Funded projects – 2023-2024

The 2024-2025 Call for proposals is now closed.

The Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk funded 25 successful projects in 2023-2024 to target and benefit the many species noted below. These projects will continue to build awareness and implement recovery actions for aquatic species at risk in Canada.

Funded projects – 2023-2024
Region	Recipient	Project title and description	Duration and total funding	Species	Partners
Gulf	Les Ami(e)s de la Kouchibouguacis inc.	Habitat evaluation and enhancement within the Kouchibouguac and Kouchibouguacis watersheds To evaluate, identify and restore the habitat of: Brook Floater American Eel Atlantic Salmon	3 years $327,654	Brook Floater Atlantic Salmon American Eel Striped Bass Eastern Blacknose Dace Ninespine Stickleback Wood Turtle Eastern Painted Turtle Snapping Turtle	Village of Saint Louis Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation New Brunswick Student Employment Experience Development Program New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund St Ignace Golf Course Friends of the Kouchibouguacis University of New Brunswick/Canadian Rivers Institute Genomics Lab
Gulf	Restigouche River Watershed Management Council	Mitigation of sediment runoffs in the Restigouche River watershed To address some of the threats caused by sedimentation and help species in the watershed throughout various life stages	3 years $50,000	Atlantic Salmon American Eel	Restigouche River Watershed Management Council Gespege’wa’gei Institute of Natural Understanding
Maritimes	Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station, Inc.	Partnership with lobster fishers to examine changes in the North Atlantic Right Whale prey field Support the development of a predictive model to estimate the occurrence and distribution of copepods. Copepods are the primary prey of the North Atlantic Right Whale in and around the Grand Manan Basin critical habitat zone in the Bay of Fundy	3 years $134,331	North Atlantic Right Whale Basking Shark Fin Whale Sei Whale	Grand Manan Fisherman’s Association Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station
Maritimes	Municipality of the District of East Hants	Public education and habitat monitoring: Atlantic Mud-Piddock at Burntcoat Head Park Preserve the fragile, critical habitat of the Atlantic Mud-Piddock, in proximity to Burntcoat Head Park, through enhanced public education efforts and enacting a habitat monitoring program	3 years $61,028	Atlantic Mud-Piddock	Municipality of East Hants Andrew Hebda Dr. Gwyneth Jones
Maritimes	Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation	Restoring connectivity for Atlantic Salmon and Atlantic Whitefish on Nova Scotia’s south shore Promote the recovery of Atlantic Salmon and Atlantic Whitefish populations by locating populations, increasing the amount of available habitat, reducing the number of invasive species within the project area, and building a database to direct future work within the project area	3 years $168,000	Atlantic Salmon Atlantic Whitefish Brook Trout American Eel Alewife	Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Nova Scotia Salmon Association Adopt-a-Stream Nova Scotia Community College, Local Schools Local Volunteers Venture for Canada Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation Clean Leadership Internship Program
Maritimes	Marine Animal Response Society	Increasing marine animal response capacity in three identified gap areas via multifaceted and targeted engagement Addressing gaps within the current volunteer network to increase the quantity and quality of data being collected, which will be of benefit to the recovery and conservation of multiple at-risk species	2 years $135,374	Beluga Whale Blue Whale Fin Whale Sei Whale North Atlantic Right Whale Northern Bottlenose Whale Sowerby’s Beaked Whale Harbour Porpoise Humpback Whale White Shark Leatherback Sea Turtle Basking Shark Dwarf Sperm Whale Killer Whale Loggerhead Sea Turtle Shortfin Mako	Marine Animal Response Society Community, industry, and Indigenous members
Maritimes	Canadian Sea Turtle Network	Collaborating with commercial fishermen to conserve endangered Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Atlantic Canadian waters. Further investigate and help to mitigate the greatest threats to endangered Leatherback and Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Canadian waters: Bycatch Entanglement in commercial fishing gear	3 years $446,208	Leatherback Sea Turtle Loggerhead Sea Turtle Green Sea Turtle Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle	Beach Patrol volunteers Commercial fishers Final Impressions Graphic Design Fitzhenry Foundation General Donations Felix Ann Property Management BCIF Fund Airbly Inc.
