different life stages. Habitat suitability assessments help us to identify if a habitat is appropriate for Atlantic salmon to use and judge if these sites can potentially be restored to help salmon return to their historic habitats. This is a very important project that has many different collaborators and partners such as Cape Breton University, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Adopt A Stream Foundation

After seeing homemade eel pots at a traditional showcase, Apoqnmatultik team members Alanna Syliboy and Charlie Fleming, decided to create their own. Using ald...er branches that were soaked until pliable they crafted the pots, connecting the pieces with sinew and twine. Tobacco was offered to the tree to acknowledge its life and thank it for its gift. During the fishing season, the pots will be baited and placed in tidal rivers and at the mouth of adjoining streams. Eels will be used for food and medicinal purposes, as well as for research conducted through Apoqnmatultik. Incorporating traditional fishing methods is an important part of this project. In addition to using traditional eel pots, Alanna and Charlie are working on an eel spear for winter harvesting. Mikmaw Conservation Group

Deadline extended

Parts of the Margaree River are closed to catch & release angling due to warm water conditions. This DOES NOT apply to Mikmaw fishers if they are catching salm...on or trout to keep as food. Notice to Recreational Anglers Moncton August 7, 2020 - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) wishes to inform the public that due to high water temperatures, angling for all species of fish will be closed in the following areas; From the East Margaree highway bridges upstream to the Cabot Trail bridge (also known as Creamery Bridge) on the Southwest Margaree River and upstream to Doyles Bridge on the Northeast Margaree River, and the Gallant River upstream from its confluence with the Margaree River to the highway bridge on the East Margaree Road; and The Southwest Margaree upstream from the Cabot Trail Bridge (Creamery Bridge) to the Scottsville Bridge. This change will be effective as of August 7 at 4 PM and will remain in effect until further notice. DFO will monitor conditions daily and will issue a notice to recreational anglers to inform the public when this restriction is lifted. Please refer to Maritimes Variation Order 2020-095 for further details. The Orders Registry is available online at Orders Registry - Order summaries for existing fisheries (Maritimes Region). To report any suspicious fishing activity, please contact the nearest Conservation and Protection detachment in the Gulf Region or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Bioblitz at Brule Shore was a success! Thank you to all participants who came out on Tuesday to catalogue the plants and animals of the Brule salt marsh. We col...lected 200 observations, ranging from molluscs to mammals. Citizen science helps us further understand the ecology and biodiversity of this coastal area as we work to restore it we hope to see you at our next event! Missed the event but interested in getting involved with Clean Coasts? Visit https://clean.ns.ca/clean-coasts-get-involved to become a volunteer and subscribe to our newsletter! #ilovesaltmarshes #inaturalistCanada #bioblitz #coastalrestoration Atlantic Water Network The Confederacy of Mainland Mikmaq Mikmaw Conservation Group CB Wetlands & Environmental Specialists Sustainable Northern Nova Scotia - SUNNS Pictou County Rivers Association iNaturalist.org

Today is the day for the Bioblitz at Brule Shore Dont forget your hat and sunscreen Come out to share, learn and join in on the fun

We are less then a week away from the Bio-Blitz event happing on Brule shore. Participants are encouraged to register online with eventbrite and to download iNaturalist as an app beforehand. If people dont have smartphones or forget their phones, we will have paper forms as well ... Dont forget your reusable water bottles, hat and sunscreen Check out Cleans project here on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/brule-shore-bioblitz Register with Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bioblitz-at-brule-shore-ticket

As part of the Chain Pickerel Project, we are working on outreach and education about invasive species, with a focus on their impacts on Species at Risk. To increase awareness, we are installing educational signs created by the Clean Annapolis River Project that have information about invasive species, how to report them, and what they look like. Chain Pickerel are a predator in the food chain and they are known to eat other fish species, including Atlantic Salmon. Salmo...n are significant to the Mikmaw people through its cultural importance and traditional use. It is important to work to conserve Atlantic Salmon so future generations get to enjoy them. Working to reduce and mitigate the impacts of invasive species is just one way we are trying to help Atlantic Salmon. This sign was installed at Oakfield Provincial Park on Grand Lake! Be sure to look for it the next time you are there. #mikmawconservation #savingsalmon #conservationwork #invasivespecies #novascotia #knowyourinvasives #chainpickerel #chainpickerelfishing @ The Confederacy of Mainland Mikmaq See more

Thank you to all of those who participated in trivia as part of MCGs Virtual Celebration of Plamu for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st. In case you were curious, here are the trivia questions from our event with the answers included. We hope you enjoyed learning about Plamu!

Do you love drawing? Do you know someone that does? Check out our drawing contest! Draw what Apoqnmatultik (Mikmaq for we help each other) means to you. T...his could be a drawing of our study species (lobster, eel, tomcod), our team conducting fieldwork, or something else - anything goes! 1 winner and 1 runner-up will be chosen from each category: 11 & under, 12-18. All winners will receive a prize pack donated by Ocean Tracking Network Mikmaw Conservation Group and UINR! To enter, message a photo of your drawing to Apoqnmatultik on Facebook. Contest closes August 25th.

