Tuesday, March 09, 1999

Federal Environment Minister Sheila Copps has just named Nova Scotia’s most prolific salmon stream, the famous Margaree River, Canada’s newest Heritage River. With this national designation the river now enjoys an extra level of protection that extends across the entire system – both the Northeast and Southwest branches – from headwaters to estuary. The good news came in February when the Federal Government announced that, after many years of preparation and co-operative effort with the province and community groups, the entire system had achieved Canadian Heritage River status. “It gives me a great deal of pleasure to confirm that this outstanding river system has been honoured by this prestigious designation” said Nova Scotia’s new Environment Minister, Michel Samson. “The Margaree River is truly a gemstone among Cape Breton’s treasures.” The announcement comes hot on the heels of the provincial government’s passing of the Wilderness Protection Act in December. The Act designated 31 wilderness areas as protected from development, including the upper Northeast Margaree watershed and the controversial Jim Campbells Barren which lies at its source.

And the good news just kept coming. The Margaree Salmon Association announced in March that their ongoing habitat restoration program was to receive over $12,000 from two American funding agencies – Fish America Foundation of Virginia and Wildlife Forever of Minnesota. The grant was made possible thanks largely to the efforts of Murray Hill and Michael Robinson, eastern Canada directors with the Recreational Fisheries institute of Canada. The money will be used to help fund bank stabilization and pool restoration projects begun last year under the Nova Scotia Salmon Association’s Adopt A Stream Program. Over $60,000 worth of work was completed last year reports MSA president Leonard Forsyth who says they hope to reach $100,000 this year. The dedicated volunteers that make up Margaree Salmon Association have actively worked to enhance salmonid habitat on the river for several decades. “We’re committed to the long term good health of the river” says Forsyth. This wise stewardship of the resource is likely one of the reasons why the Margaree continues to double and even triple its salmon spawning requirements year after year. And the new, multiple layers of federal and provincial protection now accorded the river means that their good work should never be thwarted by industrial activity or other man made damage. All in all, the future for the Margaree is looking very bright indeed.

More News
Home Page