Newfoundland and Labrador	Whale Research Collective	Addressing data gaps to support conservation and recovery of baleen whales in the Labrador Sea Combine boat-based research surveys with public stewardship initiatives to address data gaps and the prevalence of federally-defined threats regarding the occurrence of: Blue Whales Fin Whales Sei Whales in the Southern Labrador Sea	2 years $81,064	Blue Whale Fin Whale Sei Whale Northern Bottlenose Whale North Atlantic Right Whale	DFO, Maritimes Region University of Groningen Jasco Applied Sciences Probity Marketing Inc. Whale Seeker Inc. Vortex Optics Mustang Whale Research Collective
Ontario and Prairie	Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority	Recovering mussel and fish species at risk in the Lower Thames Valley conservation authority Contribute to the survival and recovery of mussel and fish species at risk in southwestern Ontario by reducing threats such as non-point source pollution to improve habitat quantity and quality	3 years $168,685	Eastern Pondmussel Fawnsfoot Lilliput Round Pigtoe Threehorn Wartyback Purple Wartyback Mapleleaf Rainbow Wavy-rayed Lampmussel Gravel Chub Channel Darter Lake Chubsucker Northern Madtom Silver Chub Spotted Gar Warmouth River Darter Black Redhorse Eastern Sand Darter Pugnose Minnow Pugnose Shiner Silver Shiner River Redhorse Silver Lamprey Spotted Sucker Hickorynut Kidneyshell Northern Riffleshell Rayed Bean Round Hickorynut Snuffbox Lake Sturgeon Northern Sunfish	Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority Alternative Land Use Services Middlesex Environment and Climate Change Canada Landowners
Ontario and Prairie	St. Clair Region Conservation Authority	North Sydenham watershed mussel and host fishes inventory Fill knowledge gaps to aid in species recovery while simultaneously mitigating identified threats and providing educational opportunities to raise awareness of aquatic species at risk	3 years $135,000	Round Hickorynut Kidneyshell Northern Riffleshell Snuffbox Round Pigtoe Rayed Bean Salamander Mussel Purple Wartyback Fawnsfoot Lilliput Mapleleaf Rainbow Threehorn Wartyback Wavy-rayed Lampmussel Eastern Sand Darter Northern Madtom Blackstripe Topminnow Grass Pickerel Spotted Sucker Spiny Softshell Turtle Snapping Turtle	St. Clair Region Conservation Authority Healthy Headwaters Lab and FishCAST St. Clair Region Conservation Authority Foundation Bkeiwanong Eco-Keepers Landowner retirement Alternative Land Use Services Trees Ontario
Ontario and Prairie	fRI Research	Water temperature monitoring to aid in the recovery of Alberta’s threatened native Trout populations Support and expand monitoring of stream water temperatures within critical habitat of: Athabasca Rainbow Trout Bull Trout Westslope Cutthroat Trout With special focus on Westslope Cutthroat Trout habitat in Southern Alberta	3 years $226,444	Athabasca Rainbow Trout Bull Trout, Saskatchewan and Nelson Rivers population Bull Trout, Western Arctic population Westslope Cutthroat Trout Arctic Grayling Mountain Whitefish	Alberta Environment and Protected Areas fRI Research Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta
Ontario and Prairie	St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences	Recovery of the Eastern Pondmussel and other freshwater mussels in Eastern Ontario To aid the implementation of recovery actions for freshwater mussels by surveying for new populations, quantifying distribution and abundance of known populations, and evaluating threats for individual populations	1 year $34,950	Eastern Pondmussel Hickorynut Other non-SAR native mussel species	Queen’s University Trottier Family Foundation Ontario Power Generation Muskies Canada Green Jobs Internship Program St. Lawrence River Institute
Ontario and Prairie	Ontario Streams	Redside Dace habitat rehabilitation initiative Implement restoration techniques and in-stream habitat enhancement structures to reduce sediment input into streams and improve fish habitat and riparian areas	3 years $90,204	Redside Dace	Ontario Streams City of Richmond Hill City of Brampton City of Markham Community Volunteers Government of Canada Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Ontario Ministry of the Environment Regional Municipality of York Echo Foundation Tree Canada Enbridge Gas Cascades McLean Foundation TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
