With human help, char returning to Kuujjuaq’s rivers

KUUJJUAQ — Thanks to new fishway blasted through solid rock, Arctic char may some day thrive in the rivers around Kuujjuaq.

“It’s the first time in the Canadian Arctic that a fishway has been blasted,” said Allen Gordon of Kuujjuaq’s Nayumavik Landholding Corporation.

Unlike rivers near most other Nunavik communities, Kuujjuaq’s river systems don’t have any resident Arctic char populations.

But the intial results of the project to introduce these fish to the Nepihjee River suggests that this situation could change.

In August, explosive experts used dynamite to blast a four-foot deep channel around two previously insurmountable waterfalls where they drain into Ungava Bay.

Two weeks of manual labour were then required to remove obstacles and debris from the newly-blasted fishway.

“To our surprise, the fish started to jump up,” Gordon said.

During 12 days of monitoring, from August 20 to September 5, more than 90 char were counted as they climbed into the river system.

It’s not so surprising that the char quickly discovered the new fishway, says Gordon, because 20 to 30 per cent of this fish species usually heads out to look for new spawning sites.

The project’s coordinators are extremely pleased with these unexpected arrivals. In fact, Gordon said, the later phase of the project, which involves the construction of cement baffles, may not be necessary since it appears that the fish are already able to climb through the fishway.

The force and effects of next spring’s run-off are expected to demonstrate whether of not these baffles will be required.

An egg incubator will also be placed in the river, and adult char may be introduced.

The landholding corporation and Kuujjuamiut Inc. received financial support and expertise in this $150,000 project from the Fondation de la faune, the Kativik Regional Development Council, Shell Canada, Quebec’s ministère de l’Environnment et de la faune, the Kuujjuaq Inn, the Makivik Corporation, the University of Waterloo, the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq, Air Inuit and Nunavik Rotors.