An environmental group with the approval of the Canadian Ministry of Health said it is moving forward with its plan later this summer to eliminate Smallmouth Bass from the waters of Miramichi in New Brunswick.

The group's spokesperson Neville Crab says it has until the end of September to do its work, which will include the use of a chemical called rotenone to poison the invasive species.

The group, consisting of Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, halted its operations last September after protesters opposing its plan refused to leave the areas surrounding Miramichi Lake and Brook Lake and about 14 kilometers southwest of the Miramichi River.

Crab says a 24-hour notice will be given in the areas where rotenone will be sprayed or directly introduced into the water to kill the fish.

He says the eradication process is about restoring the original ecosystem of the waters.

Smallmouth Bass can change ecosystems by preying on native fish species such as Atlantic salmon and brook trout.