Ontario and Prairie	Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy	Great Lakes program Support priority recovery actions for the recovery of aquatic species at risk and their habitats through in-class and community outreach, resulting in measurable conservation benefits	2 years $60,000	Redside Dace Pugnose Shiner Pugnose Minnow American Eel Eastern Pondmussel Wavy-rayed Lampmussel Hickorynut Rainbow Black Redhorse	Toronto Zoo
Ontario and Prairie	Trout Unlimited Canada	Conserving our threatened Teleosts in the Upper St. Mary Improve habitat for aquatic species at risk and other native species by restoring degraded habitat, addressing barriers to movement, and addressing land use impacts to mitigate harm	3 years $155,542	Bull Trout Rocky Mountain Sculpin Westslope Cutthroat trout	Trout Unlimited Canada Dinner Donations Blackfoot Confederacy Cows and Fish Alberta Conservation Association Alberta Fish and Game Association Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Pole Haven Land Stewardship Center Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program Cabela’s
Ontario and Prairie	Water Security Agency	Water assessment of Bigmouth Buffalo distribution, age structure, and recruitment in the Qu’Appelle chain of lakes Fill knowledge gaps on the age structure of Bigmouth Buffalo; investigate the impact of water management on recruitment success; and investigate the threat of an invasive competitor on recruitment success	3 years $179,469	Bigmouth Buffalo	Water Security Agency File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council
Pacific	Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative	Recovery of the endangered Nechako White Sturgeon – outreach, stewardship, and harm reduction program Aim to reduce human impact and promote the protection and recovery of the Nechako River White Sturgeon population	3 years $150,572	White Sturgeon Sockeye Salmon Chinook Salmon	Canfor Pulp and Paper Carrier Sekani Tribal Council Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship (Province of BC) Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia School District 91 District of Vanderhoof Rio Tinto DFO, Salmon Enhancement Program and Conservation and Protection Spruce City Wildlife Association British Columbia Parks Exploration Place Parks Canada Artemis Gold Integris Credit Union
Pacific	Invasive Species Council of British Columbia	Texada Island Stickleback: invasive species outreach Contribute to the recovery and conservation of the Vananda Creek Stickleback species pairs through the protection of critical habitat by strengthening and building community capacity to support ecological restoration through education, outreach, and training opportunities	3 years $105,910	Vananda Creek Benthic Stickleback Vananda Creek Limnetic Stickleback Paxton Lake Benthic Stickleback Paxton Lake Limnetic Stickleback Western Painted Turtle	Invasive Species Council of British Columbia
Pacific	Pacific Whale Society	Cetacean stewardship in Gitga’at territory To address threats of physical and acoustic disturbance for four cetacean species at risk	3 years $285,000	Fin Whale Humpback Whale Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Northern Resident population Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Transient population	Coast Conservation Endowment Fund Foundation Gitga'at First Nation Pacific Whale Society
Pacific	Ocean Wise Conservation Association	Reducing vessel-associated impacts for the North Coast cetacean populations through an expanded and diversified outreach campaign To mitigate threats associated with vessel disturbance, ocean pollution, and entanglement	3 years $268,513	Fin Whale Grey Whale Harbour Porpoise Humpback Whale Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Transient population Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Northern Resident population Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Southern Resident population Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Offshore population North Pacific Right Whale Blue Whale Leatherback Sea Turtle	DP World Prince Rupert Port Authority Ocean Wise North Coast Ecology Centre Society Prince Rupert Visitor Center and Port Interpretive Centre Marine Education and Research Society HappyWhale Pacific Wildlife Foundation Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea North Coast Cetacean Society Keta Coastal Conservation Metlakatla First Nations Lax Kw’alaams Band Council of Haida Nation Laskeek Bay Conservation Society Canada Summer Jobs
