Program Contact
John-William Brunner
Phone: 902-420-3479
Fax: 902-424-5334
Email: jwbrunner@clean.ns.ca
Nova Scotia Fish Habitat Assessment Protocol (NSFHAP)
Clean Nova Scotia, in collaboration with the NSLC Adopt-A-Stream, is developing a standardized fish habitat assessment methodology for specific use in Nova Scotia. The assessment tool is intended to be used by the various individuals and groups involved in the protection, restoration, and assessment of freshwater aquatic ecosystems and will aid in the accurate assessment of fish habitat in our local rivers. The improved knowlege will help identify restoration needs, impacts of poor practises, and protection efforts.
The methodology will incorporate the use of Habitat Suitability Indices (HSI) to provide meaningful and accurate results from data collection. Habitat variables are assessed in the field and are related to water quality, river morphology and hydrology, river banks and riparian vegetation, and benthic macroinvertebrates. The tool will make use of existing projects and resources involved with fish habitat assessment including the NSLC Adopt-A-Stream, the Community Based Monitoring Network (CBEMN), and the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). The methodology is planned to be field tested during the Summer of 2012, having a final copy will be completed, and will be available to the public soon. Please contact Clean Nova Scotia for more information!
