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ASF is pleased to publish its annual State of Wild Atlantic Salmon report this week. By synthesizing a wide range of data, the report gives an overview of how the North American wild Atlantic salmon populations are doing. Make sure to read this year’s report, and please also sign up for next week’s webinar for an in-depth discussion.
We’re now in the middle of summer, and angling conditions throughout the regions are, as usual, in a bit of a lull. Like in past years, Rivernotes will shift to bi-weekly publication for the month of August.
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Newfoundland and Labrador Program Director Kim Thompson reports:
“It’s been another warm week in the province, with some of the main rivers on the island such as sections of the Exploits, Gander, Gambo, Terra Nova, Main, Humber, Robinson’s, Lomond and their tributaries, continuing with morning angling only. However, most of the rivers in Labrador are open. Fisheries and Oceans Canada gives daily status updates, so best practice is to consult the DFO website before heading out to know which rivers are open, morning angling only, or closed.
On July 20th, the open fire ban was lifted on the island of Newfoundland, however the ban continues to be in effect for Labrador as wildfires remain active. For more information about wildfires, please visit the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Forest Fire Season.
This past Thursday, the Torrent River Salmon Interpretation Centre hosted a Youth Fly Tying Event facilitated by Mr. Paul White. Special guest, Mr. Andrew Sinnicks, a Hawke’s Bay councillor, angler and fly tyer showed us all how to tie “The Ned”, the must have fly for the Torrent River. Very appropriate considering it was Andrew’s father Mr. Ned Sinnicks who created the fly in 1961 using materials that were available, moose hair and silver tinsel from the packaging of Red Rose tea boxes. Of course, every home in NL loves to have a spot of tea!
The best news story to round out the week, and well worth the celebration, is the safe return on Saturday of seven local fishermen from the community of New-Wes-Valley whose ship the Elite Navigator caught on fire and the crew spent almost three days at sea in the North Atlantic in a life-raft before being rescued.”
Charles Cusson, Quebec Program Director, reports:
La dernière semaine de juillet dans les régions saumon du Québec est une période de révélations; combien de saumons y a-t-il dans la rivière ? Est-ce que le nombre de poissons dénombrés dans les rivières ou par le biais d’une passe migratoires est suffisamment abondant pour atteindre le seuil de gestion et/ou optimal ? Les biologistes du gouvernement s’entretiendront avec les gestionnaires de rivière cette semaine afin d’établir les règles du jeu jusqu’à la fin de cette saison.
D’après les données déjà disponibles et les commentaires des intervenants locaux, la plupart, sinon la totalité, des rivières continueront la remise à l’eau obligatoire des grands saumons jusqu’à nouvel ordre.
En date du 23 juillet a 17 h 39, Le ministère de L’ Environnement, la lutte contre les changements climatiques, Faune et Parcs a émis un communiqué que vous pouvez visionner au lien suivant : Modifications réglementaires – Pêche au saumon atlantique – Réduction du contingent quotidien de saumons remis à l’eau et de petits saumons pris et gardés pour la saison 2024 Gouvernement du Québec.
Les instances gouvernementales prendront-elles en considération que les madeleineaux méritent la même attention ? Pour l’instant, dans le même communiqué, les limites quotidiennes de possession et de remise ont l’eau sont ajusté en conséquence. Veuillez visiter le lien ci-bas de votre région pour de plus amples informations.
Il y a eu des précipitations la semaine dernière dans de nombreuses régions, ce qui a incité des poissons à quitter l’environnement marin afin de poursuivre leur migration vers l’amont de leurs rivières natales. Cela a également contribué au taux de succès de pêche sur certaines rivières comme la Matapédia qui se porte bien ces derniers temps, mais en baisse comparativement à 2023.
D’ici le 8 août prochain, qui sera la prochaine publication de « Échos des rivières », j’espère publier une rétrospective des résultats (lorsque les données seront disponibles) au 31 juillet pendant les 5 dernières années précédentes.
Dans un autre ordre d’idées, pour ceux d’entre vous qui ont assisté au Banquet printanier de Montréal en avril dernier, avez-vous pêché un saumon en utilisant la mouche « Lady Suzanne » ? La mouche a été distribuée à tous lors de la cérémonie honorant Bill Taylor pour ses années de service à la conservation du saumon atlantique. Si c’est le cas, veuillez svp partager votre histoire avec nous.
“In Quebec salmon country, the last week of July is a period of revelations; how many salmon are in the river? Are the number of fish counted in the rivers or through fishways present in enough abundance to reach management and/or optimal spawning requirements? Government biologists will be meeting with river managers this week to discuss how the latter half of the season will unfold.
