|
|
Total Corporate Foundation commits €200,000 to help solve mystery of salmon disappearance at sea
August 6th, 2008
Wild Atlantic salmon numbers have declined dramatically across the North Atlantic over the last 40 years and stocks are at historically low levels. Stocks in the southern parts of Europe and the eastern seaboard of North America are critically endangered (Note 1).
Despite concerted action by the members of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) (Note 2) to conserve stocks, a major and unexplained reason for the decline is increased mortality at sea despite enormous reductions in marine fisheries for salmon .
In response to this situation, in 2005 NASCO adopted the SALSEA (Salmon at Sea) Programme to investigate the reasons behind the increased mortality of salmon at sea. The programme involves freshwater, estuarine and marine research spanning the life-cycle of the salmon. Further details can be found at http://www.salmonatsea.com. In Europe the SALSEA-Merge project was launched in 2008 and involves marine surveys by Irish, Faroese and Norwegian vessels to investigate the migration and distribution of salmon at sea and the factors influencing them. The project involves a partnership of 20 public, private and NGO partners with an estimated budget of €5.5 million. A major sponsor is the European Commission through the Seventh Framework Research Programme. The recently confirmed funding from the Total Corporate Foundation will support the Faroese marine surveys. SALSEA-Merge is a unique partnership of geneticists, ecologists, oceanographers and ocean modellers who have pooled their talents to address a vital issue.
In addition to the SALSEA-Merge project, there is also a parallel research project taking place this month in the Northwest Atlantic with Canadian and US involvement. There will also be an extended international sampling programme at West Greenland, which began in 2007.
The Total Corporate Foundation has a long track record of supporting salmon conservation in France, and is a major sponsor of the restoration programme on the River Loire run by the Conservatoire National du Saumon Sauvage. The Total Corporate Foundation has already contributed €50,000 to the SALSEA Programme to support an international genetics workshop to agree protocols for identifying the origin of salmon caught at sea.
Sample quotes:
Dr Malcolm Windsor, Secretary of NASCO, said: "We have closed fisheries and introduced other harvest restrictions, habitat has been greatly improved and yet the salmon are not responding. We need to know why. Our scientists will be conducting coordinated marine surveys and using the latest genetic methods to determine the origin of the fish caught in order to identify the factors causing the increased mortality of salmon at sea and the opportunities to counteract them. The funding from the Total Corporate Foundation is extremely important to us in carrying out this major programme of research."
Patrick Martin, Director of Conservatoire National du Saumon Sauvage , said " Wild Atlantic salmon are a priceless asset across the North Atlantic, indicating a healthy aquatic environment, providing food, employment and recreation. We are immensely grateful to organisations like the Total Corporate Foundation which recognise that unless we invest in research to discover why salmon survival at sea is declining, we risk losing this species for ever."
For further information:
Telephone: Dr Peter Hutchinson at NASCO +44 131 228 2551 e-mail: hq@nasco.int
For further details on the SALSEA Programme visit www.salmonatsea.com; for further details on the European research cruises, follow menu item SALSEA-Merge. For further information on NASCO visit www.nasco.int.
Notes for Editors:
Note 1: The abundance of wild Atlantic salmon stocks is estimated every year by scientists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in Copenhagen. The report for 2008 shows that Atlantic salmon stocks are at historic low levels throughout their North Atlantic range in a time series extending over the last 30 years or more. Some stocks in the southern part of the species' range in Europe and North America are critically endangered. Copies of the ICES advice are available from the NASCO Secretariat
Note 2: NASCO is an intergovernmental Treaty Organisation established in 1984. Its objectives are to promote the conservation, restoration, enhancement and rational management of salmon stocks in the North Atlantic Ocean through international co-operation. The SALSEA Programme was developed and is administered by NASCO's International Atlantic Salmon Research Board (IASRB). The members of NASCO are: Canada, Denmark (in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland), the European Union, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation and the USA. The European Union represents European Union Member States with salmon stocks including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. In addition there are 33 Non-Governmental Observer organisations accredited to NASCO which make an important contribution to the work of the Organization and are represented on the IASRB .
RELATED ISSUES:
Mortality at Sea
If you have any comments on Atlantic salmon issues and coverage, or would like further information, contact:
Sue Scott, V.P. Communications
1-506-529-1027
E-mail: sscott@asf.ca
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Want to keep up to date on the Atlantic Salmon Federation's activities?
Submit your e-mail address to sign up for the electronic newsletter!
|
|
|
