Since 1953 the Miramichi Salmon Association (MSA) has worked toward the preservation of the wild Atlantic salmon and the enhancement of salmon habitat. At the MSA we are constantly striving to build and strengthen our membership, so we encourage you, if not already a member, to please join our ranks. 
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Vol. 28 November 2020
President's Note
The year 2020 has been a year of great upheavals due to covid-19 and for MSA, the year of “the great staff turnover”. Things are now starting to stabilize with a new President starting on January 4, 2020 (Dr. Robyn McCallum) to replace Mark Hambrook who will step down as MSA President at the end of December, but continue to work in the hatchery on a part-time basis. 

To read the full President's note please click the link below
Announcing Debbie Norton as MSA Chair of the Board of Directors
The Miramichi Salmon Association wishes to announce the appointment of Debbie Norton as Chair of the Board of Directors. Debbie took on this appointment in June, 2020. 

To read more about Debbie and her new role as Chair of the MSA Board please click the link below.
MSA Welcomes New President in January 2021
Dr. Robyn McCallum will be joining the Miramichi Salmon Association team in January 2021 as President.

Robyn grew up in the Miramichi region and has studied and worked across the Maritimes for the past 11 years. Robyn completed her PhD in Biology from Dalhousie University and has a background in research, conservation, and education through her work as a biologist and agricultural specialist. Robyn has experience in leading a regional research and extension team, collaborating with industry and government partners, communicating research and extension information, and securing funding.
Robyn has published numerous peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, management guides, fact sheets, and reports, and has presented at conferences and meetings across North America. Robyn is also an Adjunct Faculty at Dalhousie University, and a Professional Agrologist with the New Brunswick Institute of Agrology.
Robyn is passionate about MSA and its values. Her goals include better highlighting the incredible work happening at MSA, bridging gaps with the greater community, leveraging funding opportunities for more research collaboration, and continuing to build on the strong foundation and heritage of MSA. She looks forward to meeting members and building the MSA community.
Robyn now lives in Miramichi with her husband and newborn son. Both Robyn and her husband enjoy training and showing their Belgian draft horses at competitions across the Maritimes.
MSA Saint John Fundraising Dinner
On September 23, 2020 the MSA Saint John dinner committee held their annual fundraising dinner at the historic Union Club. In line with Covid-19 guidelines, the MSA was required to limit the number of attendees to 50. Despite the limited capacity, the evening was a success with over $30k raised to be used toward Atlantic salmon conservation. The evening featured a great meal and live auction, an update from CAST President Andrew Willett and an interesting presentation by UNB PhD candidate Antoin O'Sullivan titled "The Tail of the Century: Thermal Regulation of Atlantic Salmon in the Miramichi". The MSA would like to thank all of our corporate sponsors, donors and individuals who helped make this night possible. We truly appreciate your support!
Attendees of the MSA Saint John dinner chat before sitting down at their individual table 'bubbles'.
Past MSA Chairman, Kevin Harris, addressing the dinner crowd.
Adult Salmon Returns
Due to Covid-19, DFO did not install the trap nets in Millerton or Cassilis this year until September and then only fished them 4 nights a week until early October. It is hard to interpret the counts from this abbreviated fishing effort, but there were more large salmon captured at Cassilis this fall than all the salmon that were captured in the whole season in 2019, the worst return year ever.  
To read more about adult salmon returns to the Miramichi please click the link below
MSA Fredericton Fundraiser - Virtual Edition
Due to Covid-19 regulations, this year the Fredericton MSA dinner committee chose to host a Live Stream Event and Online Auction rather than a limited capacity dinner. This is 'new ground' for the MSA in terms of fundraising events and the Fredericton committee worked diligently to make sure everything come together seamlessly. The Live Stream featured an opening address by MSA President Mark Hambrook followed by a message from Premier Blain Higgs which highlighted the importance of the Miramichi Salmon Association to the conservation of salmon in the Miramichi. The evening also featured a video message from 2019 Stanley Cup Champion Jake Allen, music by the Wade brothers and Mike Bravener, and some great fishing videos by Hooke. The MSA would like to thank all our sponsors and donors and also all those individuals who participated in the auction. Although the Live Stream was fun, we hope to be able to return to our regular dinner format next year.
To view a recorded version of the Live Stream please click the link below.
Smallmouth Bass Eradication
The process continues to acquire a permit to eradicate smallmouth bass in Miramichi Lake and a section of the SW Miramichi. Smallmouth bass were discovered in Miramichi Lake in 2008 and efforts have been ongoing to get permission to eradicate the species from the Miramichi Watershed. 
 
