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At the ASF Board meeting in Toronto in April 2023, the ASF Strategic Plan 2023-2030 was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors for ASF. A follow-up presentation in New York in November 2023 outlined the key elements of delivery and how ASF will report back to the Boards bi-annually.
The Plan is designed to guide us to achieve our goal of being the global leader in wild Atlantic salmon conservation. Designed with three pillars (Conserve and Restore, Advance Salmon Science, and Secure the Future of ASF), this Plan is comprised of several individual projects. Projects run the spectrum from foundational (highly successful and closely associated with ASF) to innovative and transformational. Additionally, it is important to understand that a large portion of ASF work is considered “core” activities which are not part of the strategic plan.
You can read a description of the projects within the plan here: https://www.asf.ca/strategic-plan/
All 23 of the strategic plan projects have started. Ten projects are “active”, meaning they are being delivered at full pace. Eleven projects are in their “ramp up” phase and scheduled to become “active” later. Two projects are complete.
ASF Human Resources Review: Project completed in September 2023 with receipt of consultant report; Implementation of selected recommendations will be completed based on priority.
Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Website: Project completed in October 2023; micro-website created and accessible on htps://www.wildriverfriendly.com/
We are proud of the significant progress we have made toward our new strategic plan, which focuses on conserving and restoring salmon habitats, advancing salmon science, and securing the future of the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Below, you can see updates on our various projects, sorted by each of these three pillars.
Conserve and Restore
We have made significant progress across the board under our Conserve and Restore pillar. We prepared a detailed memo on potential legal challenges related to open net-pen aquaculture and threats that it poses to wild Atlantic salmon, with a reputable Canadian legal firm providing a pro-bono review. We also signed a contract with strategy and creative consultants, completed opinion research and stakeholder interviews in Newfoundland and Labrador, and urged the NL Premier to halt sea-cage expansion through letters and a follow-up meeting request. We also participated in media stories, a webinar on aquaculture, submitted comments on Environmental Impact Statement guidelines for Mowi’s proposed expansion, and joined Off the Table Canada as a partner.
On the research side of things, we are using PIT tag technology to estimate marine mortality rates by tagging smolts in the NW Miramichi, with antennas to be installed by 2025 to detect returning adults. Handheld readers will be provided to Eel Ground’s First Nation commercial fishermen to scan captured salmon, offering invaluable insights for management and forecasting. Since 2018, we have collected over 21,000 days of position, temperature, and depth data in Greenland. We took eDNA samples from four rivers in SW Greenland to determine salmon presence and tagged 108 Atlantic salmon in 2023, adding to the 217 PSATs and 135 acoustic tags deployed from 2018 to 2022.
To enhance awareness of wild Atlantic salmon in Greenland, we are refreshing the Atlantic salmon lifecycle poster with an illustrator and translators and are producing three professional videos from the 2023 Greenland film expedition. Our partnership with KNAPK, NASF, and GFLK continues, with a raffle established in 2023 to encourage reporting rates, which will expand in 2024 to support GFLK in not exceeding quotas.
Since October 2023, we have integrated the WSW program into the Regional Programs Department, with a comprehensive program guide expected by late summer 2024. We launched four builder WSW watersheds in August 2023 and are drafting selection criteria for the program guide, collaborating with FQSA in Quebec and the Nunatsiavut Government in Labrador on potential pilot projects. We are finalizing a $1.5 million AERF grant agreement, have developed communication strategy action items for 2024, and have hired a Science Coordinator to facilitate various projects within these watersheds.
We are monitoring wind development in NL, gold mining in NS and NL, and rare earth metals mining in Quebec. We are advocating for striped bass management changes in partnership with Indigenous groups and other NGOs in NB. For the 2024 field season, we are running a trap and truck program to measure smolt survival in Miramichi and co-sponsoring a post-doctoral researcher on eDNA assessment of striped bass with the Canadian Rivers Institute.
Under our Headwaters program, we launched a petition with the Kennebec Coalition and submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Shawmut Dam relicensing. To date, we have completed 19 projects, restoring access to 239.6 miles of river/stream habitat and 9,775 acres of lake habitat in Maine, aiming to complete 16 projects in 2024. We are in the process of introducing the program to Canada; we are partnering with the Canadian Wildlife Federation and PEI Wildlife Federation to assess barriers and test prioritization processes. Collaborations with NSSA, SCNL, GINU, and FQSA on various barrier projects and inventory models are set for 2024.
Advance Salmon Science
We have continued our long-term monitoring program. Acoustic tags are being used to model striped bass predation levels and assess the feasibility of moving smolt around predation zones. Two post-doctoral candidates are modeling oceanographic and biological variables affecting salmon migration.
We have two manuscripts in the final stages. One focuses on oceanographic drivers associated with Atlantic salmon post-smolt migration through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while the other tracks Atlantic salmon kelt movement and behavior from 2008-2019.
ASF departments have identified potential topics for contracted expert reports. Four topics were assessed, with two identified for completion in 2023-24. We are awaiting a proposal and budget for one project and negotiating the timeline for another.
Secure the Future of ASF
To better understand who our generous donors are and why they choose ASF to support, we have completed one donor survey and analysis, with another scheduled for Q4 of 2024. We updated several standard operating procedures and improved and automated workflows for gift acknowledgment, the new donor welcome series, and e-receipting. Our staff attended six events to improve membership and completed training on monthly giving program development, donation form creation, and event management. The monthly giving program launched in early spring.
We are currently reviewing all marketing-related activities, including our logo and brand identity, as part of a three-year marketing campaign. Our staff will be introduced to a brand-use guide for consistent messaging. We have also launched a multi-year partnership with Hooke, co-branding merchandise and multimedia marketing material.
We completed the first assessment of our technology tools and are progressing in shifting staff use to appropriate technology tools. A project management software tool has been chosen, acquired, and organizational training and adoption have been launched.
In November 2023, we quietly launched a fundraising campaign in New York. We reviewed and improved internal processes for tracking and acknowledgment and are refining financial reporting. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Royal Wulff Society, we refreshed our planned giving strategy and developed key marketing materials for donors.