Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard announces Canada’s actions at home and on the world stage to help bring back wild Atlantic salmon on Canada’s east coast.

On the domestic front, the Minister released today the Forward Plan for Atlantic Salmon to advance the 61 recommendations contained within the Special Report on Wild Atlantic Salmon in Eastern Canada submitted by the Minister’s Advisory Committee on Atlantic Salmon in July 2015.

Key highlights of the plan include reviewing the Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Policy and improving the coordination of science and research related to wild Atlantic salmon through an Atlantic Salmon Research Joint Venture.

With new science funding announced in Budget 2016, the Department will also engage with partners to better understand Atlantic salmon survival at sea and increase in-river monitoring of salmon returns in selected rivers.

The $197.1 million investment in ocean and freshwater science announced in Budget 2016 will allow for the hiring of scientists and other initiatives and partnerships that will promote the long term recovery of the Atlantic salmon stock.

On the international front, Canada recently participated in the 2016 North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) annual meeting in Germany on June 7 – 10, 2016. 

Canada’s key positions included:

• Encouraging Greenland to implement its new management measures to improve control and reporting of harvest levels of Atlantic salmon;
• Encouraging Saint Pierre and Miquelon to join NASCO and reduce its harvest levels of  Atlantic salmon; and
• Engaging with other NASCO members on best practices for managing aquaculture issues such as containment and sea lice controls.

The Canadian delegation was pleased that Greenland confirmed its intention to reduce its harvest levels for 2016 from 45 tonnes to 32 tonnes. Following a direct request from Canada, Greenland also signaled the possibility of not authorizing a commercial fishery for 2016. Greenland authorizes both a subsistence and a commercial fishery. Canada continues to call on Greenland to reduce its removal of Wild Atlantic salmon to levels that support salmon conservation.

Atlantic salmon leaping in northern Newfoundland (photo Tom Moffatt/ASF)

This past April, efforts to preserve the Atlantic Salmon on PEI were given a leg up by the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation:

Wild salmon conservation on P.E.I. is getting a boost with more than $107,000 in funding for seven projects from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, the group announced in a written release.

The non-profit foundation supports conservation efforts for wild Atlantic salmon in Eastern Canada, including the Atlantic provinces and Quebec. It is funded with an initial endowment from the federal government as well as partnership arrangements, sponsorships and donations.

"It's just wonderful," said Fred Cheverie, the watershed coordinator with the Souris and Area Wildlife Federation, which received $26,500 for salmon habitat restoration.

The Souris group has received more than $150,000 from the salmon foundation over the past eight years, Cheverie said, allowing it to maintain or improve salmon stocks in area rivers and streams.
The fry-up will have to wait.

How will this new initiative help the stocks in PEI. For more see PEI Salmon Restoration