Quebec Salmon Struggle as Rivers Heat Up

Warming waters are significantly impacting Quebec's Atlantic salmon population, raising concerns among experts about the future of the species and the lucrative fishing industry. Catch-and-release fishing, a common practice to conserve salmon, becomes increasingly perilous as water temperatures exceed 20 C, leading to higher fish mortality. This situation is compounded by a lack of widespread warm-water fishing protocols in Quebec, with only four of its 111 salmon rivers implementing such measures since 2020, unlike New Brunswick which has had a protocol for over 14 years.

As heat waves intensify and persist longer across eastern North America, Quebec's salmon face considerable stress. Temperatures above their comfort zone of 16 C to 20 C can reduce growth, affect reproduction, and increase stress hormones. The cumulative effect of angling-related stress and elevated water temperatures can be tenfold. Incidental damage during hook removal further jeopardizes recovery. A warm-water protocol, as seen in New Brunswick, involves closing rivers when temperatures reach critical thresholds, a measure being developed in Quebec with a forecasting tool to guide decisions on rivers like Petit-Saguenay and Malbaie.