From data already available and feed-back from local stakeholders, most if not all rivers will continue mandatory live-release of large salmon until further notice. The grilse situation is better than last year but far off usual abundance at this point. Will the authorities take into consideration that grilse deserve the same attention? Stay tuned.
On June 23rd at 17 h 39, the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks issued a press release detailing how the remainder of the 2024 salmon angling season will unfold. Links are available only in French. The highlights of the statement are as follows:
There was a bump of water last week in many areas spurring fish to leave salt water to continue their freshwater migration upstream. This also helped along the angling success rate on some rivers such as the Matapedia that is doing well lately but down comparatively to 2023 .
The next issue of River Notes will be August 8th and I hope to publish a snapshot of results (where data is available) to July 31st during the previous 5 years for your perusal.
On another note, for those of you who attended the 2024 Montreal Spring Banquet back in April, have you landed a salmon using the “Lady Suzanne”? The fly was distributed to all during the ceremony honouring Bill Taylor for his years of service to Atlantic salmon conservation. If you have, please share your story.”
ASF’s Laura Romania has been out in the field, working with partners to assess the results of the Walton’s Mill Dam removal. Baseline data and post-restoration monitoring can show how dam removals improve habitat for wild salmon and other native species. Laura writes:
“For over 240 years the Walton’s Mill Dam impounded a mile of Temple Stream, in Farmington. Thanks to ASF and its partners, that reach now flows free. A post-restoration monitoring program will assess changes in stream habitat, bank vegetation, and channel hydrology. Comparing pre- and post-removal data allows ASF and partners to determine the benefits for salmon in the Kennebec Watershed. This week, I joined Maine DMR (Department of Marine Resources) staffers Gretchen Ramlo and Shannon Nelligan to assist with habitat surveys upstream of Walton’s Mill. These surveys were used to quantify juvenile rearing habitat, adult spawning habitat, adult holding habitat, and habitat accessibility that has been created in Temple Stream since removing the dam.
Through a combination of kayaking and wet-wading, we characterized each segment of the stream into units of riffles, runs, glides or pools. Before the dam was removed, these units would have all been lumped together as a deep, slow moving reach. Since the removal though, the impoundment on Temple Stream has been transformed into a more diverse network of habitat types. Gretchen, Shannon, and I collected data on section length, wetted and dry stream widths, slope, stream depth, dominant substrate materials, and largewood presence. This data will ultimately be used to estimate units of suitable salmon habitat for fry rearing or spawning areas for adults.”
Over the weekend I joined ASF’s Nathan Wilbur for a quick fish on the Dungarvon River, part of the Miramichi watershed. At dawn the air was crisp, and so was the water temperature. We worked several pools and saw no sign of fish. Then, all of a sudden, I was hooked into a bright and lively 12+ lb. salmon. The fish jumped several times before throwing the hook.
NS Program Director Deirdre Green has some concerning news this week—the discovery of highly invasive chain pickerel in one of the province’s prime salmon and trout rivers. She writes:
“On June 17, Nova Scotia’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) received a report that a chain pickerel was detected in Hunters Lake on the east branch of the East River, Pictou County. On June 22, Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) Director Matthew Dort fished the stills from Hunter Lake to Beaver Lake (1.5km) and in just a few hours caught 20 pickerel and observed dozens more.
While pickerel have been established on the west branch of the East River for 20 years, their distribution was not known to extend to the east branch. This is a major conservation concern as chain pickerel are known to have a negative impact on native fish populations, amphibians and the overall biodiversity of a watershed. The East River is considered one of Nova Scotia’s more productive mainland salmon rivers. Reports confirm that the last few years have been particularly productive with many multi-sea winter salmon released.”
“The provincial government is taking the lead on this matter, with support from local partners including the Pictou County Rivers Association, NSSA and ASF. Under government direction, a working group was formed and is meeting weekly.
I am pleased to share that fantastic progress has been made in a relatively short period of time with the province promptly securing a Section 52 scientific collection permit which will allow volunteers to assist with any sampling work conducted. In collaboration with DFO, a Mandatory Retention Order has been implemented. For more information about this Order, please review the Q&A document issued by the province.
Copies of the Public Notification are being posted throughout the watershed and the NSSA recently shared the document on their social channels along with a few timely reminders on stopping the spread of invasive species.
This week CBC radio featured an interview with DFA Resource Manager, Andrew Lowles, and the Guysborough Journal also covered the story.”
