Since 1953, the Miramichi Salmon Association (MSA) has worked toward the preservation and enhancement of Atlantic salmon on the Miramichi river. With strength in numbers, the MSA continues to build its membership to support our conservation efforts. We encourage you, if not already a member, to please join us.

Vol. 65 December 2023

Dear Miramichi Salmon Association Members,

I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. As we transition into the winter months, I would like to share some updates on the recent activities and achievements of the MSA.

First and foremost, I am pleased to announce that our fall fundraising dinners have concluded, and that we have had a very successful year! The dedication and hard work of our dinner committees played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of these events. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each committee member for their tireless efforts in making these dinners memorable and impactful. A sincere thank you is also due to our generous donors and sponsors who supported us during these fundraising endeavors. Your contributions are vital to the ongoing conservation efforts and initiatives of the MSA. Additionally, a special thank you to our members for coming out in full force to support the dinners, showcasing the strength and unity of our community.

In other news, our spawning efforts for the season have concluded, and all salmon eggs are now safely housed in incubators for the winter. This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our volunteers and staff, who worked tirelessly over the past month to ensure the success of this crucial phase in our conservation efforts. Your commitment to the mission of the MSA is truly commendable.



We are excited to announce that our Carleton County Christmas Auction launched yesterday. December 1st. This is an excellent opportunity to find unique items for the outdoor enthusiast or that special someone on your holiday list. We have curated a diverse selection of items that are sure to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Please see below for more details about the auction. Let's make this festive event a resounding success.

I am pleased to report that our recent Board of Directors meeting in Freeport, Maine was well attended, reflecting the dedication of our leadership team. We eagerly anticipate our next board meeting scheduled for February, where we will continue to plan for the future of the Miramichi Salmon Association.

I want to acknowledge that the MSA is aware of the significantly low salmon counts at the salmon protection barriers this year. Our newly formed MSA Advocacy Committee has been proactive in addressing this issue and has already engaged in discussions with the Hon. Mike Holland, First Nation representatives, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and other relevant groups. Together, we are working towards formulating a comprehensive strategy to bolster salmon populations, with a particular focus on addressing the striped bass issue.

Lastly, your ongoing support and commitment to the MSA's mission are invaluable and I hope that you have received your 2024 MSA calendar and our end-of-season donation request letter in the mail. Thank you for your continued support with this important fundraising effort and for being an integral part of the conservation and preservation of the magnificent Miramichi salmon.

William "Butch" Dalton

MSA Interim President

Our Carleton County Christmas Auction is now live! This online fundraising auction is jam-packed with a ton of great items for the angler on your Christmas list. We have a number of fishing trips, outerwear, fishing gear, boxes of flies, home goods, artwork, books, and so much more!

Spawning season has drawn to a close for Atlantic salmon on the Miramichi River. Our hatchery staff had a busy fall spawning broodstock salmon for our traditional fry stocking program, as well as hatchery-reared adult salmon for our experimental fry stocking program. There are approximately 1.1 million salmon eggs currently on site at the Miramichi Fish Hatchery, which includes eggs being incubated for Pabineau First Nation to be stocked in the Nepisiguit River.

Left: Combi tanks located in our Broodstock Building hold many salmon eggs for our experimental fry program. Right: Troughs in our egg building are used to incubate eggs for the Miramichi River and other watersheds.

Following fertilization, we leave the salmon eggs to water-harden for four hours, and then dip them in Ovadine, a surface disinfectant that coats the eggs. This treatment is done to reduce transmission of disease from the adults to the eggs, to keep them healthy, and is an important part of our biosecurity procedures. After that, the eggs are transferred to egg troughs and combi tanks where they will incubate in brook water over the winter months and be closely monitored.

Next spring, the resultant fry will be stocked in their natal waters on the Miramichi River. To support this critical conservation program, please click the link below.

The Miramichi Salmon Association is currently accepting applications for the 2024 Jack Fenety Conservation Scholarship. This is a major scholarship that is awarded each year to a graduate student conducting research associated with the ecology of Atlantic salmon, relevant to the Miramichi watershed.

To learn more about the Jack Fenety Conservation Scholarship and how to apply, please click the link below. Deadline for applications is December 15th.

Save the date for the 2024 MSA US Winter Event, taking place February 3rd at the Portland Country Club in Freeport, ME. The evening will include an excellent buffet dinner with complimentary wine. There will be silent and live auctions, and the entire event will be streamed interactively via zoom. Virtual attendees will receive a gift instead of food and drink. 

MSA supporters attending the annual MSA US Winter Event in 1959.

We are pleased to announce the keynote speaker for this event, Sir Michael Wigan, 6th Baronet and owner of the Borrobol Estate on the River Helmsdale in the Northern Highlands of Scotland.

The Helmsdale vies with the River Naver for the unofficial title of best small salmon river in Scotland. Michael Wigan is an avid salmon fisherman, conservationist, and author. He is the manager of the River Helmsdale Fishery Board, and has been involved in all aspects of stock enhancement including supervising the river’s hatchery operation and fry stocking program. Book titles by Michael Wigan include The Scottish Highland Estate, Stags at Bay, The Last of the Hunter Gatherers, and The Salmon. 

