Monday, February 28, 2005

Fredericton….At a media conference held today by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Minister Geoff Regan on the recently-budgeted $30 million Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund, Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) President Bill Taylor supported DFO’s plans to develop policy and set up the fund.

Mr. Taylor said, “ASF and our regional councils will actively participate in the planned development of a clear Wild Atlantic Salmon Policy and a vision for the future, including the design and establishment of the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund. We are pleased that the new fund will operate at arms-length from DFO, and will be separate from the department’s operational budget that is so important to monitoring, researching, conserving and protecting wild Atlantic salmon. We also offer DFO our cooperation in providing leverage for funding to augment the endowment.”

Wild Atlantic salmon support a well-managed, largely live release, recreational fishery that depends on a healthy environment to survive. Even today, the Atlantic salmon recreational fishery is worth $200 million annually to the Canadian economy, despite a decline over the past three decades in salmon numbers. The industry’s worth has the potential to grow substantially, hand in hand with increased numbers of restored salmon. “The Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund will bring us closer to this goal,” continued Mr. Taylor.

More than 100 New Brunswick rivers once supported healthy salmon populations. Now the economic benefits flow from a few stalwart rivers, such as the Miramichi, the Restigouche, and the Nepisiguit. “This media conference is being held on the banks of the Saint John River where the recreational salmon fishery, once so vibrant, is closed because of poor returns,” said Mr. Taylor. “These salmon can be brought back. The Nepisiguit River is a shining example of successful restoration. Several years ago, our affiliate the Nepisiguit Salmon Association took quick action when mining effluent killed many of the river’s salmon following an accidental spill. The association rallied recreational fishermen, the mining company and the Pabineau First Nation, raised two million dollars and over time restored the river’s salmon run. This is just one success story of many that have played out on numerous rivers throughout eastern Canada.”

Many salmon populations are showing signs of increasing health, especially in the past two years, thanks to more anglers practicing live release, the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s international agreement that suspended commercial harvest of our salmon off Greenland, and ongoing restoration and enhancement.

“This timely and effective action by the Canadian government will boost morale and provide meaningful support to community watershed organizations and volunteers who actually carry out the bulk of habitat stewardship and restoration,” continued Mr. Taylor. “ASF and our network contribute more than $10 million to these programs annually. And this is cold, hard cash. The in-kind labour of thousands of volunteers more than doubles the annual expenditure.”

Mr. Taylor concluded, “Today is a time for celebration of new funding and for thanking all those who have worked so hard and so long toward this very positive announcement.”

The Atlantic Salmon Federation is an international, non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and wise management of wild Atlantic salmon and their environment. ASF has a network of seven Regional Councils (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Maine and Western New England) that have a membership of more than 150 river associations and 40,000 volunteers.

Contact: Sue Scott, VP Communications:

(506)529-1027 (direct line), (506)529-4581 (switchboard)

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