Warren Gilker has shown great initiative and leadership in salmon conservation for many decades. Because of his efforts and those of his friend, Buddy Campbell, a reorganized protection system was set up for the Cascapedia in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Mr. Gilker also played a leadership role in developing a long-term management plan for the Grand Cascapedia in 1978. He successfully negotiated with the Government of Quebec and the Maria Indian Band for the acceptance of the plan and the creation of the Cascapedia Society at a time when it was thought that Québec's salmon rivers risked being opened to uncontrolled public fishing by the Parti Québecois government.

Mr. Gilker began working on the Grand Cascapedia with the Engelhard family in 1950 and rose to become the manager of their river operations. A long-standing Director of ASF (Canada), he has lived on the banks of the Grand Cascapedia his entire life. Inspired by his experiences as a river guide, Warren's classic forged salmon sculptures have become collector's items.