The decision to close the Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility in New Brunswick, which includes a hatchery in French Village near the Mactaquac Dam on the St. John River, has sparked criticism from the Wolastoqey Nation, Atlantic salmon scientists, and conservationists. This closure, part of cost-cutting measures by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, will also impact the Atlantic salmon live gene bank program and salmon-stocking activities.

The Wolastoqey group expressed deep concern over the unilateral decision to shut down the biodiversity facility without consultation, emphasizing the impact on the Wolastoqiyik, their Aboriginal and Treaty rights, and the salmon population in the river. The closure of the facility, essential for salmon conservation efforts, raises worries about the future of the species in the region.

According to Tommi Linnansaari, a biology professor at the University of New Brunswick, numerous vital programs are conducted at the Mactaquac facility, including collecting wild brood stock, fertilizing eggs, and releasing baby salmon upstream. The closure of the hatchery could lead to significant losses in salmon populations, particularly in the Tobique River.

David Roth, the New Brunswick program director for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, highlighted the critical role of the Mactaquac facility in sustaining salmon populations in the St. John River. The closure of the hatchery and ending of stocking programs could have catastrophic consequences for the already dwindling salmon population.

The Wolastoqey Nation is assessing the potential impacts of the closure, such as job losses and setbacks to salmon conservation efforts. The group pointed out a 1968 agreement between the federal government and N.B. Power, underlining the commitment to operate the Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility to mitigate the ecological effects of the Mactaquac Dam.

Despite the lack of comments from N.B. Power and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, concerns remain about the implications of shutting down the hatchery. While cost considerations may have played a role, experts believe there are opportunities to enhance the facility and boost salmon populations through improved programs. The discontinuation of operations at the hatchery could erase decades of conservation efforts and jeopardize the survival of salmon populations in the region.