The History of Tabusintac, 1906

            In the past the Mi`kmaq called Tabusintac home.  The name is thought to derive from the Mi`kmaq taboosimkik, descriptive of two rivers or two entrances onto the Gulf:  The Tabusintac River and French Cove. 

            The Mi`kmaq had habitation sites at Cains, Wishart and Indian Points and have left a rich heritage of tradition and physical evidence of their fondness for Tabusintac.  Indeed, there is a burial ground on the point of land, which is bound by the Tabusintac River and French Cove.           

In 1802, after appropriation of the land by settlers, a reserve of more than 300 hectares was set-aside for the Mi`kmaq.  By 1900, the natives had dispersed and the reserve lands were occupied by settlers. 

            Although Jacques Cartier sighted Tabusintac in 1534, there is no recorded history of it until 1685 when it appears on a map made by Emanuel Jumeau, a Recollet missionary working with native peoples at Miramichi. 

            After the 1755 Deportation, Acadian settlers arrived in the 1790s, having taken refuge at Restigouche and later moving on to Neguac then Tabusintac. The Acadian settlement at Tabusintac was concentrated at French Cove. 

            The first English settlers at Tabusintac arrived in two streams in 1798 and 1803, including men of the 42 Highlanders, the famous Black Watch, who was disbanded at the Nashwaak River near Fredericton.      

The resources of Tabusintac have always been lumbering, farming and fishing:  in 1906, the natural resources exported from the area were spruce and pine logs, lumber, hemlock bark (for its tannin), salmon, lobsters (1,260 cases canned on the beach), smelt (156 tons), herring, clams, eels and 138 tons of blueberries.  For the sportsman, tales of Tabusintac trout fishing abound-then and now. (From The New Brunswick Reader, February 5, 2000, contributed by Emelie Hubert, with the help of Alan Rayburn, Toponomy Study No. 2, 1975; William B. Hamilton, Place Names of Atlantic Canada, 1996; and W.F. Granong, The historic of Tabusintac, 1906.)

 

Tabusintac Watershed Association

 

The Tabusintac Watershed Association is a non-profit organization that has for mission to achieve and maintain a healthy ecosystem for the Tabusintac River.  A healthy ecosystem includes all social, ecological and economic components.  The group is composed of many partners who come from different sectors such as recreational and commercial fisheries, forestry, natives, farmers, peat harvesting industry, fish and game clubs etc.

In year 1999 and 2000, the Association could count over 40 partners and 32 volunteers. The response was positive for the first and second years of operation. Thirty-two (32) people have participated as volunteers to help with our project.  Governmental and non-governmental agencies have been helping us in many ways in order to ensure technical financial help on this project.  Water Classification depends directly on our stakeholders’ involvement.

 

 

 

 

 The Association was created in 1998 and a project on Water Classification for the Tabusintac Watershed Association with the Department of Environment began in 1999.  This project consists of water quality monitoring and evaluation by performing various tests.  Several sites were selected for the Tabusintac River.  Sampling sites have been carefully selected by the partners along with the Department of Environment so that the entire watershed would be covered.  These tests are used for the classification of the systems into different classes.

        The Water Classification is a water management method used to harmonize the use and protection of watercourses. In general, it involves categorizing watercourses into classes, and then managing those watercourses according to goals or standards set for each class. The regulation will introduce standards and administrative procedures for implementing Water Classification.  The Regulation will also classify lakes and designated surface drinking water supplies when it comes into force.  It will put administrative features into place, so that all water systems in the province would be classified eventually.  Public consultation will be provided to discuss the water classification after collection of all the information necessary to provide information on the quality of the water in our Watershed.

 

 

Partnership with Environment Canada on the Sampling of the Estuary

            During the summer period, the Tabusintac Watershed Association joined in partnership and as volunteer with the Department of Environment Canada for water sampling.  Samples were put in sterile bottles, stored in coolers and forwarded directly to their mobile laboratory.  Their study is mainly based on the level of bacteria that could be harmful for the shellfish population’s health. The commonly observed bacteria are fecal coliform.  Water temperature and salinity are two parameters also tested during water sampling.   Also in year 2000 the Tabusintac Association sample for the nitrate and phosphate in the Tabusintac Bay and Estuary, partnering with Environment Canada. All result for the Tabusintac Bay fecal coliform result are available at Environment Canada office in Moncton and for the nitrate and phosphate result they will be available at the Department of Environment in Fredericton.

Why are there insect collectors?

Insect collectors were installed at 8 sites in 1999 and at 9 sites in 2000; three collectors were installed at each site.  Their location is almost identical as the water sampling sites. Insects are an excellent indicator of stream health because they occur in almost all streams and are easily collected, exhibit great diversity and are sensitive to pollution. They also prove to be helpful in determining what type of pollution has an impact on a stream. 

The 1999 results will provide us with accurate information on the water quality of the Tabusintac River, which will help us in the classification of the water, following provincial pre-established standards and guidelines.

What exactly is an insect collector?

