Conservation group adds even more funds to grant pool supported by PEILCC’s “Island Rivers Worth Protecting” campaign

Fredericton, NB – “Organizations working to re-establish and preserve wild Atlantic salmon habitat and stocks will have access to significantly more funding from the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (ASCF) this year,” said Stephen Chase, ASCF’s executive director, when he announced the opening of this year’s round of competition for grants.

“The Foundation has increased its budget for grants to $400,000,”  said Chase. “That’s a fair jump from the $300,000 we’ve been offering annually since the Foundation was established in 2007. The increase is the result of good management and good returns on investment.”

While the $100,000 increase in funding is already good news, Chase also reported that the Foundation will be offering even more funding in Prince Edward Island, where ASCF and the PEI Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) have partnered again this year with the “Island Rivers Worth Protecting” campaign.

“If the results from this campaign are as good as they have been over the past two years, we expect to be able to offer a total of $75,500 in grants to PEI projects,” said Chase. When first established, the Foundation’s grant budget for PEI was $50,000.

“We are very appreciative of PEILCC and their product suppliers, customers and staff for their outstanding support,” said Chase.

ASCF is also offering an additional $60,000 for projects that involve two or more of the five provinces with wild Atlantic salmon habitat – Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Québec. Applications are being sought from volunteer groups, Aboriginal organizations, municipalities, industrial bodies, and others working on river, stream and watershed conservation.

“This year we would particularly like to encourage larger scale projects that demonstrate clear conservation results,” Chases added. “For the right project, we will also consider multi-year funding for up to three years.”

ASCF’s funding program has made a significant impact not only on river habitat quality and salmon populations, but also on the Atlantic region’s economy.

“This past summer alone, the 38 ASCF-funded projects across the region employed about 160 seasonal workers, members of our Aboriginal communities, students, and others,” Chase pointed out. “For the students involved, working on an ASCF-funded project helped them fund their education and gain the experience they need to build their professional careers.”

The round of competition for 2014 projects is now open. As well as proposals for larger projects intended to result in significant conservation gains, entries demonstrating partnership among the eligible organizations, particularly among First Nations, Aboriginal and community groups, are also encouraged.

The deadline for applications is 13 December 2013 at 4:00 p.m. EST. All proposals must be submitted through the ASCF website (www.salmonconservation.ca). For more information, visit the website or contact Darla Saunders at darla@salmonconservation.ca or 506-455-9900.

The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation is a volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization established with the goal of helping to achieve healthy and sustainable wild Atlantic salmon stocks in Atlantic Canada and Québec. Conservation projects and program administration are funded with the support of an endowment fund provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, together with other partnerships with the Foundation.

CONTACTS:        

Stephen Chase, Executive Director

Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation

506-455-9900, chasea@salmonconservation.ca

Darla Saunders, Conservation Program Coordinator

Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation

506-455-9900, darla@salmonconservation.ca