Volunteer Profile – Peter Cronin

Meet Peter Cronin, a member of the Central Advisory Committee.

Cronin retired in 2012 after working almost 38 years as a fisheries biologist with the province of New Brunswick; at one time he was a fisheries program manager.

He assisted in the clarification of the federal, provincial, and non-government organizations’ roles in the management of New Brunswick’s inland recreational fisheries.Cronin is affiliated with numerous organizations dedicated to the fisheries and he’s an Honorary Research Assistant at UNB. Cronin is also a recipient of the NB Salmon Council’s Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation.“As a kid I often fished with my father, and when I was a teenager he bought a camp at the Forks Pool on the Tobique River,” said Cronin. “The only way to the camp was to pole across the river from the canoe landing on the opposite shore. Anne and I own the camp today and the only access is still by canoe.  During those early days on the Tobique I earned a boundless lifelong respect for the wild Atlantic salmon.”

“My upbringing, my career, the many friends that I met along the way, and my deep passion for the fisheries resource is the reason that I became involved with the ASCF. The challenges that our Atlantic salmon populations are facing on both sides on the North Atlantic are what keep me involved.”

“I have often stated that governments cannot and should not manage the natural resources of the province in isolation of its citizens,” said Cronin. “We must work with federal and provincial departments, First Nation communities, non-governmental organizations, universities, individuals and the private sector to adopt a common philosophy and approach to conservation of our fish, their habitats and their use.”

“One suggestion that I would share is that we need to work cooperatively towards prioritizing specific projects even if they are not on your home river. We need to join our resources and work on those initiatives that truly matter to the Atlantic salmon resource. We need watershed plans that identify priority projects.”

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, dedicated and informed anglers and conservationists can change the situation; indeed, it’s where everything begins.”