As part of the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance’s Freshwater Mussel Project, the PWA conducted freshwater mussel surveys on four sites within the Petitcodiac River Watershed, each chosen for having been previously tested by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and confirmed as freshwater mussel habitat. This year our team identified over 1,000 freshwater mussels and confirmed the presence of 5 different species within our watershed, including brook floaters (Alasmidonta varicosa), a species listed as special concern under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Freshwater mussels serve as excellent bio-indicators and improve water quality by filtering organic matter and other particles from the water column. This has made monitoring their populations important for maintaining the health of our watershed.
Freshwater mussels identified by PWA staff.
Museum Visit
As part of our ongoing partnership with the New Brunswick Museum and to verify the species identified by our staff, 11 mussel specimens were collected from our final monitoring site and delivered to the New Brunswick Museum research and collection center in Saint John. While delivering the voucher samples, our staff was given a tour of the facility and some of the many amazing specimens housed there.
PWA staff in front of the New Brunswick Museum research and collection center.
Next Steps
To gain a better understanding of how mussel populations are changing, it is important to regularly monitor sites so that trends and changes in mussel populations can be observed over time. As such, the next step for the Freshwater Mussel Project is to continue to monitor known mussel sites to verify the health of mussel populations and to spread awareness of freshwater mussels and what they do for the environment. We would also like to thank the NB Wildlife Trust Fund for funding our project this year and making all of this possible.