The river was a major transportation route for the Mi'kmaq people of Nova Scotia. Later, it was used to transport logs out of the interior of the province. The river was described in Albert Bigelow Paine's The Tent Dwellers, albeit under the name 'Liverpool river'. There are a number of hydroelectric projects on the river, which has been exploited for more than a hundred years.[3]
Much of the headwater area is composed of fen.[4] It is a popular river for novice canoeists. Smallmouth bass has been found in the Mersey and neighbouring watersheds.[5]
^NS Museum of Natural History. "Theme Regions: 412 Mersey Meadows". Natural History of Nova Scotia. Province of Nova Scotia. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.