Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg calls for safe passage for American eels on the Ottawa River

A First Nation community in western Quebec is urging both provincial and federal governments to take immediate action to protect American eels from harmful practices at dams in the upper St. Lawrence River watershed, which have drastically reduced their population.

The Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg (KZA) is advocating for safety measures to be prioritized at the Carillon Generating Station, a dam on the Ottawa River near the Ontario-Quebec border currently undergoing refurbishment. On November 26, the KZA band council passed a resolution calling on Quebec’s government and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to act and to grant the American eel protected status.

“We’re losing a little bit of who we are,” said former KZA Chief Gilbert Whiteduck in a French-language interview. He emphasized that the American eel is a sacred species with significant spiritual value for the community. “We want our population, which continues to grow, to also go back to [catching] the eel, to use it as food and medicine... to remake that connection.”

Whiteduck underscored the importance of moving beyond discussions to tangible action: “It’s time to stop talking about reconciliation and take action through concrete gestures.”

Drastic Decline in American Eels

The American eel is a migratory species requiring access to both freshwater and saltwater for its lifecycle. However, dams and other human-made barriers have severely impacted their population. According to experts, dam turbines can kill between 20% and 50% of eels attempting to migrate past them.

Nicolas Lapointe, a senior conservation biologist, explained the consequences of these barriers, noting that eels once made up half of the fish biomass in the Ottawa River. Larissa Holman, science and policy director for a conservation group, highlighted the alarming loss: “We’ve seen a reduction of 99% of the population. It’s extremely problematic for biodiversity protection.”

Hydro-Québec, which manages the Carillon dam, stated that it currently transfers 400 eels upstream annually. However, both Lapointe and Holman argue this is insufficient to address the dramatic decline.

Patrick Gravel, a biodiversity consultant for KZA’s environmental protection project, warned that the situation is critical. “It’s a ‘one minute to midnight’ scenario for this species,” he said.

Proposed Solutions to Prevent Eel Deaths

Experts have identified solutions to reduce eel deaths at dams. These include installing safer turbines and creating “fish ladders” that allow eels to bypass the barriers. The KZA resolution specifically calls for these measures to be implemented at the Carillon Generating Station as part of its refurbishment.

Whiteduck clarified that the KZA is not advocating for dam removal but for upgrades that minimize harm. “We’re talking about installing different turbines that have less impact,” he explained.

KZA also argues that neglecting the American eel’s conservation—and proceeding with dam projects without consulting them—violates their legal rights to harvest the species and to participate in government decisions affecting their resources.

Government and Industry Responses

Hydro-Québec acknowledged the community’s concerns and stated it is “evaluating possible solutions with [its] partners” to better address the issue. The Quebec Ministry of the Environment indicated that the American eel is on a list of species that could be designated as threatened or vulnerable. It noted that while the population experienced a sharp decline between 1990 and 2010, it believes the situation has stabilized in recent years.

The ministry added that it continues to monitor the situation. However, Fisheries and Oceans Canada did not provide a comment before the deadline.

The KZA and conservation advocates remain focused on ensuring the implementation of measures to restore the American eel population and prevent further biodiversity loss in the region.