A smallmouth bass eradication project for the Miramichi area will be moving forward next week.

On August 17th and 18th, the Working Group on Smallmouth Bass Eradication in the Miramichi will be treating Miramichi Lake, Lake Brook, and part of the Southwest Miramichi River with Noxfish Fish Toxicant II, which has been approved by Health Canada for use in aquatic environments.

The working group includes the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Miramichi Salmon Association, the North Shore Mi'kmaq District Council, the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council, the Miramichi Watershed Management Committee, and the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation.

During the water treatment, and for the 72 hours following the treatment, the public is prohibited from contacting the treated water. Signage will be posted at all access points 24 hours before the treatment, and will be removed once testing confirms that the water is once again safe for human contact.

Downstream from the treatment area, the group will apply a water purification chemical to neutralize the toxic agent.

This project has received regulatory approvals from both the provincial and federal governments.