Barachois of Malbaie

A unique freshwater estuary

Barachois of Malbay (Photo by Hubert Pelletier/NCC)

The Barachois of Malbaie is located near Percé, at the easternmost tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. The salt marsh is a 2,471-acre (1,000-hectare) estuarine lagoon isolated from the ocean by a sand spit measuring six kilometres in length. The largest intact natural lagoon remaining in Quebec, the Malbay Salt Marsh provides critical coastal habitat for a variety of fauna and flora, including the rare Yellow Rail.

The  freshwater area is fed by a 103,784-acre (42,000-hectare) watershed, which includes four major rivers: the Malbaie, the Beattie, du Portage and the Murphy, of which the Malbaie is a Salmon river. This supply of fresh water, combined with salt water from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, creates an estuarine lagoon with freshwater, brackish and salt marshes. A variety of aquatic and upland habitats, such as marsh, forest and raised bog are found behind the sandbar.

The lagoon and Point St. Peter are part of an internationally significant Important Bird Area. The site hosts over 200 bird species, of which 102 breed on-site. The Malbay Salt Marsh's rich estuarine habitat is an important stopover area for migrating waterfowl, including Brant and American Black Duck. The estuary is also one of five sites in the region that offer breeding habitat for the Yellow Rail (a species of special concern in Canada) and the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (a threatened bird in Quebec). Many other rare and migratory birds may be observed in the area, such as the Bicknell’s Thrush, Harlequin Duck, Bald Eagle, Barrow's Goldeneye and Short-eared Owl.

The lagoon and Malbaie River’s mainstream channel provides habitat for 25 fish species, including species of concern such as the Atlantic Salmon, the Striped Bass and the Atlantic Cod. This makes the Barachois of Malbaie the most diverse fish ecosystem in Gaspésie. Sixteen species of mammals have been spotted near the Barachois, including Moose, Black Bear, Coyote, Bobcat, Fisher, Red Fox, Beaver, Racoon, Porcupine, River Otter, Mink and Snowshoe Hare.

In the lagoon, vegetation is dominated by low marsh species, such as spartina marsh grasslands. The most important colony of Gaspé Arrow-grass (a threatened species) in Quebec covers 19 acres (eight hectares). Other habitats include mixed wood wetlands, sand flats and river beaches. In addition, two exceptional peat bogs host various species of plants and mosses, including the Northern Dwarf Huckleberry — a species of concern in Quebec and yet another proof of the fragility of this ecosystem.

Working in partnership with a number of local community, municipal authorities and others, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has just opened a new birding information centre to the public. In association with the Comité de concertation du Barachois de Malbaie, NCC staff operate the birding centre, conduct interpretation and stewardship activities on the sandbar and nearby wetlands, perform biological inventories and educate the local public.