The New Brunswick government is calling for urgent federal action to address a declining salmon population in the province.
Natural Resources Minister John Herron met with federal Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard Minister Diane Lebouthillier on Feb. 4.
Herron said the situation is alarming and called on the federal minister to finalize and release her department’s Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Strategy.
“We need a strategy that includes information on salmon in New Brunswick, reference to specific watersheds such as Miramichi, and potential causes of population decline, such as predation, as well as mitigation measures,” Herron said in a news release.
The provincial minister is calling for a strategy with “transformative investments” in the areas of conservation, stewardship, salmon enhancement and stock rebuilding.
“Our expectation is that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will appropriately resource implementation of the strategy, similar to investments made to support the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative,” he added.
Herron also wrote an open letter to Lebouthillier, saying he shares the perspective of leading stakeholders and experts that the Atlantic salmon is facing “virtual extinction” in New Brunswick rivers, largely due to DFO’s striped bass enhancement strategy.
While DFO has jurisdiction over salmon, Herron noted the provincial government and stakeholders are willing to do their part.