Combine having a great time with your support for the Miramichi and Atlantic salmon! Stay tuned to miramichisalmon.ca for ticket sales to launch soon.

The Miramichi Salmon Conservation Centre (MSCC) in South Esk, operated by the Miramichi Salmon Association, is a hub for scientists to carry out important research work. Alex Morgan, a student at the University of New Brunswick, has been conducting research at the MSCC for his Masters. Throughout the fall, Alex has been using resources at our hatchery facility to carry out a pilot project, looking into how aerial hyperspectral imagery can be used to detect and identify fish.

Above: Various species and age classes of fish were placed in an artificial channel at the hatchery. Below: By dragging the imager's sensor over the channel, Alex was able to capture hyperspectral images of the fish.

The hyperspectral imager Alex uses captures hundreds of different colors of visible light in a single pixel, compiling a large volume of information pertaining to the light reflected from the fish. The design of the pilot project simulates how a drone can use a hyperspectral imager to detect fish in natural waterways. The images captured by Alex will be analyzed by comparing the intensity of the different specific colors of light between the different species and age classes of fish to seek usable trends in the data. The goal of the project is to investigate whether hyperspectral imaging can be used as a method of counting fish by species non-invasively.

Stay tuned for our "Hooked for the Holidays" raffle, launching later this month! With the purchase of a $50 ticket, you will have a chance to win a three-day fishing trip for two rods to The Ledges Inn including guide, meals, and accommodations.

When my son, Curt and I were closing out our 2023 salmon season on one of our favourite pools on the Sevogle River system, we arrived at the small remote pool early in the morning only to find it occupied by a lone fisherman. He told us not to rush away because he would only be staying for a few more minutes and then the pool was ours. Before he left, he spent time talking to each of us while the other fished. It’s what happened next that is the rest of the story.

When we returned to our truck that day, there was a note on our side mirror describing a better way to get to the pool because some clear cutting had altered the best route and the bypass required was very difficult and much longer. As we drove home that day, we realized that we had met him over 30 years ago. We decided to contact him because his note provided his phone number and name.

We first met Darrell Harris near a more accessible Sevogle pool back in the 1990s. We had driven up from Moncton to fish and he had driven up from Nova Scotia. When Curt and I were looking for an open pool to fish one evening, we drove by a parked truck near a pool which appeared to be vacant. Suddenly, the occupant sat up in what turned out to be a great fishing memory. (Curt remembered the Chevy Astro Van with a bed, a mountain bike, and Nova Scotia plates). A quick phone call later confirmed that we had found the right person who helped us more than thirty years before.

Darrell had told us about a pool much further down the stretch which we could reach on our ATV so we followed his directions that evening and for 30 plus years since. However, our paths never crossed again until this year.

Washouts, clearcutting, and wind falls make it difficult to get there now but we still go there as a favorite father/son fishing spot. Meeting Darrell Harris there after such a long time makes it even more of a special place for us. The salmon fishing pools in New Brunswick are a treasure for all to enjoy and respect. We wanted to tell you about this story of how the chance trip brought the three of us together again.

The Miramichi Salmon Association has a long history of being governed and supported by exemplary community and business leaders. We are proud to share the following congratulations:



Our 2024 MSA Calendar is now on sale! This calendar showcases photographs of the beautiful Miramichi river, captured by the late Brian Smith. Pick up yours by visiting our MSA offices in South Esk or Fredericton, or by ordering online through the link below.

The MSA would also like to acknowledge the passing of two directors this past fall. We are deeply saddened by the loss of both of these remarkable individuals.

We are sad to announce the passing of MSA US Director Whitney Beals on September 14th. Whitney was an active conservationist. Along with serving on the MSA US board of directors, he also participated on several conservation-related committees outside the MSA. He was an avid outdoorsman and a true advocate for the Miramichi river.

On September 27th, MSA US Director Peter Howell lost his fight against cancer. Peter was an avid fly fisherman with an intense passion for Atlantic salmon fishing; traveling the globe to find that perfect stretch of river where a salmon lay in wait. It is believed that he found that perfect stretch of river along the banks of the Southwest Miramichi at the Black Brook Salmon Club. Peter was a generous donor to the MSA and a very active participant in our board meetings and events. 

MSA Honourary Director David Oxley passed away on November 3rd. David was a resident of Rothesay, New Brunswick, a founding member of the Hudson Brook Salmon Club, and had a lifelong passion for salmon fishing. We appreciate the years of service that David gave to the Miramichi Salmon Association as a director, and for his ongoing support of our fundraising efforts, especially through the MSA IceBreaker in Boiestown and the MSA Autumn Dinner in Saint John. 

As our year draws to a close, we would like to offer a special thanks to our conservation and funding partners. Without their help, many of our conservation programs would not be possible.

MSA Carleton County Christmas Auction

December 1st-10th

MSA US Winter Event

February 3rd

MSA Board of Directors Meeting

February 22nd

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Miramichi Salmon Association

485 Route 420

South Esk NB E1V 4L9

506-622-4000

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