There is a substantial increase in the number of salmon returning to Fundy National Park according to underwater counts by ecologists.

“For the last 12 years, when we would do our snorkel surveys, we would typically count one, two, five salmon in each of one of our two rivers," said Dan Mazerolle, an ecologist with Parks Canada.

“This year in the Upper Salmon River, we've counted over 40, and it's still quite early.”

Mazerolle believes the increase is due to changes in the way they raise the salmon before releasing them out into the Bay of Fundy.

In the past, they would raise the small salmon in fresh water, he said.

But they've now switched to raising them in the ocean in small salmon pens in collaboration with the aquaculture industry.

It appears to help the fish adapt to the ocean environment, Mazerolle said.