November Newsletter 2015

Welcome to autumn. My sense is that we’ve enjoyed a very nice season with generally good water levels in our rivers surrounded by beautiful fall colours. All reports indicate that salmon and grilse returns have been quite good, so we remain optimistic for the future. After all, optimism is an essential quality of conservationists and anglers, alike.

During October we have received many of our interim project reports and some final reports on 2015 funded initiatives. Included in our returns are also the interim reports of our multi-year projects. We are constantly impressed how well the projects are performing in meeting their stated conservation objectives. Thus, more cause for optimism!

This month we are celebrating another successful PEILCC “Island Rivers – Worth Protecting”” sales event. We are indebted to our friends at PEILCC for raising $100,000 over our five-year partnership. We ensure that 100 percent of funds raised go directly to over 40 conservation projects on the Island, and has made a big difference in improving the quality of the environment. Thank you PEILCC staff!

Our featured volunteer for November is Keith Piercey of Corner Brook, NL. Keith has been a salmon conservation volunteer for many years, with the Salmonid Preservation Association of the Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN) and on the Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (SCNL). Keith has also lent his expertise to ASCF, from the beginning, as member of our NL Advisory. We thank him for his contribution to the success of ASCF funded conservation projects.

Last month I told readers of the debut of our “Salmon Hub”. We have received exceptionally good feedback on this new, and unique, one-stop source of salmon conservation information. This is an excellent beginning!

I would also give you a heads-up on our new approach to funding specific scientific research initiatives. We have decided to rename our Central Advisory Committee as the Scientific Advisory Committee to more closely conform with its true role. The SAC will guide its available funding toward priority applied research topics via requests for proposals. We see this as a very strategic use of ASCF in funding salmon research topics that need elaboration.

Yours in conservation!

Stephen Chase