Monday, February 14, 2005

St. Andrews – The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) is urging The Honourable John F. Hamm, Premier of Nova Scotia, and his government to add Eigg Mountain-James River and Gully Lake to Nova Scotia’s protected areas list as they were originally submitted under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. This, in turn, will protect valuable salmon populations in the West River, South Rights River, the River John, and the Salmon River.

In a letter to Premier Hamm, ASF president Bill Taylor noted that the West River, a Northumberland Strait river in Antigonish County, is one of the most productive salmon rivers in Nova Scotia and that the James River, a tributary of the West, provides vital spawning, nursery, and rearing habitat for the West’s wild salmon. This too is the case for a second salmon river, the South Rights, which is also located in this area. Protecting Eigg Mountain-James River would provide these juvenile salmon with an extra measure of security that will increase the number of adult salmon in these rivers in the future.

Gully Lake includes the headwaters of both River John, another important salmon river flowing into the Northumberland Strait in Northern Nova Scotia, and the Salmon River, which flows into the inner Bay of Fundy. “As wild Atlantic salmon from the inner Bay of Fundy rivers are threatened with extinction, it makes sense to protect their freshwater habitat in an attempt to improve their survival rates,” said Mr. Taylor.

“Wild Atlantic salmon are an important species and play a major role in the economic and social fabric of Atlantic Canada. Placing the Eigg Mountain-James River and Gully Lake on the province’s protected areas list will help secure the future survival of this valuable species in these areas of Nova Scotia,” concluded Mr. Taylor.

The Atlantic Salmon Federation is an international, non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and wise management of the wild Atlantic salmon and its environment. ASF has a network of seven regional councils (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Maine and western New England), which have a membership of more than 150 river associations and 40,000 volunteers. The regional councils cover the freshwater range of the Atlantic salmon in Canada and the United States.

Contact:

Sue Scott

Vice President - Communications

506 529-1027 or 506 529-4581

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