1000 Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic Salmon Return to Fundy National Park

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by pmnationtalk on October 12, 2017505 Views

October 12, 2017 Alma, New Brunswick Parks Canada Agency

An innovative partnership between government, industry and academia called Fundy Salmon Recovery, is celebrating the successful release of a record number of wild, adult inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic salmon to rivers in southern New Brunswick. Today, nearly 1,000 salmon were released to their native river in Fundy National Park.

The 2017 Salmon Release was celebrated with Members of Parliament Alaina Lockhart and Karen Ludwig and the Honourable Rick Doucet, New Brunswick’s Minister of Energy and Resource Development and Aquaculture and Fisheries. During the event, Indigenous connection to this species was celebrated, to send the salmon off on their journey, a blessing was done through a smudging ceremony.

Wild Atlantic salmon populations have been declining dramatically for decades, from their southern range in the United States to their northern most range in North America and abroad. Endangered since 2002, the decline of the wild iBoF Atlantic salmon population has been well documented but poorly understood. Fundy Salmon Recovery is looking to change that. With a unique shortened migration limited to the Bay of Fundy, and a portion of their freshwater range protected within Fundy National Park, iBoF Atlantic salmon provide an important research and recovery opportunity.

Parks Canada is a recognized leader in conservation. Through its Conservation and Restoration program, Parks Canada takes action to preserve national parks and contribute to the recovery of species at risk, like the endangered Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon.

Quotes

“Our government is firmly committed to the protection and recovery of Atlantic salmon, and we know that collaboration is the key to protecting our resources for generations to come. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is thrilled to partner on this important initiative to help bolster the population of wild Atlantic salmon in the Bay of Fundy. . When it comes to conservation and rebuilding stocks, we all have a role to play.”

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc,
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

“The Fundy Salmon Recovery project is a demonstration of Parks Canada’s leadership in conservation management. Through innovation and collaboration, Parks Canada is achieving success in the recovery of Atlantic salmon, an iconic species at risk that is valued by Canadians and by Atlantic Canada’s Indigenous communities. The growing presence of inner Bay of Fundy salmon in Fundy National Park reflects this government’s commitment to protect and maintain the ecological integrity of this treasured place.”

Alaina Lockhart,
Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal

“This is an exciting collaboration between the Government of New Brunswick, its partners, industry, First Nations and the scientific community to help the Bay of Fundy’s wild salmon population rebound. Our government is proud of the important role it has played by creating the world’s first designated wild salmon conservation site.”

The Honorable Rick Doucet,
Minister of Energy and Resource Development, Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries

“As long standing partners with Fundy National Park, we are so proud to be part of this innovative approach in recovery of Atlantic salmon here in the park and on the Petitcodiac River. Salmon are so important to us and are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem on which we all depend; we are happy to have this opportunity to reconnect our youth with the land and this iconic species through this work.”

Rebecca Knockwood,
Chief of Fort Folly First Nation

“Wild Atlantic salmon are incredibly important to our region, to our environment, to our people and our culture. The Fundy Salmon Recovery collaboration is a perfect example of the positive impact we can have when we pool our knowledge and our resources toward a shared goal. Seeing these fish in their native waters is a tremendous payoff that we’re all proud of.”

Glenn Cooke,
CEO of Cooke Aquaculture

Quick Facts

Fundy Salmon Recovery is a partnership that operates the World’s First Wild Atlantic Salmon Marine Conservation Farm on Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick. This project is a collaboration of community and industry stakeholders working together to protect young wild Atlantic salmon and improve their chances of survival when released back to the wild as adults. Their goal is to increase the number of spawning salmon in the inner Bay of Fundy.
Once the endangered wild Atlantic salmon are in the river, the University of New Brunswick and other members of Fundy Salmon Recovery use advanced tracking and monitoring technologies to research salmon behaviour.
Parks Canada is proud to present the research and recovery successes of Fundy Salmon Recovery to the public. Through programs like “Swim with Salmon”, “Salmon Days” and our partnerships with a variety of academic institutions, Canadians have a variety of ways to build their awareness of species at risk, and to connect to nature at our Parks Canada places.

1000 Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic Salmon Return to Fundy National Park

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