Atlantic Salmon Federation

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Atlantic Salmon Federation

• The Wild Atlantic Salmon and Our Conservation
  Role

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• Weight 18 pounds
• Caught June 18, 2006, Forks Pool, Grand
  Cascapedia
• Grand Cascapedia release rate - 85 (2006)

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Atlantic Salmon Federation

• International organization, headquartered in
  N.B., Canada

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Atlantic Salmon Federation

• ASF was created in 1982
• An amalgamation of two strong organizations
• Atlantic Salmon Association (1948) became ASF
  (Canada)
• International Atlantic Salmon Foundation (1968)
  became ASF (U.S.)

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Boundaries dont protect rivers, people do
- Aristotle

• Saving wild Atlantic salmon requires an
  international approach
• ASF works with partners worldwide
• NASCO (27 NGOs) primarily European
• North Atlantic Salmon Fund
• World Wildlife Fund
• Regional Councils (US Canada)
• Numerous others on specific restoration projects

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Atlantic Salmon Federation

• 7 Eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S. satellite
  offices
• 7 Regional Councils, 135 affiliated organizations
• approx. 40,000 volunteers/members

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ASF/Regional Council Network
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State of the Populations (North America) ICES
estimate

• ICES pre fishery abundance
• 1.6 m (1973) to all time low 419,000 (2001)
• Since 2001 an improving trend

Grilse Salmon
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Two Sea Winter Salmon

• Decline most severe for 2 SW salmon
• Below conservation limit for more than ten years
• At least 66 of salmon migrating to Greenland are
  N. American
• 34 from southern Europe, principally Ireland and
  U.K.

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Ocean Threats

• Mixed-Population Salmon Fisheries
• Unidentified Marine Mortality
• Among the suspects
• Predation
• Food scarcity
• By-catch
• Environmental Chemical changes

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Threats - Ocean Freshwater

• Salmon aquaculture
• Escapes from sea cages and freshwater hatcheries
• Spread of sea lice
• Diseases
• Competition for food and habitat
• Genetic interaction weakens gene pool

1 of 100,000 escapees in NB - fall 2005
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Freshwater Threats

• Land Use (forestry and agricultural)
• Dams blocking migration
• Acid Rain
• Poaching
• Angling

Great Works Dam, Penobscot R.
Clearcuts, Gaspé Peninsula
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What ASF does to counter threatsMixed-Population
Salmon Fisheries

• North America
• No commercial fisheries
• U.S. closed mid 20th century
• Canada completed in stages in 1990s
• ASF and RCs convinced Canada to buy out nets and
  gear ( 74 million C)

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Mixed Population Salmon Fisheries at Greenland

• Conservation Agreement
• (2002 2006) 1.6 million US
• Providing alternative employment, turning in gear
  and nets
• Partners - ASF, NASF, US Govt, NFWF

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Marine Mortality -ASF Conducts At-Sea Research

• 3 million over ten years
• Developed cutting edge technology
• Tracking migrating salmon downstream, through
  estuary, into sea
• Important Component of SALSEA (NASCOs at sea
  research)

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Tracking Salmon At Sea
Areas where ASF has tracking projects
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Smolt Migration

• The next slide portrays
• Smolt movement in the Restigouche River System
  and Grand Cascapedia
• Inserted transmitters detail speed and migration
  paths being followed to salt water, and then out
  to sea.

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North Shore Smolt Tagging Animation 2005
CASC Release
Casc Ocean Array
Ocean Array
Head of Tide
Belledune Array
UPS Release
Little Main Restigouche Smolts
KED Release
Kedgwick Smolts
Upsalquitch Smolts
Cascapedia Smolts
LMR Release
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Protecting Wild Salmon from Impacts

• Advocating regulatory action
• Two analyses of regulatory action throughout
  North Atlantic (2003, 2005)
• Results of progress or failure well publicized
  naming and shaming
• All countries improved in 2005 except Canada.

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Freshwater Restoration

• Advocacy program led to 30 million endowment
  fund from Canada
• Fund interest will support watershed conservation
  programs
• Great boost to volunteers in river associations

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Land Use Advocacy

• Working with RCs to influence provincial
  legislation that protects watersheds
• ASF RDs are hands-on experts

Advising in PEI on siltation
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Dams

• Working with RCs to influence provincial energy
  policies

Hydro development - Newfoundland
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Poaching

• Education programs change public attitudes
• ASF Fish Friends influences the next generation
• Ways we encourage reporting of crimes
• Crime Stoppers Program Public Service
  Announcement (illegal sale)
• Restaurant placemats, posters on rivers
• River Watch programs involving volunteers
• Work with Regional Councils
• To advocate more govt. surveillance enforcement

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Anglers are killing fewer fish
Live Release Making a Difference
Graph based on ICES documents
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Promoting Live Release

• Incentive draw for live release license purchase
• Rewards and recognition for practice and
  promotion
• Guides anglers
• Outfitters
• Private camps

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Penobscot River, Maine

• Large scale restoration through dam removal
• ASF is part of a Coalition of supporting
  organizations
• Remarkable agreement of env. organizations,
  Native Indians, govt., power company
• Will remove two dams and by-pass another

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Penobscot Project, Maine

• Will restore ecosystem, help many species,
  including 11 fish species.
• Raising funds to buy dams through Capital
  Campaign and Government appropriations

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Acid Rain

• 54 rivers impacted in Nova Scotia
• Province is tailpipe of North America
• Liming one river, West River Sheet Harbour
• Proving river can support aquatic life with
  Norwegian technology

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Raising the pH on West River, Sheet Harbour

• Target pH of 5.4 to 5.5 to support salmon
  production
• Reading before doser operated - 4.1 to 5.0
• By Nov. 2006
• Reading above doser - 4.5 to 4.7
• 100 metres below doser - 6.5
• At river mouth - 5.4 to 5.5

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How we are funded

• Total annual revenue 4.5 million
• Components
• Membership .2 million
• Annual giving 1.4 million
• Dinners raffles 1.4 million
• Investment .2 million
• Contributions restricted
• to special programs .9 million
• Other .4 million

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ASF is Membership based

• Donations Support our Work
• Members Receive Atlantic Salmon Journal
• More info www.asf.ca

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Atlantic Salmon Journal

• Stories contain strong conservation messages
• Readers have responded positively