Twelve Mile Creek: Niagara’s last remaining cold-water habitat

View of lower pond and adjacent embankment crest at Lathrop Nature Preserve, ON (Photo by Noel Boucher/ NCC)
In the urban landscape of Niagara, Ontario, lies a hidden gem: Twelve Mile Creek. This stream holds significant importance as the last remaining cold-water habitat in the region, serving as a critical lifeline for native species, including brook...
Love is in the air, and in the waters too

Mating arctic grayling (Photo by Charles Summers Jr.)
Did you know the amorous aura of Canada’s most romantic cities can be detected in nearby bodies of water? From coast to coast, and the rivers and lakes in between, there is no shortage of passion…among fishes. Coastal...
Something’s Fishy: Living like salmon

Fish jumping over a cascading river (Photo by Drew Farwell, Unsplash)
As part of my identity journey and reconnecting to my Haudenosaunee culture, I’ve been slowly learning Kanien'kéha. Every morning, I start the day with a cup of coffee, and several open tabs on my computer filled with text and audio...
Where the river stops: Why habitat connectivity is critical for healthy fish populations across Canada

Spawning Chinook salmon (Photo by Fish On in the Yukon)
Before you read any further, stop and think about a fish migrating up a river. Chances are that fish is a salmon and that river is in BC. There’s good reason that salmon in BC have come to symbolize fish migration. The return of millions of...
Everything you need to know about the threat of grass carp to the Great Lakes

Grass carp (Photo by the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee)
Do you love fishing and boating on the Great Lakes? Are you passionate about the wildlife that live in the Great Lakes? If so, we have an important mission for you: Be on the lookout for grass carp! Grass carp is one of four invasive Asian carp...
Something’s Fishy: Atlantic whitefish

Atlantic whitefish (Photo by Bob Semple)
In the cold waters of Nova Scotia’s Petite Rivière watershed swims a fish so elusive that, without action, it might never be seen again. Size and appearance This silvery-sided species, with its blueish-green back, is commonly...
Enlighten yourself about species that glow

Fireflies (Photo by Zach Baranowski CC BY-NC-ND)
I had my first encounter with a “glow-in-the-dark” species when I was a child. My parents and I were visiting relatives in St. Catharines, Ontario, and we were in their backyard enjoying the warm, summer evening. In the distance, I...
Something’s Fishy: Polar opposites

Polar bear mother and cub, Jones Sound, Nunavut (Photo by NCC)
Polar bears are the largest bear species and land carnivore in the world. They are found in the Arctic, where they scour sea ice and coasts for their next meal. Two-thirds of the global population of polar bears is found in Canada. The...
Something’s fishy: Know your limit, fish within it

Ice fishing (CC0 1.0)
One of my favourite winter activities is bundling up and heading out to sit in front of a hole in the ice on a nearby lake for hours on end. While ice fishing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, some of my most cherished memories are made...
Exploring Elora

Elora Quarry (Photo by Adam Hunter/NCC staff)
Earlier this summer, my friends and I took a day trip to Elora, Ontario, to visit the Elora Quarry and Elora Gorge conservation areas. Elora is a small town near Guelph, about a 90-minute drive west of Toronto. The drive there was very scenic,...