Staff from the Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding (GINU) conducted water chemistry sampling on the lower Restigouche River. This research project started in early April and is ending in June. Sampling took place once a week near Flatlands.

The goal of this research initiative is to track the water chemistry before and after the smolt run. GINU Research Director, Dr. Carole-Anne Gillis and collaborators are going to keep a close eye on the levels of aluminum in the river. “We are getting a baseline of the aluminum levels in the river and how it will affect the Atlantic salmon,” Dr. Gillis explained. “Aluminum is a metal that is present in the rivers naturally but can also be due to human activity. Aluminum can bind on the gills of the fish and makes it difficult for them to smoltify and adapt to saltwater.”