To read more about efforts to eradicate smallmouth bass from the Miramichi river please click the link below
To HELP with Smallmouth Bass Eradication
Our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) registration document for the eradication of smallmouth bass from the Miramichi is now public on the provincial DELG website. It demonstrates that we have a comprehensive technical plan based on science and from world-leading experts in eradication. Plus, the document demonstrates that we have carried out extensive public engagement and First Nation consultations. The EIA process is now open for public feedback and this is a critical opportunity for us to show all of the support that exists out there in the Atlantic salmon conservation community for this eradication.
 
In addition to the EIA process, we have been going through DFO’s Aquatic Invasive Species regulatory process for the past 18 months. The project has undergone extensive scrutiny from several federal and provincial departments and as a result, the project is well developed, responsibly planned and regulated.
 
To enable a showing of support, we have created a page where people can simply fill out their name and click “send” to submit a letter of support to both DELG and DFO. You can also customize the letter. I know many of you support the eradication and have waited over a decade to see this done, so please take a minute to send in your letter.
To review the official project EIA registration document click the link below: 
Hatchery Update
Over the past 5 years, we have demonstrated that we can successfully grow wild caught salmon smolts from the river to the adult stage and produce viable eggs and juveniles. We haven’t been able to convince DFO, local First Nations and some other groups that this is a way to maintain salmon stocks on the Miramichi while a recovery plan is developed and implemented.  

For the full hatchery update please click the link below
Barrier Report
The MSA was approached by the province of NB in the spring of 2020 to see if we would be interested in operating the provincial salmon barrier protection pools on the Dungarvon and NW Miramichi Rivers. The MSA has been a strong supporter of the protection pools where adult salmon are confined to an area and protected 24 hours a day until just before spawning time when they are released.
For the full barrier report please click the link below
DFO Management Talks
Talks have been ongoing with DFO over the salmon recreational fishery trying to devise a decision matrix for the rules around sport fishing. The decision this past spring to reduce catch and release from 4 salmon per day to 2 per day during the regular season, caught everyone by surprise and most believe it was not an effective way to save any more salmon, just putting another restriction on anglers. According to the new Precautionary Approach for salmon management, salmon angling rules and harvest will be based on abundance and this decision matrix needs to be defined. Several NGO’s, NB Government and First Nations are trying to reach a consensus with DFO on establishing the rules around salmon angling and if we can’t find a compromise, DFO will impose them. The talks will continue into this winter. 
MSA Annual Christmas Auction to be hosted by the Carleton County dinner committee.
With the second wave of COVID looming on the horizon, the Carleton County dinner committee has decided to take a cautious approach to their annual fundraising drive. This year, instead of hosting their annual dinner and live auction, they have opted to host an online auction in support of salmon conservation in the Miramichi. We welcome anything that you would like to donate to the upcoming auction. To do so, please contact Butch Dalton by clicking the link below. Look for details and a link to the auction in the coming weeks.
New MSA Clothing for Sale
We have a variety of new MSA clothing for sale on our website. We are accepting orders now and will be filling them in the third week of November - still plenty of time for Christmas. To check our what is available please click the link below. Shipping is available at regular Canada post rates.
MSA River Cam back up and running
After a few tries and a bunch of calls, we were finally able to get our service provider to fix our river cam located at Bullocks lodge. We apologize for the delay and hope you understand how challenging it can be to get technical items repaired in a rural community. We appreciate you patience and would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Bullocks for allowing us to continue operating our river cam at their lodge.
Upcoming MSA Events

Still not a member of the Miramichi Salmon Association?
 Membership in the MSA is the perfect way to express your passion and support for the Miramichi River, for the Atlantic salmon who make it their home, and for the vital work being done by the MSA to protect and conserve both for today and tomorrow!
Miramichi Salmon Association | 506-622-4000 | |www.miramichisalmon.ca