Volunteer Profile – Fred Parsons

Meet Fred Parsons, the chair of the NL Advisory Committee.

Parsons has been working with Atlantic salmon for the past 30 years. From the beginning of the major enhancement of the Exploits River in 1985, he has been employed with Environment Resources Management Association as general manager. Over this period of time he has held several volunteer executive positions with the Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador and other development groups.

“I became involved with ASCF from their first year of operations and my interest was in seeing grassroots groups be able to access funds to complete smaller projects in their communities,” said Parsons.“I guess over the years I have personally seen what could be done to help the wild salmon resource and the many benefits that come back indirectly to usually rural areas of our provinces.”

Parsons said the work that ASCF fosters has made a big impact on the Atlantic salmon’s habitat; in some provinces the habitat has been damaged by years of logging activity and log drives in the streams and river.

“I have enjoyed the expertise that I see at the advisory board meetings where some of the most knowledgeable people related to salmon give freely of their time to advance the fight to save and improve on one of our finest fish species. I see the dedicated people at the board and staff level that guide the organization and have set the path to the success that it enjoys today.”