Healthy Bay • Healthy Community
- Environmental Challenges
- Where We Are At
- Restrictions On Fish And Wildlife Consumption
- Degradation Of Fish And Wildlife Populations
- Fish Tumours And Other Deformities
- Degradation Of Benthos
- Restrictions On Dredging Activities
- Eutrophication And Undesirable Algae
- Restrictions On Drinking Water Or Taste And Odour Problems
- Beach Closures
- Degradation Of Aesthetics
- Degradation Of Phytoplankton And Zooplankton Populations
- Loss Of Fish And Wildlife Habitat
BUI #14 - Loss of fish and wildlife habitat
Status – Restored – September 6, 2018
Around the Bay of Quinte – shorelines, wetlands and underwater vegetation that provide fish and wildlife habitat, have been destroyed by human activities.
Shoreline areas and wetlands are essential to the survival of a large variety of fish and wildlife – since they are spawning, nursery and feeding habitat. They also act as filters to improve water quality and help with flood and erosion control.
Many of the wetlands and shorelines around the Bay have been impacted by development and agriculture.
However, a great deal of work had been done to rehabilitate shorelines and wetlands. We have helped homeowners to implement shoreline rehabilitation projects and several large restoration projects have restored critical wetland habitat at Sawquin Island Marsh and Big Island Marsh.
With the reduction in phosphorus levels in the Bay, water clarity has improved allowing light to penetrate deeper into the water. This has encouraged the re- growth of underwater plants that provide habitat for smaller prey fish like perch and sunfish and hunting grounds for top predators like walleye, bass and pike.
By learning about the importance of natural shorelines, wetlands and under water vegetation in the over-all ecosystem of the Bay of Quinte, you can be part of the long-term solution in helping to maintain, enhance and rehabilitate fish and wildlife habitat around the Bay.
Video: The Bay of Quinte supports a diversity of fish and wildlife species.
This environmental challenge has met all the scientific criteria outlined in the Remedial Action Plan. Here is the final report: