Editor's Note:  For a background information, please click link below:
http://asf.ca/docs/media/2011backgrounder-may15.pdf

St. Andrews, NB ..... At an international treaty conference in Ilulissat, Greenland from June 4 to 6, the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) will fight to save thousands of large Atlantic salmon from being killed in Greenland and Canadian fisheries.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), in its recently-released scientific advice to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), states there should not be any harvest of wild Atlantic salmon in the ocean at Greenland and in the Labrador Sea.  Mostly large egg-bearing females, these salmon are of prime importance to the seeding of the rivers of Labrador, the Maritimes, Quebec, and Maine.

These two-sea-winter (2SW) salmon are threatened with harvest throughout their long migration, not only at Greenland, but also along the coast of Labrador and in arious Canadian rivers.    Bill Taylor, President of ASF, said "Despite advice provided by ICES every year for the past ten, that the total number of 2SW salmon in the ocean is well below the number required to meet minimum North American conservation requirements, they continue to be killed in gill net fisheries in Greenland, Canada, and St. Pierre and Miquelon."

NASCO has been successful since 2003 in reaching agreement with Greenland to limit its salmon fishery to internal consumption only, but the number of salmon this hery killed ballooned from 12 tonnes in 2003 to 43 tonnes in 2010.  ICES states that 80% or 10,000 of the large salmon killed at Greenland in 2010 were of North American origin.

In addition, ICES estimates an unreported harvest at Greenland of 10 tonnes (another 2,500 salmon).   Some of these salmon are from endangered populations, protected under national legislation in the United States and populations that have been recently designated as endangered, threatened or of special concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

Canada continues to allow the kill of large salmon in recreational fisheries in Quebec and First Nations fisheries in all provinces and a resident food fishery in Labrador.  "Measures taken by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to stop the retention of large salmon in the recreational fishery in Labrador and allow one less tag for salmon caught as by-catch in the resident food net fishery in Labrador are welcome, but do not go far enough", said Mr. Taylor.  

DFO reported a kill of 7,800 large salmon in Aboriginal and 3,200 in recreational fisheries in 2010.   "This significant harvest weakens Canada's negotiations at NASCO to reduce the Greenland harvest," continued Mr. Taylor.    In addition, significant numbers of Atlantic salmon are taken illegally in Canada, and this unreported catch has been estimated by Canada to be at least 18.4 tonnes and would include many large salmon.

Returns of 2SW salmon in 2010 decreased from 2009 by 65% in Labrador, 51% in Newfoundland, and 14% in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Decreases in populations in Canada that are designated as endangered amounted to 11% along the coast of Nova Scotia and in the Bay of Fundy and 2% in the United States, where all remaining wild Atlantic salmon are listed as endangered.  There was an increase of large salmon in Quebec of 7%. The estimated abundance of 2SW salmon in North American rivers was 12% lower than the estimated average abundance of the previous ten years, and was the second lowest of the last 40 years.

Mr. Taylor concluded, "In view of these sobering numbers, it is astonishing that Canada still allows the kill of large Atlantic salmon.  It is of paramount importance for international negotiations that Greenlanders see that Canada is doing its utmost to conserve its salmon in home waters."

ASF urges Canada to comply with the NASCO-agreed precautionary approach in fisheries management, and to implement management plans for all salmon fisheries that end the killing of large spawners, especially in rivers that are not even meeting minimum conservation targets.   ICES estimates that, last year,  only 62,470 2SW salmon returned to North American rivers, and this was before further harvests took place by in-river fisheries.   Canada's leadership is required at NASCO to strengthen negotiations with Greenland towards maintaining a zero commercial quota and reducing Greenland's internal consumption harvest of wild Atlantic salmon.

Contact: Muriel Ferguson, St. Andrews, NB:: 506-529-1033 (direct);  505-529-4581 (switchboard) and e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For those who have long considered Jim Grey's "Handbook for the Margaree" their go-to reference for salmon fishing on the Margaree but have despired over the lack of available copies or changes in pools, wait no longer.

Mike Allen[MSA Member], with the permission of the Grey Family, has updated and re-released the familiar "Handbook for the Margaree" complete with photos, diagrams and anecdotes of the river, the inhabitants of the Valley and  general fishing info.

Mike, through the anecdotes, offers a variety of tidbits of information both current[where to eat] and historical, via the reminiscences of anglers who spent many hours on the river, and going back several years.

As with the original "Handbook" , all proceeds will go to the Margaree Salmon Museum.

For a taste and a preview of the new handbook go to: http://newhandbookformargaree.wordpress.com/

The Margaree Salmon Association will not be handling these books, but rather we recommend that, until they hit the shelves, the author be contacted directly, via the above link.

We have been advised by the Author the the Handbooks are now available through the website shown above.

Halifax, NS: November 23, 2010 - Trout Nova Scotia says illegal introduction of non-native species huge threat to wild trout populations.

Trout Nova Scotia would like to commend the Province for introducing amendments to the Coastal Fisheries Resources Act designed to help protect against the possession and transportation of non-native fish species entering our watersheds.

Trout Nova Scotia says that the illegal introduction of non-native species into our watersheds, particularly smallmouth bass and chain pickerel, pose the biggest threat to Nova Scotia’s wild trout populations.

Smallmouth bass and chain pickerel are predatory in nature and out-compete trout for food. They are often introduced into watersheds by anglers who prefer to fish for these species. Once introduced, wild trout populations can no longer survive in any significant way.

Over 200 lakes in Nova Scotia are now filled with smallmouth bass that once supported trout populations. This number keeps growing every year due to illegal introductions and the fact that these fish travel through connected waterways.

While Trout Nova Scotia views the recent legislative amendment as a good first step, there is a much broader strategy the Province should undertake to firmly address this dire situation, including:

1. Stiffer Penalties – If convicted of transporting live fish under the new regulations, the penalties should include a minimum $1000 fine, suspension of fishing privileges for at least five years, and forfeiture of items used in the offence including vehicle, boat, trailer, etc. Stricter penalties send a strong message and serve to deter people from attempting this illegal activity.
2. Targeted Enforcement – While our enforcement officers do a great job, we know financial and human resources are limited. That is why we feel the majority of their enforcement efforts as it pertains to the recreational fishery should target “Class A” trout waters—those watersheds that still have healthy populations of wild brook trout. Intelligence-led enforcement techniques should be used to prioritize their efforts on “Class A” waters through tips and information gathered from members of the general public. The only enforcement conducted on watersheds dominated by illegal introductions of smallmouth bass and chain pickerel should be the monitoring of live fish transport through the use of boats towed by motor vehicles leaving lakes. As most illegal introductions of non-native species are being perpetrated through the use of aerated live wells on boats, this type of enforcement is paramount.
3. Reclamation of Key Watersheds – Explore the option of aggressive electro-seining techniques to remove illegal introductions to reclaim important trout watersheds that have been overtaken by smallmouth bass and/or chain pickerel. For example, a pilot project on Lake Ainslie could be undertaken in an attempt to remove smallmouth bass from this extremely important watershed. Lake Ainslie is part of the Margaree River Watershed, a Canadian Heritage River and a world-class salmon and trout system. Smallmouth bass were illegally introduced into Lake Ainslie in 2003 and since that time the population has exploded. There is no indication at this point in time that they have migrated to the North East branch of the river, so there may be time to control the bass population before they infiltrate prime salmon habitat. If this technique is used over several years, it may provide a plausible method of controlling the bass population while preventing their further movement and proliferation throughout the watershed.
4. Erect Barriers - Erect barriers to protect healthy wild trout populations from adjacent lakes that contain smallmouth bass and/or chain pickerel.
5. Public Awareness Campaign – The Province should launch a major public awareness campaign on the detrimental effects of illegally introducing non-native species into our watersheds, with specific emphasis on how such practices impact wild trout populations. This campaign would require signage along important wild trout and salmon watersheds, and would need to be supported by an aggressive advertising strategy through print, radio, television and the Internet. The campaign should clearly outline the penalties associated with being convicted with possession of live fish.
6. Delist Smallmouth Bass as a Sport Fish – Under the current Maritime Provinces Fishery Regulations, smallmouth bass are listed as a sport fish. This should not be the case given that they were illegally introduced into most Nova Scotia watersheds. Being granted sport fish status entitles this species special protection. For example, it is Trout Nova Scotia’s opinion that smallmouth bass should not be subject to any bag limits. Because they are listed as a sport fish under the Federal Act, bag limits are imposed.
   

A survey conducted by Nova Scotia Inland Fisheries in 2000 found that over 70 per cent of anglers fish for trout as their main species. Thus the importance of maintaining healthy trout populations cannot be ignored. That being said, protecting Nova Scotia’s wild trout stocks is not just a benefit to the angling community. Wild trout, specifically the brook trout, is the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to healthy watersheds. Brook trout require cool and well oxygenated water to survive and thus serve as an important indicator of healthy watersheds which are necessary to provide safe drinking water to both municipal water supplies and private wells. Moreover, healthy watersheds are required for recreational activities as boating and swimming.

In 2006, the Province declared the brook trout Nova Scotia’s Provincial Fish. This implies that there should be a vested interest among government officials to maintain the health of wild brook trout stocks through increased protection and enforcement.

To reiterate, we commend the Department of Fisheries and Agriculture under Minister Belliveau for introducing tougher regulations intended to penalize and/or deter those who feel it is acceptable to transport and transplant live fish, even though it is illegal and creates ecological havoc with wild stocks. While such regulations represent a good start, much more needs to be done if we are to save what few healthy wild trout populations remain in this province.

Following the proposed strategy outlined above will encourage and promote more robust protection of our provincial fish, the brook trout. After all, preserving our wild brook trout stocks will benefit all Nova Scotians—from an environmental, social and economic perspective.

Trout Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization mandated to create a sustainable trout fishery within the province for future generations. Trout Nova Scotia works with all levels of government and conservation organizations to develop programs and policies that have a positive impact on trout, trout habitat and sustainable trout fishing practices.

For more information contact:
Lyle Goldberg, Past President, Trout Nova Scotia
Phone: 902-471-1975
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.troutnovascotia.ca

NATURAL RESOURCES--Hunters Helping the Hungry

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Hunters are helping feed the hungry by giving to food banks across the Nova Scotia.

This is the fifth year for the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, through which hunters help feed hungry families by donating deer and moose meat.

"This is a great example of how government can work with great organizations like Feed Nova Scotia and individuals to make life better for families in every region," said Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell. "I want to sincerely thank the hunters who are making a significant difference through their donations."

"With so many families turning to food banks for support each month, programs like this are extremely important. A single kilogram of deer meat provides eight servings of protein. For a family who struggles with hunger and poverty, this can make the world of a difference," said Dianne Swinemar, executive director of Feed Nova Scotia. "Since the program was introduced four years ago, hunters have donated 2,800 kilograms of meat, representing 22,000 servings of protein."

The process is easy. After registering a moose or deer, hunters take the carcass to one of 18 participating, registered meat cutters throughout the province and indicate the amount of meat they would like to donate. Feed Nova Scotia then distributes the meat to 150 member food banks province wide.

"We are fortunate to live in a country with wildlife populations abundant enough to be harvested," said Tony Rodgers, executive director of Nova Scotia's Federation of Anglers and Hunters. "A lot of hunters appreciate the opportunity to share this gift with others; and they feel good knowing that through even small donations of meat, they can really make a difference."

Hunters Helping the Hungry is a joint initiative of Feed Nova Scotia and the hunting community, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, novascotiahunting.com, Eastern Woods and Waters and the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

For more information on this program and other ways Feed Nova Scotia is helping to feed hungry families, visit www.feednovascotia.ca

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Media Contacts:

Nicole MacDonald
Natural Resources
902-424-4131
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dianne Swinemar
Feed Nova Scotia
902-457-1900
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tony Rodgers
Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters
902-477-8898
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A couple of years ago Eastern Woods & Waters magazine attracted the attention of all other regional media and a whole lot of people when we ran a series exposing gross abuse of aboriginal hunting rights in the Cape Breton Highlands of Nova Scotia. (read the article here)

Rumours and anecdotal complaints had been rife for several years, but we were never able to collect enough evidence to justify publishing an article before then.

For an absurd $500, under this "rent an Indian" scheme, a non-aboriginal would accompany an Indian into the Highlands, illegally shoot a moose, safe in the knowledge that unless caught in the act, the aforesaid Indian would simply claim he did the shooting.