06/01/2026
🎣
Let the Rivers Heal
Last summer, the Hammond River, and many others across the province, endured one of the most severe droughts many of us have ever seen.
This photo shows just how bad it became, but the damage did not stop with the fish.
A river is a living system. Beneath the rocks and riffles are the aquatic insects, plankton, bugs, and macroinvertebrates that form the foundation of the food web. They are the fish food. They are what young trout, salmon, minnows, dace, bass, and countless other species depend on to survive and grow.
When drought of 2025 dried out riffles, disconnected pools, and stripped away habitat, it disrupted the entire food chain. That kind of loss does not rebound overnight. It may not rebound in a single season. The river needs time; the insects need time; the fish need time.
So we are asking, from the heart: please consider practicing catch and release this season. Each fish caught and kept is one less fish that may spawn, rebuild, and help carry the river forward. Every fish released is a chance for recovery.
This is not a restriction- it is just a request rooted in care for a river that has given so much to our community.
Handle fish gently. Keep them wet. Release them quickly. Give the most sensitive stretches of the river extra rest where you can.
Let us all work together to help heal the Hammond- and other rivers across NB 💙
Photo Credit: Tamara Langstroth, August 20th, 2025.