There exist many methods for the collection of macro invertebrates. We use net bags in which we put gravel-size stones.  They are installed one behind the other forming a straight line in the same direction of the discharge of the tributary to be evaluated.  The bags are left there for a period of approximately one month.  DOE the ideal season for the collection of insects but our samplings were done during summer as requests autumn. During the period when the bags are left in the watercourse, insects live in them as though this was their natural environmental habitat. 

When the bags are taken off the water, technicians and volunteers must be very careful in order to make sure they collect everything:  this is why plastic containers are used to prevent the insects from escaping.  The rocks in the bags and the basket are carefully verified one after the other (for the presence of insects), everything is washed and placed in a plastic bag filled with water and identified with the station No., the date and the name of the person who collected the insects.  Samples are forwarded to the laboratory on the same day for proper identification. Laboratory identification is a very long process, which explains why our 1999 results are not shown in this report.  You are invited to contact the TWA and/or DOE for this information.

 

Evaluation of Possible Pollution Sources in Soft water

 

Water pollution - where does it come from?

Toxic substances, an excess of nutritive substances and sedimentation are the three major causes of water pollution in soft water and marine zones in Canada (by Environment Canada). 

In order to be able to identify the probable sources of pollution or alteration of the watershed for the quality of its water, it is very important to evaluate it directly on the field.  This evaluation helps us to better understand its functioning and utilization. 

In 1999, a first visit of the Tabusintac river helped us to conclude that in soft water, one of the major problems is the large number of roads crossing the Tabusintac river where sediments is usually carried into the river when there is heavy rain.

We have also noticed that a few pools are beginning to be filled with sediments that come from the road.  Very often, most of the dirt roads and forestry roads aren’t built adequately (as per the recommendations provided by the province).  Pools serve as camouflage and relaxing spots for big fish such as trout and salmon and are dream sites for the fishermen.  Sediment directly affects fish populations in several ways: it decreases the penetration of light into the water, the suspended sediment in high concentrations irritates the gills of fish, and can cause death or dislodge plants, invertebrates and insects in the stream bed, etc. 

In order to have precise scientific value for the suspended solids in the water, we would have had to sample during or after heavy precipitation. 

The results for suspended solids for 1999 were all  <15mg/L, which is good.  Keep in mind however that last summer was a very dry season and that sampling dates were done on dates pre-determined by the Department of Environment and samples were not taken after heavy fall rains.  The objective of the classification program is to have a global estimate of the general quality of the water.           

Observations made directly in the field has helped us to conclude that this could turn out to be a major problem in the future should new roads cross the Tabusintac River and forestry harvesting in large quantity would occur along the river banks.

 

Collecting Information on the Economic, Social and Cultural Activities Past and Present Surrounding the Watershed. 

The Watershed Association with the help of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Habitat section in Moncton) began conducting interviews in 1999 in order to gather information pertaining to the history of the region and the past and present utilization of the Tabusintac Watershed. 

In all, 43 people were interviewed on a variety of subjects such as the commercial and recreational fishing zones for salmon, trout, eel, smelt, gaspereau and various other species and on the fishing techniques used in the Tabusintac River. Past commercial activity sites such as fish processing plants and saw mills were amongst the many questions found in the questionnaire. 

 All the information gathered from the questionnaire (TEK) was done on topographic maps from 1:50 000 which were used during the interviews. To be more specific and to have a better database for DFO, other interview have been done directly on 1:10 000 maps. All the information gathered in 1999 and 2000 will help us to have a better overview and provided us with precise information which will be included in a Geographical Informatics System commonly called G.I.S. in MapInfo. This information will be available to the general public.  The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will also use the data for completion of their database.

 

Monthly Meetings 

Every last Monday of each month, beginning at 7 :00 PM, the Tabusintac Watershed Association Committee, along with various associations, partners and departments hold a meeting to discuss subjects such as the Water Classification Program and other activities, which took place earlier in the month.  Many other subjects are also discussed at these meetings such as fishing or hunting issues, or any other point of interest.  Free coffee and donuts are served.  Everyone is welcome! 

 

Thank you everyone

Dear Friend : 

At lasts a new beginning! And all of this is due to a Committee as confident as the Tabusintac Watershed Committee who believed in change and in the Water Classification Program. 

 Let’s not forget the stakeholders, the volunteers, the governmental and non-governmental agencies who have been able to prove by their presence and support that working together on a project such as this one was not only essential but also possible.  The exchange of information between various groups, associations and non-profit organizations proved to be a winning proposal and this helped us in meeting our goals.  

It is also very interesting to see that everybody with whom I have had the chance to work with share the same passion and devotion when it comes to the conservation and protection of the environment. 

Working on the New Brunswick Water Classification Program has been for me an enriching experience.  It has given me the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge in this field of work. 

             And what can I say about my working team? We have been able to overcome some difficulties.  They had trust in me and together we have become a wining team.  Here, the hierarchy does not exist:  we all work together as a team and everybody has his/her importance. 

 

Thank you again everyone for your trust and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nada Comeau

Environnemental Technician