Pacific	North Coast Cetacean Society	Monitoring whale presence and underwater noise levels with hydrophone technology To monitor whale presence and anthropogenic noise impacts to Killer Whale and Humpback Whale populations	2 years $85,800	Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Transient population Killer Whale - Northeast Pacific Northern Resident population Humpback Whale Pacific White-sided Dolphin Dall’s Porpoise	North Coast Cetacean Society Pacific Orca Society
Quebec	Ambioterra	Protecting aquatic species at risk in southern Quebec To protect important habitats and to reduce threats such as water quality degradation, habitat loss, agricultural pollution, and invasive species, to aquatic species at risk	3 years $120,640	Sand Darter Hickorynut American Eel Channel Darter Lake Sturgeon Cutlip Minnow Bridle Shiner Norther Brook Lamprey Grass Pickerel	Ambioterra Fonds d’action St-Laurent Fondation Echo Société de conservation et d’aménagement du bassin de la rivière Châteauguay Comité Zone D’Intervention Prioritaire du Haut Saint-Laurent Comité de concertation et de valorisation du bassin de la rivière Richelieu
Quebec	Comité de concertation et de valorisation du bassin de la rivière Richelieu	Raising awareness and monitoring habitats of aquatic species at risk on the Richelieu River Carry out prevention (awareness-raising) and protection activities for aquatic species at risk in the Richelieu River's critical habitat	3 years $245,176	Copper Redhorse River Redhorse Sand Darter Channel Darter Bridle Shiner Hickorynut	Comité de concertation et de valorisation du bassin de la rivière Richelieu Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs Nautisme Québec Conservation de la nature Canada Agence Parcs Canada Animaleries Jardineries Municipalités riveraines Groupe d’éducation et d’écosurveillance de l’eau Water Rangers
Quebec	Éco-Nature	Stewardship project for the recovery of aquatic species at risk and the conservation of their habitats in the Thousand Islands river Promote the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk in the Thousand Islands river by restoring and protecting habitats for targeted species and mitigating priority regional threats	3 years $275,700	Sand Darter Bridle Shiner Copper Redhorse Hickorynut Channel Darter Grass Pickerel American Eel Northern Sunfish River Redhorse Cutlip Minnow Lake Sturgeon Silver Lamprey Northern Brook Lamprey	Laval, MRC et Conseil des bassins versant des Mille-Îles Municipalités riveraines ou Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs, et autres ministères Aubier Environnement Éco-Nature Fondation de la faune du Québec Volunteers Collège Lionel-Groulx
Quebec	Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins	Development and consolidation of the coordination center and volunteer network of the Quebec marine mammal emergency response network Join volunteers and partners together to organize, coordinate and implement measures to reduce the accidental death of marine mammals, rescue marine mammals in difficulty, and promote the acquisition of knowledge about dead, stranded or drifting animals in the waters of the St. Lawrence bordering Quebec	3 years $354,164	North Atlantic Right Whale Beluga Whale Blue Whale Leatherback Sea Turtle Northern Bottlenose Whale White Shark Fin Whale Sowerby’s Beaked Whale Sperm Whale Atlantic White-sided Dolphin White-beaked Dolphin Harbour Porpoise Humpback Whale Common Minke Whale – North Atlantic subspecies Killer Whale Atlantic Long-finned Pilot Whale Striped Dolphin Harbour Seal – Atlantic and Eastern Arctic subspecies Grey Seal Harp Seal Hooded Seal Bearded Seal	Network of volunteers Network of partner members

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Date modified:: 2024-05-16

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Funded projects – 2023-2024

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