Lnu Cultural Specialist Position https://www.millbrookband.com//employment-opportunity-lnu-

The Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Ocean Tracking Network are co-hosting a webinar Monday, July 20, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. EST / 1:00 p.m. ADT about Marine Animal Response & Necropsy. Tune in for a talk and Q&A with Sean Brilliant, a Senior Conservation Biologist at CWF, and Tonya Wimmer, Executive Director of the Marine Animal Response Society. Every year, more than 1,000 marine animal incidents are reported in Canada. Sean and Tonya will discuss the importance of respond...ing to marine animal emergencies, and the essential conservation role you and other Canadians can play by reporting incidents. Sadly, some of these incidents have tragic endings. When a marine animal dies, a necropsy (or autopsy) can help us better understand and conserve marine wildlife. Tonya will share her experience participating in North Atlantic Right Whale necropsies, and discuss ways we can work together to conserve this important and critically endangered species.

Job Opportunity!:

Job Opportunity: https://www.acic-caci.org///7/13/program-support-assistant

We are accepting applications for the DARFM Senior Director position until July 12th, 2020. A Cover Letter and Resume can be sent to [email protected]

Drawing Contest! Calling all aspiring artists! This is your chance to draw what Apoqnmatultik means to you and win 1 of 3 great prizes! Drawings should include... at least one of our study species or elements of our logo. For us, Apoqnmatultik (Mikmaq for we help each other) means working together and sharing our knowledge to better understand the movements of lobster, eel, and tomcod in the Bras dOr Lake and Bay of Fundy. About the contest: 1 winner and 1 runner-up from Atlantic Canada will be chosen for each of the categories: 11 & under, and 12-18. The winner will receive a prize pack featuring: OTN canvas bag, toque, UINR phone charger, MCG water bottle, colouring book, Apoqnmatultik sticker, and more! The runner-up will receive a prize pack with an OTN magnet, pin, UINR ball cap, MCG lunch bag, and sunglasses! All participants will be automatically entered into a draw for a third prize pack. Stay tuned for more information about prizes! To enter: Send a photo of your illustration to [email protected] or through a Facebook message to the Apoqnmatultik page, with the following information*: 1. Your name 2. Community, town, or city 3. Age 4. Contact email Winning drawings will be shared on the Apoqnmatultik Facebook page and may be used to promote the project in the future. Contest closes August 25. *Note: we will only share the first name and age of the winners. No other personal information will be shared publicly. All other details are to confirm eligibility. Contest open only to residents of Atlantic Canada. Prizes will be mailed, and full address will be requested when winners are notified.

The CMMs Mikmaw Conservation group with our partners Clean Foundation are hosting a Bioblitz at Brule Shoreon July 28th. Click on the link below for more details!

Today is the deadline for the Sammy Gehue awards, applications are listed below and on the cmmns.com website

Have you visited Educational Corner on our website recently? There are fun games and activities for all ages! You can learn about species-at-risk, climate change, riparian zones and much more! We even have colouring and activities sheets that can be printed and taken anywhere in Mikmakik! MCG staff have been working hard to update some of the older features on the website and have added some new activities! You can find Education Corner under the What We Do tab on our ...main page or click on the link here: https://mikmawconservation.ca/kids-corner/ We are always working on new ideas for our website and want to know what you would like to see in our educational corner page. Would you like to see more activity sheets, games, ID sheets, trivia? Comment below with ideas! #mikmawconservationgroup See more

MCG staff Alana Ransome and Haley MacDonald were out recently with their summer students, Desiree Roberts and Reilly Cameron, conducting freshwater mussel surveys. These surveys consist of timed visual surveys where staff use what is called a bathyscope to view the bottom of the river while looking for Jipujijey Nkatalaw (brook floater) that is of special concern (SARA and COSEWIC). The surveys are done to gain more information on brook floater, its distribution, habita...t preference and to confirm presence/absence information. In conjunction with the visual surveys, MCG staff also obtain environmental DNA (eDNA) samples from the river. As many species (including freshwater mussels and fish) interact with their environment DNA is left behind in the water, and with eDNA sampling, we filter that water to obtain that DNA. The goal with taking eDNA samples for brook floater is to hopefully be able to detect brook floater DNA from the samples to then validate this method as a reliable tool to be used in the future to determine presence/absence information. The MCG staff send their samples to Cape Breton University to analyze and this has been a very friendly and significant ongoing partnership. Have you ever spotted a brook floater? It is small to medium in size, has a distinct kidney-shaped shell, yellow, greenish, brownish or blackish in color and has a cantaloupe colored foot. If you think you have seen one, be sure to send an email with the location to Alana and Haley at [email protected] @ The Confederacy of Mainland Mikmaq