November 4, 2025 – A monumental two-year fish habitat restoration effort led by national freshwater conservation charity, Watersheds Canada, has supported native fish populations on 15 Central-Eastern Ontario lakes.

Thanks to the visionary support of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, over 300 underwater woody debris structures (brush bundles) were built and put into strategic fish habitat areas between 2024 and 2025.

Every one of these brush bundles will sustain native fish species like bass, walleye, and northern pike by providing in-water woody debris that these species use for food, shelter, and protection from predators. Woody debris areas also sustain other aquatic creatures like turtles, and even build up macroinvertebrate communities that are fed on by waterfowl and fish alike.

Now more than ever, such community-led habitat restoration work is critical for Ontario’s fish. There has been a measured decline in overall fish populations in recent years, with impacts being felt by entire lake ecosystems.

Waterfront property practices and aesthetic preferences result in the removal of woody material along shorelines before it can fall into the water. Without the eventual aquatic habitat this provides, fish are less able to complete the most critical parts of their life cycles and less able to adapt to impacts from climate change and lakes with lower water levels and increased temperatures.

Watersheds Canada’s brush bundle projects constitute measurable steps in countering this habitat loss and the impacts on native fish. Through directly supplementing at-risk Ontario lakes with woody debris, long-term fish population stability is achieved.

Since the inception of Watersheds Canada’s Fish Habitat program in 2015, 64 projects have been completed on 41 different bodies of water. These include brush bundle projects, spawning bed restoration projects, and cold-water creek restoration projects. All of Watersheds Canada’s fish habitat projects are completed with applicable permits and approval by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

All projects are also community-led, involving on-the-ground support and knowledge from local community groups and wildlife conservationists. The 19 community partners for brush bundle projects completed between 2024-2025 include: 1st Drummond Scouts, Algonquin College – Pembroke, Bancroft Area Stewardship Council, Baptiste Lake Association, Camp Iawah, Diamond Lake Association, Kamaniskeg Area Property Owners Association, Lake St. Peter Property Owners Association, Lanark and District Fish and Game Conservation Club, Mink Lake Property Owners Association, Muskrat Watershed Council, North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery, Ontario Bass Nation, Otty Lake Association, Papineau Lake Community Association, Paudash Lake Conservation Association, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Wolfe Lake Association, and Wollaston Lake Home & Cottage Association.

About Watersheds Canada
Watersheds Canada is a registered Canadian charity committed to providing programs to communities across the country to engage and help individuals enhance and protect the health of their lakes and rivers. Since 2002, they have delivered freshwater stewardship programming, shoreline naturalizations and assessments, and in-water habitat restorations. To learn more, visit Watersheds.ca

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Media contact
Melissa Dakers
Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager
Watersheds Canada
dakers (at) watersheds.ca